Scanlon Blogs

     If you want to achieve a goal, you have to work hard.  That process begins by taking the first step towards achievement.  Many people have a difficult time taking this first step, because it means having to make a change.  However, the first step is the most rewarding action you could take, and here is why. 1. It Is the Hardest Step to Take      When you take the first step, you arrive on the path to success.   Many people never take the first step, because they are afraid of failure.   They forget that failure comes from those who do nothing.     Others are afraid of change.   They forget that life is change.   Allowing oneself to be afraid of change makes it d ifficult to adapt to life, let alone push for success.   So, the first step is the hardest, because people make it the hardest.   However, those who break through the wall of fear and doubt have increased their chances to succeed. ...

     The future is something everybody stresses over from time to time.  We want to be in control of our lives, but when we look towards the future, housing the unknown, we feel like deer in headlights.  This will happen from time to time, and it is natural, but the best action to take is to calm yourself.  There are no reasons to stress over the future, but there are plenty of reasons to stop stressing over it.  Here are five reasons why the future should not be stressed over. 1. The Future is Unpredictable          Nobody can predict the future, but we do our best to try.  We dream of our desired outcomes and expect them to become reality.  However, things do not always turn out the way we want, and this can lead to disappointment and fear, the fear of the unknown.  When we do not have a plan, we panic.  We need to know our next move to feel secure.  This can cause stress and negative scenar...

     People struggle to eat healthy on a daily basis.  Some people forget to eat altogether because of how busy they are.  In order to reach your full potential, you cannot be limited by your body's inability to function.  Eating clean, healthy foods is the first step in bodily maintenance.  By doing so, you will be able to work towards your goals with more energy, less stress, and better health.  The best part is, healthy does not necessarily mean difficult, tasteless, or expensive.  Here are five cheap, simple, and easy to use foods that can benefit your health in the long run. 1. Garlic      Garlic has been used medicinally for hundreds of years.  It has been said to have cancer preventative properties, be a strong prophylactic, and is filled with antioxidants.  The herb has also been known to treat and prevent cardiovascular disease, lower LDL, or bad cholesterol, and raise HDL, good cholesterol (1).  This,...

     Sleep is an important part of our everyday lives, and it is imperative that we get enough of it.  However, it is also important that or sleep is of the highest quality.  Unfortunately, many people today suffer from poor sleep, which can lower our quality of life.  This is because most people do not know how to properly prepare before bed and have sporadic sleep schedules.  However, there are many ways a person can increase the quality of their sleep through preparation, planning, and research. 1. Sleep In Complete Darkness      Complete darkness is the first step to increasing the quality of your sleep.  Keep in mind, our bodies are obsessed with survivability, which is why light and darkness effect the body in different ways.  Melatonin production increases in darkness, because our bodies are naturally trying to tell us it is time to rest.  Light increases brain activity and lowers Melatonin production. ...

     Toxicity is the killer of positivity and dreams.  Toxic people are naturally negative and will put others down whenever possible.  They are so narcissistic and/or unhappy that they bring people down in hopes of making themselves feel superior.  Control is their primary goal, and they maintain control by keeping others from reaching their full potential.  These toxic people can be found at work, school, and even among your family and friends.  Unless a person knows how to deal with the toxicity, they can quickly lose self-esteem, confidence, the motivation to grow as a person, and even become toxic themselves.  Thankfully, there are a multitude of ways to handle the toxic people who plague this world, and once put into practice, can make you unbreakable.  Stay true to yourself, remain positive, and outright avoid anyone who tries to bring you down.      Toxic people will try to manipulate others into believing wha...

     Many have New Year’s resolutions, but few push themselves towards achievement.  It takes much more than setting a goal for it to become a reality.  Achieving the goal requires planning, dedication, and the desire to succeed.  However, there are people who want to achieve their goals and dedicate the time and effort to succeed, yet they still fail.  There are a multitude of reasons for this, and these reasons are also why there are people who never get past the idea stage of a New Year’s Resolution. Many try to adapt to numerous changes too quickly.  They become overwhelmed and eventually stop chasing their goals.  People also lack the confidence to push themselves to success, believing that they are weaker than they actually are.  Laziness also plays a role, because people will often give up when they do not feel like doing something, or when results take more time than expected.  People need to realize that, in order for New Y...

     Many people cannot stand the idea of small talk.  The reason being is they believe small talk is boring and meaningless.  To these people, small talk begins with people feeling uncomfortable in a situation, so they start asking the generic questions everyone asks.  The other person then answers with vague, uninterested answers.  Once complete, the parties disperse, ultimately forgetting everything said.  They were so focused on getting through the conversation that they forgot to listen. These instances can and will happen, but small talk is not to blame.  It is the person who decides whether small talk is a negative or a positive, and there many positive reasons to partake in small talk.  Small talk is the best way to begin learning about another person.  Many people would rather go past small talk and have a deep, meaningful conversation. The problem is many people do not want to open up to another person without ‘getting the...

     Relaxation is just as important as working hard.  People tend to work themselves to the bone in order to achieve their goals.  Everyone needs to do this once in a while.  However, constantly working this way can lead to fatigue, ultimately leading to the person giving up on what they set out to do.  This is why there has to be a balance between hard work and relaxation.  Working hard all of the time will lead to failure due to fatigue.  Constantly relaxing leads to laziness, meaning nothing will be accomplished.  By balancing hard work and relaxation, a person is able to accomplish their goals while also maintaining the motivation to do so.      Nobody should think that relaxing is a waist of time.  Relaxing is the best way to regain the strength and motivation to work hard.  Without relaxation, success would be much more difficult to obtain, because people would lose the motivation to push forward....

     Today’s society is filled with instant gratification.  Everyone seems to want more in shorter periods of time, and many people now lack the patience necessary to deal with everyday life.  As a result, people are becoming spoiled and lazy.  They are stuck in the mindset of wanting things so fast that, when something takes time, they believe it is pointless to continue.  Just because something takes time does not mean it is a worthless endeavor.  It takes time to create, solve problems, and handle situations.  Expecting instantaneous results will lead to nothing but disappointment, resentment, and anger.  Having patience allows us to lower stress and anxiety, work towards achieving our goals, and ends the continuous cycle of wanting, waiting, and giving up.      Patience can reduce stress and anxiety, because it allows us to clear our minds.  When people become impatient, they often get annoyed, angry, or conc...