When it comes to conquering bad habits, imagine yourself in an epic war battle. You’re located in a dynamic, varied landscape and up against an enemy equipped with many different weapons. A simple “just quit it” tactic is like fighting a sophisticated army solely with bayonets. To paraphrase The Art of War, “If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will win.” This article is about better understanding ourselves and the basal reasons for our bad habits, so that they can be confidently overcome.

Not long ago I found myself speaking with a well-informed psychologist. We were discussing the topics of fate, destiny and feeling “doomed”. Many people who visit psychologists struggle with these concepts, sensing that they can only possibly be unhappy/worthless/you-name-it. In response to this troubling and common belief she mentioned the work being done the realm of neuroplasticity. I was intrigued by the innovative, ground-breaking nature of the research being done and set off to do some research of my own. What I found was both interesting and encouraging.

Enthusiasm can play a make or break role in success. It acts as a multiplier of your chances: the higher your interest in a goal, the better your odds of achieving it. In my own pursuit of personal development I have noticed a distinct correlation to support this: Failure rates have been much higher in projects I begrudgingly undertake than in projects I wholeheartedly tackle. This inspired me to research enthusiasm’s contributing factors so I could steer it in productive directions. It turns out the unchanging foundation of enthusiasm is quite simple.

Many years ago I was diagnosed with clinical depression. Beforehand, I thought I knew what depression was, but I had no idea. I’ve overcome unforeseeable sadness and picked up a few good techniques for doing so along the way. Here are techniques anyone can use to fight the blues and come out on top.

Most will agree that discipline is a requisite for success. You need to be able to control yourself in order to achieve your goals. How can you get in shape if you scarf down a bag of chips at every opportunity? How can you get your finances in order if you max out your credit card every month? Without some self-control failure is the norm. So what do you do if desperately want to succeed at something but can’t control yourself? Make a hard preemptive strike. Here’s how.

The term “omega-3″ seems to be receiving a lot of hype lately for its brain and cardiovascular benefits. More and more products in your neighborhood grocery store are claiming to be chock-full of these mysterious wonder-molecules. But do they really do what they say they do? There are lots of articles online about omega-3s. This article seeks to simply the details, verify the claims, and offer practical information.