Jessica's Favorite Things

I love online shopping and my favorite site is Amazon.
 I've created an Amazon Store with some of my favorite things.
 I will continue to add to it. What are some of your favorite things?
 What have you bought that you wish you would have found sooner? 
My Store Link here http://astore.amazon.com/jessicajk-20
I do get a small percentage of sales from this site, 

You can find these in my page. 

but feel free to go to the main site if you prefer.

My Favorite Things

I love online shopping and my favorite site is Amazon.

 I've created an Amazon Store with some of my favorite things.

 I will continue to add to it. What are some of your favorite things? 

What have you bought that you wish you would have found sooner? 
My Store Link here http://astore.amazon.com/jessicajk-20
I do get a small percentage of sales from this site, but feel free to go to the main site if you prefer.

Extroverted Introverts: 10 Things to Know

I regularly swing back and forth between social butterfly and complete hermit – which is why I was relieved to hear the phrase “extroverted introvert” for the first time. Also known as an ambivert, an extroverted introvert is someone who who exhibits qualities of both introversion and extroversion. My typical weekday exemplifies this well. Usually my mornings are spent out and about, taking sincere joy in play dates and befriending other mothers at the park. My afternoons, by contrast, are spent at home, happily curled up on the couch in my pajamas. Sometimes this is reversed, or I’ll find myself in or out for a whole day, but the half-day of each is my ideal. Small dinner parties are awesome. Night clubs are terrifying. Friendships feed my soul, but crowds drain me.

HERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS AMBIVERTS LIKE MYSELF WANT YOU TO KNOW:

1. OUR SPOT ON THE SPECTRUM CHANGES WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Your ambivert friend may be loud and gregarious around her family, but quiet and thoughtful at the office. Seeing her in both situations may feel like meeting two entirely different people.

2. TALKING TO STRANGERS IS FINE – BUT DON’T EXPECT US TO KEEP IT TO SMALL TALK.

Although an ambivert can hold up her end of a conversation, talking about the weather will not be enough to engage her. Her social energy is limited enough that she won’t want to waste it on meaningless chatter. She will likely push the conversation into deeper territory or bow out entirely.

3. WE LIKE TO BE ALONE – WE DON’T LIKE TO BE LONELY.

There is a big difference between the two. Choosing to sit at home with a tub of ice cream and a coloring book feels fantastic. Sitting at home because nobody called you back feels sad and lame.

4. GETTING US OUT OF THE HOUSE CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

If you catch your friend on a highly introverted day, you may just be better off leaving him at home. He might manage to be social, but he’ll just be thinking about his books and his couch the whole time.

5. IF WE’RE NEW, YOU CAN FIND US IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.

An introverted extrovert will approach new situations with cautious excitement. If we know someone in the group, we will likely cling to them a bit as we become comfortable. If we do not, we might waver on the edge of the crowd, slowly getting used to the water rather than jumping in all at once.

6. WE’RE SELECTIVELY SOCIAL.

We don’t mean to be snobs. We just have limited social energy and prefer interacting one-on-one or in small groups. For this reason, we can only afford to invest our social time and energy in those who we feel truly connected to.

7. MAKING FRIENDS IS EASY. KEEPING THEM IS HARD.

We like talking to people, but we value our alone-time, as well. This can make maintaining a friendship tricky. If your ambivert friend makes an effort to consistently invest time and energy in your friendship, be glad. You are truly special to him.

8. OUR SOCIAL DESIRES CHANGE WITH THE BREEZE.

We might be desperate to hang out with you on Friday, but then not answer your call on Saturday. We’re not mad at you. We’re just super comfortable in bed watching Netflix.

9. WE CAN TALK TO YOU FOR HOURS.

If you manage to catch him in a one-on-one situation, an extroverted introvert will just not shut up. Once his interest is engaged, there’s no stopping him.

10. LISTENING IS GREAT TOO, THOUGH.

Sometimes we want to be a part of the action, but our social energy levels are too low for us to contribute in a meaningful way. Listening allows us to get to know you without burning up our social fuel. We also know its value from our chattier moments when we are desperate for an ear.

Did any of these resonate with you? Don’t be surprised if they did – more than half the population is ambiverted, according to Adam Grant, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. His research shows that roughly two-thirds of people are ambiverts, while one-third are either strong introverts or strong extroverts. “Ambiverts are like Goldilocks,” he claims. “They offer neither too much nor too little.” Treasure the introverted extrovert in your life, or embrace these qualities in yourself. Ambiverts might have it just right.

SOURCE: http://unisoultheory.com/index.php/2016/06/29/extroverted-introverts/?=prince

10 BEHAVIORS THAT KEEP YOU FROM FINDING A RELATIONSHIP THAT WORKS

1. YOU’VE YET TO HEAL FROM THE HURT OF YOUR CHILDHOOD

Psychologists call your adult relationship style your ‘attachment style’ and they say that the way you bond with a romantic partner is based on how you learned love as a child. If your childhood years were not happy ones, it takes a lot of healing before you can find a relationship that works.

Psychologists at Texas A&M University who looked at 144 dating couples found that those with anxious or avoidant attachment styles had more negative emotions and fewer positive emotions in their relationships. The partners with secure attachment styles were the ones who had the most positive emotions and the least negative emotions during their relationships.

2. YOU APPLY THE DEAL BREAKER RULE TO EVERY DATE

Man Hands, Close Talker, and the Double Dip were all reasons that characters on the TV show Seinfeld had to dump their dates. If you give your dates deal-breaker status based on their negative behavior, that is totally unfair. Sure, we all have deal breakers that will just get under our skin so we know to avoid those types of people, but you’re not perfect either. Labeling your partner’s negative behavior while ignoring their positive traits is not giving them a fair deal. It’s possible that this is one behavior that is keeping you from finding a relationship that works. Try focusing on the positive aspects of your next partner.

3. YOUR STANDARDS ARE TOO HIGH

You are looking for the never-married lawyer in his 40’s who graduated from Yale and has a mansion, convertible, and perfect abs? Looking for someone who is either out of your league or who would have no reason to find value in you as a partner is one possible reason you haven’t found a relationship that works.

4. LOVE HAS MADE YOU JADED

You are stuck in the negativity, regret, and resentment about your past relationships, which is keeping you from finding a relationship that works. Who wants to be with someone who is only focused on the negative? No one you should want to be with, that’s for sure. Try to find the lesson from these past loves, let go, grow, and open yourself up to only positives.

5. LOW SELF-ESTEEM

Low self-esteem is one possible trait that keeps you from finding a relationship that works. It’s hard to love someone else fully until you can say the same about your relationship with yourself. Let’s focus on you for a while and then look for romance.

6. YOU’RE AFRAID OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID FIND THE RIGHT PERSON

Fear is not uncommon for those who are single, and in this case it’s the fear of finding a relationship that works. Sometimes you fear losing your freedom, or losing the potential for another romantic partner who could be even better and who might come along when you aren’t available. Sometimes, it is a fear of success that keeps you from true love.

7. YOU’RE PURSUING SOMEONE WHO ISN’T SINGLE

Maybe he or she will leave their spouse, but in the meantime, you’re tying yourself up with someone who isn’t available, which means you are also not available to find someone who is looking for you.

8. YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP WHO YOU ARE TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP

You should never have to sacrifice your personality for a romantic partner, so resolve to never let that happen and be ready for the possibility of a love where you can still be yourself AND be in a relationship that works.

9. YOU KEEP REPEATING THE SAME PATTERN IN RELATIONSHIPS

Similarly to your attachment style, if you are repeating old patterns of unhealthy relationship behavior, you may have some personal growth to do before you can be in a relationship that really works. Living in the past just will not work for you in a relationship. Your partner wants you to live in the here and now with them, and if you can’t let go of old, negative habits that don’t serve you, you can’t have a healthy relationship.

Researchers at the University of Rochester and the University of Georgia looked at mindfulness and relationship satisfaction and found that ‘greater practice of mindfulness on a given day predicted improved relationship happiness, stress coping efficacy, and lower relationship-specific and overall stress.’ Letting go of the past, and avoiding worrying about the future, keeps you mindful and aware of the joy that is found in each moment with your romantic partner, and that is a great way to have an emotionally healthy relationship that works well for both of you.

10. YOU FIND IT HARD TO TRUST

We get it; putting yourself out there to potentially be hurt can be emotionally scary, but you have to take a risk if you want the big payoff. It’s better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all.

SOURCE: powerofpositivity.com

5 Things To Keep In Mind When You Are In Love With An Old Soul

Wisened beyond their years. Unexpectedly insightful. Worldly. However you explain it, you know when you encounter an old soul. You see, the funny thing about wisdom is the fact that it doesn’t always have a direct correlation to age. For some people, wisdom is just as much of a trait as hair color. These “old souls” are a beautiful part of the universe. They are also extremely easy to fall madly in love with. Old souls are easier to connect with. They are the kind of people that you know for 5 minutes and feel like you’ve spent a lifetime with them. Just like these wonderful minds are different from most people you’ve ever met, loving them is its own unique experience. If you, like me, find yourself drawn to someone who is what you’d consider an old soul, here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to loving them, as well as being loved by them.

THROW YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS OUT THE WINDOW

Your picture of “love”, as you personally define it, is probably not going to be the same as someone with an old soul. You want a fairy tale, and they know that they don’t exist. Love comes in as many forms and fashions as any other emotion, and not every situation fits into a box that someone else has created. This is important to keep in mind because you might be expecting a reaction or a situation that just isn’t coming. Be patient, and look for the little things that define a true, deep, experienced love. Things like going out of their way to make you a simple, maybe even bad, cup of coffee in the morning instead of going to Starbucks are super important signs of affection from an old soul type of lover.

THEY PICK THEIR BATTLES WISELY

If you are someone that likes to argue, I can tell you now – without a shred of doubt that an “old soul” is not for you. One of the greatest traits of wisdom is knowing how to pick your battles, and old souls do it better than most. They have a very firm grasp on what matters and what is just noise. That principle gets applied to everything in their lives, including relationships. You might think something is important and needs to be discussed at length, meanwhile your old soul partner just brushes it off. This isn’t an attempt at brushing YOU off, it is their way of de-escalating something that isn’t important. I know that sounds calloused, but the truth is – in the end, those moments spent worrying and discussing something unimportant are moments that could be spent loving each other and being happy.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOYAL AND FAITHFUL

Although loyalty and being faithful sound like the same thing on the surface, they aren’t. You don’t have to have sex with someone to cheat. Emotional cheating is a real thing to someone with an old soul. Loyalty is a bond. Being faithful is a moral obligation.

THEY LOVE HARD (FOR GOOD OR BAD)

Old souls, when they do love someone, they love hard. They love completely. They are smart enough to know that love can be the equivalent of jumping off of an airplane with a chute that someone else packed, and they still fling themselves into thin air. For an old soul, love isn’t something that you do at 3/4 speed. You’ve got to be prepared for that leap because once it’s made, you can’t un-jump. In their minds, the options have been weighed, the potential outcomes measured, and something in them is telling them that this is the right choice.

QUICK TO FORGIVE – NOT TO FORGET

Finally, keep this one thing in mind above all else: forgiveness doesn’t have anything to do with memory. Old souls are typically harder to hurt because part of having an old soul is usually a heightened level of emotional intelligence. They are very quick to forgive, but almost never forget. Don’t expect a third strike from an old soul. In fact, don’t expect a second in most cases. That same wisdom that makes someone an old soul in your eyes is the same wisdom that they rely on to spot patterns of behavior. This doesn’t mean you have to tiptoe around on eggshells with an old soul, it just means that if you’re not what they want – you’ll know pretty much immediately.

SOURCE: http://unisoultheory.com/