by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

The ancient practice of yoga has long been revered for its mental and physical benefits. The research standing behind it is just a bonus, merely supporting what many yogis could already tell you from personal experience.

In today’s fast-paced society that strips away our ability to slow down and enjoy the moment, stress, anxiety, and depression are on the rise. Depression alone affects more than 15 million American adults, or about 6.7 % of the U.S. population age 18 and older, in a given year.

The most common treatment for depression remains a combination of antidepressant medicine and psychotherapy — sometimes called “talking therapy.” But new research suggests we may wish to break these standards for treatment.

by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

America is being divided, and it’s all part of the plan: the plan to program humans into robots that fight, protest, and stir up verbal arguments. The media thrives on it — creating fake news, decrying fake news, and reporting with few facts and plenty of bias.

Critical thinking has become void. We are being told to be all-in, whether that be all-in for Trump or all-out for Trump. Anyone with the guts to go against the grain, that is, to take pieces of good from all sides and create a more meaningful outlook, is pushed away with the assumption that they aren’t educated enough, not interested enough to make real change — to stand up for their country.

And it seems the American people agree that division exists and thrives in America. Over the past 20-plus years, the public has perceived the nation as being more divided than united. And it’s only gotten worse. In 2012, 69% of Americans believed the nation was divided. As of 2016, that number has increased to 77%.

by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

What comes to mind when you think of IKEA?

For me, it’s that very affordable nightstand I purchased in college that I never figured out how to put together from the instructions. But the brand has made quite a name for itself, despite people like me having a bit of an intolerance for playing adult Legos, if you will.

Along with providing people major inspiration for their homes, and oh-so-many options to choose from, Ikea remains one of the few global companies to generate a billion dollars or more in annual revenue from products or services that have sustainability or social good at their core. Essentially, they’ve made sustainability profitable, and that’s a win-win for our future.

by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

Anxiety has an overwhelmingly negative connotation, and it’s easy to see why. When it comes through in attacks, when it’s a weight you wear on your chest every single day, it’s hard to view it in any other way. In small doses, however, it can be a good thing.

So how can anxiety be good? It gives us the opportunity to banish our jitters when in the moment, allowing for healthy change. The issue is that anxiety can create mental blockages that keep us from using it to our advantage. When anxiety gets away from us, it distorts our reality, making us stressed and less efficient. When the stress hormone cortisol hits, we end up feeling fatigued, not fresh and conscious. This is called destructive anxiousness.

by Alanna Ketler, Collective Evolution

Whether you are looking for more peace or less stress in your life, meditation could be exactly what you need. For beginners, or people who are just learning about the amazing benefits meditation can provide for your mental clarity and well-being, however it can be frustrating at first.

When you first start meditating, you may experience a mix between waiting for something to happen and having your mind over flooded with thoughts; the practice of meditation can be a daunting task, and you may even feel overwhelmed by it at first –I know I have. That is why I have compiled this list of 20 tips to help get you in that perfect environment –inside and out –to begin to implement this sacred practice more regularly into your daily life.

1. Practice Makes Perfect, Make Time For Meditation Every Day

When you are first starting out, it is important to keep with it, you may not notice the benefits right away, but the more you practice the easier it will become to quiet the mind, and get into the state of relaxation and allow the clarity to come through. Even for just 5 minutes a day, this will guarantee you stay on track.