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Throughout the United States, prescription drug overdoses have been a major problem. But now, with the rise of medical marijuana in many states, the number of deaths from pharmaceutical painkillers is on the decline.

Deaths caused by prescription of Opioid (opium), Vicodin, and OxyContin have approximately tripled since 1991, and every day 46 people die of such overdoses in the United States. However, in the 13 states that passed laws allowing for the use of medical marijuana between 1999 and 2010, 25 percent fewer people die overdoses of opioid drugs each year.

“In this life, you are never going to be younger than you are right now.” I first heard this statement in the movie The Spectacular Now, and it hit me so profoundly that I was never able to look at the world in the same way again. There is nothing particularly revolutionary about the idea itself — in fact it’s quite commonsensical when you think about it — but for some reason it struck a chord that I just couldn’t shake off.

We all have those particular quotes, videos, or personal experiences that, for one reason or another, impacted us profoundly. In hopes of sparking that within you, I wanted to share two particular videos that I feel have the potential to do just that.

The first is from speaker, performing artist, visionary, and filmmaker Prince Ea. Titled Why Most People Die Before Age 25, it outlines how we all have greatness within us and why now is the time for us to stop obsessing over the irrelevant and to instead step into our personal potential.

How many times have you been worked up, and had someone tell you to “breathe”? That one word holds so much power. As soon as someone brings to our attention that we’ve escaped our breath, we immediately take an indulgent inhale. Breathing is innate. We do it without thinking simply because our bodies require it to survive. But there is much more to breath than meets the eye.

Our breath reveals a lot about our current state. When we’re uncomfortable, stressed, anxious, or fearful, we may find ourselves breathing very shallowly. When we’re relaxed, we breathe slowly. We can spin ourselves into a tantrum, and we can soothe ourselves into a safe and secure space, all by how we breathe. There are countless breathing practices to relieve physical and mental ailments, bring about a sense of calm, and even raise our vibrations. These practices makes breath so much more than essential, but incredibly transcendental. To shift our state of being through our breath so much so that we can change our wellbeing is a beautiful thing.

Are You Suffering From A Dopamine Imbalance?

You know how it feels.

That unmatchable sense of satisfaction you get after you accomplish something that you had always wanted to.

Whether it’s breaking the weightlifting record at your gym, getting into an energetic mode and completing eight hours of work in five hours, or achieving a long-term goal that your friends (and even your Dad) thought you’d never do, that feeling can be highly motivating to take the next big step in your life.

That feeling is dopamine rushing down your spine.

What is Dopamine? It’s a chemical compound present in the body as a neurotransmitter. It acts as a messenger between brain cells. Despite being generated by just a handful of brain cells, it acts as a powerful stimulant for many major physical and cognitive functions, including memory, movement, motivation, and pleasurable reward.

by Joe Martino, Collective Evolution

We all get tired. We all know what it is like to feel like we want to give up, throw in the towel, and just stay in bed. You know what? Sometimes it’s okay to stay in bed, but at some point we have to be real, to look at ourselves, and move on.

The world can be a tough place; we all know that. We have all felt tough financial times, emotional challenges, and uninspired at work. But who says it has to be that way?

Why have you forgotten how powerful you are? Why have you allowed your own thoughts and ego mind to convince you that you are not capable of creating a life you truly want?

This world in place can bind you, but only if you continue to give your power to it and allow it to interfere with your own choice as a sentient being on this planet. Sure, challenges can come up and things can be hard, and painful, but these situations are only temporary and help you to grow. Stop seeing them as a bad thing!