International Travel

How To Navigate Paris Like A Model Tourist

The Five-Day Itinerary To See The Best of Florence, Italy

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐀 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲⠀
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I, like many people, am missing travel. Honestly, it was a big part of my mental upkeep. Fortunately, I live in a pretty cool city, so I can do some exploring in my backyard.⠀
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Here are the ways I've been going about it that can help you too (maintaining social distancing of course):⠀
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𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭. Whenever I prepare for a trip, the very first thing I do is make a list of all the popular attractions. I've begun to treat my city's hot spots the same way. I've made a list of everything great about my city, then began to tackle it one by one. I even enlist the help of friends and family to get suggestions because we all do city living differently.⠀
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𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Having a tourist perspective is more than just exploring the city. Its actually living the tourist life. Book a hotel room or Airbnb in a popular neighborhood and get recommendations from the front desk or host.⠀
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𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩. My home, Washington, D.C., is not only known for its monuments and museums. We have some great attractions in outlying cities like beautiful resorts and wineries. Check out the surrounding areas of your town for places to visit.⠀
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𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝. The least costly thing on this list is your pair of feet. Drop yourself in the city center and just wander around mindfully uncovering all your city has to offer.⠀
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𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔?

𝐇𝐢, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢, 𝐚𝐧𝐝

𝐇𝐢, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐢𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫.⠀
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I wrote that in my journal on February 5, 2020 - The day I was diagnosed.⠀
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I was in the middle of an 'episode', so I was up all night and couldn't sleep. Since I had ample time, I researched everything I could about the disorder. I read EVERY medical article from EVERY publication.⠀
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But what I couldn't find in my research was how to reconcile 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆.⠀
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It took me some time, including lots of reflecting and therapeutic work, but I arrived at an answer. What I've accepted is bipolar is just a piece of the puzzle. It doesn't complete me, define me, nor make or break me.⠀
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In fact, it has been one of my greatest teachers. It has taught me how to be kind to myself and live my life with more synergy, self-respect, and self-love.⠀
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You may not have a bipolar diagnosis. But you may be living with some other form of mental illness or medical condition. If so, be kind to yourself. Love on yourself. Allow your condition to show you the areas where you could use a little more light and attention.⠀
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I promise you, you'll feel much happier when you do❤️❤️.
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Wellness in itself is a broad category. There are

Wellness in itself is a broad category. There are multiple dimensions to it. ⠀
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I've pinpointed nine that are pretty essential to your overall well being.⠀
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Tell me, what are the top three dimensions you have down, and which one would you like to develop further?⠀
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I left my list in the comments, so meet me there!⠀
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𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉⠀
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As someone who is personally affected by mental illness and actively participates in therapy, I want to highlight the importance of seeking out the right care.⠀
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Although anyone can experience mental health conditions, regardless of their background, receiving the appropriate treatment can be much more challenging for those in BIPOC communities.⠀
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Communities of color are more likely to experience socioeconomic disparities which can contribute to the lack of access to reasonable mental health resources.⠀
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𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆:⠀
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Use websites like PsychologyToday.com to identify the right mental health professional to match the level of care you need. The website allows you to see specific conditions each MHP treats and many profiles highlight their client focus, which includes race.⠀
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If not clearly indicated, ask your health care professional specific questions like:⠀
Have you treated other BIPOC?⠀
Have you received training in cultural competence or BIPOC mental health?⠀
How do you see our cultural backgrounds influencing our communication and my treatment?⠀
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𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏:⠀
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You should feel heard.⠀
You should feel understood.⠀
You should feel respected.⠀
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𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚:⠀
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It took me going to two psychologists to find the right one, so keep searching and never settle.⠀

"𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝑰 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚." - 𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒅𝒘𝒊𝒏⠀
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I've always had mixed feelings about the fourth of July because in 1776, the country may have gotten its freedom but my Black ancestors did not. ⠀
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I'm not going to get into the history or justify my feelings about the 4th; there are many articulate people on this platform who are fortunately doing that. ⠀
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But, I will quote former U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, "𝑾𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒘𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒌, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒚, 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, 𝒘𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒈, 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆."

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡?⠀
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If it's been awhile (or never), here's your friendly reminder that you are overdue...and you shouldn't feel guilty about it.⠀
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After all, 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉.⠀
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To make you feel better, here are three reasons why you should take that sick day and not feel bad about it:⠀
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1- Sick days are probably part of your job benefits, so use 'em or lose 'em.⠀
2- Stress can lower your immune system, which could lead to you being physically ill.⠀
3- That massage is calling your name, and Tracy is only open at 1 pm on Tuesday.⠀
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Go to that spa. Sleep In. Do what you gotta do to be the best 𝐘𝐎𝐔.

**𝐌𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥.**⠀
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Since my diagnosis, I've had to adjust the way I go about my day-to-day life. I've developed new routines and habits to keep me healthy and episode free.⠀
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As with most people, my life has slowed down and the ability to travel has been restricted due to the pandemic. But because of that, it's been fairly easy to maintain my all too important rituals.⠀
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When the world eventually returns to a semblance of normalcy, I'll get to do what I love again – Travel.⠀
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But the way I travel will change because of the new routines that are in place to help me cope with my condition. ⠀
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And, I'm not alone.⠀
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𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟓 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 (about 1 out of the average size of a public school classroom).⠀
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That means people like me need to examine the way we do travel.⠀
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Fortunately, it doesn't mean an end to wanderlust; it just means we go about it a different way.⠀
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Check out the link in the bio for 7 𝑻𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑨 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑰𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓.

My pup, Peyton, is arguably one of my best friends

My pup, Peyton, is arguably one of my best friends. But he's also my emotional support dog.⠀
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When I got him almost five years ago, I was cycling through one of my debilitating depressive episodes. So, having him in my life has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. He brings so much happiness and comfort to my day, and no matter how long I'm gone (I could step out to just check the mail), he's always there to greet me tail-wagging. ⠀
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𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐒𝐀:⠀
1 - They provide sensory stress relief - just stroking a pet has been scientifically proven to help lower your stress levels. ⠀
2 - They aide in the release of endorphins in the body (a hormone in the body that regulates the feelings of pleasure).⠀
3 - They add structure and routine to your day, which helps you maintain emotional balance and stability.⠀
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𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨:⠀
1 - In most cases, travel with them as a companion on a flight instead of below the plane.⠀
2 - No housing pet fee charge if you are renting (this is enforceable by law).⠀
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𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐒𝐀 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨: ⠀
1 - Bring your ESA to restaurants, malls, and other businesses (unless generally allowed by the establishment).⠀
2 - Bring your ESA to work (unless generally allowed).⠀
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𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐒𝐀:⠀
Anyone with a mental health diagnosis ( learning disabilities, substance-related disorder, anxiety disorder, stress disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, etc.).⠀
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𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝:⠀
Your qualification is determined by seeing a psychologist, a licensed therapist, psychiatrist, or any licensed/certified mental health professional. Note: Not everyone in the profession will write a letter, so using ESAdoctors.com can be an efficient way to be evaluated. ⠀
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If you have a pet, I'd love to know what kind and if he/she supports you emotionally!

𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰.⠀
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As Joel Osteen says, "Look at how far you've come and not how far you have to go."⠀
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I remember where I was just three years ago, and it wasn't a good place. I was unhappy in my career path and living with an undiagnosed mental illness.⠀
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I'm wholly appreciative of where I am because it's given me a story that can help others. ⠀
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I challenge you to be happy with the now. You never know whose striving after the position you're in. ⠀
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Comment with a heart if you're feeling mighty grateful yourself.❤️❤️❤️

What are you doing to be focused?⠀ ⠀ Focused a

What are you doing to be focused?⠀
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Focused and Fearless were my words for 2020. But living with a mental illness has challenged me on both fronts. I've always meditated here and there, but in the last few months I've really stepped it up a notch and made it a consistent daily practice. ⠀
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Here are five reasons why meditation is important:⠀
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1. It helps you manage stress, anxiety, and depression.⠀
2. It gives you a sense of calmness and peace of mind no matter what's going on.⠀
3. It helps promote sleep.⠀
4. It enhances self-awareness.⠀
5. It can lengthen your attention span.⠀
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My go-to meditation app is @Headspace, which I've been using for years now. ⠀
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It's amazing what the mind can do once you give it some training. If you meditate, let me know your technique in the comments! I'm always looking for ways to improve my practice ☺️.

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