Authenticity is awesome. You have a set of qualities and quirks that make you unique. Once you make the decision to lead an authentic life, take time to identify the unique characteristics that form your identity. After discovering your true self, choose to be yourself. Don't be afraid to be you! Awesome people have amazingly positive attitudes. All positive people are not Pollyannas. Rather, positive people have the ability to see the good and the bad in a situation, but choose to focus only on the best possible outcome. In an effort to become a more positive person, consider implementing the following changes: Surround yourself with positive people. Like stress, happiness is contagious. If you have more positive influences in your life, you are more likely to become a positive person. Journal or meditate regularly. These practices have been known to increase a person's positive thoughts. Practice positive self talk. Whenever you have a negative thought, counter it with positive reinforcement. For example, if you catch yourself thinking, "I can't do [fill in the blank]," respond to yourself with "I know I can succeed at [fill in the blank." Awesome individuals are dreamers; they pursue their passions relentlessly. A persistent person is often goal oriented, driven, adaptable, confident, and self-disciplined. Identify your goals. What do you want to achieve today, next week, within your lifetime? Do you have a vision that consumes your thoughts? Stop making excuses. Don't put off activities you claim to be passionate about. Be adaptable. Instead of making excuses, find a way to accomplish your goals. Remain confident. Don't pay the naysayers any attention. You are capable of achieving your goals. Remain disciplined. As you strive to achieve your dreams, stay motivated and focused. Mindful individuals are acutely aware of their body and mind. Their practice of mindfulness equips them to live in the present, cope with stressors, and evaluate their emotions. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can propel you towards becoming the most awesome version of your authentic self. Many achieve mindfulness through meditation. Sit in a quiet, calming environment. You goal is to enter into a state of focused relaxation. Concentrate on your breathing or a one-word mantra. Allow your thoughts to enter and exit your mind freely and without judgement. As you meditate, your thoughts may focus on the following: your bodywhat sensations are you experiencing from your head to your toes?; your senseswhat do you hear, smell, see, feel, and taste?; your emotionswhat are you feeling? When you notice yourself wandering, return your attention to your breathing or mantra. Continue to meditate until you can no longer focus.

Summary: Be yourself. Be positive. Be persistent. Be mindful.

Aromatherapy uses the essential oils of various herbs to produce soothing scents. Apply a drop of peppermint oil, lavender oil, or lemon oil to both your wrists and your temples, then breathe deeply. Make sure you don't have a skin sensitivity to the oil by first putting a single drop of oil on your wrist. If you have a sensitivity, then you may experience a rash, redness or itching. If so, try a different oil or use a different method to deal with your nausea. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is seen as having a system of energy meridians throughout. Applying needles (as in acupuncture) or pressure (as in acupressure) to specific points along these meridians can help to re-balance the energy and reduce feelings of nausea. Try the "P6," "Neiguan" or "inner gate" point. This point is about two finger-widths below the crease of your wrists (at the base of the palms). Start with your palms facing you. Feel for two tendons around the midpoint of that area above your wrist. Using the index and middle finger of the opposite hand, apply firm, but gentle pressure for about 1020 seconds and release. Make sure you repeat this process on the other arm as well. The University of Connecticut conducted a study which indicated that controlled, deep breathing can help to relieve nausea. Other studies have indicated that breathing can help control nausea after surgery. Try this exercise adapted from the University of Missouri at Kansas City: Lie flat on your back and place pillows under your knees and neck to make sure that you are comfortable. Put your hands (palm down) on your stomach, right below the rib cage. Place your hands over your belly with your fingers together. This way, you will be able to feel your fingers separate as you breathe in and this will let you know that you are doing the exercise correctly. Take a long, slow deep breath by expanding your belly, breathing like a baby breathes. This ensures that you are using your diaphragm to breathe rather than your rib cage. The diaphragm creates suction that pulls more air into your lungs than by expanding the rib cage. Some environmental irritants may cause you to feel nauseous. These include strong odors, smoke, heat, and humidity. Do your best to avoid these irritants as they can be "triggers" for either nausea or vomiting. Sometimes being stressed, overworked, or physically uncomfortable may cause you to feel nauseous. Some common causes of nausea are stress, anxiety, and muscle strain. Try to rest and relax to help reduce these unpleasant symptoms and prevent them from escalating feelings of nausea. When you are feeling nauseous, moving around too much may make matters worse. Try to keep as still as possible to help reduce your feelings of nausea and prevent them from becoming worse. Sit in a comfortable chair or recline on a sofa or bed.

Summary: Use aromatherapy. Make an appointment for acupuncture or acupressure. Perform a breathing exercise. Make sure that your environment is free from irritants. Rest and relax as much as you can. Stay still.

Prepare a tea using herbs that keep your liver and gallbladder healthy. Place 1 teaspoon (4 g) of dried herb into a small teapot. Pour 1 cup (240ml) of boiling water into the pot and put the lid on. Steep the tea for 5 to 10 minutes if you're using herbal leaves or flowers. If you're using roots, steep them for 10 to 20 minutes. Milk thistle can relieve pain and shrink the size of gallstones. Dandelion leaves stimulate the liver and gallbladder which can help them push gallstones through. Turmeric can make the bile more soluble so the gallstones are easier to pass. Globe artichoke will keep your gallbladder and liver healthy, but it could increase bile production. Don't make globe artichoke tea if you have gallstones that are blocking ducts. Spread castor oil on a soft cloth and lay it on your abdomen. Then cover the cloth with plastic wrap and lay a hot water bottle or electric heating pad on top. Keep these in place for 30 to 60 minutes a day. The castor oil is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant oil that will improve circulation in your gallbladder. You can use this treatment for up to 3 days in a row. Phosphatidylcholine is a type of lipid (fat) that can help break up and dissolve the gallstones. Because dosages vary, follow the package instructions. A standard dose is 840 mg up to 2 times a day. You can buy phosphatidylcholine from most pharmacies or drug stores. Look for a phosphatidylcholine that has been tested by a third party and contains few filler ingredients. Schedule an appointment with a certified acupuncturist. Regular acupuncture sessions can relieve abdominal pain and improve the flow of bile. You may need several weeks of acupuncture treatments before you feel the benefits.
Summary: Drink 2 to 4 cups of herbal tea a day. Use a castor oil pack and heating pad to reduce swelling. Take phosphatidylcholine 1 to 2 times a day to dissolve gallstones. Try acupuncture to relieve pain and improve gallbladder function.