Katrina Hicks

The 5 Ways Mental Clutter Affects Your Life

Mental clutter refers to times when our mind has too many thoughts, making it difficult to process and focus. Experiencing phases of a cluttered mind is not only disrupting while attempting to carry out daily tasks, but it is also unbalancing and detrimental to mental health.   In December 2017, Prevention published Is Your Mind Cluttered? ...

Katrina Hicks

Woman stressing, overthinking events alone at home.

How Do People With Introversion Get Along in Life?

An introvert is a person with qualities of a personality type known as introversion, which means that they feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas rather than what’s occurring externally. They enjoy spending time with a few people, rather than in large groups. They also place high importance on their privacy.   Introversion ...

Katrina Hicks

Blond man sitting outside alone, reading a book, concept of introvert with introverted personality.

Can You Be Defined by Your Musical Taste?

Musical taste is a very subjective term. Most would understand musical taste as one’s musical preference. Contemporary views on the subject imply it also entails what one judges as good and our attitudes toward different musical styles. A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared ...

Katrina Hicks

Cello being played in an orchestra.

Tourette’s Syndrome: What Is It?

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds and movements called tics. Tics can start from early childhood, but states have been known to improve for several years and, in some cases, are known to stop completely. People with Tourette’s syndrome may also have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity ...

Katrina Hicks

'Tourette syndrome' text composed with multicolored stones over black sand.

Happiness: Cultural or Scientific?

Happiness is to be in a state of true joy, a moment of being genuinely “happy.”  At the time of writing in 2021, there are close to 8 billion people living in the world according to the WorldOMeter.  In March 2021, the BBC reported that Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world. The World Happiness Report, supported ...

Katrina Hicks

Ethnically diverse group of men and women smiling for the camera.

Natural, but at What Cost?

To describe something as “natural” is to recognize that it exists or is derived from nature. Something natural has not been created or caused by humankind.  The “natural look” was a trend in the 1970s. It emphasized a natural appearance through hair, clothing, makeup, and accessories. The 1970s also marked the return of the “natural brow” (eyebrow) as ...

Katrina Hicks

An Asian woman's natural look.

Dreams: Do They Mean More?

Dreaming occurs during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) cycle of sleep. During this period, your eyes move quickly around in different directions. REM sleep usually occurs approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. As the brain is also more active during this time, dreams can range from mild to intense.  It is said that a dream is a ...

Katrina Hicks

Little girl travelling through dream world, floating on a big fallen leaf.

Journalism: Is It All Due to Change?

The word journalism comes from the French journal, which comes from the Latin diurnal. The Acta Diurna was the world’s first newspaper and was available daily in ancient Rome. It is believed that this originates from before 59 BCE.  Journalism can be referred to as the “first draft of history.” Journalism to historians is crucial because ...

Katrina Hicks

The Acta Diuma.

Maintaining Mental Health During COVID-19 and Beyond

Mental health is essential because it is a vital part of life and impacts thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Mental well-being also includes psychological and social well-being. Mental well-being is vital throughout all stages of life, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood.  Mental health conditions can have a substantial effect on all aspects of life. Therefore, it ...

Katrina Hicks

A sad man wearing a blue.

Afterlife: Science or Religion?

The afterlife is an existence in which an individual’s stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. Physiological proposals for the origin of a belief in an afterlife include cognitive disposition, cultural learning, and religious ideas. The AWARE study AWARE (Awareness during Resuscitation) was a study conducted in 2008 by ...

Katrina Hicks

A sunset with clouds.