Energize Yourself By Harnessing Earth's Energy

One simple yet effective way to get charged up and energized is by harnessing the Earth's energy.  If you think about it, we're electrical beings and we need energy to, for a lack of a better term, exist.  Our body functions as our brain transmits electrical signals to our legs and arms to walk, run or even to pick up something that we dropped on the floor.  We're electrical, and we're surrounded by electrical energy.  And as I discussed in a previous post, "Are You Productive?", it is in the way we manage our own energy that is the key to "full engagement and sustained high performance".

Your Feet Is The Portal To Earth's Energy

Have you ever walked barefoot on the grass or on the beach?  Feels pretty good, right?  Don't you get a rush of prickly energy running through you from your foot?  In a way, we're connecting with the Earth's energy.  However, by habit, we wear rubber sole shoes, slippers, etc. which are poor conductors of electricity.  And ultimately, we lose that connection with earth, and thus, cannot harness earth's vast energy source.

Our ancestors didn't wear shoes when they traveled.  Nope.  They did all their walking without shoes ... they walked barefoot.  And, moreover, they were connected to Earth, to nature, and not like how we are today, pretty much disconnected from nature.

Earth's Energy - The Unknown Antioxidant

Current scientific research is suggesting that this energy creates an uplifting shift in our body's physiology. It gives you this feeling of well-being, and more so, it is known to energize you and promote good health and sleep.  And what's interesting is that this energy functions as an antioxidant, balancing the basic biological rhythms of our body, and reducing and eliminating chronic inflammation and pain.  That makes sense since earth's energy is a rich source of free electrons which can render the free radicals useless within our body.  And free radicals, as I discussed on my previous posts on "Antioxidants & You", are the primary cause of aging, cellular destruction and disease.

Here are some benefits of being grounded with earth's energy:

• Increases energy
  
• Induces better sleep
  
• Lowers stress, become more calm
  
• Improves blood pressure and flow
  
• Reduces or eliminates chronic pain
  
• Relieves muscle tension and headache
  
• Normalizes the body’s biological rhythms
  
• Accelerates recovery from rigorous athletic activity
  
• Promotes faster healing and reduces or prevents bedsores
  
• Reduces or eliminates various inflammation-related conditions

So, make it a point to go to the park, beach or even your backyard and take a walk without shoes (i.e., barefoot!) to connect with earth's powerful energy and experience its many health benefits.  Make it a point to tune yourself with nature and live a life that empowers you.

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

If you want further info on this topic, you can check out my post "Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?".  You will be introduced to a book that will go in depth on harnessing the power of Earth's energy.

Is Patience A Cure For Procrastination?

To be successful do not procrastinate!  But the "Catch 22" of this is the fact that success is a process and you have to "wait" within this process to enjoy the fruits of your success. Yes, it may sound a bit ironic, but it takes patience to conquer procrastination.

What Is Procrastination?

Well, procrastination is considered a major antagonist for success.  You know ... that act of putting something off for the next day, the next day ... until one whole year has gone by and you haven't done what you planned to do 364 days ago!  Needless to say, this act of putting your plans off forever only results in missed opportunities.  And the sad part is that you will never know if that one missed opportunity could have propelled you to awesome success.

Okay, so that's procrastination from a surface point of view.  But if you step back and think about it, this "act" seems to be an avoidance to failure (aka "social pain").  Procrastination, in essence, allows you to control your outcomes so you do not fail.  But at the same token, it does not allow you to succeed.  In fact, it results in your dreams and goals not being fulfilled, an onset of stress and emotional drain, and utter disappointment.

Breaking The Chains Of Procrastination

In general, there are 4 areas in our life in which procrastination has the potential to pop up.  They tend to occur in the area of relationships, building wealth, structure (e.g., organization and order at home) and health.

• First and foremost, you need to identify your procrastination as a problem
• Be brutally honest with yourself in regards to why you're procrastinating
• Identify and single-out the factors that cause you to procrastinate
• Address the causes by eliminating your negative associations with them

Your procrastination woes will not disappear overnight.  It is a process, which you need to take one day at a time.  However, over time, you should be able to change the perception of what you view as "social pain" and let go your feelings that cause procrastination.

>>>>>>>>>> <> <<<<<<<<<<

To find out more about combating procrastination, you can check out this book by Jeffery Combs called

"The Procrastination Cure: 7 Steps To Stop Putting Life Off"

Are You Productive?

Some may laugh at that question, and blurt out, "Yeah, sure, I'm productive everyday ... but it depends, you know?".  Okay, but on what?  For me, productivity equates to being able to function at a sustained, high level of performance on a given task, and it has nothing to do with external factors.  It is all within.

The Foundations Of Being Productive

Being able to function in a state of high performance has all to do with the energy levels within yourself.  Yes, visions, goals and purpose has a lot to do with being productive.  However, it is the energy you have within you that drives you to, well for a lack of a better term, just go and get the job done!  With the focus -- of course -- to produce that quality product, provide that excellent service to your customers, etc.

We all know that an engine requires fuel to run.  Same goes for our high performance "engine", but rather than fossil fuel, it requires a nice balance of physical, emotional, intellectual (aka mental) and spiritual fuel to run.

• If you are healthy and physically fit, then you are be capable of performing well at work or on the task at hand.
  
• If you are emotionally grounded, then you are capable of maintaining confidence, keep your composure when encountering fearful or confrontational situations, and able to work in harmony with your colleagues.
  
• If you are mentally fit, then you are capable of focusing and concentrating on your job, and also have the ability to leverage visualization and critical thinking skills.
  
• If you are spiritually grounded (not in the religious sense), then you are capable of being focused on your job and perform better under pressure, since your values are in alignment with your actions.  Bottom line, there's a purpose in your life, a meaning in your work.  It gives you this "zest" for life.

Some might say that time management is the basis for being productive, but I feel the key to being productive is in the efficient management and the ability to draw on these four distinct but interrelated energy sources.

Establish Rituals In Your Life To Be Productive

These actions, which are to be followed on a consistent basis, should focus on rejuvenating, inspiring and empowering you.  Bottom line, these rituals should be built into your daily schedule to energize you and provide the fuel for you to be productive.

Wake Up Productive

Your morning is critical in the sense that it sets the tone for the rest of the day.  So why not start your morning with a bang and follow a ritual to energize yourself?  Think of your mornings as a time to clear yourself of all negative thoughts, rejuvenate your energy levels and be ready to take on the day with a proper mindset.  You may want to schedule in a 15-30 minute meditation session in the morning and even put in a 15 minute workout with bodyweight exercises or stair exercises (if you're fortunate enough to live near a flight of stairs) before getting ready to go to work.

Be Productive At Work

Incorporating rituals to rejuvenate yourself appears to be #1 characteristic found in peak performers, as researched by individuals in the productivity field.  A suggestion they offer is to balance your work and break times.  That is, they recommend working for 1.5 to 2 hours straight, then taking a mandatory 30 minute break, and starting the whole work/break cycle again.  Note, that during the work cycle you are working full-on and operating in that "super productivity" mode.  That 30 minute break could be a stroll out side your office, heading up to the company gym for a quick workout with weights, or just finding a reason to leave your desk or cubicle for a short time.  You can liken it to performing sprints.  You expend energy by running as fast as you can (aka sprinting) for a short distance from point "A" to point "B", then return to point "B" in a walk/jog as you get back your breath and energy levels.  The rationale behind this ritual is to help you from not draining your energy levels at work and performing at a sub-par level.  Bottom line, you need to learn to recharge your batteries.

Detach To Be Productive

Last but not least, you need to learn when to remove work from your daily life.  Work should not be a 24x7 commitment.  If it does, then you have no time to renew your energy levels, and thus, you start to lose your "edge", which ultimately may lead to burn-out and other negative situations.  Some use the ritual of stopping by a park to relax, take in the awe and beauty of nature before heading home.  For them, it's a ritual to disengage themselves from work.  You can also set aside the weekend to wind-down and have fun.  Bottom line, you need to enjoy life.

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

Physical energy lays the groundwork for our productivity, and provides for the other forms of energy, namely the intellectual, emotional and spiritual energies.  The challenge then, on focusing on task and sustaining a high performance level, is for you to be able to manage and increase the capacity of all four energy sources to work synergistically as a whole.  According to the book, The Power Of Full Engagement, “positive energy rituals" (i.e., highly specific routines for managing energy) are the catalysts that effect full engagement and sustained high performance.”

To find out more about the science and mechanics of being productive, check out the book, >> The Power Of Full Engagement <<, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.

What Does Mindset Have To Do With Growth?

And, no, I don't mean that in a physical sense, but more in line with self development.  So, when do you think we actually experience growth?  When we're relaxing at home watching television or getting a sun tan on the beach?  Or is it when ...

• We are struggling?
• We are challenged?
• We are forced to do something out of our "norm"?

Well, no, no, yes, yes and yes!  However, the most critical thing is what you do when you are faced with a challenge.  So, are you "programmed" to face those challenges and opportunities for growth and fulfillment or are you "programmed" to avoid them and miss the opportunity that just may be your break to something great and very special?

Foundation for Success & Self-Empowerment -- Proper Mindset

In a lecture I attended many moons ago, the concept of the triune brain was used to illustrate how we learn.  In a nutshell, the triune brain -- according to evolutionary theory -- is made up of three layers, of which the highest level is the neo-cortex (aka "the reasoning brain") and the lowest level is the reptilian layer.  And here comes the interesting part.  As the stress level increases, the human brain has a tendency to downshift from the neo-cortex, down to the limbic system (emotional component) and further down to the primitive brain, also known as the "reptilian brain" (survival component).  We definitely would be in trouble if we had to constantly contend with snappy alligators in our daily lives, huh?  ;-)

So the futher you go down the brain "layers", you lose that higher functioning component of the brain, that is, the reasoning component of the brain.  Once you start the downshift process, there goes your reasoning powers.  It will be difficult to live functionally if we constantly functioned in the lower "layers" of the brain.

But there are those that are cool under pressure and seem to always make the right decisions.  So what sets them apart from those that seem to not be at their best when they are challenged and struggling (aka "under stress")?

These "cool under pressure" individuals have a proactive mindset rather than a reactive mindset.  Simplistically stated, they hardly downshift to the lower brain "layers", in fact, they focus on staying at the neo-cortex level of the brain.  They have learned to control their thoughts and to not have their thoughts control them.  These are the individuals who have more control on a given situation than anybody around.  They create success.  They create opportunities.  They make sure their mind is obedient to them.

Proactive Mindset vs Reactive Mindset

When you are constantly functioning in the lower "layers" of the brain, you are in essence, functioning in a reactive mindset.  Let's say someone is making fun of you.  How would you respond?  Your mind will offer you ideas, thoughts and past memories of incidents similar to the situation at hand.  Instead of thinking what you should be thinking about, you will let emotions of anger, uncertainty, anxiety and/or limiting beliefs take charge, and you'll end up in a confrontational situation.  Once you are in that state, you will be in no position to find resolutions to any problem and to respond to challenges in a creative and productive manner.

So if you're always in that reactive mindset, you will have difficulty responding to challenges and issues ... bottom line, you will have significant problems living a functional life.  And for that very reason, you should always find yourself operating in the proactive mindset.

Hmmm ... how would a proactive person respond to that insult?  Well, for one thing, you would not let emotions or limiting beliefs take over.  And by not downshifting to lower "layers" of the brain, you will be able focus on what you should be thinking about.  Since people who insult others are looking for a reaction or response against the insulting remark they made, your focus should be on not giving any reinforcement to those types of individuals.  And thus, you will think of a way to avoid any confrontation with the instigator, such as cracking a smile and just walk away from the premises.

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

When you operate in a proactive mindset, you are in control since you have the power to select the appropriate thoughts, ideas and solutions for a given situation.  Think of your mind as a tool, and moreover, you "own" it so why not decide to use it for your benefit?

Operating in the proper mindset will help you live a more functional, enjoyable life.

What Is Happiness?

Or should I ask, what is your definition of happiness?  Some may say having lots of money.  Some may say having lots of time.  And then there are others that say having a never ending-flow of good food, love and fun equates to happiness.  So okay ... did you know that happiness based on things like pleasure lasts only a brief moment in time?  It is quite fleeting, right?

Steve Jobs, the great business man and visionary, had succumbed to cancer and passed on recently.  But words just can't do justice to what he had accomplished in this world.  He was the driving force that bridged the gap between man and technology.  But with all his accomplishments, I wondered if he was happy.

People, at times, feel like there is something missing in their lives, and unfortunately, nothing changes and they put it off until later.  Well, life goes on, and by the time you realize what you missed, it's too late.  At someone's deathbed, what do you think that person, who is nearing death, remembers most?  Do you think it's about the wealth and power he/she acquired, or the number of prestigious jobs held in high places, or even the number of spouses he/she had?  None of the above.  What is dear to their hearts at that moment in time, what they fondly remember as they are nearing the end of their life are such things as:

• Friends and family
• The beauty in nature
• Being able to freely live in the moment
• How they helped others grow and succeed
• What postive impact they had in the community

In a nutshell, it is living a fulfilling life ... a life of purpose.  And happiness derived from purpose lasts the longest, as you can sense from the topics spoken by individuals nearing the end of their lives.  You could say that it's the ultimate form of happiness since it will stick with you for a very, very long time.

As these individuals start to recall their past, those memories that are brought up are reflections of who they truly are.  Each action you perform results in a memory capsule for you in the future.  So your actions today will be a catalyst for what is reflected in future memories.  So, the million dollar question is, will your mind reflect memories that describe aspects of living that fulfilling, purpose-driven life ... that ultimate form of happiness?

I love this song by Michael Jackson titled, "Man In The Mirror".  He sings it with passion and conviction.  I wonder if that was his most favorite song?  It does hit home with today's post.  Here's his famous song ... enjoy:

Carpe Diem!

5 Easy Tips For Your "Spiritual" ... Self Development - Part 2

On the last post I gave you my take on what I felt "spiritual" development was, and I related it to personal development or self development.  My rationale was simple ... the more we develop our self and become closely attune to it .. the more "spiritual" we become.  I offered three easy tips you can apply to your personal growth:

• Be Humble
• Cultivate Critical Thinking
• Connect With Nature

Today we will wrap-up this two-part article by discussing the final two tips you can easily implement on your journey of self-discovery.

Self Development Tip #4: Workout For Fitness

You heard of the phrase, "Your Body is a Temple", right?  I believe it's from the Bible, and there are similar references found in other writings as well.  Even during those times, people understood the importance of keeping your body fit and clean, just like a "temple".  If you don't take care of your body via regular exercise and just expose it to unnatural elements (e.g., excessive eating, drinking too much liquor, smoking), then over time your body will not have the strength, power, flexibility nor the energy to live a fulfilling, purposeful life.

However, if you exercise regularly and take care your body, you position your self for good health and wellness.  Being in such a state will make it that much easier for you to focus your energy and attention toward your very own personal growth.

Self Development Tip #5: Purpose-Driven Life

You don't want to fall into the trap of just going through the motions of personal development.  Doing so will only stunt your growth since it's being done with no passion, no focus and moreover, no purpose.  Could be just an ego thing, which again, is counter-productive.

How can you apply yourself in your daily life if you had no focus, no goal, no purpose?  Quick answer ... you can't.  A purpose driven life is not that difficult to grasp.  You just need to step back, take some time and internalize what it truly means to you.  If those factors resonates with you, live it out ... every day of your life!

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

I hope you found this two-part article helpful, and moreover, that you will be able to apply these 5 easy tips to your personal growth.  Here, again, are your five easy tips:

Be Humble
Cultivate Critical Thinking
Connect With Nature
Workout For Fitness
Purpose-Driven Life

To your self development journey!

5 Easy Tips For Your "Spiritual" ... Self Development - Part 1

When you hear the phrase "spiritual development", what kind of thoughts or ideas conjure up in your mind?  Something like developing that third eye or being able to tune into the vibrations from the 10th dimension?  Okay, no ... and no ... to that.  When I hear the phrase "spiritual development", I like to think of it as "self development" or personal development.  My simple rationale?  Well, I believe we're all spiritual in nature, and the more we become attune to our "self", the more "spiritual" we become.  It is a dynamic and on-going process, from the day you were born to the day you pass on ... as someone used to say, "from womb to tomb".  It is the discovery of you, that is, your self, and the application of this self-realization to your daily life.

Part 1 will cover three easy tips that you can apply on your journey of self-discovery.

Self Development Tip #1: Be Humble

Grounded, centered and confident people (aka, highy spiritual individuals) always have this one striking characteristic ... humility.  They are so humble, you just can't help it but response well to their humility and transparency.  It can get contagious in a good way!

Being a "know-it-all" is definitely counter-productive for your self development.  In fact, it will stunt your growth, and you'll be in a stasis experiencing no growth at all.  Individuals who experience growth accept the fact that the world offers a treasure trove of learning moments, and that learning is an on-going process that never ends while you are alive.

Self Development Tip #2: Cultivate Critical Thinking

We all have been bombarded by the "Think Positive" mantra and the need to always show optimism.  I don't think that's a bad thing, and it's way better than having those perennial negative thought patterns and a pessimistic attitude.  But on the flip side, always being super optimistic could be detrimental.  Let me explain.

I call that behavior of having that never-ending energy of optimism as "gang-buster" mentality.  It's like you jump into a pool of fire believing that everything will turn out okay.  Well, okay, that's a bit extreme of an example, but the point is, with the "gang-buster" mentality, you may not have the opportunity to cultivate critical thinking skills at all.  We not only need to know what to think, we also need to know how to think.  That's where critical thinking comes into play.  Reasoning, logic, analysis and open-mindedness are all elements of critical thinking.  And in order to survive in this world today, you will need to develop your critical thinking skills.

Self Development Tip #3: Connect With Nature

In today's busy society, we really don't take the time to truly appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds us.  But connecting with nature is an important step towards personal growth.  I believe you can truly gain some important tips from nature.  Take a walk, check out the trees and other things nature has to offer.  Can you feel that energy of abundance, balance and perfect efficiency from nature?  In fact, can you see how perfectly balanced and efficient nature is?

What are some take-aways from connecting with nature?  Well, for starters, nature is consistent, success-oriented for the greater good, works in harmony ... and ... doesn't have any bad habits. ;-)

Taking a little time off to spend walking outdoors and to not only take in the beauty of nature but studying how it works synergistically, I bet you'll find several golden nuggets which can enhance your personal growth.

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

Next time on Part 2, I will wrap-up this blog post and discuss the last two tips that you can easily implement on your journey of self development.

Why A Ton Of People Fail To Achieve Their Fitness Goals

Whether it's losing that stubborn body fat, gaining more muscle, losing weight or a combination of all three, many people tend to lose sight of their fitness goals and ultimately, never achieve them.

Not sure what the percentage is, but it's probably around the 90% to 95% range.  Yes, tons of people.

Mindset & Your Fitness Goals

And if you thought the number 1 reason was due to bad eating habits and haphazard training routines, well, you're wrong!  The number 1 reason a ton of people fail to achieve their fitness goals is they don't have the correct mindset that is congruent with their fitness goals.

With the proper mindset, you don't have to deal with the negative elements that take you off the path, such as being lazy, a master procrastinator or an individual with a thousand excuses.  Yes, excuses!  That is, with the correct mindset, you won't be thinking "I can't because I have slow metabolism or I've been fat all my life ... it's all in the genes", and so on. Absolutely, out with the excuses!  You can make time, and no, it's no too hard to do.  I have listed a number of effective workout routines on my blog posts, especially bodyweight exercises, that do not use up that much time and can be performed anywhere, anytime.  A proper mindset is the basic foundation where you can build your success upon.

Simple Steps To A Proper Mindset

In order to shift your mind into the proper mindset, you will need to:

• Decide what you really want to achieve
• Look within and confirm that you are committed and motivated on what you want to achieve
• Set your goals for what you want to achieve
• Visualize what you want to achieve ... and that you already achieved it
• Go for it ... take action toward your ultimate goal

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

Getting educated on the exercise and workout routines, familiarizing yourself with the required movements and the proper nutrition is critical to successfully achieving your fitness goals.  However, I believe the most critical component is mentally prepping yourself before embarking on your fitness journey.  Shifting your thinking to the correct mindset should be the starting point for you so that you can successfully achieve your fitness goals.

What Is The Importance Of Meditation?

Meditation, in a nutshell, has tons of positive side benefits.  Research in the field of neurological science has shown that meditation actually changes the structure and function of your brain and body.  Similar to how you learn a new skill, and over time you become pretty good at it, for example, playing the guitar or shooting free throws.  Your brain goes through these structural and functional changes as you dedicate yourself to practicing the new skill (i.e., playing guitar or shooting free throws) over time.  In fact, studies have shown that meditation on a regular basis has the power to reduce stress and illness.

In today's life of technological advances, we are constantly bombarded by stressors, such as the media, emails, mobile phones, i-stuff (iPads, etc.), noise, arguments, and people ... to name a few.  And so we can turn to meditation as a means to dilute these negative energies, helping us connect with our inner-self, that reservoir of superior power, for that cleansing and positive energy.

Meditation And Nature

Before the age of the scientific and industrial revolution, people and nature were one.  Okay, close your eyes and think about the peacefulness of nature.  Can you hear the sounds of cars or planes or even the ringing of cell phones?  What about the smell of a car's exhaust?  I don't think so.  And moreover, there are no stresses and illnesses caused by all the technological and industrial by-products.  But, what you do hear are the sounds of running water by the stream, the nice breeze of wind, the smell of fresh air and the earth's scent.  The peaceful vibration of nature was the very rhythm that influenced their lifestyle.  They had this special connection with nature.

Today, we pretty much distance ourselves from our connection with nature.  Heck, we have the A/C running to artificially control our offices and homes, and we have a habit of "gathering" food from our beloved fast food places.  Somehow, we have lost touch with this natural rhythm of life.

Meditation allows us to connect back to this natural rhythm of life.  Through meditation, we can clear our minds of all the stresses caused by artificial sources.

The Value Of Meditation

• It is free
• It has no harmful side affects
• It is not addictive
• It provides a rush of energy and happiness (i.e., well-being)
• It provides a sense of calm
• It provides a restfulness similar to a deep restful sleep
• It has positive, health benefits

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

Do you think our world will be a more peaceful and harmonious place to live in if we all carved out some time in our stressful lives to meditate?  Give meditation a try and see if it will make a difference in your life.

What Is The Theory Behind Meditation?

Meditation is a traditional technique that has been used throughout history for many thousands of years.  In fact, it has world wide appeal due to its effects of calming the mind and body, and releasing stress from your body.  Have you prayed before?  If so, some people claim prayer as a form of meditation.

Meditation has the potential to bring your issues, problems, etc. into focus and provide you more clarity.  Some even claim to have solved problems they were struggling with through meditation.  Not only is this technique considered a problem solver, it has been used to foster creativity and motivation to implement new ideas (e.g., to lose weight, get six-pack abs, etc.).

A Simple Form Of Meditation

In this form of meditation you will need to be in a quiet area or room, either sitting comfortably on the floor or chair, being cognizant of your posture (i.e., sitting straight).  The best scenario is to use the same spot on a daily basis.  This area should make you feel comfortable, not stressed in any way or shape.

The key to this technique is for you sit quietly and while eyes closed, focus on a point between your eyes and in the center of your forehead.  And using this location as your focal point during meditation will encourage theta wave consciousness.  This, according to many who practice meditation is the basis of this technique.

In general, the brain is known to generate four different types of brainwave patterns throughout the day:

• Beta waves are generated when we are actively engaged in thinking, problem-solving, working, etc.  This occurs in our waking, conscious state.
• Alpha waves are generated when we are relaxed and calm, normally in the awake state.  For example, taking a rest, closing the eyes after working on a complex project for one hour.
• Theta waves (4-7 hz) are generated when you daydream, fantasize, imagine, visualize, or during inspirational thinking or deep relaxation.  It also occurs during your REM sleep (dreaming), and the state of consciousness right before you sleep and after you wake up from your sleep.  It is suggested that during the theta state, your mind is capable of profound learning, growth and healing.
• Delta waves (below 4 hz) are generated during deep sleep.  In this state, you are in total unconsciousness, a deep and dreamless sleep.

So that's the reason why meditation strives to achieve the theta brain wave state.  Some say that theta waves are the "sweet spot" for your brain's functioning since it puts you in a state of extreme relaxation, clear and vibrant mental imagery and creativity, awakens your intuition and enhances learning.

Triggering The Theta State With Meditation

Did you know that the brilliant physicist, Albert Einstein, trained himself to be in the theta state for long periods of time?  Maybe he got his brilliance from that state where instantaneous healings and accelerated learning occurs, and where intuition comes.

• First of all, try not to think of anything in particular, allowing your mind to calm down and enter a peaceful state.
• Secondly, focus on that location I mentioned earlier on this post (i.e., between your eyes and center of forehead).
• Thirdly, while focusing on that location, start counting in descending order from 100 as you breathe in and exhale after each number.  As you are counting, visualize yourself as getting light, feeling relaxed, and starting to float off the floor.
• Fourthly, as you continue to count down, visualize yourself as a limp doll, in a very relaxed state, floating in a comfortable and safe environment.  As you reach the count of one, allow yourself to feel relaxed and safe, releasing all the tensions you accumulated during the day.
• And finally, when you are ready to exit this state, you have two choices:  (1) to go to sleep; or (2) get back to the conscious, awake state.  If you elect to wake-up from this state, just remember to keep that relaxed, safe and comfortable feeling with you.

>>>>>>>>>> <> <<<<<<<<<<

In our busy lives, it is a good idea to incorporate some time for meditation within our daily schedules.  You may start with a minute, maybe even 15 minutes.  And it is recommended that you increase the length of your meditation sessions to thirty or even sixty minutes.

3 Steps to Overcome Self-Doubt

There are many pitfalls that await us on our path to success.  One of the most popular of all pitfalls is self-doubt.  From time to time, this debilitating factor prevents us from reaching the success that we are capable of attaining.  Sometimes at the first sign of failure we get bent out of shape and just give up!  As self-doubt creeps in, somehow all your systems are on half-impulse mode or semi-paralyzed.  Your motivation to implement anything is gone, and you start to worry about what others think about you.  As feelings of unworthiness take over, you are definitely setting yourself for failure ... and that's not a good thing!

The only way you are going to overcome self-doubt and win the battle of success is to believe that you CAN DO IT!  Look deeply within yourself, seek your inner self and internalize the thought that you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and that you CAN ABSOLUTELY DO IT!  Do not cultivate self-doubt and allow feelings of unworthiness to sabotage your chances of success.

If you need to take a rest from your workouts due to sore muscles, take a rest and don't feel like it's a setback.  You'll be a lot stronger for the next training interval.  If you had a horrible exercise week, don't worry about it.  It's not the end of the world.  Reassess your game plan, make adjustments and take action.  Maybe mix up some workouts for variety, change weights or the intensity of your workouts.  Be flexible.

Success does not come overnight.  Consider it a battle in which you need to be on your toes and ready to encounter what’s coming.  YOU ARE an incredible being with this awesome, innate potential to create success.  So in summary ...

• Believe in Yourself
• Take Action
• Position Yourself for Success

Yes, it does look like a very simplistic solution, but simple is good, and we all need a firm foundation where we can stand on and meet the challenge head-on.   Taking those three steps will help you overcome self-doubt and lead you on the path to success!

<<<<<<<<<< <> >>>>>>>>>>

What is the Secret to Self-Discipline?

At times, everyone feels like taking a rest from their workout or fitness day.  You had those types of days, right?  And the worse part about it is, you weren't sick or sore or tired.  You were physically ready, however, somewhere in your mind, a little voice was telling you, "Hey, why not take a break today ... you deserve it!"  And to make the scenario doubly worse, it's a Monday, the start of your week.

Self-Discipline:  The "Take Action" Mindset

So what separates those who diligently stick to their workout or fitness plan and constantly gain quality results, from those who never seem to get any fitness plan going or don't complete them till the end?  Self-discipline.  People may call it a problem with procrastination, however, I believe it is a lack of self-discipline.  By building a good foundation of self-discipline, you will notice that it will be a lot easier to complete the workout or fitness plan you laid out, and moreover, reach your ultimate goals.

Now don't go Rambo-out and try to fix everything right now.  Remember how I like to make small changes that result in big changes over time.  Same concept with self-discipline.  So rather than trying to do a mass over-haul your of entire life, which may have negative results, implement a plan of making small changes.

• Your daily routine should maximize for efficiency
• Having self-discipline means controlling your emotions
• To help you keep focus, avoid multitasking in your daily routine
• Always complete an entire task before you move on to the next task
• Focus on what you need to do to reach your final goal, not what feels good right now
• Look at breaking down large projects into smaller tasks with realistic time frames

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Yes, it is a shift in your thinking.  Moreover, an adjustment on how you view and approach your end goals and the individual tasks to take your there.  Embrace this mindset.  It is a work in progress, and so, you need to constantly work on it.  And once you are cognizant of it, build on it, and use it as a tool in your daily life to make conscious decisions and to follow through on them.  That is the secret to self-discipline and your path to achieving your wellness goals.