Showing posts with label personal development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal development. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 June 2020
Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Thursday, 18 June 2020
Corporate Rat Race: 7 Good Reasons To Escape
Is your 9-to-5 feeling more like a 9-to-9 (24/7) in your life? Where your work is almost constantly on your mind, even when you don't try to think about it? Do you hate your job, but fear for financial uncertainty is far too great to risk making a move? A life of purpose doesn't have to be a fantasy or a cliché saying that only applies to the lucky few. Just anyone can escape the corporate rat race, assuming you believe in what you want and you believe in your worth!
The first step to quitting the rat race is realising that it is possible and that a better life is worth taking the risk; you just need to prepare yourself for the move. Here are some reasons why:
Stress
Of course, this is the most obvious reason to leave the perpetual corporate rat race. Your entire day is stressful, with few exceptions. You might even like what you do at your job, but if your mind is constantly thinking about what you'd rather be doing or who you'd rather be working with, for example, that job will always be a dead-end in your journey in life.
Health
Along with your mental health, stress will affect your physical health, even if it doesn't appear obvious on the outside. If your job is making you exhausted every day you're on the clock, this is a reason for you to start looking right now for a new career, one that isn't sacrificing your health for your success. America is the most overworked society in the world, by every major metric, you are not alone in this!
Excess
When your job is forcing you in one direction of conformity, it is only natural that people will seek to balance that out with self-healing in forms of pleasure and entertainment. There is no judgement here, however, it is far too common for these things to turn into vices that overcompensate the imbalance in life, leading to a life in excess that is hard to get out of.
Time
Part of the reason why people feel like they are locked in this perpetual 'corporate rat race' is that no matter how hard they try or how efficient they are, there never seems to be enough time in the day. Deadlines dictate your state of mind, even when you're away from work. This type of bi-polar relationship with time is not healthy, and it is also abnormal, despite what the rat race industry tells us.
Purpose
Money is important, no one is going to argue that it isn't, but it isn't everything. When you first enter the corporate workforce, money brings you so much happiness, it becomes enough of a motivator to ignore the rat race and normalize it as a 'good' life. As you get older and you stay running forward, while in the same place you were years ago, the money isn't as good as it was before. You finally realise that you are working harder and trading more and more time for money. Whether due to a weaker economy or a bigger appetite for success, the purpose of your job has outlived itself, and now you need to move onto something better. Suddenly, you don't feel fulfilled anymore with the corporate rat race lifestyle.
Cycles
This ties into purpose, where the very definition of a 'rat race' is that there is no ending. You'll just keep completing work with the same feedback loops until you're stuck in a zombie-like trance for 8 hours each day. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to break this cycle.
Confidence
Last, but not least is the real reason why you should begin to think of alternatives to this rate race when you know that you are better and have far much worth than this job that is pulling you down. You probably spend hours thinking about other careers or ways to start up your own business, but don't trivialize those ideas and throw them away. Sit down and figure out the steps you need to take to make them a reality.
When the student is ready, the teacher will always appear. The moment you realize your innate beauty, your capacity and your worth are far more than what is being printed as your hourly rate on your bi-weekly or monthly payslips, the doors will open to a world of opportunities for you to embrace.
I am Madevi Andee and I have embraced the opportunities presented by the Digital Economy to change my lifestyle from a corporate rat race to that of freedom: Money and Time Freedom, where I work on my own terms, doing things I love and with people I love. It all starts with the creation of money because money creates choices and choices lead to freedom. If like me, you believe that freedom cannot be earned in a corporate rate race, then join me on my odyssey and learn the system that has created the first step to my freedom.
Let's connect [http://www.brainbeautyandmoney.com/digital-system/]
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Madevi_Andee/2272835
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9394262
The first step to quitting the rat race is realising that it is possible and that a better life is worth taking the risk; you just need to prepare yourself for the move. Here are some reasons why:
Stress
Of course, this is the most obvious reason to leave the perpetual corporate rat race. Your entire day is stressful, with few exceptions. You might even like what you do at your job, but if your mind is constantly thinking about what you'd rather be doing or who you'd rather be working with, for example, that job will always be a dead-end in your journey in life.
Health
Along with your mental health, stress will affect your physical health, even if it doesn't appear obvious on the outside. If your job is making you exhausted every day you're on the clock, this is a reason for you to start looking right now for a new career, one that isn't sacrificing your health for your success. America is the most overworked society in the world, by every major metric, you are not alone in this!
Excess
When your job is forcing you in one direction of conformity, it is only natural that people will seek to balance that out with self-healing in forms of pleasure and entertainment. There is no judgement here, however, it is far too common for these things to turn into vices that overcompensate the imbalance in life, leading to a life in excess that is hard to get out of.
Time
Part of the reason why people feel like they are locked in this perpetual 'corporate rat race' is that no matter how hard they try or how efficient they are, there never seems to be enough time in the day. Deadlines dictate your state of mind, even when you're away from work. This type of bi-polar relationship with time is not healthy, and it is also abnormal, despite what the rat race industry tells us.
Purpose
Money is important, no one is going to argue that it isn't, but it isn't everything. When you first enter the corporate workforce, money brings you so much happiness, it becomes enough of a motivator to ignore the rat race and normalize it as a 'good' life. As you get older and you stay running forward, while in the same place you were years ago, the money isn't as good as it was before. You finally realise that you are working harder and trading more and more time for money. Whether due to a weaker economy or a bigger appetite for success, the purpose of your job has outlived itself, and now you need to move onto something better. Suddenly, you don't feel fulfilled anymore with the corporate rat race lifestyle.
Cycles
This ties into purpose, where the very definition of a 'rat race' is that there is no ending. You'll just keep completing work with the same feedback loops until you're stuck in a zombie-like trance for 8 hours each day. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to break this cycle.
Confidence
Last, but not least is the real reason why you should begin to think of alternatives to this rate race when you know that you are better and have far much worth than this job that is pulling you down. You probably spend hours thinking about other careers or ways to start up your own business, but don't trivialize those ideas and throw them away. Sit down and figure out the steps you need to take to make them a reality.
When the student is ready, the teacher will always appear. The moment you realize your innate beauty, your capacity and your worth are far more than what is being printed as your hourly rate on your bi-weekly or monthly payslips, the doors will open to a world of opportunities for you to embrace.
I am Madevi Andee and I have embraced the opportunities presented by the Digital Economy to change my lifestyle from a corporate rat race to that of freedom: Money and Time Freedom, where I work on my own terms, doing things I love and with people I love. It all starts with the creation of money because money creates choices and choices lead to freedom. If like me, you believe that freedom cannot be earned in a corporate rate race, then join me on my odyssey and learn the system that has created the first step to my freedom.
Let's connect [http://www.brainbeautyandmoney.com/digital-system/]
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Madevi_Andee/2272835
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9394262
Sunday, 14 June 2020
Keep Trying, Don't Give Up, Failure Is Just Part of the Process!
Most of us on this planet are trying hard to increase our income to support our families and help siblings or friends that are really battling, or we may be fighting to conquer a habit or an addiction, and it's hard going. We try and we fail. We try again and we fail again. We give up for awhile then we try again and we fail again. After a while of this, we tend to get discouraged or even depressed. The thing is, this is very normal.
Failure is a normal part of the process of reaching success. We tend to hear of those people who start a home business and immediately rake in the cash, but these are the freaks of the success spectrum. I happen to know a lady personally who is like that - everything she tries immediately turns to gold. But she's not normal. The massive majority of us have to battle through many failures before finding success, so don't give up, keep trying!!
I am not writing to you as one who has attained huge success by perseverance, but rather as a fellow soldier in the trenches with you, failing as you have, and encouraging you not to give up. Our time will come! In fact, I tabulated all my attempts at home businesses, side hustles and wangles, and found that over the last few decades I have attempted sixty one, let's call them "business ventures." Some cost me a lot of money relative to what I had, to get going, and a lot of them made zero return, absolutely nothing. Others were mildly successful, enough to buy my wife a vacuum cleaner and take her out to dinner a few times, but I needed money to get my kids to university, and that really never happened.
But the thing is to not give up. Sooner or later we must get it right. But fail we will, as we go along, but we must just accept it and move on.
I was talking to a friend of mine today. He made little folding wooden tables that fold down flat so people can pack them easily in a caravan or camper, or even in the back of a car, really nice little tables, clever design, quality wood, good workmanship. He had taken them to a craft market on Saturday and had sold none, hardly even any interest shown in them. But apparently, that particular day the craft market was very poorly attended, and mostly by people who didn't have money to spend, so he just went on a bad day. So I encouraged him to persevere, and that he had a good product.
And in the same way I encourage you: don't give up. Keep trying. Believe in yourself - we all have something worthwhile to give. I'm going to keep on trying, and you should too!
Like my writing style? Check out my short book "How to Drive Properly:... and not like a moron!" Kindle Edition on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WPW96HD
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Duncan_Kelly/200361
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10250663
Failure is a normal part of the process of reaching success. We tend to hear of those people who start a home business and immediately rake in the cash, but these are the freaks of the success spectrum. I happen to know a lady personally who is like that - everything she tries immediately turns to gold. But she's not normal. The massive majority of us have to battle through many failures before finding success, so don't give up, keep trying!!
I am not writing to you as one who has attained huge success by perseverance, but rather as a fellow soldier in the trenches with you, failing as you have, and encouraging you not to give up. Our time will come! In fact, I tabulated all my attempts at home businesses, side hustles and wangles, and found that over the last few decades I have attempted sixty one, let's call them "business ventures." Some cost me a lot of money relative to what I had, to get going, and a lot of them made zero return, absolutely nothing. Others were mildly successful, enough to buy my wife a vacuum cleaner and take her out to dinner a few times, but I needed money to get my kids to university, and that really never happened.
But the thing is to not give up. Sooner or later we must get it right. But fail we will, as we go along, but we must just accept it and move on.
I was talking to a friend of mine today. He made little folding wooden tables that fold down flat so people can pack them easily in a caravan or camper, or even in the back of a car, really nice little tables, clever design, quality wood, good workmanship. He had taken them to a craft market on Saturday and had sold none, hardly even any interest shown in them. But apparently, that particular day the craft market was very poorly attended, and mostly by people who didn't have money to spend, so he just went on a bad day. So I encouraged him to persevere, and that he had a good product.
And in the same way I encourage you: don't give up. Keep trying. Believe in yourself - we all have something worthwhile to give. I'm going to keep on trying, and you should too!
Like my writing style? Check out my short book "How to Drive Properly:... and not like a moron!" Kindle Edition on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WPW96HD
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Duncan_Kelly/200361
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10250663
Thursday, 11 June 2020
Critical Thinking: Has 'Spirituality' Become Another Escape?
The new age movement is said to have exploded during the 1970s and, since then, it has continued to grow. When the term 'new age' is mentioned, it usually relates to different spiritual or religious beliefs and practices.
When it comes to these beliefs, they include the view that everything in the universe is connected and everything is made up of the same energy, different beings exist and will provide guidance, and that human beings have the power to create their own reality. As for the practices, these include yoga, meditation, astrology, reiki and chanting.
A Number of Similarities
Therefore, although someone might not feel a connection to a god in the sky if they are spiritual, they might feel a connection to something else. In addition, there can be certain things that they do each day.
To someone like this, spirituality is going to be a far better fit and it won't have all of the weight or the negative associations that are part of organised religion. While organised religion can feel restrictive, spirituality can feel liberating.
The Same Story
However, even though there appeared to be this mass awakening during the 1970s and there are now millions of people on the planet that could be seen as being part of this movement, some people have argued that not a lot has changed. According to this view, there are more people than ever for who are 'awake' and yet, it is pretty much business as usual.
It can be hard to comprehend what is going on as if so many people are 'awake'; surely the world should be different? How can there still be so much dysfunction in the world?
Another Angle
If someone has taken this stance, they may even believe that the new age movement didn't just randomly grow in the 1970s. Instead, they could believe that there was a reason why this took place and it wasn't purely due to the fact that people's consciousness was changing.
This could be seen as something that took place because the elites needed a new way to control the masses. So many people had turned their back on the old form of control - organised religion - and now they needed something else, something far more appealing.
Pacifying the Masses
In this case, the new age movement was there to keep people distracted and to make them more tolerant of what was going on around them. If this was the plan back then, it could be said that it's still the plan now.
​
A lot has changed since that time, though, and one example of this is that corporations now have rooms where people can meditate. On the surface, this can seem like a great idea and a sign that peoples wellbeing is being taken seriously.
Looking Deeper
Another way of looking at this would be to say that this is purely about making workers more productive, while not having to change anything. There is then no need to look into why they would be so stressed and actually make real changes.
This is no different to how so many people are simply given drugs to handle their mental and emotional problems as opposed to real changes taking place in society. Again, it's a case of treating the symptoms as opposed to the cause - people are seen as the problem, not the society that they live in.
Back To the Main Point
Thus, the new age movement was and still is something that can serve those that want to keep everything the same. With that aside, the big question is: how could so little change if so many people are 'awake'?
One way to look at this would be to say that being 'awake' is just an identity that so many people have created for themselves and that very few people in comparison do the work that is needed to actually be awake. Someone can then do all the 'right' things and have the 'right' image, but their inner world could be just as toxic as someone who appears to be 'asleep'.
The Spiritual Ego
In other words, being 'awake' will just be a false-self their ego-mind has created that will enable them to avoid their own pain. This part of them, through having a dual nature, can give them the need to be seen as better and more 'evolved' than others.
Social media, for instance, provides the ego-mind with a platform where it can prove how 'spiritual' and 'evolved' it is. Only when the dual nature of the ego-mind is put to one side is it possible to realise that there is no such thing as being better or more evolved - each person on this earth is simply on their own path.
No More Running
Another term that has been used to describe a lot of the practices and beliefs that are connected to the new age is 'spiritual bypassing'. This illustrates how the ego-mind will hide behind any identity and use anything to avoid having to face pain.
This doesn't mean that the ego-mind is bad and needs to be 'killed off'; it enables one to have their own experience on this earth and it simply wants to keep them alive. So, the defences that it utilises to keep pain at bay can cause a lot of harm, but that is not their intention.
Awareness
If so many people have created an identity that allows them to see themselves as being 'awake' but their body is filled with emotional baggage, it is not going to be a surprise if the world doesn't really change. What is taking place at a deeper level will help to sustain what is taking place externally.
For their resonance to really change, and for them to no longer support what is going on externally, they will need to deal with their inner wounds. This won't be a time when it is all about 'love and light', far from it; there will be moments when it is the complete opposite.
Author, transformational writer, teacher and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, four hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.
To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/
Feel free to join the Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooper
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oliver_JR_Cooper/818466
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10293337
When it comes to these beliefs, they include the view that everything in the universe is connected and everything is made up of the same energy, different beings exist and will provide guidance, and that human beings have the power to create their own reality. As for the practices, these include yoga, meditation, astrology, reiki and chanting.
A Number of Similarities
Therefore, although someone might not feel a connection to a god in the sky if they are spiritual, they might feel a connection to something else. In addition, there can be certain things that they do each day.
To someone like this, spirituality is going to be a far better fit and it won't have all of the weight or the negative associations that are part of organised religion. While organised religion can feel restrictive, spirituality can feel liberating.
The Same Story
However, even though there appeared to be this mass awakening during the 1970s and there are now millions of people on the planet that could be seen as being part of this movement, some people have argued that not a lot has changed. According to this view, there are more people than ever for who are 'awake' and yet, it is pretty much business as usual.
It can be hard to comprehend what is going on as if so many people are 'awake'; surely the world should be different? How can there still be so much dysfunction in the world?
Another Angle
If someone has taken this stance, they may even believe that the new age movement didn't just randomly grow in the 1970s. Instead, they could believe that there was a reason why this took place and it wasn't purely due to the fact that people's consciousness was changing.
This could be seen as something that took place because the elites needed a new way to control the masses. So many people had turned their back on the old form of control - organised religion - and now they needed something else, something far more appealing.
Pacifying the Masses
In this case, the new age movement was there to keep people distracted and to make them more tolerant of what was going on around them. If this was the plan back then, it could be said that it's still the plan now.
​
A lot has changed since that time, though, and one example of this is that corporations now have rooms where people can meditate. On the surface, this can seem like a great idea and a sign that peoples wellbeing is being taken seriously.
Looking Deeper
Another way of looking at this would be to say that this is purely about making workers more productive, while not having to change anything. There is then no need to look into why they would be so stressed and actually make real changes.
This is no different to how so many people are simply given drugs to handle their mental and emotional problems as opposed to real changes taking place in society. Again, it's a case of treating the symptoms as opposed to the cause - people are seen as the problem, not the society that they live in.
Back To the Main Point
Thus, the new age movement was and still is something that can serve those that want to keep everything the same. With that aside, the big question is: how could so little change if so many people are 'awake'?
One way to look at this would be to say that being 'awake' is just an identity that so many people have created for themselves and that very few people in comparison do the work that is needed to actually be awake. Someone can then do all the 'right' things and have the 'right' image, but their inner world could be just as toxic as someone who appears to be 'asleep'.
The Spiritual Ego
In other words, being 'awake' will just be a false-self their ego-mind has created that will enable them to avoid their own pain. This part of them, through having a dual nature, can give them the need to be seen as better and more 'evolved' than others.
Social media, for instance, provides the ego-mind with a platform where it can prove how 'spiritual' and 'evolved' it is. Only when the dual nature of the ego-mind is put to one side is it possible to realise that there is no such thing as being better or more evolved - each person on this earth is simply on their own path.
No More Running
Another term that has been used to describe a lot of the practices and beliefs that are connected to the new age is 'spiritual bypassing'. This illustrates how the ego-mind will hide behind any identity and use anything to avoid having to face pain.
This doesn't mean that the ego-mind is bad and needs to be 'killed off'; it enables one to have their own experience on this earth and it simply wants to keep them alive. So, the defences that it utilises to keep pain at bay can cause a lot of harm, but that is not their intention.
Awareness
If so many people have created an identity that allows them to see themselves as being 'awake' but their body is filled with emotional baggage, it is not going to be a surprise if the world doesn't really change. What is taking place at a deeper level will help to sustain what is taking place externally.
For their resonance to really change, and for them to no longer support what is going on externally, they will need to deal with their inner wounds. This won't be a time when it is all about 'love and light', far from it; there will be moments when it is the complete opposite.
Author, transformational writer, teacher and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, four hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.
To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/
Feel free to join the Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooper
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oliver_JR_Cooper/818466
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10293337
Wednesday, 10 June 2020
There Is an Upside to Failure
Why Failure is Not the End
Sometimes when we fail we feel it is the end of the world. There is not one person on the planet Earth that has never failed in his life. The truth is that everyone fails once or many times in their life. You are not alone in this process of failing. It is normal to fail with your business, or your lover, or your friends. But, when you will fail, keep in mind that you are not alone in this and that you should keep moving forward.
There is a reason behind every failure
Failing is all about learning. It is all part of the process - the learning to move forward. Think of Albert Einstein to tried 1001 times to create the light-bulb. His vision and sense of purpose failed him forward.
It isn't always fun when things don't work out the way we planned. It is totally normal to feel de-motivated, without any enthusiasm and willingness to keep going in one thing that you have really want to feel some sense of purpose.
You know how they say: "If you fail 9 times, the 10th time will be a successful one"! The process of failing is difficult.
However, when you fail, feelings of disappointment, why try, de-motivation are seemed real. But, before you decide not to again try, keep in mind that failing is not the end.
When you think that you are on something, fail forward, work with enthusiasm, vision, and purpose, the end results will be what you expected.
Failure is Purposeful
It is often difficult to keep up the motivation. Your sense of purpose can seem illusory as if dreaming. It exists to remind you of what you really want from your life, career, relationship and friendship. When you envisage your dreams as purposeful, a spark of motivation and enthusiasm increases. Your heart is starting to beat faster and faster. You are feeling alive again!
All this is because your vision is an open door to your inner wisdom. Even if you fail once another path will be shown waiting for you just around the corner.
Nothing is lost, you just need to give yourself a chance to keep in your mind's eye all the situations you want to see, when everything seems so negative and without any sense of purpose.
You will feel tired of pushing yourself and stay motivated. Do not worry, nothing is lost.
Whenever you are unsure of what direction to take time to sit quietly. Ask your most pressing question and sit in your heart. Breathe deeply into your heart space, a place of knowing. Through practice you will change your neural pathways into a more coherent state. As well, the answer will come without all the negative self talk we often tell ourselves.
Reeny brings together the strengths of working with her Higher Guidance and Intuition to help others open to their Truth of Purpose of Who Why and What.
She is a True Purpose Coach, Using Awakening the Heart Practices for women to find their voice and embrace a soul aligned path to life that will bring greater joy, freedom, success, and inner peace.
Her blogs, includes inspirational articles are written for those who are seeking another way.
Get access to her new book 'The Art of Feminine Power' https://www.passionandpossibilities.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Reeny_Carvotta_Barron/981755
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10032650
Sometimes when we fail we feel it is the end of the world. There is not one person on the planet Earth that has never failed in his life. The truth is that everyone fails once or many times in their life. You are not alone in this process of failing. It is normal to fail with your business, or your lover, or your friends. But, when you will fail, keep in mind that you are not alone in this and that you should keep moving forward.
There is a reason behind every failure
Failing is all about learning. It is all part of the process - the learning to move forward. Think of Albert Einstein to tried 1001 times to create the light-bulb. His vision and sense of purpose failed him forward.
It isn't always fun when things don't work out the way we planned. It is totally normal to feel de-motivated, without any enthusiasm and willingness to keep going in one thing that you have really want to feel some sense of purpose.
You know how they say: "If you fail 9 times, the 10th time will be a successful one"! The process of failing is difficult.
However, when you fail, feelings of disappointment, why try, de-motivation are seemed real. But, before you decide not to again try, keep in mind that failing is not the end.
When you think that you are on something, fail forward, work with enthusiasm, vision, and purpose, the end results will be what you expected.
Failure is Purposeful
It is often difficult to keep up the motivation. Your sense of purpose can seem illusory as if dreaming. It exists to remind you of what you really want from your life, career, relationship and friendship. When you envisage your dreams as purposeful, a spark of motivation and enthusiasm increases. Your heart is starting to beat faster and faster. You are feeling alive again!
All this is because your vision is an open door to your inner wisdom. Even if you fail once another path will be shown waiting for you just around the corner.
Nothing is lost, you just need to give yourself a chance to keep in your mind's eye all the situations you want to see, when everything seems so negative and without any sense of purpose.
You will feel tired of pushing yourself and stay motivated. Do not worry, nothing is lost.
Whenever you are unsure of what direction to take time to sit quietly. Ask your most pressing question and sit in your heart. Breathe deeply into your heart space, a place of knowing. Through practice you will change your neural pathways into a more coherent state. As well, the answer will come without all the negative self talk we often tell ourselves.
Reeny brings together the strengths of working with her Higher Guidance and Intuition to help others open to their Truth of Purpose of Who Why and What.
She is a True Purpose Coach, Using Awakening the Heart Practices for women to find their voice and embrace a soul aligned path to life that will bring greater joy, freedom, success, and inner peace.
Her blogs, includes inspirational articles are written for those who are seeking another way.
Get access to her new book 'The Art of Feminine Power' https://www.passionandpossibilities.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Reeny_Carvotta_Barron/981755
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10032650
Saturday, 30 May 2020
Feeling Helpless?
The threat of the coronavirus is taking the notion of the world's suffering in a whole new direction that could include all of us in a much more intimate way. Many people are expressing fears and concerns. More than ever it is important to strengthen our spirit and clarity of mind to deal what may be just the being of challenges we will face in the near future.
Someone said this to me during an interview recently: "I feel helpless in the face of the world's suffering. I don't know what to do about the pain I see all around me. It's driving me crazy."
Well, you know, it takes a lot of energy and attention to drive yourself crazy. If you redirect that energy away from "feeling helpless" and bring it into alignment with your desire to benefit, you may come up with some creative solutions. I'll explain.
"Helpless" is a judgment, not a feeling. But when we label judgments as feelings, we trap ourselves. Why? Because we're responding to the judgment as a feeling, as part of us.
If you think you're helpless, if you believe the thought that you're helpless, you're going to feel sad and discouraged. Anybody would. That just shows you work perfectly, it doesn't mean the judgment is part of your being.
You see, the thing is, our feelings are simply our own being vibrating. Just like there's a certain vibratory level that our organ of sight can perceive as sight, and a type of vibratory level that our ears can hear, we experience a different band of vibration as emotions. And that's just us, vibrating.
In the hypnotic nature of our mind -- take nouns, for example -- we label emotions like joy, sadness, anger or whatever, so we think they're separate things. So we may say, "I have a problem with anger, I'm going to solve my anger problem, I'm going to get rid of it." And so we repress the anger. As we continue along in our life, after a while we say, "Well, I'm not angry anymore, but I notice I'm not that joyful, either."
That's because we can't single out one emotion and repress it. That emotion is our capacity to vibrate in action. In order to repress an emotion we have to freeze our whole capacity to vibrate. That's the only way you can reduce an emotional response.
So that's the first thing. Our emotions are a manifestation of us vibrating in a certain way. They are our very being, vibrating. That's why we have absolute conviction in the truth of the emotion. That emotion is our very being, vibrating with life.
The vibration, in this case, is sadness and discouragement, because you believe the thought, "I'm helpless." But if you say, "I feel helpless," you're transferring the truth of vibrating, to that thought of helplessness. Then we're convinced because we think, "Am I helpless? Yeah, I can feel it right here in my chest."
But no. The true thought is, "If and when I believe I'm helpless... I feel sad and discouraged." Do I have to believe I'm helpless? Well, maybe I am! At that point, you could take a moment. You don't have to try to fight with it and come to some quick decision.
You can say to yourself, "OK, I'll be open-minded. I may be helpless, but it's only fair that you give me the evidence. If you give me the evidence that I'm helpless, then I'll believe it. But until you can give me the evidence, I'm not going to feel sad and discouraged. And I'm not going to drive myself crazy."
How to Help Yourself Out of Helplessness
1. Try this for a moment: Examine a familiar negative "feeling." Something like, "I feel like I'll never succeed" or "I feel like I'm not good enough" or "I feel like she is prettier than me."
2. Now notice the language of these "bad feelings." They each contain "feel like." Almost anytime someone says "I feel like," what comes after "like" will be a judgment, not a feeling. During the normal course of your day, catch these "feel like" thoughts and develop your ability to recognize that what comes after "like" is a judgment, not a feeling.
3. When you have some clarity about your "feel like" thoughts, practice restructuring them: "When I believe the judgment ____(fill in the blank), what do I feel?" Then ask, "what is the evidence that is convincing me to believe this judgment?" Notice what you discover.
I recommend you write this exercise in a journal so you can keep track of, and study, what comes up.
Two important tips: A feeling statement will contain an emotion: "I feel sad," or "I feel angry."
Also, make sure you don't answer the "What do I feel?" question with another judgment, such as, "I feel like a weirdo." If you do this, just restructure this statement too: "When I believe X and Y, what do I feel? Is there any valid evidence? Valid means accurate according to the laws of cause and effect, not according to the opinion of others. "That's what my father always told me" doesn't count as valid evidence!
This may seem surprisingly challenging at first because we are so habituated to labeling judgments as feelings. But keep at it. Enjoy your mind at work! You can teach it to work with wonderful clarity for your own benefit and be free of "helpless feelings" forever!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jack_Elias/31511
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10259696https://ezinearticles.com/?Feeling-Helpless?&id=10259696
Someone said this to me during an interview recently: "I feel helpless in the face of the world's suffering. I don't know what to do about the pain I see all around me. It's driving me crazy."
Well, you know, it takes a lot of energy and attention to drive yourself crazy. If you redirect that energy away from "feeling helpless" and bring it into alignment with your desire to benefit, you may come up with some creative solutions. I'll explain.
"Helpless" is a judgment, not a feeling. But when we label judgments as feelings, we trap ourselves. Why? Because we're responding to the judgment as a feeling, as part of us.
If you think you're helpless, if you believe the thought that you're helpless, you're going to feel sad and discouraged. Anybody would. That just shows you work perfectly, it doesn't mean the judgment is part of your being.
You see, the thing is, our feelings are simply our own being vibrating. Just like there's a certain vibratory level that our organ of sight can perceive as sight, and a type of vibratory level that our ears can hear, we experience a different band of vibration as emotions. And that's just us, vibrating.
In the hypnotic nature of our mind -- take nouns, for example -- we label emotions like joy, sadness, anger or whatever, so we think they're separate things. So we may say, "I have a problem with anger, I'm going to solve my anger problem, I'm going to get rid of it." And so we repress the anger. As we continue along in our life, after a while we say, "Well, I'm not angry anymore, but I notice I'm not that joyful, either."
That's because we can't single out one emotion and repress it. That emotion is our capacity to vibrate in action. In order to repress an emotion we have to freeze our whole capacity to vibrate. That's the only way you can reduce an emotional response.
So that's the first thing. Our emotions are a manifestation of us vibrating in a certain way. They are our very being, vibrating. That's why we have absolute conviction in the truth of the emotion. That emotion is our very being, vibrating with life.
The vibration, in this case, is sadness and discouragement, because you believe the thought, "I'm helpless." But if you say, "I feel helpless," you're transferring the truth of vibrating, to that thought of helplessness. Then we're convinced because we think, "Am I helpless? Yeah, I can feel it right here in my chest."
But no. The true thought is, "If and when I believe I'm helpless... I feel sad and discouraged." Do I have to believe I'm helpless? Well, maybe I am! At that point, you could take a moment. You don't have to try to fight with it and come to some quick decision.
You can say to yourself, "OK, I'll be open-minded. I may be helpless, but it's only fair that you give me the evidence. If you give me the evidence that I'm helpless, then I'll believe it. But until you can give me the evidence, I'm not going to feel sad and discouraged. And I'm not going to drive myself crazy."
How to Help Yourself Out of Helplessness
1. Try this for a moment: Examine a familiar negative "feeling." Something like, "I feel like I'll never succeed" or "I feel like I'm not good enough" or "I feel like she is prettier than me."
2. Now notice the language of these "bad feelings." They each contain "feel like." Almost anytime someone says "I feel like," what comes after "like" will be a judgment, not a feeling. During the normal course of your day, catch these "feel like" thoughts and develop your ability to recognize that what comes after "like" is a judgment, not a feeling.
3. When you have some clarity about your "feel like" thoughts, practice restructuring them: "When I believe the judgment ____(fill in the blank), what do I feel?" Then ask, "what is the evidence that is convincing me to believe this judgment?" Notice what you discover.
I recommend you write this exercise in a journal so you can keep track of, and study, what comes up.
Two important tips: A feeling statement will contain an emotion: "I feel sad," or "I feel angry."
Also, make sure you don't answer the "What do I feel?" question with another judgment, such as, "I feel like a weirdo." If you do this, just restructure this statement too: "When I believe X and Y, what do I feel? Is there any valid evidence? Valid means accurate according to the laws of cause and effect, not according to the opinion of others. "That's what my father always told me" doesn't count as valid evidence!
This may seem surprisingly challenging at first because we are so habituated to labeling judgments as feelings. But keep at it. Enjoy your mind at work! You can teach it to work with wonderful clarity for your own benefit and be free of "helpless feelings" forever!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jack_Elias/31511
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10259696https://ezinearticles.com/?Feeling-Helpless?&id=10259696
Thursday, 28 May 2020
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Your Fast-Acting Tool For Negative Waves
As someone who leans towards the spiritual side of life, are you picking up on some of the negative vibes that have been going around?
Are you keeping peace in your heart as you go about your day during this interesting time? Before you know it, we get to the point where we look back on it and smile for all we have learned. Yet, right now when we are "in" it, how do we tune back in to our True Selves of happiness and delight if we don't have 20 minutes to meditate, take a hike or get a massage?
It is important that we get to the heart of the matter. This process can take you there.
This is easy and works for adults and children. It may work for you.
Here is a process that hundreds of 3rd and 4th graders have learned, as well as over a thousand adult professionals. This has helped CEOs, people in management, lawyers, people in the medical professions, teachers, and more. Many people have created more delight in their marriages, relationships with spouses children, family and co-workers with this simple but powerful process. It will help us all get through these interesting times.
NeuroCalm works negative feelings from any situation. It can also help with physical pain.
As you use this over time, you will find that it becomes automatic.
NeuroCalm in 3 easy steps:
For now, bypass the thoughts. Imagine it your mind is like a talk show host that has to say something, and tune it out. As Bob Newhart said in his famous YouTube, "Stop it!" Humor helps here. Sometimes (maybe not you) we take the thoughts that pass through our consciousness too seriously.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. If you are spiritual/religious, connect with your Source. Pretend you are sending light from the Source to the feeling and the situation. See yourself and the situation bathed in light.
Be brave and feel. Notice the feeling in your body. This is between you and that feeling, not the commentary. Yes, it may feel uncomfortable for a short time. You are trading off feeling some discomfort now for the painful effects of ignoring it. Ignoring it makes it fester and grow, affecting your mental/emotional state and your health. Go ahead and feel it, fall into it. You can imagine you are holding a baby or a kitten/puppy and be compassionate with your feelings. Here you are listening to yourself. You may notice that the feeling changes. Follow it as it changes. Sometimes this is all it takes for the feeling to go away.
Ask the magical question. (I know, this sounds odd, humor me here, you will see the results... that's what matters) Ask the feeling the magical question "What do I need to know to let you go?" Notice the first thing that comes up for you. It may be a thought, an image, it could be a "knowing." That is your answer. Trust that first response.
Notice. Notice if the feeling is still there. It may be the same, different, or it may have left. If it is still there, repeat the process.
Sometimes these feelings leave quickly and do not return. With some issues in life, the feelings come back. Simply repeat the process.
Do you resonate with this? Try it for three days and see if it makes a difference for you. If so, teach it to others and to children. Imaging growing up knowing that your feelings are your own, and there is a way to peacefully learn from and release them.
To learn more about sending light to a situation, check out Illumination by Michael G. Reccia. You may be surprised at what sending light can do.
Letting go from a spiritual perspective is liberating and healing, and the concept is one of many themes explored, explained and demystified in depth in 'the Joseph Communications', a series of books I highly recommend.
You can find out more at: http://www.thejosephcommunications.com http://www.youtube.com/thejosephcommunications
Nannette DiMascio enjoys helping people remove the emotional charge from the traumas they have carried around from their past. She also assists people in discovering two-way communication with their own spiritual Source within.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nannette_DiMascio/668630
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10271200
Are you keeping peace in your heart as you go about your day during this interesting time? Before you know it, we get to the point where we look back on it and smile for all we have learned. Yet, right now when we are "in" it, how do we tune back in to our True Selves of happiness and delight if we don't have 20 minutes to meditate, take a hike or get a massage?
It is important that we get to the heart of the matter. This process can take you there.
This is easy and works for adults and children. It may work for you.
Here is a process that hundreds of 3rd and 4th graders have learned, as well as over a thousand adult professionals. This has helped CEOs, people in management, lawyers, people in the medical professions, teachers, and more. Many people have created more delight in their marriages, relationships with spouses children, family and co-workers with this simple but powerful process. It will help us all get through these interesting times.
NeuroCalm works negative feelings from any situation. It can also help with physical pain.
As you use this over time, you will find that it becomes automatic.
NeuroCalm in 3 easy steps:
For now, bypass the thoughts. Imagine it your mind is like a talk show host that has to say something, and tune it out. As Bob Newhart said in his famous YouTube, "Stop it!" Humor helps here. Sometimes (maybe not you) we take the thoughts that pass through our consciousness too seriously.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. If you are spiritual/religious, connect with your Source. Pretend you are sending light from the Source to the feeling and the situation. See yourself and the situation bathed in light.
Be brave and feel. Notice the feeling in your body. This is between you and that feeling, not the commentary. Yes, it may feel uncomfortable for a short time. You are trading off feeling some discomfort now for the painful effects of ignoring it. Ignoring it makes it fester and grow, affecting your mental/emotional state and your health. Go ahead and feel it, fall into it. You can imagine you are holding a baby or a kitten/puppy and be compassionate with your feelings. Here you are listening to yourself. You may notice that the feeling changes. Follow it as it changes. Sometimes this is all it takes for the feeling to go away.
Ask the magical question. (I know, this sounds odd, humor me here, you will see the results... that's what matters) Ask the feeling the magical question "What do I need to know to let you go?" Notice the first thing that comes up for you. It may be a thought, an image, it could be a "knowing." That is your answer. Trust that first response.
Notice. Notice if the feeling is still there. It may be the same, different, or it may have left. If it is still there, repeat the process.
Sometimes these feelings leave quickly and do not return. With some issues in life, the feelings come back. Simply repeat the process.
Do you resonate with this? Try it for three days and see if it makes a difference for you. If so, teach it to others and to children. Imaging growing up knowing that your feelings are your own, and there is a way to peacefully learn from and release them.
To learn more about sending light to a situation, check out Illumination by Michael G. Reccia. You may be surprised at what sending light can do.
Letting go from a spiritual perspective is liberating and healing, and the concept is one of many themes explored, explained and demystified in depth in 'the Joseph Communications', a series of books I highly recommend.
You can find out more at: http://www.thejosephcommunications.com http://www.youtube.com/thejosephcommunications
Nannette DiMascio enjoys helping people remove the emotional charge from the traumas they have carried around from their past. She also assists people in discovering two-way communication with their own spiritual Source within.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nannette_DiMascio/668630
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10271200
Monday, 25 May 2020
Remember "Why"
"He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how" -Friedrich Nietzsche
Have you ever been in a situation where you carry on with your life, perhaps you have a job, you get up every morning go to work, come back to your family and carry this on for a year or two and all of a sudden one day on a lonely day or a quite day you feel empty and ask yourself "Why, What and Who?" Why do you do the things you do? What do you live for? Who are you? and what do you really what to accomplish. Such a feeling of emptiness and questioning yourself is usually a self-reflection point in your life. Life can get routinal and at times we live on autopilot every day and forget the purpose regarding our lives. This in a long term or even short term can leave us feeling empty without hope.
I would like to remind you to be purposeful about the intent of your life. Remember why you are where you are and you do what you do. Why you have your spouse as a life partner, remember the reasons you had that made you feel that they are suitable to live life with you, why you feel important about your children and what you would like them to accomplish in life and what you would like to teach them. The most important person is you, what is your purpose, how would you like to be remembered in this life, what would you like to contribute. Having this form of self-reflection can help you live life with a sense of purpose and more intentfully. This will help you live happier and fulfilled. When you feel happier and fulfilled you are more likely to pursue and achieve your life goals.
Get up each day remembering why you do the things you do. Take time to meditate on your life, this will give you energy and the enthusiasm to pursue your dreams. Without remembering "why" you risk living a life that at times can feel purposeless. Without purpose, as human beings we are doomed to give up on everything and feel unhappier. Find your why, reach your goals and live a fulfilling life.The best time to start is not an hour later or tomorrow, start now.
Remember to remain inspired, to move all obstacles standing in your way of success and do not dare give up on yourself or your dreams.
Phillip Ramphisa is the most sought after South African Motivational Speaker and Philanthropist. He helps people and organisations achieve their goals faster than they thought possible. His life mission is to end suffering and help people thrive in their lives. Phillip speak in conferences and events. To contact him please visit http://www.phillipramphisa.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Phillip_Ramphisa/2057309
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10269223
Have you ever been in a situation where you carry on with your life, perhaps you have a job, you get up every morning go to work, come back to your family and carry this on for a year or two and all of a sudden one day on a lonely day or a quite day you feel empty and ask yourself "Why, What and Who?" Why do you do the things you do? What do you live for? Who are you? and what do you really what to accomplish. Such a feeling of emptiness and questioning yourself is usually a self-reflection point in your life. Life can get routinal and at times we live on autopilot every day and forget the purpose regarding our lives. This in a long term or even short term can leave us feeling empty without hope.
I would like to remind you to be purposeful about the intent of your life. Remember why you are where you are and you do what you do. Why you have your spouse as a life partner, remember the reasons you had that made you feel that they are suitable to live life with you, why you feel important about your children and what you would like them to accomplish in life and what you would like to teach them. The most important person is you, what is your purpose, how would you like to be remembered in this life, what would you like to contribute. Having this form of self-reflection can help you live life with a sense of purpose and more intentfully. This will help you live happier and fulfilled. When you feel happier and fulfilled you are more likely to pursue and achieve your life goals.
Get up each day remembering why you do the things you do. Take time to meditate on your life, this will give you energy and the enthusiasm to pursue your dreams. Without remembering "why" you risk living a life that at times can feel purposeless. Without purpose, as human beings we are doomed to give up on everything and feel unhappier. Find your why, reach your goals and live a fulfilling life.The best time to start is not an hour later or tomorrow, start now.
Remember to remain inspired, to move all obstacles standing in your way of success and do not dare give up on yourself or your dreams.
Phillip Ramphisa is the most sought after South African Motivational Speaker and Philanthropist. He helps people and organisations achieve their goals faster than they thought possible. His life mission is to end suffering and help people thrive in their lives. Phillip speak in conferences and events. To contact him please visit http://www.phillipramphisa.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Phillip_Ramphisa/2057309
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10269223
Sunday, 24 May 2020
Can You Gage Your Level of Subconscious Stress?
Did you know that stress presents itself in different degrees? That it can start by something as simple as daily worries? That it accumulates in us? That it can be silently consuming our subconscious capacities? That it can still be properly handled and managed?
Although stress is quite a modern concept, Hippocrates already discussed anxiety back in the 4th century BC. It is a problem that humanity has had to deal with since the dawn of time. In spite of which, we still seems to know very little about how to handle it.
In my line of work, humanology, I come across a lot of people who suffer from all types of stress and have come to some conclusions that I'd like to share with you here today, together with a few tips and tricks in the hope that they can help you.
Worry, fear, anxiety and panic can be just different forms and degrees of stress: When any of those forms of fear is present in a person's life too often, chances are that they end up escalating into the next level in this progression.
Worry can also become a form of stress when the person can't control it. Those who can't stop worrying over things end up accumulating a lot of cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are slowly released by their system each time they plan to "fix" a problem by getting ready for it. They are regularly preparing their bodies for the "bad something" to come. There are certain trends at this level:
Overthinking is a form of constant worry.Those who can't stop thinking without control, whose thoughts govern them, tend to always think about problems and worries. They can't seem to be able to disconnect from their worries and are therefore constantly releasing stress-based chemicals. Daydreamers are one type of overthinkers. Most daydreamers spend their time also worrying, not enjoying fun or positive imaginations.
The excessive need to control everything is another form of worry.Those who need to have everything under their control, the so-called control freaks, are in a permanent state of worry over their losing such control.
When the worry turns into "what if... " questions, it becomes fear. Worrying over something can grow into fearing it very easily. All "what if... " questions indicate some kind of fear. "What if that doesn't work out the way I want it to? What if that other thing happens? What if that person fails... " all indicate a fear of something happening or not in the future. The worry becomes more focused and the feeling more acute. The person's body segregates bigger amounts of chemicals.
Constant worry and fear have a cumulative stressful effect in us. Being in a constant state of worry or fear leads to an excess of chemicals in our bodies. Those chemicals, if not properly managed and released, will accumulate in a person's body and could grow into silent anxiety.
Worry, fear and anxiety can occupy a huge part of our subconscious capacity. When a person is silently and subconsciously handling worry, fear and anxiety many hours a day, that person's brain is working overtime.
The person is not aware of it. The conscious part of that person's brain will deal with the conscious symptoms of worry, fear and anxiety, whenever aware of them, but the subconscious ones will still grow and multiply, making use of the person's subconscious mechanisms and capacity.
The mind is like an iceberg and our conscious mind is nothing but the very tiny tip. When a person suffers from chronic worry, fear or anxiety, visible, noticeable symptoms will be tackled. Unfortunately, that same person will also be subconsciously working on silent stress, trying to manage it, while it gradually accumulates inside due to a lack of adequate release mechanisms for the non-stop triggers. This reality is one of the main reasons why worry and fear can end up escalating into anxiety.
When the subconscious can't handle it, the conscious mind will release it. The subconscious tries to keep up with the stress, the worry, the fear, mostly by keeping it all bottled up inside, until its mere amount is so huge, that it overflows into the conscious mind in the form of anxiety or panic symptoms. Thus, all those never-released chemicals end up forcing the person to stop and do something. By then, handling them is obviously much harder. There might be years of accumulation and poor handling.
So, then, what can we do? There are some obvious answers to that question. But maybe not so many obvious tools. Let me offer you a couple of both.
Work with a humanologist. That is, of course, the most obvious solution J. Humanologists are experts in human beings and can expand on the understanding and tools beyond the scope of this article. Seek one out to help you recognize your level of stress, your triggers and the personal tools you need to change that trend in you. In the meantime, you can try the following tips as well:
Stop accumulating. Yes, even though that sounds obvious, how is it done? How can an overthinker stop thinking? How can a worrier stop worrying?
Mindfulness: Fear is ALWAYS in the future. What if... always refers to something that hasn't quite happened yet. Therefore, learning to be in the here and the now is key to those people. Learn to return from the future to the present. The more often you get back to the present, the less negative chemicals your system will be releasing. Learn and use mindfulness techniques to force yourself to be in the present as often as possible.
Connect with the world outside. Many people who suffer from worry, fear, anxiety and panic spend their hours inside themselves. They often spend many hours in their heads. And they sometimes forget to connect with the world outside, with their reality. The more time a person spends inside, without a clear connecting line with the world outside, the greater the chance to fall into this stress trap. KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE REALITY at all times. Yes, introspection is great... as long as you are not disconnected from reality. Yes, meditation is great... as long as you are not disconnected from reality. Yes, being inside one's personal sphere is great... as long as you're not disconnected from reality. Then, make the CONSCIOUS effort to remain connected to reality and the outside world, no matter what. Keep on coming out for air and a clear anchor on reality.
Time boxes. Design a certain fixed time to worry every day. Give yourself the chance to really worry for, let's say, an hour a day. AND THAT IS IT! Once the hour is over, any time your worry, fear or anxiety comes calling again, tell it to return tomorrow, for the next time box.
Fight negative with positive. Some other happier chemicals can help you reduce the levels of accumulated cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine in your body: oxytocin, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and the like. Learn how to release them more often and in greater quantities for two reasons:
They fight the bad guys. Good chemicals will make you feel better and will help you relax almost immediately. Which means that the good ones will target some of the negative chemicals.
When your body is releasing these, it can't be releasing those. Thus, if your body is busy flushing your system with wonderful oxytocin, it can't be producing the nasty products at the same time.
The positive result is therefore double: there are less bad chemicals in you because the good ones are fighting them and you're producing less because you're busy doing something else.
Let them go! Nothing will work if you continue creating more and more of the nasty chemicals. Learn some tools to get rid of the stress you already have inside: exercise, practice laughing, apply the tools mentioned above to counteract and release the nasty bugs, and take control of your own being.
All these tips will help you handle your stress a bit better. Don't let it grow in you until it becomes unmanageable. Seek help now instead of letting it overtake you and control your will. It can be done.
Enjoy life... ALL of it,
Learn more in my book: The Optimist in You https://www.amazon.com/Optimist-You-Optimism-Coaching-Handbook/dp/151161160X
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jessica_J_Lockhart/2431530
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10151274
Although stress is quite a modern concept, Hippocrates already discussed anxiety back in the 4th century BC. It is a problem that humanity has had to deal with since the dawn of time. In spite of which, we still seems to know very little about how to handle it.
In my line of work, humanology, I come across a lot of people who suffer from all types of stress and have come to some conclusions that I'd like to share with you here today, together with a few tips and tricks in the hope that they can help you.
Worry, fear, anxiety and panic can be just different forms and degrees of stress: When any of those forms of fear is present in a person's life too often, chances are that they end up escalating into the next level in this progression.
Worry can also become a form of stress when the person can't control it. Those who can't stop worrying over things end up accumulating a lot of cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are slowly released by their system each time they plan to "fix" a problem by getting ready for it. They are regularly preparing their bodies for the "bad something" to come. There are certain trends at this level:
Overthinking is a form of constant worry.Those who can't stop thinking without control, whose thoughts govern them, tend to always think about problems and worries. They can't seem to be able to disconnect from their worries and are therefore constantly releasing stress-based chemicals. Daydreamers are one type of overthinkers. Most daydreamers spend their time also worrying, not enjoying fun or positive imaginations.
The excessive need to control everything is another form of worry.Those who need to have everything under their control, the so-called control freaks, are in a permanent state of worry over their losing such control.
When the worry turns into "what if... " questions, it becomes fear. Worrying over something can grow into fearing it very easily. All "what if... " questions indicate some kind of fear. "What if that doesn't work out the way I want it to? What if that other thing happens? What if that person fails... " all indicate a fear of something happening or not in the future. The worry becomes more focused and the feeling more acute. The person's body segregates bigger amounts of chemicals.
Constant worry and fear have a cumulative stressful effect in us. Being in a constant state of worry or fear leads to an excess of chemicals in our bodies. Those chemicals, if not properly managed and released, will accumulate in a person's body and could grow into silent anxiety.
Worry, fear and anxiety can occupy a huge part of our subconscious capacity. When a person is silently and subconsciously handling worry, fear and anxiety many hours a day, that person's brain is working overtime.
The person is not aware of it. The conscious part of that person's brain will deal with the conscious symptoms of worry, fear and anxiety, whenever aware of them, but the subconscious ones will still grow and multiply, making use of the person's subconscious mechanisms and capacity.
The mind is like an iceberg and our conscious mind is nothing but the very tiny tip. When a person suffers from chronic worry, fear or anxiety, visible, noticeable symptoms will be tackled. Unfortunately, that same person will also be subconsciously working on silent stress, trying to manage it, while it gradually accumulates inside due to a lack of adequate release mechanisms for the non-stop triggers. This reality is one of the main reasons why worry and fear can end up escalating into anxiety.
When the subconscious can't handle it, the conscious mind will release it. The subconscious tries to keep up with the stress, the worry, the fear, mostly by keeping it all bottled up inside, until its mere amount is so huge, that it overflows into the conscious mind in the form of anxiety or panic symptoms. Thus, all those never-released chemicals end up forcing the person to stop and do something. By then, handling them is obviously much harder. There might be years of accumulation and poor handling.
So, then, what can we do? There are some obvious answers to that question. But maybe not so many obvious tools. Let me offer you a couple of both.
Work with a humanologist. That is, of course, the most obvious solution J. Humanologists are experts in human beings and can expand on the understanding and tools beyond the scope of this article. Seek one out to help you recognize your level of stress, your triggers and the personal tools you need to change that trend in you. In the meantime, you can try the following tips as well:
Stop accumulating. Yes, even though that sounds obvious, how is it done? How can an overthinker stop thinking? How can a worrier stop worrying?
Mindfulness: Fear is ALWAYS in the future. What if... always refers to something that hasn't quite happened yet. Therefore, learning to be in the here and the now is key to those people. Learn to return from the future to the present. The more often you get back to the present, the less negative chemicals your system will be releasing. Learn and use mindfulness techniques to force yourself to be in the present as often as possible.
Connect with the world outside. Many people who suffer from worry, fear, anxiety and panic spend their hours inside themselves. They often spend many hours in their heads. And they sometimes forget to connect with the world outside, with their reality. The more time a person spends inside, without a clear connecting line with the world outside, the greater the chance to fall into this stress trap. KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE REALITY at all times. Yes, introspection is great... as long as you are not disconnected from reality. Yes, meditation is great... as long as you are not disconnected from reality. Yes, being inside one's personal sphere is great... as long as you're not disconnected from reality. Then, make the CONSCIOUS effort to remain connected to reality and the outside world, no matter what. Keep on coming out for air and a clear anchor on reality.
Time boxes. Design a certain fixed time to worry every day. Give yourself the chance to really worry for, let's say, an hour a day. AND THAT IS IT! Once the hour is over, any time your worry, fear or anxiety comes calling again, tell it to return tomorrow, for the next time box.
Fight negative with positive. Some other happier chemicals can help you reduce the levels of accumulated cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine in your body: oxytocin, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and the like. Learn how to release them more often and in greater quantities for two reasons:
They fight the bad guys. Good chemicals will make you feel better and will help you relax almost immediately. Which means that the good ones will target some of the negative chemicals.
When your body is releasing these, it can't be releasing those. Thus, if your body is busy flushing your system with wonderful oxytocin, it can't be producing the nasty products at the same time.
The positive result is therefore double: there are less bad chemicals in you because the good ones are fighting them and you're producing less because you're busy doing something else.
Let them go! Nothing will work if you continue creating more and more of the nasty chemicals. Learn some tools to get rid of the stress you already have inside: exercise, practice laughing, apply the tools mentioned above to counteract and release the nasty bugs, and take control of your own being.
All these tips will help you handle your stress a bit better. Don't let it grow in you until it becomes unmanageable. Seek help now instead of letting it overtake you and control your will. It can be done.
Enjoy life... ALL of it,
Learn more in my book: The Optimist in You https://www.amazon.com/Optimist-You-Optimism-Coaching-Handbook/dp/151161160X
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jessica_J_Lockhart/2431530
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10151274
Saturday, 23 May 2020
Are You Thinking Ahead to Post-Corona Life?
Many of you focus on how to survive the next few months.
I'm not knocking it - this is a crazy time, so it pays to have a strategy.
Having said that...
Are you thinking about what comes next?
For when the world returns to more-or-less normal?
Because it will return. With every crisis, folk said it would change everything forever. But let's not exaggerate it. 9/11 changed the world... and even so, things mostly returned to normal. Same again with 2008 and (for some Americans) Trump's election and a dozen other catastrophes.
The 'new normal' is always closer to the old normal than it might seem.
This pandemic is no different. It will break because pandemics always do. The first-hit countries are already bouncing back - the rest of us have to wait it out. I doubt the coronavirus will ever disappear, but it won't dominate forever. It can't.
I'm sure the smart entrepreneurs and executives are thinking ahead to when crowds become a thing again.
How about you?
When I say things will return to normal, I'm talking on average. For some folk, this experience will break them. They'll get used to isolation and keep up that habit, long into the future.
Why go out to restaurants, when junk food can arrive at your door?
What's the point of playing board games, after a few months of bingeing on video games?
Who cares about cinemas when the internet is right here?
Some folk will spend the rest of their lives exercising less, getting less fresh air and sun, and refusing physical contact at all costs.
The rest of you?
You're thinking of all the things you took for granted - even something as small as going to a restaurant with friends.
You're going to travel more and explore more.
Social distancing can't end soon enough, and when it does you're going to shake every hand. Maybe even hug more. Why not?
You're going to get out into nature, exercise more, have healthier hobbies and embrace every moment.
Maybe you'll even quit that job you hate (because look what getting locked in a box with recycled air got you?) or at least use this to work more flexibly.
I'm lucky enough to have money coming in still, so I'm saving money for some training and travel. You better believe I'm watching the number of active cases in each country, looking forward to the day we're all free again.
That day will come slower if you languish.
If you atrophy on the couch.
If you invest in yourself, though?
In your mind, your body, your emotions and your finances?
You'll be out the door and in the sunshine while everyone else is rubbing the sleep from their eyes.
Want to get started?
Listen to the free mind training available on my site. You can begin immediately, once you sign up to my daily email newsletter.
Here's the link:
https://guided-thought.com/daily-email/
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/William_T_Batten/2522089
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10269835
I'm not knocking it - this is a crazy time, so it pays to have a strategy.
Having said that...
Are you thinking about what comes next?
For when the world returns to more-or-less normal?
Because it will return. With every crisis, folk said it would change everything forever. But let's not exaggerate it. 9/11 changed the world... and even so, things mostly returned to normal. Same again with 2008 and (for some Americans) Trump's election and a dozen other catastrophes.
The 'new normal' is always closer to the old normal than it might seem.
This pandemic is no different. It will break because pandemics always do. The first-hit countries are already bouncing back - the rest of us have to wait it out. I doubt the coronavirus will ever disappear, but it won't dominate forever. It can't.
I'm sure the smart entrepreneurs and executives are thinking ahead to when crowds become a thing again.
How about you?
When I say things will return to normal, I'm talking on average. For some folk, this experience will break them. They'll get used to isolation and keep up that habit, long into the future.
Why go out to restaurants, when junk food can arrive at your door?
What's the point of playing board games, after a few months of bingeing on video games?
Who cares about cinemas when the internet is right here?
Some folk will spend the rest of their lives exercising less, getting less fresh air and sun, and refusing physical contact at all costs.
The rest of you?
You're thinking of all the things you took for granted - even something as small as going to a restaurant with friends.
You're going to travel more and explore more.
Social distancing can't end soon enough, and when it does you're going to shake every hand. Maybe even hug more. Why not?
You're going to get out into nature, exercise more, have healthier hobbies and embrace every moment.
Maybe you'll even quit that job you hate (because look what getting locked in a box with recycled air got you?) or at least use this to work more flexibly.
I'm lucky enough to have money coming in still, so I'm saving money for some training and travel. You better believe I'm watching the number of active cases in each country, looking forward to the day we're all free again.
That day will come slower if you languish.
If you atrophy on the couch.
If you invest in yourself, though?
In your mind, your body, your emotions and your finances?
You'll be out the door and in the sunshine while everyone else is rubbing the sleep from their eyes.
Want to get started?
Listen to the free mind training available on my site. You can begin immediately, once you sign up to my daily email newsletter.
Here's the link:
https://guided-thought.com/daily-email/
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/William_T_Batten/2522089
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10269835
Friday, 22 May 2020
Why Those Who Are Most Responsive To Change, Will Always Thrive
Go With The Natural Flow Of Events
What are you resisting right now in your life? Is it the sudden change of circumstances in relation to the Coronavirus? Is it something you're missing out on, such as being in contact with loved ones, a friend, work colleagues or others? What negative emotions are you experiencing as a result? Is it anger, frustration, anxiety, fear or something else? How are you responding to them?
I realise I'm asking a lot of questions but it's important we understand what is the cause of our emotions. Now, granted, you might say I'm angry and frustrated being isolated from others against my will. And you wouldn't be wrong to feel this way, however what is the fundamental reason behind it? You see, the emotions you're experiencing may not only be attributed to separation. There could be something deeper beneath the surface that warrants your investigation. It is my experience, working with individuals over the years, that those who are most responsive to change always thrive.
These are people who are psychologically flexible and embrace what life throws at them. It doesn't mean they like what is happening. And I'm not suggesting you like what is taking place either because that would be remiss of me. What I am inviting you to do, is accept your current conditions to the best of your ability and make the most of it. Is this something you're willing to give your attention to? Could you entertain the idea that you needn't like your current circumstances but stop resisting it?
Resistance is futile because ultimately reality trumps our struggles and emotions. And who says life ought to meet our expectations of how things should unfold? Life is a self-sustaining system, operating with its own natural laws. We must learn to abide by them because we are a drop in an ocean of a vast cosmic intelligence, working tirelessly to maintain order. But sometimes, what we initially experience is chaos expanding to create order. It makes it easier if we stop fighting what is happening and go with the natural flow of events. This is what is meant by being grateful. It's the idea of looking for hidden gems contained within unexpected events.
Life Is Not Personal
Assuredly, what we give our attention to becomes our focal point. So, if you direct your attention to unpleasant circumstances, you will find evidence of it (confirmation bias) and call it into your experience. But this comes at a cost to your well-being, which is paramount to your mental and physical health. Responding to change affirmatively means that even though circumstances are not as we like them to be, we can turn misfortune into triumph. It means looking for the silver lining in every experience, even if we have to look hard, there will always be a positive lesson.
Listen, life is unfair. When we were protected by our parents or guardians as youngsters, we may have assumed life was fair. But we mature and discover through heartbreak, setbacks and disappointments, life is anything but fair. This is because life is not personal. Read that again and mark it somewhere on your computer or smartphone. Life is not personal. You are part of life's ecosystem and when you cooperate and collaborate with this energetic force, circumstances will benefit you.
So, back to my earlier questions about what you're resisting right now. How can you take that experience and find a hidden treasure amongst it? Could you give yourself the gift of sitting with your negative emotions, to explore what is at the heart of your resistance? I assure you, this practice alone, can change your life more than you realise.
It will empower you to control your emotions and understand their underlying motive. You needn't struggle with life because doing so means resisting the gifts it brings. Those gifts will seldom come in the form you hope for. They are often disguised as: hardship, pain, struggle and disappointment and requires we face them with optimism instead resistance. I often asked myself: Why do some people struggle with change while others take it in their stride? Why don't these people let their experiences get them down? What do they know that others don't?
I'm not convinced that successful people are any wiser or more intelligent than the rest of us. I'm certain however, they have experienced heartache, suffering and misfortunes to know that hardships don't come to disturb our peace, but to anchor us in our resilience and sharpen the saw of our character. That is why those who are most responsive to change will thrive because they move with their circumstances and make the most of it. So, give that gift to yourself right now. Give yourself the gift of sitting with your emotions for 30 minutes, to explore what is really going on beneath the surface. Give yourself the gift of unlocking your true wisdom. It is only then you will realise that thriving isn't a state of mind but a way of being in the world.
Do you want to lead a remarkable life? Are you committed to taking action despite your fears and doubts? If so, download your FREE copy of my eBook NAVIGATE LIFE right now, and start your amazing journey of greatness today!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_Fahkry/837610
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10283482
What are you resisting right now in your life? Is it the sudden change of circumstances in relation to the Coronavirus? Is it something you're missing out on, such as being in contact with loved ones, a friend, work colleagues or others? What negative emotions are you experiencing as a result? Is it anger, frustration, anxiety, fear or something else? How are you responding to them?
I realise I'm asking a lot of questions but it's important we understand what is the cause of our emotions. Now, granted, you might say I'm angry and frustrated being isolated from others against my will. And you wouldn't be wrong to feel this way, however what is the fundamental reason behind it? You see, the emotions you're experiencing may not only be attributed to separation. There could be something deeper beneath the surface that warrants your investigation. It is my experience, working with individuals over the years, that those who are most responsive to change always thrive.
These are people who are psychologically flexible and embrace what life throws at them. It doesn't mean they like what is happening. And I'm not suggesting you like what is taking place either because that would be remiss of me. What I am inviting you to do, is accept your current conditions to the best of your ability and make the most of it. Is this something you're willing to give your attention to? Could you entertain the idea that you needn't like your current circumstances but stop resisting it?
Resistance is futile because ultimately reality trumps our struggles and emotions. And who says life ought to meet our expectations of how things should unfold? Life is a self-sustaining system, operating with its own natural laws. We must learn to abide by them because we are a drop in an ocean of a vast cosmic intelligence, working tirelessly to maintain order. But sometimes, what we initially experience is chaos expanding to create order. It makes it easier if we stop fighting what is happening and go with the natural flow of events. This is what is meant by being grateful. It's the idea of looking for hidden gems contained within unexpected events.
Life Is Not Personal
Assuredly, what we give our attention to becomes our focal point. So, if you direct your attention to unpleasant circumstances, you will find evidence of it (confirmation bias) and call it into your experience. But this comes at a cost to your well-being, which is paramount to your mental and physical health. Responding to change affirmatively means that even though circumstances are not as we like them to be, we can turn misfortune into triumph. It means looking for the silver lining in every experience, even if we have to look hard, there will always be a positive lesson.
Listen, life is unfair. When we were protected by our parents or guardians as youngsters, we may have assumed life was fair. But we mature and discover through heartbreak, setbacks and disappointments, life is anything but fair. This is because life is not personal. Read that again and mark it somewhere on your computer or smartphone. Life is not personal. You are part of life's ecosystem and when you cooperate and collaborate with this energetic force, circumstances will benefit you.
So, back to my earlier questions about what you're resisting right now. How can you take that experience and find a hidden treasure amongst it? Could you give yourself the gift of sitting with your negative emotions, to explore what is at the heart of your resistance? I assure you, this practice alone, can change your life more than you realise.
It will empower you to control your emotions and understand their underlying motive. You needn't struggle with life because doing so means resisting the gifts it brings. Those gifts will seldom come in the form you hope for. They are often disguised as: hardship, pain, struggle and disappointment and requires we face them with optimism instead resistance. I often asked myself: Why do some people struggle with change while others take it in their stride? Why don't these people let their experiences get them down? What do they know that others don't?
I'm not convinced that successful people are any wiser or more intelligent than the rest of us. I'm certain however, they have experienced heartache, suffering and misfortunes to know that hardships don't come to disturb our peace, but to anchor us in our resilience and sharpen the saw of our character. That is why those who are most responsive to change will thrive because they move with their circumstances and make the most of it. So, give that gift to yourself right now. Give yourself the gift of sitting with your emotions for 30 minutes, to explore what is really going on beneath the surface. Give yourself the gift of unlocking your true wisdom. It is only then you will realise that thriving isn't a state of mind but a way of being in the world.
Do you want to lead a remarkable life? Are you committed to taking action despite your fears and doubts? If so, download your FREE copy of my eBook NAVIGATE LIFE right now, and start your amazing journey of greatness today!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_Fahkry/837610
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10283482
Thursday, 21 May 2020
10 Ways to Get Back to Your Reading Habit
By Mitul Patel
We have published an article about how to read more books. Now this post is for those who used to read in past and now stopped it for some reasons. Recently a friend asked how he could start reading habit. When I asked him what kinds of books he liked to read, his answer surprised me that he couldn't remember the last time he had read an entire book but he read a lot of news and stuffs online. Another friend admitted her own difficulties with reading as much as she used to, especially fiction. According to her there is enough drama going on around the world, so she didn't feel to read fictionalized drama.
There was one who said he 'prefer to experience real life rather than reading about it in books.' As for this kind of people who think their lives are more interesting and so diverse to give them all the wisdom and emotional skills to direct them through our increasingly complex societies, then I cannot shatter their sweet illusion. So here I want to address those who really want to read but somehow they can't.
There is a difference in reading online news and articles and reading a book. I mean the long-form (books or novels) and shorter pieces (online news and articles). Our cognitive processes are such that we read quicker and with less comprehension and retention when scrolling through short online articles, blogs, and news and clicking on link after link. Though I also read a lot online (news, book reviews, author interviews, etc.), books remains my primary source of knowledge and thoughts. Reading is not only about improving quality of our lives but also the quality of the attention we pay to the things and people in our daily lives. It changes our ways of engaging with the people and being in the world.
Here I'm suggesting some approaches to rekindle and cultivate the habit of reading. It's better to find a way for a regular reading practice organically rather than forcing yourself to read.
Move to Books from Online Articles
If you enjoy reading online about some specific topics, look for the best books published on those topics online or at your local library or bookstore. Don't forget to check the writer's name of that article you liked reading online as they might have books published too. You will get a deeper and more considered dive into those topics in book-length works. Also ask booksellers and librarian about the book on that topic you liked as they truly enjoy engaging with readers and recommend specific kinds of books. If you're living where there is no library or a bookstore nearby, you can join online library and download books on an electronic device.
Move to Books from Movies
If you enjoy movies, look for those adapted from a book and then read that book. If possible (I insist) don't watch movie before you read the book. By a little search in Google, You can find the movies based on books which are already released or will release in near future. Once you are done with that book, try to watch movie adaptation, and you'll realize what you were missing while watching only movie and not reading book.
Read Literature on Travelling
If travelling is your thing, look for books written about or around the next place you are planning to visit. Read those books before, during, and after your trip. It will make the whole travelling experience richer and more satisfying. Often, travel books are about going down the beaten path and it not only enlighten but also encourage us to wander the unknown places.
Read Short Stories
If book-length fiction is frightening you, then pick a short story book. You can usually finish them in a single sitting but they can stimulate your appetite for longer book-length fiction works. There are so many wonderful short stories available online. These short stories can leverage your regular reading habit.
Read with friends
If you can't read alone or need company while reading, Join or start a book club. I personally prefer reading alone but I enjoy those odd book discussions with readers in Book clubs. If you can't find book club nearby you, you can find it online. I love to discuss the books online with the readers from across the world. It fascinates me how differently we all interpret the same book and I always learn something new. Another way is find a friend who likes to read, and ask him (or make him) to read the same book you want to read or read the same book he is reading and then discuss chapter by chapter. This will make you understand and enjoy the book at another level.
Buy an e-Reader
If you are strapped for time, invest in an e-reader or a good audiobook membership. Then you can read while waiting in the grocery checkout line, during daily commutes, or while doing daily chores. You will be amazed to know that you have this much time for reading which was wasted. So recuperate some of this time and use it in reading.
Start a Journal
Begin to write a books journal daily where you write about whatever you've read that day. This will help you to form your thoughts and reflections on the topics and themes you've read about, which is the whole point of reading after all. Write in a private journal or in an online blog, whichever suits you.
Set Reading Goals
If goal achievements and quantified self-hood drives you, then sign up on a website like Goodreads or LibraryThing to log every book you read by date, you can also add rating based on how much liked that book. I use one of these sites to keep track of my personal library and to read list. Set daily goals for reading. Achieving these goals will encourage you to set bigger reading goals and achieve them.
Listen to Book Podcasts
Listen to some good book related podcasts, where they invite authors and discuss their books. I have, many times, bought a certain book after hearing its writer speak about it. There are many podcasts you can choose from. For short stories I like The New Yorker Fiction, The New Yorker Writer's Voice and NPR's Selected Shorts. And for authors' interviews, I prefer BBC World Book Club, CBC's Writers and Company, BBC Radio 4 Bookclub and The Guardian Books.
Attend the Literary events or Festivals
If there are any book related literary festivals near you, try to go there at least once a year. Every year we have a book fair and literature festival for a week, I never missed this event. I can't go there for whole week but I find time on weekend. Celebrating books with other readers is an exceptional delight.
Bonus Tips
Mix up your reading list with different genres and topics. There are many book recommendation websites out there and ours is one of them. Subscribe us for getting regular book recommendation and get yourself a book interests you most. You can read one book at a time or can pick multiple books from different genres and read few pages or chapters from each book every day. Do not try to keep reading the book you have lost interest in. It will kill your enthusiasm and passion for reading. There are so many books out there on every imaginable topics and themes, so drop that book and pick another one.
Reading book is a personal investment that will pay off in long run. The Best books go beyond the education, entertainment, and altering perspectives. It helps us to develop and strengthen our cognitive and emotional muscles to deal better with whatever comes on our way.
This article was published on https://www.bookishelf.com The Bookish Elf is all about the passion for books and reading, knowledge and perception. We are a small group of readers who want the world to know what we read and what they should read.
We'll love to hear pieces of advice, appreciation or criticism. You can send us all your queries and suggestions by filling the form on the Contact us page or mailing us on: contact@bookishelf.com. We'll be grateful for each word of feedback received from you.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mitul_Patel/2563463
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9965069
We have published an article about how to read more books. Now this post is for those who used to read in past and now stopped it for some reasons. Recently a friend asked how he could start reading habit. When I asked him what kinds of books he liked to read, his answer surprised me that he couldn't remember the last time he had read an entire book but he read a lot of news and stuffs online. Another friend admitted her own difficulties with reading as much as she used to, especially fiction. According to her there is enough drama going on around the world, so she didn't feel to read fictionalized drama.
There was one who said he 'prefer to experience real life rather than reading about it in books.' As for this kind of people who think their lives are more interesting and so diverse to give them all the wisdom and emotional skills to direct them through our increasingly complex societies, then I cannot shatter their sweet illusion. So here I want to address those who really want to read but somehow they can't.
There is a difference in reading online news and articles and reading a book. I mean the long-form (books or novels) and shorter pieces (online news and articles). Our cognitive processes are such that we read quicker and with less comprehension and retention when scrolling through short online articles, blogs, and news and clicking on link after link. Though I also read a lot online (news, book reviews, author interviews, etc.), books remains my primary source of knowledge and thoughts. Reading is not only about improving quality of our lives but also the quality of the attention we pay to the things and people in our daily lives. It changes our ways of engaging with the people and being in the world.
Here I'm suggesting some approaches to rekindle and cultivate the habit of reading. It's better to find a way for a regular reading practice organically rather than forcing yourself to read.
Move to Books from Online Articles
If you enjoy reading online about some specific topics, look for the best books published on those topics online or at your local library or bookstore. Don't forget to check the writer's name of that article you liked reading online as they might have books published too. You will get a deeper and more considered dive into those topics in book-length works. Also ask booksellers and librarian about the book on that topic you liked as they truly enjoy engaging with readers and recommend specific kinds of books. If you're living where there is no library or a bookstore nearby, you can join online library and download books on an electronic device.
Move to Books from Movies
If you enjoy movies, look for those adapted from a book and then read that book. If possible (I insist) don't watch movie before you read the book. By a little search in Google, You can find the movies based on books which are already released or will release in near future. Once you are done with that book, try to watch movie adaptation, and you'll realize what you were missing while watching only movie and not reading book.
Read Literature on Travelling
If travelling is your thing, look for books written about or around the next place you are planning to visit. Read those books before, during, and after your trip. It will make the whole travelling experience richer and more satisfying. Often, travel books are about going down the beaten path and it not only enlighten but also encourage us to wander the unknown places.
Read Short Stories
If book-length fiction is frightening you, then pick a short story book. You can usually finish them in a single sitting but they can stimulate your appetite for longer book-length fiction works. There are so many wonderful short stories available online. These short stories can leverage your regular reading habit.
Read with friends
If you can't read alone or need company while reading, Join or start a book club. I personally prefer reading alone but I enjoy those odd book discussions with readers in Book clubs. If you can't find book club nearby you, you can find it online. I love to discuss the books online with the readers from across the world. It fascinates me how differently we all interpret the same book and I always learn something new. Another way is find a friend who likes to read, and ask him (or make him) to read the same book you want to read or read the same book he is reading and then discuss chapter by chapter. This will make you understand and enjoy the book at another level.
Buy an e-Reader
If you are strapped for time, invest in an e-reader or a good audiobook membership. Then you can read while waiting in the grocery checkout line, during daily commutes, or while doing daily chores. You will be amazed to know that you have this much time for reading which was wasted. So recuperate some of this time and use it in reading.
Start a Journal
Begin to write a books journal daily where you write about whatever you've read that day. This will help you to form your thoughts and reflections on the topics and themes you've read about, which is the whole point of reading after all. Write in a private journal or in an online blog, whichever suits you.
Set Reading Goals
If goal achievements and quantified self-hood drives you, then sign up on a website like Goodreads or LibraryThing to log every book you read by date, you can also add rating based on how much liked that book. I use one of these sites to keep track of my personal library and to read list. Set daily goals for reading. Achieving these goals will encourage you to set bigger reading goals and achieve them.
Listen to Book Podcasts
Listen to some good book related podcasts, where they invite authors and discuss their books. I have, many times, bought a certain book after hearing its writer speak about it. There are many podcasts you can choose from. For short stories I like The New Yorker Fiction, The New Yorker Writer's Voice and NPR's Selected Shorts. And for authors' interviews, I prefer BBC World Book Club, CBC's Writers and Company, BBC Radio 4 Bookclub and The Guardian Books.
Attend the Literary events or Festivals
If there are any book related literary festivals near you, try to go there at least once a year. Every year we have a book fair and literature festival for a week, I never missed this event. I can't go there for whole week but I find time on weekend. Celebrating books with other readers is an exceptional delight.
Bonus Tips
Mix up your reading list with different genres and topics. There are many book recommendation websites out there and ours is one of them. Subscribe us for getting regular book recommendation and get yourself a book interests you most. You can read one book at a time or can pick multiple books from different genres and read few pages or chapters from each book every day. Do not try to keep reading the book you have lost interest in. It will kill your enthusiasm and passion for reading. There are so many books out there on every imaginable topics and themes, so drop that book and pick another one.
Reading book is a personal investment that will pay off in long run. The Best books go beyond the education, entertainment, and altering perspectives. It helps us to develop and strengthen our cognitive and emotional muscles to deal better with whatever comes on our way.
This article was published on https://www.bookishelf.com The Bookish Elf is all about the passion for books and reading, knowledge and perception. We are a small group of readers who want the world to know what we read and what they should read.
We'll love to hear pieces of advice, appreciation or criticism. You can send us all your queries and suggestions by filling the form on the Contact us page or mailing us on: contact@bookishelf.com. We'll be grateful for each word of feedback received from you.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mitul_Patel/2563463
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9965069
Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Sunday, 17 May 2020
Saturday, 16 May 2020
The High Cost of Doing Nothing
By: Daniel Sitter
Cost is sometimes a difficult term to define. Here, we are not simply discussing cost as it relates to selling price, but rather opportunity cost. The web site, "Mentors, Ventures and Plans" defines opportunity cost as "The loss of the next best alternative whenever a decision is made involving two or more options". "Investing in Options" defines it as "Choosing the best alternative means that you can't choose the next-best alternative. Opportunity cost is the next-best alternative that must be sacrificed in order to get something else you want. Opportunity cost can be thought of as the road not taken." Inactivity, or doing nothing, is usually the highest price paid and is often associated with great opportunity cost. Inaction is usually the worst decision one can make, made from a base of fear.
Many of us freeze when facing decisions. For some reason, decision making becomes complex, paralyzing and even painful for many people. It should not be this way. Making a decision is simply the act of choosing between alternatives. You must learn to weigh the implications of each possible decision and choose the outcome that is best for you and all others involved. For example, when your telephone bill comes due, you may choose to pay it or not. There are real obvious consequences for both actions. The situation becomes more complex however, when our human emotions enter the picture. For instance; you are offered a new job and must decide to leave your current position and move your family to a new location, hundreds of miles away..
What we often fail to realize, is that delaying important decisions or simply not making a decision at all, are actions that often impact us with the highest opportunity costs and worst case scenarios. Inactivity, or the lack of a decision, is actually a decision made, although one seldom made in our best interests. In this case, we unfortunately transfer over control of our lives to external forces and circumstances. We are now positioned to be at the mercy and decision-making of others. This is not your best scenario. There are often unusually high costs associated with doing nothing.
Decision making is actually a skill set that can be learned and refined. Like all skills, entering into a new area as a novice requires practice and application in order to improve. Keep in mind that you will indeed improve! Start small, with less important decisions involving less than crucial outcomes and gradually make more decisions on matters of greater importance. Soon, you will have few if any issues with making decisions. Learn to start small and work your way up, gradually extending your comfort zone in this area. A by-product of learning these new skills is that your confidence will surely improve as well.
Decision making need not be frightening. Think of it as a process that is your own, shedding any external pressure that others may be applying. Take your time, get your facts and choose the outcome that works best for you. Do not allow yourself to fall victim to the high cost of doing nothing.
Author Bio
Daniel Sitter is the author of the popular, award-winning e-book, Learning For Profit. Designed for busy people, his new book teaches simple, step-by-step accelerated learning skills, demonstrating exactly how to learn anything faster than ever before. Learning For Profit is currently available from the author's web site www.learningforprofit.com and a variety of online software and book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications. His expertise includes sales, marketing, self-improvement and general business topics.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Cost is sometimes a difficult term to define. Here, we are not simply discussing cost as it relates to selling price, but rather opportunity cost. The web site, "Mentors, Ventures and Plans" defines opportunity cost as "The loss of the next best alternative whenever a decision is made involving two or more options". "Investing in Options" defines it as "Choosing the best alternative means that you can't choose the next-best alternative. Opportunity cost is the next-best alternative that must be sacrificed in order to get something else you want. Opportunity cost can be thought of as the road not taken." Inactivity, or doing nothing, is usually the highest price paid and is often associated with great opportunity cost. Inaction is usually the worst decision one can make, made from a base of fear.
Many of us freeze when facing decisions. For some reason, decision making becomes complex, paralyzing and even painful for many people. It should not be this way. Making a decision is simply the act of choosing between alternatives. You must learn to weigh the implications of each possible decision and choose the outcome that is best for you and all others involved. For example, when your telephone bill comes due, you may choose to pay it or not. There are real obvious consequences for both actions. The situation becomes more complex however, when our human emotions enter the picture. For instance; you are offered a new job and must decide to leave your current position and move your family to a new location, hundreds of miles away..
What we often fail to realize, is that delaying important decisions or simply not making a decision at all, are actions that often impact us with the highest opportunity costs and worst case scenarios. Inactivity, or the lack of a decision, is actually a decision made, although one seldom made in our best interests. In this case, we unfortunately transfer over control of our lives to external forces and circumstances. We are now positioned to be at the mercy and decision-making of others. This is not your best scenario. There are often unusually high costs associated with doing nothing.
Decision making is actually a skill set that can be learned and refined. Like all skills, entering into a new area as a novice requires practice and application in order to improve. Keep in mind that you will indeed improve! Start small, with less important decisions involving less than crucial outcomes and gradually make more decisions on matters of greater importance. Soon, you will have few if any issues with making decisions. Learn to start small and work your way up, gradually extending your comfort zone in this area. A by-product of learning these new skills is that your confidence will surely improve as well.
Decision making need not be frightening. Think of it as a process that is your own, shedding any external pressure that others may be applying. Take your time, get your facts and choose the outcome that works best for you. Do not allow yourself to fall victim to the high cost of doing nothing.
Author Bio
Daniel Sitter is the author of the popular, award-winning e-book, Learning For Profit. Designed for busy people, his new book teaches simple, step-by-step accelerated learning skills, demonstrating exactly how to learn anything faster than ever before. Learning For Profit is currently available from the author's web site www.learningforprofit.com and a variety of online software and book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications. His expertise includes sales, marketing, self-improvement and general business topics.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
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