meditation

Apr

2021

How to Practice Self-Control

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Do you know the Marshmallow Test? It is a study about self-control. In the study, results indicate that children who practiced self-control have better outcomes in life. Thus, the study proves that self-control is vital in the fulfillment of goals. Indeed, the ability to control our desires, emotions and impulses can ultimately lead to a happier, healthier and wealthier life. But the question now is how to practice self-control.

Here are some tips on how to improve your will power:

1.Believe in Willpower

Willpower is the ability to control one’s thoughts and actions. Believing that you can actually accomplish something gives you a strong determination to accomplish a difficult task. In other words, it is a belief that you have in yourself that you have in your hands the power to create success or failure.

If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.
– Henry Ford

Rather than thinking that you can’t do something, shift your thinking to “I will do it” or “I choose to do it.”

2. Exercise

A new study from the University of Kansas reveals that exercising is a simple way to increase our self-control. Physical activities affect our mood, and this can ultimately affect how people make decisions. The study shows how regular physical exercise altered and improved the decision-making of the controlled group in areas relating to self-discipline such as anger control, healthy eating, spending, studying habits and commitments. The study also reveals how exercise reduced unhealthy habits such as smoking and caffeine consumption.

3. Look at the Bigger Picture

When you look at the bigger picture, you are not just looking at satisfying your desire for now. Instead, you are focusing on your bigger goals and what you ultimately want to accomplish. In short, there is change in the perspective of things. It is easier to divert and refocus. In the end, you will be able to make decisions based on your true priorities.

For example, you have always wanted to have your own car. And your goal is to raise enough money for the downpayment of the car. But a new cellphone model has been released. And you want to purchase one. However, you are well aware that if you purchase that cellphone now, it means a step further away from having your own car. So, what do you do in this scenario? It is so easy to succumb to your immediate desire. But a person looking at the bigger picture will have a different decision.

4.Meditate

Meditation puts us in command of our emotions. Through mindfulness practice, we get to learn to observe our thoughts and feelings. As we begin to become aware and pay attention to the bodily sensations that accompany a specific emotion; we begin to master impulse and behavior control. Awareness and acceptance increase our capacity to inhibit such impulses.

5. Stay Away from Temptation

Assess yourself, are you the type of person who is simply not wired to have excellent self-control? If so, then the best thing to do is to stay away from temptation. Why subject yourself to torture and struggle when you can easily remove it.

For example, you love eating junk foods. Resisting them is a big challenge for you. Then, the best thing to do is not to purchase one. Don’t fill your pantry with junk food. Avoid that aisle in the grocery. If it is not readily available, then there is nothing to eat. In short, out of sight, out of mind. Period.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Mar

2021

Things You Can Do Right Now to Reset Your Health

Reading Time: 5 minutes

There are many things that you can do right now to help you reset your health. Keeping our immune system healthy is our first defense from any sickness. Diet and exercise are not the only factor that affect the efficiency of our immune system.

Maintaining our overall health requires us to live a healthy lifestyle. That may sound like a difficult thing to do and it can be overwhelming. So the trick is to start with the small stuff. Check out some of the things you can do right now to start resetting your health.

Boost Your Water

If you’re the type who keeps forgetting to drink their daily recommended water intake of 8 glasses per day, then it’s the first thing you should do upon waking up. For the rest of the day, aim to drink 2-3 liters a day to boost your body’s hydration. Keep a pitcher of water beside you with a glass so you can drink frequently as you work on your desk.

You can also boost your water by adding lemon slices to it. Infuse your water with the flavor of your favorite fruits by adding fruit slices. Of course, you can also drink some hot tea or fresh fruit juices for added health benefits. This is one of the simplest things you can right now to reset your health.

Stay Off Sugar

Sugar is one of the most inflammatory ingredients that you can eat. Try to limit your sugar intake by avoiding sodas, chips and other processed foods. Sugar is in most of the packaged goods that we often buy in supermarkets and groceries so learn to read the labels. If you can’t avoid it, at least choose to get the item with less sugar. This is one of the most effective ways to reset your health. It might be difficult but it will have a major effect once you implement this habit.

Another way to reduce your sugar intake is to reduce carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereals, etc. in your diet. These carbohydrates are easily reduced to sugar when processed by your body. Instead, opt for more complex carbohydrates with more nutritional value such as baked or roasted sweet potatoes, nuts, beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Eat More Protein

Protein is a more stable energy source that does not cause a spike in your blood sugar levels like sodas can. So try to have a source of protein for each meal throughout the day. More protein in your meal also helps you feel fuller longer so you reduce your hunger pangs. This one of the ways to get optimal nutrition from the food you eat.

Some of the protein-rich food you can add to your diet are beans, legumes, and nuts. You can also keep sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in your stash so you have some protein to grab when you just want to munch something. Having a bag of these with you while are traveling, also helps you stave off unhealthy sugar cravings. These can also power you up in the meantime ,if you can’t sit down to a full meal yet.

Get More Sunshine

Try to wake up earlier and spend at least 10 minutes outdoors to soak in the warmth of morning sun. We know it gives us Vitamin D but it also helps us calm down and set our mood for the day.

Get your daily dose of sunshine from 6AM to 9AM so you don’t get sunburned. If possible, try to wear clothes that allow you to expose as much of your skin so you can absorb more of it. However, don’t go out in the middle of the day (past 9AM) without any sunscreen as this is not healthy at all. Sunshine is gentler and more beneficial in the early morning hours so aim for that window of time to your daily dose of Vitamin D. This is a habit that you can integrate into your daily routine right away to help your reset your health.

Go For A Stretch

This is best done in the early mornings (and get your sunshine at the same time) or later in the afternoon. Taking a walk or a jog not only helps us stretch some muscles; it’s also a good way to calm down to start our day or to wind down to end our work day.

Walking or jogging can help you fulfill your requirement of at least 10 minutes of exercise daily. If you’re an active exercise, then this can be part of your warm-up or cool down routine. If you can’t go out to do this, then gentle exercise like yoga is a good alternative. You can also try out more active forms of movements that require much equipment such as pilates, barre or HIIT workouts.

Get More Sleep

You can’t wake up early if you can’t sleep properly. It’s important to schedule a time to unplug and wind down after a day’s work. This is signaling your body to prepare for sleep. So turn off your social media apps at least an hour before your sleeping time.

What else can you do to ensure better sleep? Don’t drink water 3 hours before your sleep time so you don’t interrupt your sleep to empty your bladder. Don’t eat foods that are too stimulating so you can fall asleep naturally. Sugar and caffeine are stimulants that you should avoid in the evenings. Also, stretching is a great way to help you normalize your sleep cycle and get a deeper sleep. So do some stretching before bed as well.

Start A Journal

We often think of a journal as a diary of our most private thoughts and secrets and it can be that. But there are some types of journals that we can use to helps us organize our life and maintain our mental and emotional health (read: keep our sanity). All you need is a notebook and a pen to start journaling.

Start a bullet journal to help you schedule your day. Each morning or the night before, sit down and jot down your tasks for the day, for the week even. This way, you can go through your daily tasks with a sense of purpose and not just to get through the day. At the end of the day, you can review what items you have completed. Having a sense of accomplishment is a great way to feel good about your day. Another journal you can do at the end of the day is a gratitude journal. You can do it as a list or write an essay of the things you are grateful for this day. Counting your blessings helps keep you in a positive mindset so you can go to sleep in a lighter mood. Journaling can help you organize your mind right away so you can feel motivated to reset your health and work on your other goals.

Self Care Time

Throughout the day, we may feel the need to take a breather from all our chores and work tasks. Don’t feel guilty about it or think of yourself as selfish for taking some time out to just be alone with your thoughts or to do something on your own. We often forget our own needs and wants to make time for other people. So develop the habit of giving yourself some loving throughout the day.

You can enjoy your favorite food and savor the moment. Be mindful of it’s taste and textures so you can appreciate the moment more. You can give yourself a hand massage and do it slowly; savoring each comforting moment. Sometimes, we just want to sit down and not think of anything. Take 10 minutes to meditate. Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing. If you are doing this at work, set a timer so you don’t end up neglecting your work. If you’re at home, you can take the time to read your favorite book, make some art, indulge in a hobby, water and talk to your plants too.

These are just some of the small things you can do right now to reset your health. Start with one and tailor it to your daily routine. You will find that you feel better as the days go by; not just physically but mentally and emotionally too.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash.

Mar

2021

Ways to Start Your Day Right

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are so many ways to start your day right. However, most of us start our day on autopilot as soon as we wake up. If you want to wake up from autopilot mode and have more control over the rest of your day; then you should start your day more mindfully. Start with these suggestions to start your day right.

Wake Up to The Clock

Most of us hit the snooze button instead of waking up when we hear our alarm clock. Instead, try to wake up on hearing the alarm and get up immediately. Sit on your bed for a few minutes to steady yourself and sort yourself out but don’t go back to sleep. Enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes (if you have a window). Tidy up your bed and get out of your bed room.

TIP: Get an actual alarm clock instead of using your phone. This will allow you to unplug the night before. Also, place your alarm clock away from your bed and not beside it so you will be forced to get out of bed to turn it off.

Drink Warm Water

A warm cup of water is a good way to start your day. It helps to gradually signal your body to be active again. It also helps to soothe your empty stomach. Plus, you can count it towards your quota of 8 glasses of water a day. Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is like stretching your body before vigorous exercise. This is definitely one of the ways you need to do to start your day right.

TIP: Try lemon water. Cut a few slices of lemon and put into your cup of warm water. Let sit for a few minutes before drinking. You can also drink tea or coffee if you really need to perk up your morning.

Meditate for Clarity

A time for self-reflection and clarity is best scheduled in the morning. Morning is when your mind is still calm and not buzzing with thoughts and to do’s for the day. Sit in a quiet corner and take deep, long breaths; inhale and exhale slowly. A calm mind helps you get clearer on how to plan your day for the most productivity. A meditation is one of the best ways to start your day right.

TIP: Make meditation a ritual. Light an incense or turn-on the scent diffuser. If possible, close the room. Get yourself a comfortable mat or pillow to sit on so you can meditate without any distractions.

Move Your Body

Light exercise is a great start to energize you for the day. You don’t need to do it for an hour. 10-30 minutes of exercise regularly will do wonders for both your mind and body. Be sure to start and end with some stretching routines and don’t overdo things so you don’t injure yourself. Sweating it out will help you detox and calm your mind at the same time.

TIP: Pick an exercise routine that is right for your fitness level. We all have a physical goal in mind but we need to start our fitness journey right if we want to sustain it. Don’t force yourself to do some moves if you know you’re not flexible enough. Be patient with yourself and just stay consistent.

Self Care First

Show yourself some love first before you go out the door to express your love to the world. A simple self-care routine is all you need to feel pampered just a little bit each morning and night. Enjoy your morning shower. Wash your face, put on some moisturizer and do a mini-facial by softly massaging your face. Apply your favorite lotion or essential oil and enjoy the moment. Don’t forget to smile at yourself in the mirror as you give yourself some love.

TIP: Use natural beauty products so you don’t only show love for yourself but to the environment as well. This also means less negative impact on your health and the planet. Natural products may feel like they cost more; but why shouldn’t you splurge on your self?

Read A Book

One of the ways to get out of autopilot mode is to learn new way of doing and thinking about things. There are many things that you can learn online but reading a physical book is a different experience. Not only are you learning, you gain more appreciation for the author’s and publisher’s efforts. This puts you in a grateful mood for the lessons and the people behind the book. And an attitude of gratitude is a great way to approach the day.

TIP: Read a book anytime you have free time. Not just in the morning, at night too. Some people even read a few pages during their commute. It’s a small luxury to peek into the minds of others who have already succeeded. This will get you more inspired and more motivated to work on your own goals.

Plan Your Day

The act of sitting down to plan your day is a time-saving way to lessen your day’s stress. When you plan your day, you can map out your priorities and the things that you can leave out for later. Creating a daily task schedule will help you to focus on what needs to be done so you are not constantly worrying about the gazillion things that you need to accomplish. It also gives you an idea of what you can cram into your day so you get wiser at scheduling your activities.

TIP: Get a planner or make yourself one or use an app. Use a physical planner to jot down your To Do list or use an app on your mobile phone. Most importantly, don’t forget to take your planner with you so you can track your progress.

These are just some of the ways you can start your day right. You can do them in the order that you want. You can also swap them with better habits that you want to develop. Check out the morning habits of successful people too. Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you also have a great way to end your day.

Feature Image: Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash.

Mar

2021

Spring Clearing Challenge

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Spring Clearing Challenge is an annual practice in many households all around the world. Different cultures have different names for it. It is also practiced at different times of the year, usually during holidays or when the weather changes. Of course, not everyone views it as a challenge. But isn’t it challenging work to clean out stuff in our homes and in our lives, whatever season it may be?

There are many stages in our lives where we practice “spring clearing” to rid ourselves of past negative energies that are weighing us down. The end of the month is as good a time as any to do some spring clearing.

Spring Clearing Challenge

For this challenge, instead of just cleaning out our space physically; we will do a clearing up of negative energies. Remember that our mind and body are connected. Our thoughts, emotions and physical health influence each other. So clearing up one aspect will help improve the others.

Take Time to Meditate

Find a spot at home to sit awhile for a meditation. Make yourself as comfortable as possible and try to calm your mind and relax your body. If you are just starting out, focusing on your inhales and exhales is the only thing you need to do so you don’t get distracted.

Ask yourself, “Where would I want to be to feel completely relaxed and refreshed?” Allow your imagination to take you to that place. Picture yourself relaxing there and try to enjoy all aspects of that moment with all of your senses. Taking the time to relax your senses helps you feel lighter so you can better focus on what needs to be done.

In this way, you can slowly clear up the things that are piling up around you, mentally, physically or emotionally. By doing this spring clearing challenge; you can prepare yourself for a fresh start on your goals.

Practice Mindfulness

Can’t sit still enough or can’t find the time for a meditation? Then start practicing mindfulness. Try to be aware of the little things in your daily life; the small actions that you do throughout your day. Are you eating your favorite dessert? Savor the taste. Are you enjoying the smell of a new book? Tune your senses to that moment.

Ask yourself, “What makes this activity so pleasant or pleasurable?” Finding the answer to this question helps you get to know yourself better. It helps you better understand what things make you happy and allows you to plan for more moments like this.

By understanding what motivates and triggers you; you can better take control of your own actions and reactions to negative circumstances. Reacting mindlessly to negative situations is one of the biggest ways to waste our time and drain our energy. So being able to manage yourself in these situations allows you to focus on what you should be working on. It also helps you figure out how to deal with toxic people and not become a toxic person yourself. So you can focus your attention on the people you love and cherish instead.

Let Your Feelings Go

You may be carrying a lot of emotional stress because of past traumatic experiences, like losing a loved one. You may have regrets about not being able to apologize to someone. Or you maybe struggling to forgive someone. Instead of bottling everything up, why not let it all go?

Ask yourself, “How do I really feel about the situation/person?”. Crying is not weakness. It is a necessary process to start your healing process. Many of us go through our daily lives like zombies because we refuse to deal with our feelings and confront them. We end up becoming numb to other emotional experiences as well.

Find the time to be alone and cry if you have to. If you need to write down your thoughts and feelings while you’re crying, then do so. Maybe you want to watch sad kdramas or movies while eating ice cream; go ahead. You need to feel what you feel and acknowledge it. Of course, you will feel bad at first, but that is the only way you can release all those burdens in order for you to start feeling better about it.

Envision a New You

Clearing out your life should be for a purpose. It is natural for us to strive for a goal in order to have a direction in life. Otherwise, you will just be living your life on auto-pilot and never feel fulfilled with anything that you do even if you accomplish much.

Ask yourself, “How do I want my life to look like in 3 years, 5 years, 10 years from now?”. Make plans for yourself so you can start acting on something you truly want. This is your signal to the Universe so that you can be guided in the right direction.

Create a vision board, write down a bucket list of how you want your life to be. Don’t be afraid to go big and be ambitious. Of course, you have to be prepared to work for these goals so make sure they are SMART goals.

Many people don’t want to start working on their goals because they are afraid to fail. Remember that failure is part of the process to success. Unless you fail, you will never learn which means you will be stuck doing the same thing over and over again without moving forward. Treat failure as a learning process instead of an end result. Welcome the challenges into your experience; like this spring clearing challenge. They are good experiences to help you grow.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Do you start the day with a smile? Maybe you still feel groggy from a lack of sleep. But try to face the mirror with a smile and see how it lifts up your mood. Try to smile back at people too and express your gratitude so you can lift up their mood. You never know how your small gesture can make another person’s day brighter and more pleasant. A genuine smile can completely change a person’s negative outlook in life and even make them feel more hopeful.

Ask yourself, “What can I do today to make things more fun (for me or for someone else)?” Having fun on your own may sound boring for you. Doing it with somebody else can make the goal even more worthwhile.

Taking life too seriously is one of the major causes of stress in our daily lives. Worrying endlessly about the what-ifs exhausts us mentally and emotionally. By focusing on the positive aspects of any situation; you can feel less stressed about it and enjoy the whole experience instead.

These are just some of the things that you can do to start spring clearing your mind, your emotions and your physical environment. This spring clearing challenge is not just for spring though. You can do this anytime you feel the need to clear out negative energy from your self or in your environment. Try to start spring clearing today and see how much better you will feel afterwards.

Feature Image: Original Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash.

Dec

2020

Healthy, Fresh Start for The New Year

Reading Time: 6 minutes

There’s a few more days left before the new year. Have you thought about how you can have a healthy, fresh start for the new year? We emphasize the importance of health because that is what allows us to take action towards our goals.

If you’re thinking about new year’s resolutions, here are some that you should consider.

1. Eat more healthy food

You may be tempted to binge out during the holidays so you should consider eating healthier in the new year. Make sure that you have lots of fruits and veggies in your daily meals. To ensure that you do, try to regularly do your groceries and cook meals at home too. Practice meal prepping so you always have healthy food around. Don’t rely too much on convenience foods and bring a lunch box instead. You can even try out doing your own bento box to make meal preparation more fun and creative.

2. Cut back on sugar

One way to instantly make an impact on your health is to cut back on sugary foods and beverages. Sugary food contributes to inflammation in the body which leads to many other health issues. You can go cold turkey but gradually minimizing your intake will most likely help you kick out this habit for good. Start by limiting the number of sweets you put on your plate. Maybe opt for half a cupcake or share a cake slice with a friend.

3. Drink more water

Since you will be reducing your intake of sugary beverages, you can just replace it with water. We know just plain water sounds boring so try out hot beverages like tea or lemon water. You can also put some cucumber, mint or lemon slices into your water to infuse it with the flavor of these herbs. Fruit slices are an option too. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. This will definitely give you a healthy, fresh start for the new year.

4. Sweat and move more

Some of us may have stopped exercising due to the quarantine and also due to the cold weather. You can still move around your home instead of just sitting all day. Walk around or jog in place when you take breaks from working. Stretch your body even as you are seated. Take a walk outside to take in some sunshine and get some exercise. Dance to some music or incorporate some dance steps while you mop or sweep your floor. Just get your body moving!

5. Get better sleep

Your aim is to get better quality sleep, not necessarily more sleep. Different people of different ages require different sleep hours. Although the 8 hours of sleep is still the standard, some of us working adults might have found that we can do with just 6-7 hours of sleep. Others may require less or need 9 hours, especially if they are physically exhausted from their job. Make a ritual of sleeping so you can signal your body that it’s about to sleep and you can gradually fall asleep more easily. That would mean a healthy, fresh start to your mornings in the new year.

6. Be more grateful

One of the ways you can prep your mind and body for better sleep is to include a gratitude journal in your daily routine. Sit down and write 3 things that you are grateful for during the day. It doesn’t have to be an essay but do recall the positive feeling that you got as you write down each of what you are grateful for. Say a prayer of thanks for each blessing that came your way that day.

Another way you can show your gratitude is by expressing your thanks to others. Not only will it lift up your mood but those of other people too.

7. Do more of what you love

If you really love writing, then keep a diary. If you want to document your dreams, then have a dream journal. Love drawing or sketching? Keep a sketch pad and pen with you at all times. Is singing your passion? Sing to your plants, to your friends or join a group. Do you have a sport you really want to learn? Get lessons. Buy books to read more.

Try to do more of the things you love. You will not only have more fun in your life; you will also get to meet new people who share your interests. This is also a time for you to indulge your inner child. What did you love to do as a child that you haven’t been able to do as a grown-up? You can start with that.

8. Be present in the moment

Not too many people practice meditation but it is such a simple way to relax and quiet our mind. It also helps us stay in tune with our inner selves. If you are just starting, try doing it in the early hours of the morning when the world is still quiet. You can also do it as a way to relax when daily activities stress you out. Some people may find it hard to do at first. You can start by observing mindfulness during your meals or when folding your laundry, etc. The goal is to be focused and present in the moment and not be distracted with your own thoughts or other things around you.

9. Practice self-care

Show more love for yourself by practicing daily self-care. This requires you to schedule some “me time” during the day. This is when you can meditate as well. Your main goals is to spend more time with yourself. You can indulge in reading your favorite book, listening to music you love, giving yourself a manicure or pedicure or a DIY facial, etc.

This is also a time for you to talk to yourself; pat yourself on the back for your little victories and manage negative self-talk. Remember that your thoughts also influence your health. So it is helpful to talk to your self positively. This is the time to show love for your self. Practicing self-care ensures that you give adequate attention to your own personal needs so that you can be your best self when you are with other people.

10. Forgive more

Reconnecting with friends and family who you don’t really get along with or who you have had issues with in the past is difficult. But if you can learn to forgive yourself and these people in your heart without needing them to apologize in person; then you can let go of the bad experience you had with them. This means that you can face them with a more positive outlook and a lighter heart the next time you see each other. You can include forgiving them and yourself in your meditation. Try learning about Ho’oponopono, the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual to help you.

11. Listen to your intuition more

Have you ever had times in your life where you had a strong “gut feeling” that seems to warn you from doing something and it turns out to be right? This gut feeling is your intuition and it is your inner guidance system. When you spend more alone time, meditating, being mindful and practicing self-care, you can get more connected and in tune with your intuition. Think of it as your angels guiding you and sending you messages to keep you away from negative experiences and warning you of negative people. Try to feel for this “gut feeling” each time you are hesitant about something and trust what it tells you.

12. Be more authentic

Adulting is hard and we sometimes have to sacrifice a lot of who we are in the process. How many of us have had to let go of our childhood dreams in order to earn a living? Do you sometimes feel guilty for not saying what you really wanted to say because you didn’t want to hurt your friend’s feelings? Most of us have suppressed who we truly are in order to fulfill other people’s expectations of how we should be.

Start to honor your true self by accepting your self, flaws and all. Talk to your loved ones about what you truly want. Tell your friends what you truly think but reassure them that it is because you care that you are being honest with them. It may take some time for other people to understand you. You may lose some friends along the way but this is part of the journey. Those who accept you will stay and they are the ones who deserve your love and a place in your heart.

We hope you consider these resolutions to create a healthy, fresh start for the new year for yourself and your loved ones. Be kinder to yourself as you make these changes. In the meantime, do try your best to stay healthy this holiday season. Cheers to new beginnings!

Feature Image: Original Photo by Bart LaRue on Unsplash.

Dec

2020

Morning Habits of Highly Successful People

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Are you happy? Are you healthy? Do you consider yourself a highly successful person? Are you a millionaire? You are where you are today because of your habits. So, if you want to change your life for the better, you need to start changing your habits. So, what are the morning habits of highly successful people?

Habits Defined

What are habits? Habits are your usual way of behaving. They are your thoughts and actions that you repeat over and over again.

In short, everything that you repeatedly do from the moment you wake up until the time you go to sleep are habits. According to Charles Duhigg, author of best-selling book The Power of Habit, 40% to 45% of what we do each day are not conscious decisions but habits.

Habits Formation

Habits are formed through repetition on a daily basis. Some habits were developed during childhood like tying your shoelaces or brushing your teeth. Other habits like how you parallel park your car are formed each time you learn something new. Studies suggest that as an action becomes automatic, the brain shuts down. For example, you can completely concentrate on something else while brushing your teeth.

Thus, habits are very powerful. They dictate how successful or unsuccessful you will be in life. Your life today is the sum of all your habits.

Making a Choice

While luck and genetics may be contributing factors, it is the behaviours of individuals that ultimately lead to success. The good news is that new habits can be learned and old habits can be unlearned. So, if you want your life to get better, you cannot continue doing what you have been doing. You need to make some changes.

Success does not happen overnight. Rather, it is the result of all the successful habits done over time.

Success is the sum of all efforts, repeated day in and day out.
– Robert Collier

In this case, how and where to start? Brian Tracy, the most listened to speaker on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness recommends starting with your morning routine. According to him, what you do in the first few hours of the morning set the tone on how the rest of your day will turn out.

Five Morning Habits that will Change your Life

Specifically, morning habits are routine things that people do in the morning. Starting the morning right can influence how the rest of the day will turn out. Every successful person in the world out there has similar morning routines.

1. Get Up Early

Morning people are successful people. Tom Corley, author of Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, spent five years studying 233 wealthy people and 123 poor people. According to him, self-made millionaires woke up three hours before their schedule actually begins.

Robert Iger, Disney CEO wakes up at 4:30 am.
Former US President George HW Bush would get up at 4:00 am.
Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at around 3:45 am
Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne gets up at 3:30 am.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz gets up at around 4:30 am.
Best selling author Dan Brown wakes up at 4:00 am
Jack Dorsey, Co-founder and CEO of Twitter wakes up at 5:00 am

2. Meditate

Gone were the days where meditation is just for the monks, hippies and yogis. Science has proven that meditation has many beneficial effects on the body. Meditation reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, enhances creativity, lowers depression and improves performance. Meditation is a form of contemplative practice just like prayer and visualisation. Start your meditation with gratitude and then visualise the day ahead of you.

Ariana Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post does 20-30 minutes meditation as a part of her morning routine.
Rick Rubin, former president of Columbia records is a daily practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.
Padmasree Warrior, chief Technology and Strategy officer of Cisco Systems allots 20 minutes a day for meditation.
Jeff Weiner, CEO of Linkedin empties his mind each day to meditate.
Ophrah Winfrey, the most influential woman on media who has her own media empire, spends 20 minutes of meditation to start her day.
Jennifer Lopez meditates 20 minutes in the morning and at night.

3. Exercise

Tom Corley said that about 76% of the wealthy exercised for at least 30 minutes a day. In another study done by Psychology Today on 5,402 Finnish twin males, results revealed that the physically active twin earned about 17% more income than the less active twin. Daily exercise not only controls weight but also improves health and stimulates the brain.

Jennifer Aniston, one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, includes spin-yoga and gym workout as part of her daily morning routine.
Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, spends an hour each day on his treadmill.
Former US President Barack Obama goes to the gym at 6:45 am to do weights and cardio work-out.
Steve Rheinmund, former chairman and CEO of Pepsi does a four mile run every morning at 5 am.
Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief plays an hour of tennis at 5:45 in the morning each day.

4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

The word breakfast came from an old English word which means to break the fast of the night. After a whole night of fasting, the body needs essential nutrients to function properly for the day. That is why, breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day.

Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group opts for a high fiber, high vitamin breakfast. His breakfast includes fruit salad, muesli and some kippers occasionally.
Winston Churchill, former British prime minister ate a hearty morning meal of poached eggs, toast, cold meats and grapefruit.
Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, eats two hard boiled eggs with soy sauce.
Shaquille O’Neal, former NBA star, confessed that he never drank coffee his whole life. Breakfast is normally composed of bread, omelette and a glass of fresh orange juice.
Justin Timberlake, singer songwriter and record producer eats breakfast twice daily. The first one includes waffles with flax, almond butter and scrambled egg. He eats another egg and a protein shake for his second breakfast after workout.

5. Read

According to Tom Carley, the most significant disparity between the habits of the wealthy and the poor concerns reading. About 88% of the wealthy read at least 30 minutes each day compared to only 2% of the poor. Successful people make it their business to stay informed. They read to increase their knowledge, learn new things and to stay current with events especially in their industry.

Warren Buffet, the most successful investor in the world reads the American Banker, Financial Times, New York Times, Omaha World Herald, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal every morning.
John Carney, writer and former CNBC editor reads ancient philosophy by Plato, Socrates and Xenophon.
Dave Girouard, former president of Google, reads Winston Churchill’s speeches.
Charlie Munger, vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway reads The Economist.
Fran Tankerton, former National Football League quarterback read local and national newspapers from cover to cover.

To change a bad habit, all you need to do is simply replace it with a new one. Studies show that on average, it takes 21 CONSECUTIVE days to create a new habit, although some people take a bit longer. This simply means that you need to do the habit that you want to form for at least 21 straight days preferably at the same time everyday. For example if your goal is to wake up at 5:00 am, you need to set the alarm at 5:00 am from Monday to Sunday. If you fail to do it even for a day, you need to restart on Day 1. An effective technique is to use a daily reminder or alarm and to mark an X on your calendar once you have done it for the day.

You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.
– John C. Maxwell

Feature Image by Emrah Tolu from Pexels

Sep

2020

5 Daily Habits to Improve Your Emotional Health

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Our daily habits can help us improve our emotional heath or it can do the opposite. It’s just a matter of which habits we choose to keep and discard in order to start getting back on track towards our health goals and to maintain our health for the long term. Here are 5 daily habits you can develop to improve your emotional health.

If you do not feel that you are emotionally healthy, then try to get a clearer picture of your current state. You can ask yourself these questions to asses your emotional health. Remember that emotional health plays a significant factor in your success in life.

You may not always feel good but integrating these daily habits in your routine can greatly boost your emotional health.

1. Meditate

Practitioners of meditation attest to its many benefits and scientific research can be easily found proving the positive effects of meditation. Aside from calming your mind and body, it helps you take control of your thoughts and stabilize the emotions associated with these thoughts. It can even help you reframe your perspective on certain things that stress you out. Negative emotions can also manifest as illness in your body and meditation allows you to release these emotions and ease the tension that they cause in your body.

If you haven’t started yet, then learn more about meditation and how to do it. If you’d rather do it with someone guiding you; guided meditation videos are easily available online. There are different kinds of meditation for different goals. Try out some of them and see which one works for you.

2. Stay Grounded

Yes, stay humble but also be actually connected to the Earth. Grounding or Earthing is a practice that we can consider as almost lost and buried under all the trappings of technology that we surround ourselves with daily. If you remember the good feelings you had when you were a kid, after playing outside on your bare feet, then you already have an idea of the positive effects of grounding.

In the morning, before the rush of day starts, go out to the garden and stand on bare feet on the grass to ground yourself to the earth for several minutes. The longer the duration the better. Just be sure the ground is dry and it’s not raining when you do this. You can also ground yourself while meditating to save time and maximize the effects. If you can’t do this daily, then at least make sure that you spend some time with nature during your weekends or off days.

For most of us who can’t spend time with nature that much, using natural products for our personal care needs is one way to detox our bodies. Maintaining positive energy in our homes is also a good way to help us feel emotionally well.

3. Practice Self Love Daily

People learn from example and that includes how they treat you. If you cannot take good care of yourself physically and emotionally, then you can be sure that the people around you will be treating you the same way, even if it’s not their intention to do so.

Learn to love yourself more and adopt habits to show your self some love daily. You will not only feel good; you will notice that the good that you feel will multiply as you keep on showing yourself the love that you know you deserve. This is one of the most important daily habits that you can do to improve and maintain your emotional health.

4. Practice Gratitude

Another way to be and to feel emotionally healthier is to be grateful. We know the daily grind may not offer much to be thankful for, so go back to the basics. Are you able to breathe deeply? Are you able to eat 3 meals a day? Do you have a house to go home to and a bed to sleep in? Do you have people who love and value you? Is your body allowing you to do the things you need to do when you want to? Do you have a job that allows you to buy what you need in order to stay alive? Regularly experiencing feelings of gratitude is one of the daily habits that can greatly improve emotional health.

Make a daily habit of thanking the creator or the universe for the blessings you enjoy each day. Start with the basic comforts that you have. These are things that we mostly take for granted but other people lack some of these things in their lives. Gratitude can be life-changing too. Just like meditation, it can help you work through your issues of “lack” in different areas of your life, just like this inspiring story. You can incorporate this gratitude practice in your daily meditation too. You can also keep a gratitude journal and each morning or night, list down at least 3 things that you are grateful for.

5. Unplug and Disconnect

Social connections are important to each person but everyone needs some downtime throughout the day. Don’t wait for your vacation leave to unplug. At the end of each day, set a time to turn off your Internet connection and any other media device (TV, radio, etc.) and read a book, write on your gratitude journal or meditate instead. Ideally, this should be done at least an hour before you go to bed.

Unplugging lets you spend time with your own thoughts and feelings and sort them out if you need to. Reflect on the day’s events and lessons learned instead of drowning yourself on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Unplugging will keep you from being distracted from the irrelevant noise from the outside world so you can quiet your mind and get ready for a restful sleep.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.08.06
Feature Image: Original Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash.

Aug

2020

Unleash the Genius Within You

Reading Time: 3 minutes

It is human nature to be jealous of others. However, before you even begin comparing yourself with others, think again. We all have different talents and gifts. Each of us is destined to be great. You may not be good in math but you can be an excellent artist. You may be poor in communication skills but you may be a good athlete. Just because you got bad grades in school, it does not mean that you will fail in life. You are more than your report card. You are talented. All you need to do is to find and unleash the genius within you.

Unfortunately, instead of finding our own path, majority of us opt to follow the dictates of society. We let our parents choose our path. We follow what’s popular. Instead of creating our own definition of success, we chose to adhere to how society defines success. We were programmed by society to think in a certain way. As a result, we lose ourselves in the process.

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid.
– Albert Einstein

Instead, we should all learn from Santiago, the lead character from The Alchemist who followed his heart and intuition to look for his treasure.

Zone of Genius

The good news is that, it is not yet too late. We can still find what Gay Hendricks, psychologist and author of the The Big Leap, call the Zone of Genius. The genius zone is that particular area in our life where we are taking advantage of our natural gifts and talents and at the same actually enjoy what we are doing. It pertains to the zone wherein we capitalize on our innate abilities.

Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi call this at “in flow”. This is because, at this zone, you are “in flow” and are completely immersed in what you are doing that you have lost all sense of time. In addition, you get never-ending inspiration with what you are doing. Every second is fun and meaningful for you. You always feel happy and energized while working. All highly successful people are in this zone. They are fortunate enough to use their passion as the key to success.

Zone of Excellence

However, please take note that there is another zone, the zone of excellence. Be careful not to confuse the two. In the zone of excellence, just like in the zone of genius, you are also doing something that you are good at. Your skills and expertise are also top-notched in this level. The only difference is that in the zone of genius, you not only excel but you also enjoy every minute of what you are doing.

Test yourself. Do you dread going to work every Monday despite the fact that you are good in what you are doing? Are you always looking forward to weekends so that you can recharge? If you feel that way, then you are in the zone of excellence. Remember that you lost track of time in the zone of genius because you are having fun every second of the day. That is reason why some people in the zone of excellence who have already achieved so much still feel that something is lacking in their life. It is because they are in the wrong zone.

Unleash The Genius Within You

Launch Challenge

To unleash the genius within you, you first need to find your zone of genius. How to find your zone of genius? There are two components to get to your genius zone. First, you need to find your genius. The second one is you need to find your purpose.

Finding your Genius

To find your genius, you need to sit at a quiet place and meditate. Listening to calming music can help. Then close your eyes and ask yourself.

What is one thing that you are exceptional at? No one else does it better than you.
When do you feel most energized?
What moment in your life did you feel that you shine the most? What were you doing then?
When do you get the most compliment from other people?
What is one thing that you can do for hours and hours and not get bored with it?
Why and what do people normally ask you for advice?

If you can answer the questions above honestly, then congratulations! You have just identified your genius.

Finding your Purpose

The question now is what do you do with your genius? This is now your purpose. Your purpose is the meaning of your very existence. All of us are born with a purpose in life. Generally, our purpose is to love and serve others. Individually, it is all about serving others using our genius.

Continue your meditation. Then just ask yourself one question.

How can I be of service to others using my genius?

If you can search within yourself the answer to this question, then congratulations! You have now found your purpose in life.

So, what are you waiting for? Work at what you are good at. Follow your passion. Don’t give up. Unleash the genius within you!

Edited Version. First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 10.05.2018

Feature Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay Images.

Jul

2020

How to Manage Stress

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Are you under too much stress? Do you feel like giving up? Are there so many things in your life to be worried about right now? Do you feel powerless? If you do, then you are obviously stressed out. Stress is not necessarily a bad thing if it can become your source of motivation to improve yourself and your life. However, too much stress can affect your health. That’s why it is important to learn how to manage stress.

What is Stress?

Everyone experience stress. It happens when you have too much pressure which is much more than you can handle. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines stress as “the reaction people may have when presented with demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope”.

Components

Based on the WHO definition, stress has three components:

Demands / Pressure – This means that there is an outside force that is compelling you or forcing you to do something.
Knowledge and Skills – Knowledge pertains to your understanding about a specific subject or situation. Skills are learned ability or expertise on something.
Ability to Cope – How you are able to deal with responsibilities, challenges and difficulties plays a big part on your stress level

In short, stress arises when the outside pressure is not at par with your knowledge and skills. You will be better equipped in handling the same situation if it arises again only if you have learned from that past experience and made conscious effort to improve yourself.

Take a look at the video by Ted-Ed to find out how stress affects our body.

Thus, it is important that people learn how to manage stress. Here are five techniques in managing stress.

1. Take a Break from the Stressor

A stressor is the one that causes the stress. A stressor can be a person like your boss, life changes like a death of a loved one, an everyday problem like money issues, an environmental problem like a calamity or a health crisis such as the pandemic. While it might be impossible to completely distance yourself from the stressor, you can take a break from it by doing something else that will keep your mind off things even for just 20 minutes.

2. Exercise

When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, a hormone that acts as natural painkillers and mood elevators. It also improves your ability to sleep. Thus, exercise not only benefits the physical body but the mind as well. Thus, doing regular exercise will help lower your stress levels.

3. Smile and Laugh

When you smile and laugh, your body also releases endorphins. Endorphins lower your stress hormones cortisol. Too much cortisol produces negative feelings. A good hard belly laugh can reduce tension. Even a fake smile helps reduce stress and lowers heart rate. So, if you want a quick release of tension, forced yourself to smile.

4. Get support

A co-study done by Sarah Townsend of USC Marshall School of Business, Heeding Kim of UC Santa Barbara and Batja Mesquita of University of Leuven, Belgium that sharing your stress or worries with someone else, especially if that person is undergoing the same kind of stress, helps decrease the stress. It is important to talk to someone who understands you. A support group is necessary in life.

5. Meditate

Meditation is deep state of relaxation and tranquility. Meditation controls our breathing, pulse rate and blood pressure. It is a simple technique, but if practice just for a few minutes, it will give you many benefits. It releases negative emotions and helps clear your mind of worries.

First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 01.06.2019

Feature Image by kalhh from Pixabay Images.

Jun

2020

Why You Should Start a Meditation Habit and How

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The world is a busy place and we need to keep up with this hectic pace. Most of us lack sleep from working too hard in order to live the life we want. Some of us are constantly worrying that we are not working hard enough or doing enough to achieve our goals. We are discontent about the past and scared about our future. We forget to live in the present and appreciate each moment.

The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.
— Sakyong Mipham

Every day we judge ourselves and disappoint ourselves because we have too many expectations. We distract ourselves from the difficulties of life by trying to do more. We crowd our daily schedules with so much. At the end of the day, we go to bed exhausted but still unable to alleviate our fears and worries. We have not even taken the time to be alone, to just be with ourselves.

What is Meditation?

Many successful people have learned the benefits of taking time out for themselves thru meditation. Each person does it their own way and may call it different things such as “me time”, “alone time”, “moment of silence”, “emptying your mind” or “calming your mind”. This time for yourself is called meditation. When you pray by yourself, softly whispering or silently, that too is a meditation.

Prayer is you speaking to God. Meditation is allowing the spirit to speak to you.
— Deepak Chopra

Simply put, meditation is the practice of calming your mind. It’s not really emptying it but focusing your mind on something else other than thinking. It is putting your mind on a break from all your usual thoughts, fears and worries.

There are different types of meditation and meditation techniques that you can explore once you have learned the habit. They all start with calming your mind and relaxing your whole body so you can get in touch with your inner self. For now, practice how to give your mind and your self a break from your daily concerns thru meditation.

Prayer is asking for guidance. Meditation is listening to it.
— Sonia Choquette

Meditation is one thing that can contribute to your overall wellness and success. Try to get a complete overview of your current level of wellness so you know which areas of wellness you need to work on.

Benefits of Meditation

There are many benefits to meditation including a calmer demeanor right after and even more energy; clearer thinking and improved concentration on tasks at hand. Long-term effects include improvement of overall health, better sleep, better communication and relationships and a more a positive outlook.

I meditate so that my mind cannot complicate my life.
— Sri Chinmoy

All this translates to self improvement and increased chances of success in many areas of life. No wonder many successful people have made meditation a habit.

Some people who have incorporated this practice into their daily routine include these celebrities:

Self-made millionaire Tony Robbins – meditates 9-10 minutes
Entrepreneur Arianna Huffington – meditates 20-30 minutes
CEO of LinkedIn and former Yahoo executive Jeff Weiner – cuts out blocks of his daily schedule for meditation and thinking time
Singer and entrepreneur Katy Perry – meditates sitting in bed for 20 minutes
Actor Clint Eastwood – practicing Transcendental meditation for over 40 years now

If you search online, there are many more names to add to this list.

How to Start a Meditation Habit

Meditation is best done in the early morning or before going to bed. You need at least 10-15 minutes of time alone, in a silent place where you can focus on meditating. You may do this sitting on a chair or on the floor or lying down. Be as comfortable as you can.

Close your eyes, put your hands on your lap and breathe deeply, inhaling thru your nose and exhaling thru your mouth. Most of the time, we breathe shallowly, only engaging the upper part of our lungs. Breathe deeply, feeling the air go all the way down to your diaphragm. Breathe slowly, focusing on your inhales and exhales. If thoughts come, just go back to focusing your attention on your breathing. This is all you need to do for 10-15 minutes.

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobstrusively.
— Sharon Salzberg

If you are doing this in an office setting, you can use headphones to reduce background noise, then play relaxing music to help calm you down. There are many meditation music available online. There are also guided meditation music to make it easier for you to meditate.

As much as possible, use music that has no lyrics as the words will just add to your thought process. Instrumental, acoustic and nature sounds are most recommended.

Do your best NOT to follow a thought for long. If you get distracted by a thought that pops up, go right back to focusing on your breathing. You may feel you have failed the first time because you did not feel as calm as you expected but just practice again the next day until you get to a calm state.

If we read the stories of the great spiritual teachers of the past, we find that they have attained spiritual realization through a great deal of meditation, solitude and practice. They did not take shortcuts.
— Rajiv Mehrotra

You may exceed the 15 minutes but that is also alright. Some people who meditate regularly do this for up to an hour a day. Others do this several times a day in 10-15 minute blocks.

Some people may find it so relaxing and end up falling asleep especially when meditating while lying down. This is alright too since you are trying to calm yourself anyway. You can just try to do it again the next day without falling asleep. A timer would help too so you don’t go over your break time at work.

Next Steps

Once you have integrated a meditation practice in your daily routine; you can decide to devote more time to it than just 15 minutes a day. Doing it twice a day or doing it several times throughout the day may be more effective for you. If you feel that you have too many things going in on your mind and you need to clear out the confusion, then take the time to meditate.

Start taking baby steps to creating a meditation practice in your daily life. Do tell us about your experience the first time you meditated or give us more tips to improve our meditation practice if you are doing this already.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living 2019.02.03.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Maik Kleinert from Pexels.