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The Secret to Breaking Out of Our Most Destructive Habits

The Secret to Breaking Out of Our Most Destructive Habits
This file illustration photo shows a functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI). US researchers have published incredibly detailed images of the human brain as part of an international project aimed at uncovering how brain architecture influences personal Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is one of my all-time favorite stories, as it’s been for millions of others since it was written in 1843. Who doesn’t start sniffling when reading this classic tearjerker about Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold, bitter old man dragged—by the ghosts of his past, present, and potential future—on a terrifying midnight journey of self-discovery, from which he emerges transformed and redeemed? Most people love movies about driven, selfish people who, struck by the life-altering experience of sudden love or near loss, eventually see the light and blossom into life-affirming menschen. Miraculous conversion stories appeal to the wishful thinker in all of us. Habits Rule Patrick, Round II 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. Related:  For All of Us

Dig Deep: You’re Stronger Than You Think Awhile back I was doing a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout over on a nearby running/biking trail. Along the trail there’s a fairly steep hill that takes about a minute to sprint up at full speed. For my workout, I would charge up the hill as fast as I could, walk/jog back down, and repeat the sequence ten times. It puts you in a nice amount of pain. Halfway through the last sprint in my set, my legs and lungs were crying for mercy. A seemingly insignificant moment in my life, but it actually spurred a great deal of reflection. As it turns out, a great deal. You’re Physically Stronger Than You Think Athletes have always known there is a connection between one’s mind and one’s performance – that you can will yourself to keep going when the body grows fatigued. This fact was fascinatingly demonstrated in a study conducted by scientists from the University of Kent in England and the French Institute of Health and Medical Research. What’s going on in these studies?

Could “braingasms” supplant meditation? “Before we start, make sure you are well-positioned in your reclining chair or bed so no one gets hurt falling off their desk or anything,” Lilium purrs into the camera. She’s a Danish girl in her mid-20s with dyed platinum-blonde hair, intense green eyes, and the craniofacial structure of a baby bird. “I can help you let go and become totally present in this time and state,” she says softly, her gaze never wavering from the camera’s lens as she speaks to the 50-odd attendees in her chatroom. “The only thing you have to do is keep listening to my voice.” During her free half-hour live hypnosis session—which consists of deep breathing and visualization exercises, followed by five minutes of Lilium speaking softly in Danish—I can’t say I approach that level of bliss. “Lilium, you have truly been a blessing to me. Another, having clearly disregarded the presession disclaimer, is more succinct: “I think my head is [bleeding] from the fall with my chair.”

Get Fit Like a Wild Man: A Primer on MovNat and Outdoor Training Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from MovNat founder Erwan Le Corre. “A pattern that had been familiar throughout history is that after a war is fought and won, the tendency is for society to relax, enjoy life, and exercise less. … It appears that as societies become too enamored with wealth, prosperity and self-entertainment, fitness levels drop. In addition, as technology has advanced with man, the levels of physical fitness have decreased.” –Lance C. Dalleck and Len Kravitz In the late 19th century, Dudley Allen Sargent – virtually the founder of physical education in America – warned that without solid physical education programs, people would become fat, deformed, and clumsy. Fitness has become accessory to the life of the modern man. But looking fit and being fit are not necessarily the same. Enter MovNat. The History of Physical Training If you think that fitness started with aerobics and body-building, Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger, think again. Cultivate Adaptability

The 3 Elements of Charisma: Warmth For the last few weeks we’ve been talking about the three components of personal charisma. First we explored the importance of Presence – giving people your full attention. Then we covered Power – demonstrating confidence that you can affect the world around you. Today we will discuss the last element of magnetism: Warmth. When you emanate Warmth people see you as being approachable, caring, and empathetic. When they’re around you they feel comfortable and at ease. Just like Power and Presence, Warmth is essential for balancing the other elements and also cannot produce true magnetism on its own. The Real McCoy Of all the elements of charisma, I think Warmth is the hardest to fake. Warmth backfires when people can tell you’re offering it for one reason and one reason only: to get something from them. For Warmth to come off as genuine it must be rooted in something deeper than a purely selfish motive. Developing Warmth Within There are two main ways to develop your inner warmth:

The Way of the Bodhisattva: Living in the World | Reality SandwichReality Sandwich If we desire enlightenment only for ourselves, then living in society will seem like a hindrance. Everything will appear as an obstacle keeping you from your spiritual lifestyle and practices. You will feel a drive to escape, perhaps to nature or to an ashram. But wherever you go, your mind comes with you. A key component is Motivation. If we want to live in a beautiful and awakened world of majesty and harmony, then all change must start with ourselves. This is not a matter of teaching or outreach. Part of the Bodhisattva Vow is: "The beings in all the worlds are numberless, I vow to save them." This does not mean going one by one and leading each by hand down the path to enlightenment. Living in the world requires you to understand the interdependence of all things, not just below the surface but also ON the surface. When you can get on everyone's side, not their ego's sides mind you but the Soul's side, then you will no longer find society to be a hindrance to your path. Bodhicitta

The 10 Smartest Things You Can Do Every Night Want to have a great tomorrow? Start tonight with rituals to free your mind, cleanse your spirit and organize your business and life. June 24, 2013 Intriguing new research, reported in Scientific American, reveals that rituals can have a strong influence on our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. These traditions or personal routines can reduce anxiety and increase our confidence before a high-pressure task. "Recent research suggests that rituals may be more rational than they appear," the Scientific American article states. Rituals can have a big impact on our lifestyles. While we may not be able to overhaul our entire lifestyle, many of these things are under our control: They can be made into rituals of well-being that we adhere to for a better way of living and greater personal success. Much has been written about the morning rituals of highly successful people, yet evening rituals can pave the way for a more optimal experience the next day. Sharpen your productivity saw.

15 Things Kurt Vonnegut Said Better Than Anyone Else Ever Has Or Will | Books | Inventory 1. "I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'"The actual advice here is technically a quote from Kurt Vonnegut's "good uncle" Alex, but Vonnegut was nice enough to pass it on at speeches and in A Man Without A Country. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

How Contemplation Changes Our Brains For The Better | 21st Century Spirituality Upon moving to Los Angeles two years ago last month, I was surprised by how few drivers use turn signals. For a city literally built around the car, it continually amazed (and still amazes) me witnessing such poor driving habits. Besides the pervasive texting and driving, there are any number of activities I've observed, all of which point to one trend: a complete lack (or care) of others around you. More interesting than simple and flagrant disregard, the refusal to tell someone else where you're heading points to a more complex problem. This notion that we should all be expert mind readers is in no way limited to driving. Considering animal life and natural resources is even more challenging. As this month I've been working with the idea of contemplation in my meditation practice, I began to think of what it is we're thinking about. Through directed, contemplative meditation, the posterior cingulate cortex becomes deactivated. Image: Photobank Gallery/shutterstock.com

The Four Types of Friends According to the Buddha Waking Times Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and the compassionate friend. The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is requested. The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in misfortune, and even dying for you. The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what you ought to know, and showing you the path to samsaric heavens. The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune, preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who praise your good qualities. - Taken from the Sigalovada Sutta

How to Get Your Point Across Calmly and Effectively “Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach.” ~Aristotle I’ve been mostly introverted for a majority of my life, often running away from issues that could cause a damaging conversation between me and another person. Experience has taught me that when I get upset, I don’t naturally handle my hardship with grace. I worked as a restaurant manager for some years, and it was just too easy to react to the frustration I felt when an employee disregarded my request that they stock the bathroom with paper towels, or wash the front windows. I would either explode, or I would remain silent. But as life naturally works out, I found myself unemployed for a small stint, whereupon I had the chance to muse over the past and discover the reasons why my voice wasn’t being heard and understood. And we all want to be understood. If you find this happening, pause for a moment. This does take a bite out of the ego, and yeah—that hurts. But it doesn’t mean dropping your position. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

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