The strange rock formations at Joshua Tree National Park in California are the results of magma flows and millions of years of erosion. Many of the unique boulders in the park haven earned names. The large stone pictured here is Heartbreak Rock. Can you guess why? Sunset photo by Hannah Schwalbe, National Park Service.
Born today September 9th 1828 Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy) was a Russian aristocrat and one of the world’s most preeminent writers. Tolstoy become famous through his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. “We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree […]
Let the snow begin*. Saturday was our first ski of the season, with Whistler Blackcomb opening the previous day, a week earlier than planned.
This week’s photo challenge is about being experimental. Seeing the northern lights (aurora borealis) in the Northern hemisphere, or the southern lights (aurora australis) in the Southern hemisphere, and shooting it, has been a dream for a long time. This spectacular phenomenon is created by charged particles from the sun, interacting with gaseous particles in […]
via How to Photograph the Northern Lights in Iceland — Sights & Insights
I am ambitious.
To reach my goals I need to learn to get better. And to get better, I read all the time.
I do it partly because successful people throughout the ages have been voracious readers.
Legends, like Elon Musk and Abraham Lincoln, attribute their success to reading.
So, without further ado, here are the best books to read for success.
Every page and every section of this book is chock-full of methods you can use on a daily basis.
The best part of Methods of Persuasion is the thoroughness of the research.
Every method is backed by scientific studies.
On top of that, Kolenda provides case-studies and real-life applications of each method.
I’ve implemented every aspect of this book in my daily life and it has paid off handsomely. I have secured a new, better-paying job, my relationship with my fiance has vastly improved and my overall communication skills have increased ten-fold.
If you don’t read this book, you’ll be left in the dust by the people who did.
Most of us struggle with ego.
In fact, ego is a major obstacle in our lives. It is in mine and I work towards diminishing it every day.
This book illustrates just how much of our lives are controlled by ego and how destructive it is. Ego keeps us from paying the price of success. It keeps us from doing work that we think is “beneath us”.
Ego is an enemy and a slippery one at that.
Reading this book has made a difference in my life. It has made me more humble.
Humility has helped me delve into various tasks with a more open mind.
Open-mindedness has allowed me to learn more and in turn add more value. This has benefited my career tremendously.
Trust me.
If you want to do more, create more and achieve more, you need to diminish your ego.
Ego Is the Enemy shows you how.
Reading and re-reading this book will add tremendous value to your life.
Bill Walsh is famous for his work as head coach of the 49’ers. He built one of the most majestic dynasties in Football history from the ruins of a franchise.
How did he do it?
By focusing on the process and on the fundamentals.
This allowed him to hone the skills of Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Steve
Young into the best players of their generation. Some of the best players of all time.
His consistent focus on the fundamentals as a key driver of performance is essential. Whatever your field, Walsh’s advice is valuable.
Your representation of yourself and others matters more than you think. You represent yourself in all of your actions so everything you do matters.
The lessons in these three books will add tremendous value to your life if you implement them.
So, read the books and learn their lessons. Apply them in your life and repeat.
Do this and you will get far.
See Also: 7 Reasons To Start Reading Books? Here’s why!
The post 3 Must-Reads For Ambitious Humans appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
You’re reading How Workplace Stress Can Lead To Addiction, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Many people assume that those struggling with addiction are unemployed and homeless. This could not be farther from the truth. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 9.5% of full-time workers ages 18 to 64 were dependent on or abused illicit drugs or alcohol in the past year. The workplace can be a source of great stress, anxiety, and depression. Self-medicating can lead to the “functional addict.”
Stress is a known contributor to alcoholism and drug addiction. Stress and adrenaline can lead to “burnout,” or mental and physical exhaustion. Some employees in stressful workplace environments turn to drugs and/or alcohol to cope with work-related stressors. What starts as a few drinks after work can turn into an alcohol dependency.
The same is true for drug habits. Without the worker realizing it, workplace stress can ultimately contribute to addiction through the practice of self-medicating. Self-medicating can stem from a desire to relax and forget about work, but it can also serve to enhance alertness and boost performance.
Certain illicit drugs such as cocaine can increase mental alertness, but are highly addictive. Even taking over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers for aches and pains can spiral into a full-blown addiction. Self-medicating with a stressful job as a trigger is a slippery slope that can easily lead to a substance abuse disorder in anyone.
Employed individuals with addictions often become “high-functioning addicts.” High-functioning alcoholism and drug abuse refers to the practice of habitually abusing substances while still performing daily tasks as a productive individual. It is a common misconception that alcoholism is always obvious – many people abuse alcohol without allowing the addiction to interfere with daily lives.
Over time, however, the addiction can wear on the person and start to show signs to friends, family members, and even coworkers. High-functioning substance abusers may be able to maintain their careers, families, and social lives – at least at first – but substance abuse problems often worsen. Eventually, the individual’s dependency on the substance will grow out of control. Some people may even be able to manage extreme addiction cycles, such as coming home from a stressful day at work, using drugs or alcohol in excess far into the night, waking up with a hangover, and using substances in the morning and throughout the day to dull hangover symptoms.
Even a high-functioning person struggling with addiction will build tolerance and need to take more of the substance to reach the desired state. Soon, he or she will start to experience withdrawal symptoms. At this point, the individual may not be able to maintain uninterrupted daily function. He or she may start having sleeping problems, intense hangovers, or need to remain medicated throughout the day to get through a work shift. Some may hit a “rock bottom,” scenario, such as losing a job because of substance abuse. Others may simply realize it’s time to get help.
If you think you might have a drug or alcohol abuse problem, you’re not alone. The workers most at risk of developing a stress-related dependency are police officers, paramedics, doctors, attorneys, construction workers, miners, and food service employees. There is absolutely no shame in admitting you have a problem and seeking help before it’s too late.
Long-term drug or alcohol abuse can deteriorate cognitive function, causing problems with memory, concentration, judgment, and decision-making abilities. Here are signs that can help you recognize if you or someone you know is a high-functioning addict:
Remember, a high-functioning addicted individual may drink too much, yet still excel at work and maintain good relationships. The substance abuse disorder does not have to cause problems in life to be a problem. It is easy for functional addicts to be in denial about their problems, since they often maintain a good level of success. It is important to recognize the signs of this type of addiction, and to seek professional addiction recovery.
If you are someone who has developed a dependency on drugs and/or alcohol because of work-related stress or pressure, help is available. An addiction does not have to control or destroy your life. With help from the right people, you can detoxify your body and brain in a healthy way, identify the source of your problem, and take steps toward long-term recovery, such as developing healthy coping mechanisms and stress management techniques.
Treatment starts with an understanding of the dangers of self-detox. Attempting to quit drugs or alcohol on your own can be deadly. Depending on your degree of tolerance and dependency, your body may not be able to handle a “cold turkey” withdrawal. This can cause organs to shut down or fail, resulting in seizures, coma, and death.
Self-detox also runs a high risk of relapse. Relapsing after a period with fewer or no substances is a recipe for overdosing, as your body may have a lower tolerance than what you’re used to. Do not let the stigma against substance abuse or a fear of what others might think risk your life. Never self-detox. Instead, seek professional addiction treatment. Treatment can be completely confidential.
If workplace stress caused or contributed to your addiction, stress management can be a key to long-term recovery. Practicing effective stress management instead of harmful self-medication is an important goal to have during treatment. Reducing stress in the workplace can remove burdens like anxiety and depression that can trigger substance misuse and abuse. A few things that may help with healthy stress management include:
Getting sober and staying that way can help improve your mood, mental function, job performance, physical health, relationships with others, time management, and feelings of self-worth. Alcohol addiction treatment and drug addiction treatment with help from a professional rehabilitation center can give you hope for the future. You have the power to turn your life around and regain control. Start today.
Elevate Addiction Services is a holistic-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center with locations in northern California. The tranquil, peaceful, and highly private centers are the perfect places to overcome stress-related addictions and to address the root causes of substance abuse.
You’ve read How Workplace Stress Can Lead To Addiction, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
>
Manzotti: There is no such a thing as a thought that lies between your body and the Coliseum, or the photo you saw of it, or the article you read about it, no need for some sort of immaterial thinking magic to connect your actions with the external world. Simply, there is your body and there is the external thing your body has been in contact with. Of course, there’s also a lot of neural machinery that allows the world to produce effects through the body, but the experiences we call thoughts are no more, no less, than the external object as it affects the body. Let’s try an experiment. Think of something, right now. Anything.
A good working definition of propaganda might be: “Information designed to appeal directly to emotion, bypassing reason.”
Propaganda, The Big Lie and Adolf Hitler: 20 Hitler Quotes on Propaganda
Most of us who grow up in the United States learn a reassuring narrative of ever-expanding tolerance. Yes, the country’s birth was tainted with the original sin of slavery, but Lincoln freed the slaves, the Supreme Court desegregated schools, and we finally elected a black president. The Founding Fathers may have all been men, but in their wisdom they created a constitution that would later allow women to gain the vote. And now the legal definition of marriage has broadened to include gays and lesbians. We are, it appears, an increasingly inclusive nation. But a parallel, much darker river runs through American history.
Sig Nordal 