You’re reading 6 Gifts To Give Yourself Everyday, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

There are about 20 major holidays in the U.S. alone, not counting special and cultural holidays. That means you have 20 opportunities to give and receive gifts in a year. That’s a LOT of chances to get something nice. But what if you knew that it’s normal to accept gifts every day? Would you allow yourself to be spoiled that much?

According to professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., people are often reluctant to take care of themselves. This explains why you won’t think twice before giving your kids an expensive toy, but you’ll feel guilty buying yourself new shoes.

That’s not to say that you’re not being practical or that you’re selfish. Rather, learning to give ‘gifts’ to yourself everyday will help you become a more balanced individual. When you’re better in tune with yourself, there’s more love to share with those around you.

But what sort of gifts should you give yourself? Ultra-comfy fluffy slippers? How about a self-stirring mug? Stuff is nice – but it’s best to invest in gifts that won’t change or deteriorate over time. Give yourself these six gifts that cost little to none, but should make each day more special.

1. The gift of pause.

Life today has become busier than ever. Work for eight hours, hang out with friends, catch up on the Web before midnight, wake up by dawn, take care of family on weekends, rinse and repeat. Day turns to night and you wonder about another trip that didn’t push through, or another call that you didn’t return.

It’s certainly not practical nowadays to simply leave it all behind. But you owe it to yourself to TAKE A BREAK – even if for just a few minutes. The gift of pause should clear your mind, helping you make better decisions.

• Stuck between deadlines at work? Pause, breathe in, and slowly exhale.
• Full schedule ahead? Wake up slowly instead of immediately reaching for your mobile.
• Stressed with your spouse? Enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea before things get out of hand.

You don’t need to hop on a plane to give yourself a well-deserved break. Often, just stopping to smell the flowers is enough.

2. The gift of music.

When you’re stressed or angry, the last thing you can think of is to listen to music. But before you continue work on a foul mood, there are scientific studies that suggest music can have beneficial effects on individuals. In one research, listening to soothing sounds has helped participants recover faster from stressful stimuli.

Don’t underestimate the gift of music. Use its power whenever you need to:

• be productive at work.
• de-stress after a long day.
• increase self-esteem.
• reduce burnout and the blues.

Simply turn up the volume and sing – or dance – your troubles away! Not at home? No problem. Simply pop on your headphones and hum to your own tune. There’s no reason for you not to enjoy your favorite songs every day.

3. The gift of laughter.

You already know how things like proper diet, exercise, and meditation are good for you. But what about something as simple as laughter? Although research about its mental and physical effects is still vague, you’ve no doubt felt better after a few seconds of genuine hilarity. Whether you’re giggling from a friend’s joke or chuckling over a funny sitcom, it’s usually enough to turn a bad day around.

 

Laughter may not be the best medicine (yet), but it sure can foster good relations as it helps us connect with the people we share giggles with. Don’t deprive yourself of the gift of laughter.

• Play with your kids or partner.
• Watch a funny movie or video.
• Read witty articles or comics.

Use the web to quickly get your daily dose of fun.

4. The gift of nature.

Trees, flowers, mountains, and hillsides not only look great, they also promote health and wellness. There are numerous studies that support how nature is good for us: from inspiring people to take on more active lifestyles, to helping patients cope with various health conditions. Even if you live in the urban jungle, you deserve a bit of greenery to brighten up your days.

• Visit your local park or garden whenever you feel the need to de-stress.
• No park nearby? Try growing your own garden at home, or bringing a cute potted plant to work.
• Absolutely pressed for time? Simply look outside your window and scan for something green.

5. The gift of health.

One of the reasons why you need to take care of yourself is so that you’ll have more energy to give your friends and family. You can’t spend time with them if you’re tired or sick. So investing in your health may be one of the best gifts you can give yourself. There are the basics like balanced nutrition and exercise; but don’t forget other things you can do to look and feel better, such as:

• Meditating.
• Visiting a spa or sauna.
• Getting a massage from a loved one.

6. The gift of love.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Love certainly is what makes the world go round; what makes us get up in the morning, and the reason why we pursue the impossible. If you want to give more love to the world, there’s no better place to begin than with yourself. Every day, each of us is given multiple chances to take care of ourselves.

But often, modern expectations trump over this principle. We push ourselves beyond our limit, we lose sleep and appetite, we neglect the activities we enjoy. This leaves us feeling depleted. By the time our friends and family come to us for a shower of love, we can barely give a drop.

But the beautiful thing about this gift is that it doesn’t keep count. Our loved ones forgive us, and we’re free to begin again. Don’t rob yourself of love: talk to friends and family whenever you can, spend time with your kids, write in your journal, or enjoy the solitude. This is the least expensive gift of all: yet it pays for itself tenfold.

You deserve priceless gifts. It may not be shiny pearls, or an expensive car – but trust in these gifts to make every day more beautiful.

—
Cristina Antonio is the EIC of scoopfed.com and a writer of all things related to world news, movies, real estate, health, or social media. She’s currently focused on helping healthcare workers find better career opportunities through Locum Tenens. Cris also enjoys painting, collecting toys, reading German novels, and lurking the Web.

You’ve read 6 Gifts To Give Yourself Everyday, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Tired of Suffering? Practice Self-Compassion with These 4 Easy Steps, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

You might have had this happen to you.

Perhaps your marriage just ended, or you’ve lost your job, or you failed to pass an exam, and now you’re simply exhausted from everyday life.

And just when you needed your ‘self’ to be at its best, you got tripped by stress, unhappiness, distraction and dissatisfaction.

Let’s face it – things are scaring the wits out of you.

Horrible, right?

But this is real. Suffering is real.

We all suffer – one way or another.

And to relieve that suffering, we turn to smoking, sex, shopping, food, drugs, alcohol and all that.

I’ll tell you what – these don’t work all the time.

Why?

Because they’re nothing but sensual pleasures, and sensual pleasures are just momentary.

One can’t rely on them for a happier and stress-free life in the long run.

Now I know it may sound too clichéd to you but the only salve to this is ‘self-compassion.’

Self-compassion a great practice that allows us to be in charge of our life. Not to mention, it helps us embrace who we are or what situation we’re in – easing our pain of suffering.

However, not many realize that their self-compassion works just like a muscle – the more you use it, the more it grows.

Feeling stressed, disappointed, anxious, depressed, or worried? Follow these 4 easy steps to develop self-compassion in you.

1| Notice

You’re chock full of things you’re not even aware of. So a good place to start with building self-compassion is by noticing what’s happening in your body and mind at this moment. Take a moment to turn inward and notice everything that’s happening inside you. Stop making mountains out of molehills over your simple mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up for not reaching that perfect standard the so-called society has set forth. The idea is to stop reacting and start noticing the reality within yourself with an equanimous state of mind.

 2| Accept

Whatever you resist persists, whatever you accept changes. So, tell yourself that it’s perfectly Okay to feel what you’re feeling right now. Maybe you feel bad about your body, or your parents or your grades – no matter what the situation is, accept it. Let yourself feel the pain. Most people go through life without really living it. All because they don’t have the courage to accept who they are and what they feel. We usually tend to see the negative side of the problems. Wise people, however, are glad to have problems in their life. You know why? Because they know they can excel with it.

3| Comfort

Nothing in this world is more important than how you think and feel about yourself. How would you treat your friend who is suffering? How would you treat your child who is in severe pain? You’d comfort them, wouldn’t you? That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do with yourself. Once you do that, you won’t need any attention and validation from others and no longer will your life be an emotional rollercoaster. A sense of compassion will grow out of you that will make you less needy. Not because you feel sorry for yourself, but because you realize how temporary and unworthy your pain has always been.

4| Smile

If you’ve reached till here, congratulations! It’s time to smile now. You’ve successfully bidden farewell to your suffering. Spread the good vibes around. Wish your pain well for it taught you lessons nobody else ever could. Give it love. Wish it happiness. Forget about frustration – once you raise and keep up with your self-compassion – you wouldn’t even feel bad about yourself. You aren’t your worst enemy anymore – you are your best friend – you are your best lover – and you are your own master. So keep smiling.

Now, I know all this seems so easy to say, but very hard to get on with. But for sure with practice, practice and a lot of practice –  nothing is impossible to achieve. What do you say? The world is already filled with too much of hate and negativity. It’s about time we became kind to ourselves.

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You’re reading 7 Ways to Get a Better Work-Life Balance, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

For many people, career success comes at the cost of a relatively unfair work-life balance and it can often feel like your job dominates your whole life. Here are seven ways for you to achieve a more realistic work-life balance so you can feel happier at home and more productive at work.

Take a Proper Lunch Break

Sometimes a working lunch is a great way to get on top of some work or a chance to catch up with colleagues. But ultimately a working lunch is still work and it means that you are depriving yourself of some much-needed downtime during the day. If you start to get into the habit of having lunch at your desk every single day it will be disastrous for your work-life balance. A lunch break is a legal requirement and you definitely need to take advantage of it more often than not. Get away from your desk, even for just half an hour and you’ll return more productive and feeling better about work.

Turn Off Your Emails

One of the joys of smartphones is the opportunity to have your work emails available to you at every hour of every day. Of course in the modern working environment it can be extremely useful to be able to respond immediately to an important email, rather than having to wait until the next morning. The problem is that once you start responding to important emails you can slip into the habit of simply responding to every email and getting caught in a process where can you literally never get away from them. If you must look at your emails, consider turning off notifications and simply looking once per night just to check if there’s anything vital. If not, you can get back to relaxing at home.

Take career coaching sessions

Career coaching can fulfill a number of roles and it can be about a lot more than just getting ahead in your profession. You can speak to a career coach about ways to create a better schedule for you and improve your work-life balance. Funnily enough this can actually lead to you being more successful in your career too – if you are less stressed and anxious you may find you are able to perform better.

Value Productivity Over Extra Hours

This is a misconception that if you want to get more work done, the solution is to work extra hours. In reality this isn’t the case. Studies show that a 40 hour week is optimal for productivity, and that if you try to work extra hours you’ll simply have the effect of leaving your less productive throughout the week. Interestingly, productivity in the UK has not increased at the same levels after the financial crisis as it has in many other European nations. We need to focus on finding better ways to be productive rather than trying to work more.

Leave Your Work at Work

Too many people take their work home with them. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re literally doing work tasks at home, but it can often mean you’re devoting a lot of time to thinking about work when you should be enjoying your down time.

Delegate Whenever You Can

If you find yourself constantly overworked, ask yourself whether you are doing more than your fair share. Doing too much work doesn’t do anyone any good – it leaves you feeling stressed and it leaves colleagues feeling undervalued. You need to learn to trust the other members of your team and give them the opportunity to shoulder some of that burden. Delegate tasks when you get the opportunity.

Put Personal Life Before Work Sometimes

Work is important and clearly you need to spend time focused on your career, but this should never come at the detriment of your personal life. If you’ve fallen into a routine where your job always comes first, it can pay to switch things up and start placing more of an emphasis on your home life.

This should actually benefit your career too – having a better work-life balance is good for you and will put you in a better mind-set to succeed at work.

Article provided by Mike James, an independent content writer with an aching desire to figure out the illusive work-life balance. For the information in this email, London-based CBT, Life Coach and Psychotherapist Klear Minds were consulted.

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You’re reading 8 Ways To Develop Solid Mental Health, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

 

1. Love Yourself The Way You Are

This seems so obvious but very difficult for most people to do. Most people hate themselves and their lives. They hate their looks, their jobs, their country and sometimes life itself. This attitude greatly affects their outlook on life and they see
negativity in everything.

This is simply because they’ve not accepted their realities. You have to love yourself the way you are and accept whatever life has dealt you. Accepting yourself enables you to stop feeling sorry about yourself and take responsibility. Before you can love others genuinely, you must love yourself, your imperfections, your strong points and your life.

2. Never Ever Call Yourself A Failure
People who have developed very good mental health never see themselves as failures. Even when they try and fail in any activity, they refuse to call themselves failures, but rather learn from their mistake and try again.
You must never ever call yourself a failure. It doesn’t matter how many times you think you’ve failed. You must make up your mind to learn, improve and keep trying. Many people will be willing to call you a failure, but you must never say that about yourself.

3. Engage With Your Environment
To develop good mental health, it is important to find time to interact with your surroundings. Even though alone time is important, you have to make out time to be around people, no matter how small.

We are social creatures and we’re dependent on one another. Don’t allow your work or disposition keep you from making out time for friends, family and associates. If you don’t have friends, it’s very easy time make one, just be there for someone.

4. Don’t Allow Anyone But Yourself  To Control Your Life
It is important you take absolute control over your life and your situations. Desist from blaming other people, your government or the society for your troubles. Taking control of your life means taking full responsibility, making your own rules and directing your life.

When you speak, you must speak your mind and when you want to make a choice, it must be YOUR choice. You should listen to advice from others, but make sure your final decision is something you really want.

5. Always Face Your Fear With Courage
Mentally strong people have formed the habit of facing their worst fears and taking risks. The courage to take a risk alone improves mental health and makes you more alert and aware. Often times, the fears we face are illusory. They only exist in our minds.

To develop good mental health, you must learn to challenge yourself to face your fears. You either get it right or learn from getting it wrong. Being afraid to try keeps you in the same situation and that doesn’t help your mental health.

6. Don’t Try To Please Everyone
You have to understand that trying to please everybody is quite impossible here on earth. People will always have different ideas and opinions and there is no way to please one person and not offend the other.

Therefore, you should not try to please everyone because that will drain you of precious energy and make you lose direction. Rather you should learn to really listen to yourself and do what you’re convinced is right.

7. Stay Present, Don’t Live In The Past or Future
You must learn to stay in the present moment rather than dwell in the past. A major cause of sadness and depression stems from too much worry over the past or the future.

Learn to forget about the past, thinking about it pulls you back and makes you miss opportunities flooding the present. Same thing goes for the future. You waste time worrying about it instead of using the present moment to prepare for it. Let worrying about the past or future go! Let it go! Just use the present to rewrite the past and create the future.

8. Expect Nothing from No One
Yeah, I want you to remember this last line “No one owes you anything!” I repeat “No one here on the planet owes you any damn thing!” Poor mental health is caused by too much expectation from life, people, etc.

You shouldn’t expect anything from anyone, rather you should take up responsibility in the line of your passion and create value. People with good mental health are creators who offer value to the world not needy people waiting for someone to give them something. Expectation leads to disappointments. You’d rather expect nothing and be surprised at it rather than expect it and not get it.

Hope this helps You.

You’ve read 8 Ways To Develop Solid Mental Health, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading What is Ayurveda and Why Should You Care, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Ayurveda is a science which focuses on human health in its totality taking full advantage of the nature around. It gives importance to not only the body but also the soul, mind and the senses so as to strike a balance between nature and humans. It is the oldest system in the world on self care and originated in India. It has been the traditional medicine system of our country. It began in ancient India when medicine and philosophy were not studied separately and so the Ayurvedic system of medicine has been strongly influenced by philosophy.

The word ‘Ayurveda’ is derived from Sanskrit and is the union of two words ‘ayur’ which means life, and ‘veda’ which means a science or knowledge established once and for all times. It is a philosophy, and human temperaments are classified according to the ‘veda’ into ‘satvic,’ ‘rajasic’ and ‘tamasic’. Humans with different levels of each differ in their reactions and dispositions to physical and socio-cultural environment. People with ‘satvic’ temperament are good and happy; those who are of the ‘rajasic’ temperament are people who are restless and enjoy various pleasure of life, and those with the ‘tamasic’ temperament are lethargic and have interest mainly in material things. These three qualities/temperaments or ‘gunas’ are present in each human’s conscience but the predominence of any brings about the particular psychological constitution of an individual. ‘Ayu’ stands for the soul, mind and the body. So the complete meaning of Ayurveda is ‘the knowledge or the science of life (soul, mind and the body)’. The aim of this science is, therefore, to prevent diseases, to protect health and to prolong life, and get rid of any disease and body dysfunction. Miricbiotech products are the best fit for the requirement.

The basic principles governing this system are the five elements of the universe: fire, earth, air, water and space, These five elements are found in human body as three energies or ‘doshas’ called the vata, kapha and pitta which are present in the body in optimum amounts. Good health is due to these three energies present in the body in a proper balance. Ayurveda defines a healthy human being as ‘one whose mind, body and soul are cheerful’ and who has all the ‘doshas’ in balance, with a good appetite and all body tissues and natural urges properly functioning.

When any of the three energies (doshas) accumulates in the body and reaches undesirable limits, the body system becomes imbalanced. Ayurveda then steps in to get rid of the toxic levels of ‘dosha’ through changes in nutrition and lifestyle. The cleansing process or the ‘therapy of purification’ is called ‘panchakarma’. This process is used to purge out the excess, unwanted toxins from the body. The process is carried out in five specific steps where first comes the ‘vaman’ which is deliberate vomiting or therapeutic emesis. This is followed by ‘virechan’ or purgation. Thereafter enema or ‘basti’ is given. Elimination of toxins is also carried out through the nose or ‘nasya’ which is the fourth step. Lastly, detoxification of the blood is done through bloodletting or ‘rakta moksha’. Mircbiotech Ltd. purely dedicates there work to ayurveda and it helps people understanding and changing there life through Mircbiotech range of ayurvedic products.

Read more about what Ayurveda can do for you here: http://ift.tt/2aBMOQ2

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You’re reading 9 Reasons Why Failure Should be an Asset to Every Entrepreneur, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

You are an entrepreneur (or you definitely want to be one). And like all the other entrepreneurs, you are obsessed with success. Your work is your driving passion, and you probably equate failure with a personal shortcoming.

Let’s face it – nobody wants to fail. But some failure is inevitable — at least it is if you ever hope to succeed.

Here are nine reasons why failure is not the end of the world, and may in fact lead to much greater success especially if you’re an entrepreneur.

1. Failure Keeps You Humble

Nothing will check your ego quite like admitting defeat. When your business falls apart and you’re left picking up the pieces, it can be hard to rebuild the confidence you had when you first started. This humility prepares you for your eventual success by ensuring that you’re not over-confident. It teaches you to recognize things as they are, and to (eventually) laugh at yourself.

2. Failure Shows that You’re Willing to Take Risks

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time.” –Oprah Winfrey

Being willing to try something new is the backbone of innovation. Successful entrepreneurs thrive because they see a better way to do things, and take the leap. Having a fear of failure is acceptable, but we must not let this paralyze us. So your first great idea didn’t catch on? No big deal. Accept it, and know that next time, you’ll do better.

3. Failure Grows Your Network

Have you ever been stuck behind a bad car accident? Emergency crews make up part of the delay, but it’s the curious onlookers who are largely responsible. This same principle is active in our business wrecks as well. When we fail, others want to know about it. They want to see how it happened, how you’ve recovered, and if you’re ever going to try again. And guess what? They’ve probably failed, too. Acknowledging your failure shows others that you gave it your all and are willing to share your experience. You may learn the key to success from a friend who failed in an entirely different way, or connect with someone who can benefit from the lessons you’ve learned. Don’t be afraid to admit defeat. You never know who you may help, and how that connection may benefit you in the future!

4. Failure Teaches You What Not to Do

Your best idea didn’t pan out. You’re upset, worried, and a little embarrassed. What you may not realize now is that you’ve been given the best examples of how not to do things in the future! There is no greater teacher than getting it wrong the first time. Don’t be afraid to try again, and make sure you implement what you have learned. Take time to analyze where things went wrong, and what you can do differently next time.

5. Failure Saves You Precious Time and Money

Starting your own business is an incredible drain on your resources—mentally, physically, and financially. Accepting an inevitable failure can save you from investing more of your energy on a sinking enterprise. It allows you to shift gears and pool your remaining resources elsewhere.

6. Failure Gives You a Fresh Start

Remember back before you failed, and you were excited, energized, and motivated to try something new? You now have the opportunity to connect with those feelings again! No longer are you tied to the disappointment of things not working out. You get to start fresh, and with the knowledge of what to look out for.

7. Failing Allows You to Recognize the Signs

When did you first realize that failure was inevitable? Was it a gut instinct? A bad return? A loss of profit? You’re now ready to begin again, and you’ve been given the ability to recognize when things start to go south. Listen to your instincts, and react quickly if things seem to take a turn for the worst. You may be able to save it this time. If not, be sure to implement #4.

8. Failure Makes You Appreciate Success

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” –Leonardo da Vinci

Nothing makes you appreciate something more than having to earn it. Remember when you were a child and desperately wanted a specific toy? Maybe everyone else had it already, or it was the last one at the store. You just had to have it. It had to be yours. And your parents would let you buy it – if you earned the money. How proud were you when you left the store, toy-in-hand? Success works the same way. When we focus our energy and desire on a goal and work hard consistently, it is that much more rewarding in the end. This doesn’t happen without a few failures along the way.

9. Failure Shows Us that We Are Resilient

So you’ve failed brilliantly. Your hard work didn’t pay off. Your vision didn’t come true. You’re not exactly sure how you’ve gotten here, or where to go next. Take a deep breath, and look around. You’re still breathing. You’re not in imminent danger. The worst is over, and now all that’s left is to wipe the slate clean and begin again. Don’t let this stop you from moving forward. You’ve lived through the worst-case scenario once already, and know what to do differently next time. Failure cannot defeat you unless you let it.

Entrepreneurs can take comfort in knowing that failure is not the end. If we embrace it and learn from it, we can grow from each experience and move on to more successful ventures. Don’t be afraid to admit defeat—to yourself, or others, as it can save you valuable resources, and connect you with people who are in a similar situation. And finally, realize that failure is not going to kill you. It may have set you back, but you can turn it into an asset and move forward with your next brilliant innovation. The world needs people who are willing to push past their fears, and embrace possibility.

Have you ever failed miserably that you really wish you hadn’t? Share with us in the comments, and let us know the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

You’ve read 9 Reasons Why Failure Should be an Asset to Every Entrepreneur, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 21 Mark Twain Quotes for Inspiration and Wisdom, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Mark Twain was an American author and novelist, most famous for his works The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

What many don’t know however, is that Twain was also an avid speaker, traveler, a lover of science and technology, an advocate for civil rights, and an all-around leading thinker for his time.

Known for his satire and wit, much of Twain’s commentary is poignant and can still offer us guidance today, more than 100 years after his passing.

Here are 21 Mark Twain Quotes to inspire you today.

On success

“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence and then success is sure.” – Mark Twain

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” – Mark Twain

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain

On fear

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” – Mark Twain

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” – Mark Twain

“I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.” – Mark Twain

On education

“I never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.” – Mark Twain

On friends

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” – Mark Twain

One age

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.” – Mark Twain

On life

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” – Mark Twain

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain

On creativity

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain

On anger

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain

On ambition

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – Mark Twain

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

“Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.” – Mark Twain

On Travel

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…..Broad, wholesome, charitable views on men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Attention Pick the Brain Readers! I hope you enjoyed this post.

As a thank you for reading this post, I want to offer you a free copy our new eBook:

MORNING MASTERY: The Simple 20 Minute Routine For Long Lasting Energy, Laser-Sharp Focus, and Stress Free Living.

Ben is a freelance writer, and the co-creator of Project Monkey Mind—a new blog for the 21st century solopreneur and young professional who wants to take control of their minds, smash through their limitations, and lead a life worth living.

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You’re reading Are Your Falling For These 6 Productivity-Killing Excuses?, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

You make hundreds of pitiful excuses every day without even realizing it.

You pluck things from your external environment and use them to reinforce certain behaviors.

“I can’t go jogging; it’s raining.”

“I would finish writing that book but there’s construction work going on next door”.

“I was struck in traffic for hours, I deserve doughnuts for dinner”.

If you only did it now and again it wouldn’t be a big deal. But you don’t.

These little excuses are the foundation of damaging behavioral patterns and long-lasting habits that disrupt your long-term personal development and growth.

What’s worse, such excuses are ever-present in the workplace. And so, you go through your life working at a severely limited level of your productivity.

But the good news is once you identify what these excuses are and make and effort to control them, you can easily banish them for good.

Look out for these productivity-killing excuses in your life and be sure to add any of your own in the comments below.

“I don’t have a workspace”

Without a proper space dedicated to working, it’s pretty much impossible to have any kind of work/life balance as there are no clear boundaries.

But not having a physical space like an office is no excuse for not having a workspace. If you’re moving around from cafe to library to home to bed, your workspace can be defined by the objects you carry with you, for instance, a sticky notepad, coffee mug (with a USB mug warmer), notebook, stationary holder, and even an aquarium.

“I don’t have a good internet connection”

You know how it is, you get all prepared to blast out some work and suddenly the Internet goes down and your plan and enthusiasm are thrown out the window.

Today, not having a stable internet connection isn’t a valid excuse for not getting stuff done. If your Internet isn’t great or you travel around a lot, buy a mobile dongle or broadband plan which includes one for free. If that’s not an option, seek out a few nice cafes and make a note of what times their wifi is strongest.

“I don’t have the right tools”

Not having the right tools is something many of us just put up with—without even realizing we can change it.

Aching wrists, lagging computers, a stiff neck and back, unresponsive cursors; these are all common problems that can be solved simply by investing in the right tools. For starters, grab yourself an ergonomic mouse and an indestructible external hard drive to make life that little bit easier.

“I can’t control unexpected distractions”

No matter where you are you’ll no doubt run into the same few distraction triggers.

It could be people passing by or shouting, dogs barking, cats prowling, traffic honking or friends messaging. Whatever it is, have a system in place that helps you deal with it. I always sit in a place which little activity in my field of view, use noise-cancelling earphones, and have a special bass-heavy Spotify playlist to drown out any background noise.

“I don’t have the right lighting”

Sub-par lighting can cause dull headaches, eye strain, and a chronic lack of productivity.

Although it depends on the task at hand, it’s usually best to find an area with adequate natural light and less direct light. This means your eyes won’t have to work so hard, and the light from the sun will keep reminding you it’s time to be fully awake and alert. If you’re working at a computer, adjust the brightness settings to suit the environment. But if you’re doing highly detailed tasks, additional direct lighting is the way to go.

“I don’t know where to start”

Having an effective organization system may make you think of an efficient office with every tool you need at hand. And it’s true, but as the majority of us spend our working hours at a computer or laptop, here I’m referring to your machine’s desktop, folders, and workflow.

So many hours are lost thinking where to start, looking for documents, navigating through folders, and searching Google for ‘how to’ guides or troubleshooting. Start by creating a system of properly titled folders and subfolders and mastering the repetitive tasks you complete every day. I recommend you check out this great resource for organizing your data.

We love excuses. A good excuse is a reason to be lazy and decadent and postpone the difficult or unappealing work-related stuff. But when it comes to getting down to it and churning out what needs to be done, eliminate these six excuses from your work life and you’ll soon see your productivity skyrocket into the levels of the ultra-productive.

Want to kick off your day with the world’s most productive morning routine?

Grab a free copy of our new eBook: MORNING MASTERY: The Simple 20 Minute Routine For Long Lasting Energy, Laser-Sharp Focus, and Stress Free Living.

Joseph is a freelance writer, and the co-creator of Project Monkey Mind—a new blog for the 21st century solopreneur and young professional who wants to lead a more free and fulfilling life.

You’ve read Are Your Falling For These 6 Productivity-Killing Excuses?, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading The 3 Secrets to Thriving in Times of Adversity, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Life has a way of throwing challenges at us just when we thought we were about to get things on the right track, or just when we thought nothing else could go wrong. While we all want a life full of love, happiness, excitement, and freedom, it is hard to enjoy those things without going through some times of adversity. In fact, it is those periods of turmoil in your past that have allowed you to enjoy the times that you have thrived. Let’s focus on pushing and expanding during this time of adversity so we can enjoy an even greater degree of success once this is over. Here are my three secrets to overcoming adversity.

Secret #1:  Think of the worst-case scenario.

Yes, I am not kidding! People will tell you to focus on the positive and how everything is going to be okay. That is a good idea and it may even be one of my later secrets. But before you do that, let’s get one thing out of the way first. Your subconscious mind is going to do it anyways so let’s take control of it. Instead of letting your subconscious mind browse these thoughts randomly throughout the day and even while you sleep at night, let’s address it head-on and acknowledge that even in this worst-case scenario, things will still be okay so we can put this to rest.

At this moment, while you are reading this article, you think you are the exception, because your worst-case scenario is truly unacceptable. But I can assure you that acknowledging any bad outcome – even death – is a powerful step forward. It is simply a matter of saying even if the worst-case scenario were true, it is still not as bad as worrying about it. In fact, if you think back to the worst experiences of your life, you will quickly realize the worst part of those times was thinking about them and not the actual consequences. Remember when you were a child and you thought life would be over when your mom found out what you did or when the boy or girl you “loved more than anyone in the world” broke up with you. It is no different now that you are an adult. Realize that this too will pass, even if it leaves you with a few scratches, scars, or callouses that will help you be an even more powerful person in the future.

Secret #2:  Focus on the people who love you most.

We all have people in our lives who truly care about us. For some, it’s a friend or maybe a relative. For others, it’s a pet or even a random stranger we’ve met on a few occasions who seems to always have that perfect smile for us. In times of adversity, it is common for us to forget those who care for us and have always been there for us, and instead focus on our problems. Spend some time making a list of those who care most about us or those who have cared most about us in our past and let’s remember them in this time.

Secret #3:  Focus on thriving, not surviving.

We’re taught to make lemonade when life gives us lemons but what about when life gives us rotten lemons? It’s hard to make lemonade so let’s find out how else to have some fun with these rotten lemons. Let’s have a party and throw them at something. Let’s have some fun. Let’s get excited. Let’s get motivated. Let’s make sure that at the end of this ordeal, we are a much better version of ourselves than we were at the beginning. Focus on growth, fun, and success, and think of all of the ways we can have this experience make us even better than we were before.

The greatest human beings who have ever lived have consistently said that their greatness has come as a result of their greatest failures. Our greatest time of growth is that of our greatest adversities. While we would love to lead a life full of ease, happiness, and success, it’s important to remember that none of those can exist without significant adversity. Go out there today, look failure in the eyes, and tell it to bring it on!

 

About The Author:

Arman Sadeghi is the Author of The Business Bible and a keynote speaker. He is a serial entrepreneur who has started over a dozen businesses and specializes in business coaching and helping business executives with peak performance. He holds a neurobiology degree from UC Berkeley and attended Harvard Medical School for two years. http://ift.tt/1NUtLrc

You’ve read The 3 Secrets to Thriving in Times of Adversity, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading The One App I Need To Feel More Balanced & Calm, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Being at the helm of an active self-development blog, I get sent a lot of press releases for the newest goal-setting apps, books that claim to reduce stress, and patented ‘self help’ techniques to help calm anxiety. I mean a lot. And frankly, because there is so much stuff out there to weed through, that in and of itself can cause stress and anxiety. So when a friend mentioned her great experience with Mevii – a new self-led app really moved the needle for her on her journey to better emotional health, I kind of let it go in one ear and out the other. It wasn’t until a colleague of mine mentioned the exact same app a couple of weeks later that I decided to take a look…and I was very surprised by what I discovered.

So what is Mevii?

It’s a 6-week, self-led, self-paced personal development program that help individuals who suffer from anxiety or a stress overload that is preventing you from leading your best life. Whether stress is a passing transition or a full-time player in your life, Mevii feels like a real, actionable and interesting method to bring calm and happiness to the forefront of your life.

So what was my Mevii experience?

The first thing that really jumped out to me was how personalized and how custom tailored Mevii felt. After asking a series of really detailed and thought provoking questions about my stress levels and my personal triggers it set me up with a custom 6-Module plan focusing on my behaviors, my thought-processes, my ability to connect and relax as well as a plan for moving forward. Intrinsic to all of the modules was the ability to check in daily with app and chart how I am feeling – physically & mentally – with a journaling resource, a mood-scoring system.

The next thing that really struck me – (coming from a content hub myself) – was just how many valuable informational resources that were available. An immediate library of thought-provoking video content – based on evidence-based strategies and sound principles of mindfulness, was made available to me. So right away, I felt like the program that I was about to embark on was routed in science proven techniques, with the supporting content to really inform me.

Finally, I absolutely fell in love with the ‘relax’ features which play relaxing audio clips, focusing on breath techniques. Not only is this a key way to be able to manage my anxiety, but in isolation, was just a pleasant thing to do.

So what is your Mevii experience?

This is where I come in! I am so confident that Mevii can be a game changer for you – that I’ve teamed up with the folks at Mevii to offer an exclusive FREE one-month trial for the first 500 PTB readers – so you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! Click here to sign up now!

I am thrilled that we can go on this journey together and would LOVE to hear your thoughts after you give Mevii a spin!

Be well,

Erin

You’ve read The One App I Need To Feel More Balanced & Calm, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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