You’re reading 12 Surprising Benefits of Learning a New Language, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Learning a new language is a big deal.

You’re learning a completely new form of communication, and it enables you to communicate with people you never could have before.

But there’s benefits to learning a language that you didn’t expect when you started the journey. I’ve personally experienced this having learned 3 languages in my life (Korean, English, Spanish).

Think about the effect that losing weight has to someone’s life. While most people go into it for a healthier lifestyle, there are surprising benefits like increased confidence, being more outgoing, and increased mind clarity.

Same thing applies to language learning.

In this article, we’ll share the 12 surprising benefits you’ll experience when you learn a language.

1. Learn anything faster

Learning a new language is mental agility training at its best. The exercise in cognitive problem solving can without a doubt be applied to almost any problem we want to solve in other areas.

Your memory retention is also improved when learning a new language. Absorbing and retaining more information can significantly shorten your learning curve, because you can spend more time learning new information instead of re-learning something you’ve already learned before.

But it doesn’t stop there. Once you learn a new language, not only are you able to learn other languages faster (simply due to understanding the process), but you’ve already retained several other languages without even knowing it.

For example, if you recently learned how to speak Spanish, you’ve automatically entered the world of languages from the latin root, such as Portuguese, Italian, French, and Romanian. In fact, between these languages there are over a thousand words that are exactly the same, if not very similar to each other.

Notice the similarity of the words between these languages.

2. Improve your math skills

For those of us who didn’t grow up with natural talents in mathematics, no need to fear.

A study was done at Massachusetts in 2007, where The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages stated that:

“Children who study a foreign language, even when this second language study takes time away from the study of mathematics, outperform students who do not study a foreign language and have more mathematical instruction during the school day.”

In another study published in the University of Michigan’s Language Learning journal (Armstrong and Rogers, 1997), students who studied just one semester of a foreign language for just 90 minutes per week scored significantly higher in maths and language arts.

If you think about it, it makes sense. Learning a language involves a structural and logical process, which is the same type of thinking that makes you thrive in mathematics.

3. Become a better listener

This is a skill set that comes in handy for any situation throughout our lives.

If you’re trying to build a real connection with anyone, there’s nothing better than intentional listening without interruption. This is one of the key elements taught in Dale Carnegie’s, How to Win Friends and Influence People. 

When learning a language, there’s no choice but to train yourself to listen carefully, because you’re trying to make out every accent, pronunciation, and tone used by the other person. And if you’re just starting out, you’re forced to listen because you can’t speak the language!

Most importantly, learning a new language helps you step into the shoes of people different to yourself and see the world in a completely different perspective — therefore developing empathy for others.

4. Enhances your focus

In a study, published online in the journal Brain and Language, individuals who spoke more than one language were observed through an fMRI, while performing word comprehension tasks.

Results showed that multi-lingual individuals were better at filtering out competing words than one-language speaking individuals. This ability to tune out competing words benefits in blocking out distractions to focus on the task at hand.

As your listening skill improves, it only makes sense that it enhances your focus as well. Just like learning any new skill, learning a language requires you full, undivided attention. One slight distraction can mean the difference between one meaning and a completely different one.

Over time, your brain will be trained to maintain this level of focus.

5. Boost your confidence

When we set out to achieve something and find success, it boosts our confidence levels — no matter how small the progress.

Even being able to carry a 30-second conversation with a native speaker can significantly make you more confident, because you know it’s something you wouldn’t have been able to do before.

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” — E.E. Cummings

I still remember the “A-HA” moment I experienced when I was living in Medellin, Colombia. I was living with a roommate who couldn’t speak a word of English when I first moved in. After a few months of using Rype to learn Spanish, I was able to get to a conversation level of fluency.
It amazed me how I was suddenly able to speak to someone that I couldn’t have fathomed speaking to before.

Needlessly to say, as the language barrier disappeared, our perception of each other increased dramatically, and so did our friendship.

This confidence boost only pushed me to learn more, engage with more native speakers, and it translated more confidence into every aspect of my life.

Author of Lean Forward, Eric Holtzclaw, states that even “a tiny change in your perspective that pulls you out of a funk and gives you the boost you need to take on that next challenge.”

6. Prevents potential brain diseases

Improving our health is something that should be a priority for every one of us, no matter how old we are. Most of us consider improving our health in a few major areas, like our physical appearance. But we tend to miss out on the most important part that runs our entire body — the brain.

We are nothing without the vital functions of our brain, and we need to prioritize its health like we would with any other vital organ in our body.

When it comes to the brain, learning a new language can prevent or delay Alzeihmer’s disease and dementia by 4.5 years. This is a far more powerful than the best drugs which only delays the symptoms by 6–12 months.

The American Academy of Neurology has performed studies showing that speaking more than one language increases the amount of neural pathways in the brain, allowing information to be processed through a greater variety of channels.

7. Improve your English (or native language)

We discussed how learning one language can help you pick up not only other languages, but familiarize yourself with languages originating from the same root.

What most people don’t mention enough, is that it can also help you improve your native language.

According to the Impact of the Second Language Education, studying a second language alone will significantly improve the grammar, reading, vocabulary, and speaking skills of your first language.

This makes sense because learning a new language allows you to understand the structures and breakdowns of a language, whereas this is something you intuitively picked up when you learned your native language.

8. Increase your creativity

Language learning is a lot like putting together the pieces of a new puzzle.

You understand several, but not all of the words that are thrown at you, so you have to force yourself to be creative and fill the missing gaps on your own.

This research concludes that bilingual individuals have a more “out of the box” thinking approach than monolingual individuals.

While most creativity training occurs in waves (meaning on and off), there’s no taking breaks when you’re having a conversation with someone. You either have to force yourself to become creative in your interpretation and speaking skills, or you’ll need to face up to the awkward silence that follows.

9. Culturally knowledgeable

Language learning is not only about communicating in a foreign language, but it’s about experiencing a new culture.

The first reason is that meeting foreign people is embedded in the core of language learning. In order to practice and improve your new language, you’ll need to work with a language teacher (or a coach on Rype), use conversation exchanges, or attend language meetups. This is similar to how you need to just ride the bicycle instead of watching videos about it, its just part of the process.

The majority of conflicts between people in the world comes from lack of understanding the other side. Studying a new language not only helps you understand where the other person is coming from, but the cultural knowledge you gain can help others feel more connected to you.

10. Open up new career opportunities

In the past decade, we’ve experienced a rapidly growing trend of globalization. With the Internet era, there is no such thing as doing local business. Nearly every business that opens up today is an online business, and has the ability to reach a global market in seconds.

We’re incredibly fortunate to lead this global movement at Rype, with professionally trained coaches working in 5 different continents, and members learning from over 37 different countries around the world.

Big corporations are working fast to expand internationally to Asia, Europe, and South America, and understanding a foreign language will become as standard as knowing Microsoft Word.

Irene Missen, a language specialist at a top recruitment agency, Euro London, says that languages can open doors for you, and estimates a language can add between 10% and 15% to your wage.

When it comes to advancing your career, it’s critical to leave no doors closed. Learning a new language takes time, and it’s far better to learn it before you need it than to be unprepared at your next job interview.

11. Experience a new way of traveling

This is a big one, and often one that’s hard to understand unless you know another language.

For example, learning how to speak Spanish before you visit Spain for the first time, will give you an entirely different travel experience versus not knowing the language. When you can speak the language of the place you’re traveling to, you’re no longer dependent on the typical tourism tips that you’ll get from Tripadvisor.

Instead, you can build relationships with the locals, and discover restaurants, hot spots, and excursions that tourism websites will never be able to share with you.

You get to experience the new culture from the eyes of a local, instead of a tourist.

12. Deepen your relationships

Almost everyone who comes from a different cultural background can probably empathize with this point. With my limited ability to speak Korean, I struggled growing up with Korean family members.

Luckily, I was able to improve my skills over time (surprisingly, from learning Spanish). But I constantly see people who struggle to have that connection with their family members, friends, or even life partner, because of this language barrier.

As we shared in this post, the majority of the world’s problem comes down to communication problems. And there’s no bigger barrier to communication than the languages we are able to speak with each other.

Over to you

Which of these surprising benefits did you resonate with the most?
What languages will you try to learn?

If you are trying to learn Spanish, we’d love to help you out.
Your first 3 lessons are on us!

You’ve read 12 Surprising Benefits of Learning a New Language, 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 10 Limiting Beliefs to Reject and 10 Life Enhancing Beliefs to Adopt, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

‘The map is not the territory.” – Alfred Korzybski Nobody sees the world as it truly is. We merely have maps. These maps can contain a lot of accurate information but they are not complete. There’s always more you can learn, a new outlook to appreciate and areas that were once marked ‘hazardous’ can be explored as you push beyond your perceived limits. This is why it’s so important not to view your map as the territory. The day you believe you see the world as it truly is, or understand exactly how it works, is the day you stop growing. Unfortunately, we live in a system where we’re constantly being told how the world is. The media, our teachers, parents, religious figures and politicians all express opinions on what constitutes reality. Because their voices are so prevalent, and they all tend to be reading from the same script (at least within national boarders or supranational constructs like ‘The Western World’ or ‘The Islamic World’ etc.), it becomes very difficult not to get sucked in. Then, without even realizing it, you start accepting the world as it is presented to you. You believe that authority figures have it all worked out and what they decree as possible for your life (teachers telling you what your prospects will be beyond school, careers advisers telling you what is and isn’t possible in the world of work and religious figures telling you whether you will gain salvation or not) represents ‘The Truth’. ‘The Truth’ is a dangerous word. It means unchangeable, unchallengeable, fixed and the same today as it will be for the rest of time. I hope you’re beginning to see why this is a problem? If you are presented with a life that is totally inauthentic to you (for example; school, university, 9 to 5 job, working endless hours in a career you aren’t passionate about, retirement at 65  plus and then waiting for death) and are led to believe you have no other choice but to adapt and accept it, then, no matter how trapped you feel, you are not going to look for anything else. Equally, if you’ve been led to believe that your failures are because you haven’t got a natural aptitude for a particular skill or you’re too old, or are naturally overweight etc., and you accept this as ‘The Truth’ about yourself and your abilities, then you are completely blocking the possibility of being able to learn and grow. I hope the picture’s getting clearer. What you believe about yourself and life will set the possibilities (and boundaries) for your existence. I want your possibilities to be endless. I want you to have every opportunity to fulfil your potential and live as great a life as you can. But through my experiences as a hypnotherapist, author and coach, I know that won’t happen if you accept limiting beliefs about yourself and life as ‘The Truth’. That’s why I created the following list of 10 beliefs you need to reject and 10 you need to adopt (with a few additional explanations where I felt necessary). Read them now and check if any are holding you back. If they are, search for a corresponding substitute from the ‘beliefs to adopt’ section and start making that outlook a part of your being.

10 Limiting Beliefs to Reject

Only the exceptionally talented or lucky get to live extraordinary lives.

You can’t be happy all the time. Why not? Who says so? A more constructive belief is to see happiness as your natural state. Therefore, anything that blocks that feeling should be worked on and removed.

The only person I can trust is myself.

I am too old to live my dreams.

I am too young and inexperienced to live my dreams.

Authority figures know all the answers and we should do everything they say.

No matter how hard you work, luck will determine most of your outcomes.

Life is a struggle.

This is an important one. Most people believe life is a struggle and they project that mentality onto the people they meet. If you’re meeting a lot of people like that, and you’re dealing with some difficulties yourself, it becomes very hard not to adopt this belief. But life doesn’t have to be a struggle. It can be a game or a dance or an adventure.

My race, class, nationality, sexuality and religion defines me.

Again, this is important. Identities impose restricting limits on your life. They can influence you to conform to certain ways of behaving and living. This is stifling for any human being. We can’t be contained by the colour of our skin or a strict religion. We are far too complex, colorful and multifaceted to be boxed in this way.

I am limited by my upbringing and environment.

10 Life Enhancing Beliefs to Adopt

The world is full of opportunity.

Other people are trustworthy and willing to help.

Everything and anything can change.

I am always learning and getting stronger. This is one of the greatest beliefs you can have. It doesn’t demand perfection, just progress. I bet that right now there is some action you can take to move your life forward, even if it’s tiny. Keep repeating it and your progress will be guaranteed.

Life is a miracle.

I am complete.

I can be happy and have something interesting to do every single day of my life.

Why not? Don’t get fooled into thinking that working in very structured, routine and repetitive way is the only way to earn a living.

I can be healthy my entire life.           

My working life can be fun and rewarding.

There is a solution to every problem.

This is a great belief to have. It releases you from panic and desperation and allows you to calmly continue with your life until your solution arrives. And it will! I hope this list has got you thinking. Are there some things you’ve mistakenly identified as ‘The Truth’ about yourself and life when, in fact, they are just beliefs? And now that you’re aware that they are just beliefs, are you ready to adopt new and more empowering ones? Making this shift will open up a world of possibilities for you. As your map enlarges, so does the list of things you can be and do. Go Explore! Special Offer for Pick the Brain readers!!! Want to learn more about how changing your beliefs can be the key to a greater and freer life? Then Click the link below and get your FREE eBook. Escape The System: 50 Insights to help you live an Extraordinary Life Joe Barnes is the creator of the Screw The System website and author of Escape The System Now. His mission is to give strength to all Dreamers, Adventurers and Entrepreneurs to pursue their true calling. He also works as a hypnotherapist and tennis coach.  

You’ve read 10 Limiting Beliefs to Reject and 10 Life Enhancing Beliefs to Adopt, 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 5 Reasons Learning To Say “F*ck It” Is Really, Really Important, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

When is the last time you found yourself outraged by a situation, where you reacted quickly and aggressively without thinking about the outcome? We’re all human, and we all do it. Yogi or not.

The problem with reacting so aggressively to situations is not only for the receiver, but for YOU. Your jaw starts clenching. Your entire body goes into stress, causing: inflammation, high blood pressure, muscle tension, and overall negative emotions. Who has time for that?!

Learning to say two simple words to yourself – which might not be very ‘yogic’ of me, but very real – can change the way you think. F*CK IT. Simply. I’m not talking about not-caring-about-anything-in-life-anymore-and-foregoing-your-opinions. I’m talking about being in a situation that can easily put you over the edge, taking a deep breath, saying f*ck it (to yourself)… then taking the time to think about how you really want to react.

THIS is how I’m defining F*CK IT:

“This doesn’t matter right now. This is not contributing to my current mind-state in any positive way. This situation has escalated and the results of this dialog will not be constructive. This is not worth dealing with. I need to think about this and respond later in time.”

It can be something as simple as someone cutting you off on the highway or your sister borrowing your shirt without asking. Or, something more elaborate like an argument with your partner or someone stealing a great idea you had.

You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf, right? 

Here are 5 reasons you should say “f*ck it” more often:

1. You’re saving yourself stress: Generally speaking, we are really busy people. If you can save yourself from stress and anxiety, why wouldn’t you? By removing yourself physically and emotionally from a negative situation, you’re practicing self-love and mindfulness. Even if the key words are f*ck it.
2. You’re saving someone else stress: If you’re reading PTB, you probably have a general care about the wellbeing of others. We never know what is going on in someone else’s head. Even if we’re married to them. Even if they’re our children. You never know what someone else is battling. If you can have the courage to stop yourself from saying hurtful things back and fourth, you could be doing real good under the surface, too.
3. You have more time to constructively think about the situation: Your family hates your spouse. Your partner cheated on you. Your friend flaked. There are so many immediate reactions I can think of out of situations like this and they’re not pretty, or constructive. I’m not saying that it’s not ok to get mad. Get mad! Just take some very necessary time to yourself to think about it all. Then react with the outcome you truly want in mind.
4. You might realize that all in all, you don’t care: If someone cut you off or stole the parking spot you had your eye on, what good is YOU boiling your blood going to do? They’re still parked there. They still cut you off. Learning to say f*ck it during a situation as emotionless as this is so much easier than letting yourself get stressed out. Because honestly, you probably won’t care in 20 minutes… if you even remember.
5. Life is about rolling with the punches: There’s always going to be something to get angry at. It’s not realistic, or necessarily healthy, to live in a world where “everything in your life is perfect all of the time.” The only thing that changes the situation you’re in is YOUR reaction. React with grace. React with truth. React with self-love and respect.

So the next time you feel your blood boiling, remember this one simple tip: F*ck it!

Sam Negrin is the founder of All Good Health and an avid yogi (and RYT) in Los Angeles. She is also the Content Manager of LEAFtv – a fresh, easy to consume, how-to concept covering all things health and wellness.

You’ve read 5 Reasons Learning To Say “F*ck It” Is Really, Really Important, 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 1 HUGE Difference Confidence Makes, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

There’s so many ressources available on the internet on how to build your confidence. Everyone seems to have their method, and the aim of this discussion is not to look and judge, but to reflect on what confidence actually does, in a practical sense.

Objectively:  Con– and fidere are the Latin roots of the English word “confidence.”
Specifically, the prefix con– means “with.” The infinitive fidere means “to believe in.”

So confidence is basically about having faith in yourself. 

From there, it’s not hard to understand why this is so important in life. People who have faith in themselves, dare take risks, and in turn, have more rewarding experiences.

People who have faith in themselves understand that their mistakes cannot define them, and instead they can only help them grow.

People who have faith in themselves believe in their own ability to learn from their mistakes, and do better than they have previously done.

They don’t dwell, sulk, regret, or remain stuck in fear for very long. These things don’t serve anyone, but people who have faith in themselves, and trust in their ability to bounce back, are able to stay away from these behaviors.

As a result, they gain time.

Confident people have more time.

As they have more time they are able to be more productive. As they are more emotionally stable and more prone to risk taking, they create more opportunities for themselves.

As they combine hightened productivity with (calculated) risk-taking they become more successful, they become high achievers, and then what happens?

“Just as the foundation of successful experience is self-confidence, so the foundation of self-confidence is successful experience.”

-Neil Burton, author of Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of Emotions

 

And then, their blessings multiply. It’s the virtuous cycle of confidence:

Confidence -> Action -> (Positive) Results -> Confidence -> Action

Where it starts for you depends on your own personal starting point in terms of self-confidence.

If you’ve got it in spades and want even more of it, all you have to do is capitalize on what you have, and take action, take risks, take a stab at something you’ve always wanted, that girl, boy, business, championship, whatever it is you wish you had, get up and go after it.

Every new successful experience will bring you closer to your next successful experience, and your next, and so on… 

And if you don’t think you’re one of “them”, those people who have faith in themselves, the first think that you could do is start changing your mind.

See that’s exactly the type of thinking that is currently holding you back. This thought that you aren’t like those people who make great things happen.

The thought that “those” people were born with some biological advantage you weren’t given.

Extreme cases aside, you know deep down that this just isn’t true. And I’m here to tell you everyone has it in them, that strength to get up and grab the bull by the horns.

And there are indeed diffent approaches you can take to start feeling more confident.

I approach this problem from a social perspective, sharing techniques on how to communicate effectively, understanding people better, and how to deal with the different social challenges regular people face on the day-to-day.

Knowing that I’m able to do these things allows me to operate confidently in this human, connected, and social world we live in.

So maybe there’s another advantage to self-confidence, the peace of mind! 

Either way, you know the drill, it all starts with you going out to do something. 🙂

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

-Dale Carnegie

 

Alex Mombo is an author & blogger. He loves engineering, playing music, reading personal development literature and wants to help you find ways to express yourself more fully at http://ift.tt/1NTBdGD

You’ve read The 1 HUGE Difference Confidence Makes, 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 5 Key Ways Your Smartphone Can Help Enhance Your Productivity, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

The rate of dependency on the Smartphone is increasing. In fact, a recent study has shown that approximately 64% of American adults have smartphones. The question, however, is do you know that this same smartphone can help you enhance your productivity?

This doesn’t mean that smartphones don’t have a few downsides though. In fact, researchers say that way a brain looks with a smartphone addiction is similar to that of brain that is drug addicted.

However, though it has helped increase the number of tech savvy people, the smartphone is still one of the most underutilized gadget of our age. Much like a the human brain, a smartphone carries with it a greater amount of capacity than it’ owner may ever known!

Social media networks abound, and it almost seems that all these gadgets help you do is waste your time and ruin your relationships. If half the capacity of our smartphones were explored and used properly we will be way more productive as business men, mothers, employees and individuals.

If you have a smartphone, I can almost bet that you are under-utilizing it. Your smartphone can do more than help you play music and take selfies. Please find below, a few key ways your smartphone can help enhance your productivity:

1. Your Smartphone Is a Great Personal Development Tool

There are a lot of functionalities in a smartphone, but I still think the greatest advantage of having a cell phone is its ability to connect us to the internet.

I appreciated the use of a Smartphone when I got contacted for business by someone in my business network who didn’t speak English. I explored the usefulness of Google and was amazed at how easily I could communicate in another language. There are even a number of other language apps I have since discovered.

Equally, I have been able to read a good number of self help books using my smartphone that has helped me in no small way using my smartphone.

When you need to understand a new word, need to check facts about the world, need to read up on something without having to carry a big device, need to watch a tutorial or a recipe, you only need to search as far as your phone. In fact the existence of smartphones has erased the major excuse for ignorance.

2. Your Smartphone Can Help You Manage Tasks More Effectively

Your Smartphone can wake you up in the morning with your choice of a very distasteful song or sound. But more than that, it can help enhance your productivity throughout the day.

Several mobile-friendly services can keep you attuned to what needs doing. The most useful ones can be accessed as a Smartphone app. One example is Toodledo.

I have found that from daily reminders to drafts, to Alarms and notifications, my Smartphones can very easily become a daily guide through my engagements and chores. There is no reason why you shouldn’t explore this especially if you are as forgetful as I tend to be sometimes, or as busy as I am.

3. Your Smartphone Is Your Best Travel Companion

If tourism is your thing or perhaps your job expects you to travel a lot to different locations, then you are probably among the great number of people who are under using their phones.

I am personally amazed at the number of Travel apps that help us whenever we have to make that trip. From apps that remind you what to take along to apps that help you track your flight in real time and apps that help you get around in your new surroundings. There is really no need to still be entwined in the normal travel frustrations.

4. Your Smartphone Makes E-commerce Easy and Trendy

Whether you are operating as a business owner or as a customer, your smartphone is a massive asset that can help with transactions. Trends have shifted dangerously in the past few years, from shopping in brick and mortar shops to online shopping. There are numerous advantages online shopping has over regular shopping.

Making purchases from your phone will enhance your productivity by freeing up more time for you to do other things and have a more productive with your twenty four hours. There are a variety of online resources that enable you to do heavy transactions via your mobile with nothing but a click, especially you are like me and your work is majorly online.

5. You Can Have a Pretty Productive Meeting with your phone

It is difficult to keep up with the number of Social media chat networks, more keep springing up every day. There are way too many people on multiple chat platforms and sadly most people are just there to…well, chat.

If you have to have a meeting especially with a small group of people, whether it is family related or work related, you don’t have to leave the house or even travel. Smartphones and the plethora of social networks have created various means of planning and meeting online.

Skype, face book, whatsapp, tubidy, weChat and the many more are great resources. If used properly, these resources will enhance your productivity and get your better results

Some people actually consider smartphones evil, because of the repeated notifications from IM’s, Chat messages, and e-mails. The good thing however, is that they can be curtailed with a little discipline and innovation. I mean, smart phones have provisions for muting or even turning off notifications.

To enhance your productivity, limit yourself to a few necessary chat platforms and utilize them properly. This way you don’t become less productive because you lose too much time chatting

Life can be so much easier and better with a Smartphone if we cared to find out how. Now, let’s turn that gadget into a life saver!

—————-

Toby Nwazor is an entrepreneur. He is equally a free lance writer who is passionate about helping other people live their best lives now. He is the co-founder of the personal development blog  http://ift.tt/1WkbZVf

You’ve read 5 Key Ways Your Smartphone Can Help Enhance Your Productivity, 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 9 Self-Improvement Books That Will Change Your Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

The following 9 self-improvement books have left an imprint on my life, and I think it will on your life, too. It’s time to read and reflect!

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

I’ve always enjoyed the relatable storytelling and writing style of Dale Carnegie. He wrote this book in 1936 and its principles for building strong relationships still appeal today. The book inspires me to be genuinely interested in other people; to be a good listener; refrain from criticizing, condemning or complaining; to give honest and sincere appreciation; and to smile. Although the book is popular in corporate circles, its message applies to all personal relationships, too.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson

Carlson’s book is an easy-to-read guide on how to live with random, positive anecdotes thrown in. It was my first self-help book and has been a fixture on my bookshelf for over 18 years. As I wrote my book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness, I always kept it in mind.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

While Chapter 16 in Redefine Yourself (Create New Habits) gives you some simple tools for change, The Power of Habit provides more insight on the creation of habits and how they rule our lives. The stories are interesting and make for a quick read.

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

Lehrer explores the neuroscience of our decision-making processes in this book. Don’t be intimidated by the research and references to anatomy—his writing style is appealing, enjoyable, and the insight fascinating. Lehrer’s explanation of mirror neurons will continue to resonate within me for a long time. If you’re interested in how our brain operates, you’ll want to add How We Decide to your book collection.

Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer

Imagine is less technical than Lehrer’s earlier work, How We Decide. It steers my approach to creativity within my business. If you haven’t heard the creation story of the “Just Do It” slogan, you may want to read this today. It will change the way you approach any creative project.

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

Ferriss’ book on how to minimize life’s distractions and maximize efficiency in order to live more and work less may help you rethink your approach to life. If you can put aside some of his questionable marketing techniques, his tips and stories can help you create a more efficient life, both personally and professionally. I read the book at a time when I needed a push to finally do what I wanted most—it may influence you the same way.

Drive by Daniel H. Pink

In Drive, Pink explores the role of motivation and purpose in both the classroom and the workplace. Without a doubt, it greatly influenced the chapters on control and purpose in my book, and I highly recommend Pink’s work for additional insight on these topics.

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan is one of the leaders of the new nutrition movement. He appears in many documentaries about the food industry and is considered an expert in natural eating habits. In Defense of Food revolutionized my nutritional approach and changed the way I look at food. If you want to redefine the way you eat, this book is the perfect place to start.

Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky

Sapolsky lightly spins humor with academic research in this book about anatomy and stress. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers has shaped my perspective on the body and stress.

________

Looking for other ways to redefine your life? Check out my recent article 50 Ways to Change Your Life Today too.

_________

Michael Moody is the author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and the former fitness expert on NBC’s The Biggest Loser/MSN Chicago tour. The owner of the successful Chicago personal training business Michael Moody Fitness, his fitness and life-structure programs have helped his personal training clients lose more than 2,500 pounds since 2005. Michael has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and Today’s Chicago Woman magazines, among others. During his time as the official trainer for PBS’s The Whitney Reynolds Show, he also produced an inspirational segment about his travels in Guatemala.

Having researched emotion and coping behaviors in university-level studies, Michael has presented various fitness, motivation, body image, and stress-management programs at Illinois State University, DePaul University, corporations, high schools, and workshops.

You’ve read 9 Self-Improvement Books That Will Change Your Life, 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 6 Challenges of Staying True to Your Heart, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

I hold onto the belief that each person lives out their life purpose if they stay true to the callings and demands of their heart, because it is what allows me to keep my spirits up when it seems like the entire world is against me in doing precisely that.

Before we get into the challenges of living genuinely, let’s ponder on a question: why is your heart beating? Would it be too much of a stretch to philosophize that if there exists a sliver of purpose to be found, it would be found in the heart?

We all know what it feels like when our heart pleas for us to do something, to say something, to take a leap into the unknown, but there are only a few that know what it feels like when we actually stay true to our heart and live out its wishes and desires for us.

I’m writing this because my heart wishes for you to listen to your heart. But my heart also wishes to warn you of some challenges when you do so, so when you finally do that something, say that something, or take that leap into the abyss, you’ll be somewhat prepared for what is to come.

THE NON-BELIEVERS

Of all the choices you make in life; of all your dreams, interests, passions, beliefs, lifestyles choices; it is a fact that at least 50% of the world isn’t going to agree with, condone, or support you.

And it is important to ask: who cares?

I call these people the non-believers, and if you pay attention to these people’s opinions, and give your heart for them to hold, they will drop it, break it, and make you feel bad for holding values and making choices you genuinely know will make you feel like an alive and happy human being.

It is an inevitability that a portion of the world isn’t going to cheer you on in life, a fact, by the way, that you cannot change. If you submit to the reality of that fact, you will have thrown away your potential for a beautifully honest life. Which is a silly thing to do over something that you cannot change! You’re damned if you do and you’re damned twice if you don’t. So do.

PEOPLE DROP OUT OF YOUR LIFE LIKE FLIES

As you grow—as you transcend your old ways of thinking, feeling, living—the people stuck in and accustomed to your old ways will no longer be able to keep up with your “frequency”, which, in other words, means the level or state of consciousness that you “vibrate” at.

This falling away or a shifting of relationships can take form in a myriad of ways: you stop seeing certain people because they have behaviors and attitudes that you’ve outgrown and refuse to put up with anymore; you won’t text or call as often or you’ll just stop doing so altogether; you’ll stop going to certain functions because they don’t “fit” you anymore.

As we grow, it can often feel like a battle between two sides is occurring within us as we realize our potential and the ultimate “aloneness” of that journey as we tune into our hearts and “know” that some people (who are in our lives right now) won’t be able to walk with us (as much as we’d like them too) the further we progress along our path. (Not unless they too change or at least accept us in our totalities.)

It’s a natural response to feel guilty for all the turmoil that we may be causing within our relationships because of the growth-oriented choices and changes we are making. (For this dilemma, we must again turn to our heart to discern who is worth keeping and who needs to be let go.)

People come, people go. Hold on tightly to the ones that ride with you and for you, as best as you can; love them, support them, be grateful for them. And for the ones that don’t? That’s cool. Let them fall away into the background of the rest of the world who don’t matter at this moment.

THE ATTACKS

Be forewarned: non-believers will attack you for growing. They will complain and dislike and challenge and wail and cry as the old you falls away into oblivion and the new you rises like the blazing sun.

Your growth is threatening. It’s scary. It’s different. It’s new. It makes people a little bit uncomfortable and puts some of them in a position where they feel like they must “defend” their choices, beliefs, lifestyles by making you feel like yours are wrong.

Let them. Fight if it’s worth doing so. But be wise enough to know when it’s not. Then, brush it all off and continue moving forward soldier.

LONELINESS

I’ll tell you first hand; this path of staying true to your heart can be hella lonely sometimes. As you progress along the path and learn to make it a virtue of staying true to your heart, it can sometimes feel like it is you and your vision trying to succeed against the entirety of the universe; bad days can feel real bad, and often times, you only have you to rely on for support. Albeit rewarding, it is a lone journey indeed.

You need to learn to be okay with this. We are born alone, and we leave this world alone. We are always alone in this world. But, once you deepen your heart-living, you’ll realize that one’s aloneness is an illusion. We are always connected to all things in existence. And it’s silly to be sad about that.

YOU’RE AN ODD ONE

The freer you become, the weirder people think you are. And that’s a good thing. Weirdness simply means uniqueness. And trust me, this world needs uniqueness. Uniqueness changes the world.

Your uniqueness merges, mixes, influences ad innovates the world that already is. We change the world by becoming who we know we can become and achieving what we know our hearts can achieve.

MISCOMMUNICATION/LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

Your weirdness will be hard to understand for some people despite your explanations for why you do the things you do, believe in the things you believe in, and stand for the things you stand for.

You can try explaining, but most of your efforts will be futile. Ultimately, people will never truly understand you, or perhaps even worse, will misunderstand you.

Just because someone proposes a question, doesn’t mean we’re obligated to answer; “Why are you a vegetarian again?” “Why do you feel like you need to change the world?” “Why do you meditate?”

When I don’t feel like explaining myself, I don’t. Instead, I let my actions, successes, and madness do the answering for me.

CONCLUSION

This world needs you. You are important. You are special. You have gifts. You have strengths. You have beauties in you, and only within you, that will shape this world of ours into a brighter and better place. But only you can be the channel for those gifts, strengths, jewels. You can also be the prison that holds them from the outside world.

What will your choice be? The path of fear, doubt, regret and misery? Or the path of courage, freedom, power and purpose?

Christopher Tan is a writer at his blog The Art Of Life where he seeks to contribute to positive world change by helping transform the consciousness on our planet. Join his newsletter for an upcoming (and free) book or connect with him on Twitter.

You’ve read 6 Challenges of Staying True to Your Heart, 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 How to Spend Less Time Living In Fear And More Time Living Free, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Most people live in a constant state of fear and worry without even knowing it.

In fact, so many factors affect our emotional state that it can be difficult to know what neutrality feels like.

These factors can be broken down into external and internal influences. When thinking about external influences, media outlets are the main players, bombarding our lives with fear-mongering stories about terrorism, health epidemics, natural disasters, and global warming. Their purpose is not to inform us of the latest events and information, but to ensure maximum drama, and therefore maximum ratings and sales.

Internal influences include how the brain is hardwired, the environment we grew up in, and the experiences we’ve had. Together, internal and external influences unconsciously shape how we think about and respond to fear in our day-to-day lives.

Knowing this, it’s not surprising that so much of what we think about fear is actually not what ‘we think’ at all. In reality, we have very little say in it.

To better understand why that is and find out what we can do to regain control and re-calibrate our fear response, we need to first hold a mirror up to ourselves.

Our relationships with others are a reflection of our relationships with ourselves

The way we treat others is often a great marker for understanding how we treat ourselves.

Think about it. When you are confronted by the emotions of others, how do you react? If someone is upset, do you help them work through the pain? Or do you avoid it and act like nothing is wrong?

Meta-emotions are the feelings we have about feelings. They are what make us respond to emotions like sadness, fear, and anger—in others and ourselves—in a dismissive or accepting way. We develop our meta-emotions during our youth, growing up to either suppress our emotions, express them to the fullest, or feel and control them.

The problem with meta-emotions is that they act as part of our gut response; the same response that makes us believe we should be scared when we see a snake in a movie. Of course it has it’s uses, such as in fight or flight situations, but the body overuses the gut response out of ease.

For instance, the rule of typical things—as described in the snake example—is a mechanism that causes the body to react in similar ways to situations or things which have similar characteristics. In life, it helps us make safe and energy-conserving decisions, avoiding anything that could involve too much thinking or hard work. Leaving decisions up to the our gut response can prolong our chances of survival, but it doesn’t do anything for our quality of life.

By recognizing our meta-emotions, we can better understand and even change our gut reaction to fear. A response to stamp fear out is clearly troublesome, but likewise embracing it to the full can also cause problems. The first step is the hardest—becoming aware of your response. Once you do that, you can switch to conscious thinking and assess the problem logically.

“A lack of knowledge about how to calculate risk leads to increased fear” —Amy Morin

When it comes to our emotions and decision-making processes, the gut response isn’t so good at calculating how much fear we need.

Conscious thought is how we as rational beings think problems and situations through to arrive at measured and appropriate responses—it’s what separates us from other animals.

But switching to and making use of conscious thought is a slow, manual process which requires much more energy, thus we don’t make a habit of doing it. It’s much easier to walk away from a situation out of fear, than it is to confront the feeling head on and assess the actual level of risk.

But if we identify our meta-emotion—whether it is dismissive or accepting—and see the situation on an individual basis rather than falling for the rule of typical things, we are already switching from our gut response into conscious thought—almost always leading to a decreased level of fear and a more favorable response.

Many experiences in our lives are passed by due to unconscious responses or reactions—often fueled by fear. By not leaving your decisions up to gut feelings (external and internal influences), and giving yourself time to judge the situation at hand, you can redefine your idea of fear and do things which you once believed you never could.

Want to ensure you take full control of your fear response and make braver decisions in your daily life?

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 How to Spend Less Time Living In Fear And More Time Living Free, 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 6 Ways Happy People Start Their Mornings, 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, the morning alarm clock is the sound of dread and apprehension. After hitting the snooze button a dozen times, we finally rise in a stupor only to stumble around to find clothes, put on deodorant and maybe get a quick bite to eat before grabbing coffee on the way out the door.

Day after day, mornings like this can add unneeded stress to your life. In such a rushed atmosphere, it’s hard to sit back and ease into a peaceful day. Rather than starting out positive and happy, it creates a negative tone that lasts far longer than it should.

How you spend your morning is important because it sets the foundation for the rest of the day. So it may not surprise you that happy people tend to actually enjoy their mornings; they often greet the rising sun with an uplifted sense of well-being. We could all learn a little more about how to make sure the start of each day is a happy one.

1. Think of each day as a new beginning

The morning isn’t the time to review the mistakes of yesterday – the errors and problems that gave you so much headache the day before. That will only invite grief and frustration into the new day ahead.

Each morning can be thought of as a renewal – a brand new beginning where you can discover new opportunities, new possibilities and new challenges. Mornings are a chance for you to leave your errors and mistakes in the past where they belong so you can open yourself up to all the good you can be doing right now.

It’s hard to move into a positive future, if you’re still dwelling on the negativity from the day before.

2. Remind yourself of what you have to look forward to

Each day is filled with an assortment of responsibilities, tasks and people we expect to deal with at some point. Some will be fun and wonderful, while others will be either boring, irritating or downright negative. Here’s the question you should ask yourself: which ones are you going to think about when you start your day?

There are good and bad parts to every day, but it’s where you choose to focus that makes a difference. Those who are happiest spend more time reminding themselves of the good things they have ahead.

3. They make time to ease into the day

Rush, rush, rush. What kind of mental toll do you think all those rushed mornings take on you? What kind of chaos goes on through your head when you hurry through the morning?

Happy people take time to relax into their morning. They make time for themselves so their mind and body have a chance to fully awaken which, in turn, gives them better mental clarity and calm.

A hurried morning is one filled with stress as you struggle with the lack of time. Before you’re even fully awake, your mind is already in panic mode, trying just to keep up with what’s going on. That’s not a good place to start your day off right.

4. They spend a few moments with something beautiful

Beauty has a way of awakening our souls. It can uplift mindsets and enrich attitudes by filling us with positivity. And it can even start our day off right, with all those good feelings that can make you a little happier.

Some people spend time in nature. They go for a walk or run in the morning. Others simply look outside and marvel at the trees and birds flying by.

Others surround themselves with colorful plants whose pallette jumps out and demands to be noticed. It can be a bright reminder to be joyful in what might otherwise be a gloomy day.

The fact is this: beauty matters. If you can find something wonderful to look at, it can be a small reminder of the beauty that surrounds you. Then, each morning will seem a little cheerier.

5. They put a positive focus to the day ahead

Benjamin Franklin used to wake up each day with a question, “What good shall I do today?” It immediately put a positive focus on what he was going to do that day.

Steve Jobs would ask himself at the beginning of every morning, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” Whenever the answer had been no for too many days in a row, he knew he needed to change something.

Each day can be thought of as an opportunity to do good and make positive changes. By starting each day with a friendly reminder to put a positive spin on it, you’re more likely to make it happen. Spending some time focusing on what positive actions you can do for the day can add purpose to your life and, ultimately, give you a better sense of fulfillment.

6. They give thanks in some way

A heart filled with gratitude is a happy one. That’s something that can be so easily missed in the bustle of our lives. We all have things to do, people to see and deadlines to meet – there’s so little time to actually sit back and just say “thank you”.

Mornings should be eased into with an air of grateful reflection. We spend so much time on what we don’t have or what’s going wrong that we never take time to look back and realize what is going right.

Happiness is often a matter of focus. It’s about bringing into perspective all the things you have going well – the things we often neglect or fail to realize is a true gift. Happy people see the morning sun as a reminder to all those things we so easily forget – the things that make our lives so wonderful.

Steve is the writer behind Do Something Cool where he blogs about travel, motivation, self improvement and adventure. He’s always looking for ways to make life more interesting. For fresh ideas on living life to the fullest, join his newsletter.

You’ve read 6 Ways Happy People Start Their Mornings, 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 to Do If You Hate Your Job, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Are you among the 30% who enjoy what you are doing?

According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 70% of those surveyed described themselves as “disengaged” from their work.

Put it another way, only 30% honestly admitted they enjoy their job and their bosses.

If you are in the 70%, then this article is for you! You will discover what to do to help you find the joy in your work.

A caveat about the word “work”. Too often, we think of work as something that we have to do instead of something from which we draw energy and inspiration. In this article, work is that which you love to do. It makes you wake up every morning, excited to take on the world.

More importantly, it is your why. For when you know the why you can take on almost any how.

Are You Excited About What You Do?

It wasn’t always the case for me. In fact, it took me a long time to get there. The first step I took was in consciously deciding that I needed to break out of my vicious circle of nonfulfillment and lack of enjoyment in my job.

Once I did, the difference was just night and day. These days, I would often wake up around 7 am on a Saturday because I am excited to get to work. My work schedule is actually Monday to Friday.

Now, it did take me several years to finally make enough sense of it all to go get what I wanted.

I was able to find what I enjoy because I learned more about myself. You, too, need to learn more about yourself. One thing I ran into early on when I started to question life and work was the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation. For a fee around $675 to $750 in major cities across the United States, they run a whole slew of tests to determine your aptitudes. (Note: I am not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the Foundation.) Your aptitudes remain stable throughout your life and are also called your strengths. We tend to enjoy those tasks that call upon our strengths.

Through the tests, I was able to rediscover something that I instinctively knew when I was a child but then turned my back from for years, simply because of stereotypes: I am a writer. I love to write. Yet, my life’s path turned to engineering. On top of that, I am an Asian American and fell into the stereotype that we are only good at math, not writing.

These days, I am still an engineer. I write code. I also write documentation for our customers to help them understand the changes we incorporate into the system. So, I made a conscious decision to make my next job more enjoyable by making sure it utilized my strengths.

So, understand that you, too, have the power. If your employer is flexible, ask to do more of the things that incorporate your strengths so that you can make your work more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Learn About Yourself

If you don’t know your strengths, then it’s time to learn more about yourself. Besides taking the aptitude test, which provides a test report, listing your aptitudes and suggested career fields, find out what your Myers-Brigg personality type is.

Hundreds of books have been written, describing the traits of Myers-Brigg types. You can also find websites that tests you to find what your personality type is. To understand your personality type well is to know yourself better. It will also help you find what you are looking for and help you better work with other people with different Myers-Brigg types.

Understand, too, knowing your personality type compliments your aptitudes test results. Combining the two will help you better learn about yourself and what it is that you really want.

Do Your Hobbies

Chances are you have hobbies because your job currently does not allow you to do the things you really enjoy doing.

Hobbies can also help you reconnect with the joys you knew as a child. It helped me reconnect with my love of writing. For the longest time, I maintained a newsletter for my club. When it was time for me to move on, I had a hard time looking for a replacement. Do you know what the most frequent response was whenever I asked friends if they would be willing to take over? “I hate writing.”

Now, I have come to accept that my love of writing is unique to me.

What is it about these hobbies that you wish were in your day-to-day job, attributes you wish you can incorporate so that you get hungry about work again?

For most people, it’s simple. You may be a photography buff on the side. Is it the creativity, the mechanics of taking a photograph, or the artistry involved in composing a shot that makes this hobby fun for you?

If you are into flying, is it the intellectually stimulating aspect of flying or the freedom of being up in the air that thrills you?

If you are into model shipbuilding, is it working with your hands to create something out of nothing that gives you joy? Is it the meticulous nature of working with small pieces that takes hundreds of hours to master?

Ultimately, it is mastery over a skill that brings us fulfillment and joy. Naturally, when you master something your self-confidence goes way up.

Chances are your job already has some of these attributes. What can you do to put more of the other attributes into the position?

If you cannot put these attributes into your current job, then it is time to move on. Find another job that uses more of your aptitudes and skills. More importantly, find what you enjoy and love doing.

If what you love to do doesn’t exist, you may even have a niche market and the beginnings of an entrepreneurship. In other words, stop feeling stuck and move towards something drastically new if you have to. Your life is too short to be living it the way others think you should live rather than the way you truly want it.

In the end, it all boils down to a simple choice. You have to consciously decide that you want a better life for yourself. You have to consciously decide that you want to do the work that you love, not the work that someone thinks you should love. So, start learning more about yourself today and you’ll find the rewards to be immensely gratifying. More importantly, go find it. Create it in your current job if it doesn’t exist. Or, better yet create a niche industry and provide a service to others.

What is it about your job that you wish you can change? What is it that you wish you can be doing instead? Better yet, have you always wanted to do something drastically different? I’d love to hear from you!  Please leave your remarks in the comments.

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Benson Wong supports people who are feeling burnt out and unfulfilled in their jobs find what it is that they really want to do and help them go get it. This often involves a shift in your perception and a strong change in the way you think. It’s about first finding yourself. To get started today, claim your free blueprint containing 3 audiosets: How to Be More Confident, 3 Ways to Live the Life of Your Dreams, and How to Live a More Successful Life.

You’ve read What to Do If You Hate Your Job, 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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