Most of us go through our lives just trying to accomplish the dreams and goals that we have set for ourselves. In the process of achieving these life goals, how often we push ourselves to an extent where we overlook the value of moments that life brings to us. But how certain are we that these goals that we so diligently work on are the ones worth spending our efforts on? Everyone has their own path to walk on, with different destinations to reach. But there are a few basic life goals that everyone should adopt. These life goals can change the way you live. Let’s find out what these goals are.

Personal Growth

We only get one shot at life, so why do we put the need of others before our own? While being selfless is wise sometimes, it shouldn’t be the case at all times. Fight for yourself, fight for the person that you want to be. And that happens when you do things that make you happy, do things that you have longed to do. It is always better to live life the way we want to, even if that means making millions of mistakes. This gives you the hold over your own life, rather than staying in the unknown. Remember, at the end of the day, you are all you have.

Dream Job

We all know where we want to be in life and where we see ourselves in the future. And that includes knowing what our dream job is. So why is it that only a few manage to work and accomplish that perfect dream job while the rest don’t? No job is given to anyone if they are not willing to work for it. We tend to take up the first job that we get, undermining our capabilities. Instead, fight for your dreams, fight for your capabilities and most of all fight for the job you have grown up dreaming about.

Friendship & Love

What use are all the achievements in life if we don’t have someone to share it with? Life keeps going on, we get older, but what sticks by our side till the end is the relationships that we make. No one ever said that life was easy, but no one also said that it can’t be fun. Surround yourself with people who don’t just bring out the best in you but are also the best version of themselves around you. We might not realize it now, but having people who you can rely on, who will stand by your side through thick or thin are life’s biggest treasures. Friendship and love are among the most important life goals that there is.

Confidence

Most of the time what brings us down is the confidence that we lack in ourselves. This is because of the rock bottom we hit when things don’t go right. What we don’t understand is that all of us go through a rough patch at some point of time in life. But the best thing to do is to move on from that phase. Over-thinking and over-stressing will not get us anywhere. Stay confident that if you have managed to push through all the hurdles that life has put in front of you in the past, then you most definitely can overcome all other situations in the present and the future. Nothing feels as liberating as being comfortable in your own skin and being confident with your life.

Honesty

The only constant thing about our lives and the people in it is change. Our lives change, and so do people. We can never guess, one year from today what our lives will be live. However, whether you are at the peak of success or struggling through a rough patch, always remember who you truly are. Being dishonest about things leaves nothing but a feeling of dread and dissatisfaction. Running away from the truth does not change the reality. Also, most of the times when people are being dishonest, they feel that everyone around them is hiding something as well. But when you are honest, there is nothing that stops you from experiencing a wonderful life.

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About Author:

Ruturaj is the CEO and Founder of Pricekart. He is an energetic Digital Marketing professional with integrated marketing experience in the B2B & B2C domains.

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There are lots of times when being an introvert can be good for your career, but meetings are rarely your chance to shine. More naturally extroverted colleagues tend to hog the limelight and you are left cursing yourself for not speaking up and showing what you can contribute to the discussions. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have good ideas, but you’re just not able to showcase them at the right time, so it can feel like this is holding you back in your career.

But what can be done? Unfortunately there’s no sign that meetings are going to become less important as a part of workplace culture anytime soon, so it’s up to introverts to find ways to utilize their particular skills to emphasise their qualities rather than the areas where they struggle.

So here are nine ways introverts can shine in a meeting:

Use the agenda to plan ahead

If you aren’t as good at thinking out loud, you need to be able to take your ideas in fully-formed so that you can share them. Read the agenda if possible and start to think about things you can say ahead of the meeting, making notes that you can take in.

Avoid caffeine

You might think that something like coffee would help stimulate your body and mind to be more extroverted in a meeting, but over-stimulation can actually exhaust you and send you further into your shell, so try swapping it for a calming camomile tea instead.

Get there early and make small talk

You enjoy small talk about as much as you enjoy meetings, but participating in some of the former can actually get you warmed up and ready to impress in the latter, so try and get to the meeting early to talk to other people in a less formal setting.

Look interested and enthusiastic

Fake it until you make it, basically. Even if you are lacking confidence on the inside, using positive body language like sitting up straight and leaning forward to speak can actually boost your testosterone and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Say something early on

The longer the meeting goes on without you having contributed, the more nervous you are likely to get and the less likely you are to speak up, so try to ensure that you have something to say early on. Find something in the agenda that you can contribute to.

Don’t let people rush you

While you will want to avoid seeming like a shy introvert in meetings, that doesn’t mean falling into the trap of going against your own nature and looking foolish. If you need more time to answer a question, ask for the time and have people come back to you when you’ve had the chance to come up with a strong answer.

Give yourself the role of summing things up

Introverts are typically very good at listening and forming concrete conclusions, so take notes during the meeting and offer to run-through actions and key aspects at the end, giving yourself an important role and something to say.

Follow up on your terms

As an introvert, you much prefer dealing with people on a one-to-one basis, so instead of sitting through a meeting without speaking and them admonishing yourself afterwards, use the opportunity to find topics that you can pick up with colleagues in smaller meetings afterwards. This gives you the chance to contribute more in a more comfortable setting.

Get more practice

Like any workplace skill, the more you attend meetings, the better you will be in them. So try asking to be involved in as many relevant meetings as you can, and keep working through these tips to build up your confidence and also your profile at work.

You can read more about these tips in this infographic from On Stride Financial, and if you follow them, you’ll soon be the star of every meeting you’re involved with.

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Luke Doyle writes on behalf of NeoMam Studios and is based in Manchester, UK. When not sharing content, Luke’s passions include traveling and photography.

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Yoga Balances Mind And Body

Researchers have found that yoga might help break the cycle of addiction. Yoga treats the mind and body together, releasing stress and creating balance. Incorporating yoga in long-term treatment helps those in recovery avoid relapse and achieve a lifetime of better health

The Danger Of Relapse

Turning away from substance abuse is hard. Staying sober after detox is harder, even when people in recovery know the potentially devastating effects of relapse.

The most recent data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found 21.5 million Americans 12 and over struggle with substance abuse. While experts consider addiction a highly treatable disease, less than 11 percent of individuals who need treatment actually receive it.

Relapse is common, with rates in some studies between 40 and 60 percent and in others as high as 85 percent. Relapse may occur weeks, months or years after addiction treatment.

Relapse rates for substance abuse are similar to those of other chronic diseases affected by lifestyle choices and psychological factors. Relapse doesn’t mean treatment has failed, but it does indicate a need for adjustment.

Relapse prevention programs teach techniques for recognizing the danger signs and developing skills that help individuals resist. Holistic addiction treatment involves overall mind and body health. Without a long-term prevention plan, people in recovery are more likely to fail, but the right plan can create lasting success.

How Relapse Prevention Strategies Help

Knowing relapse triggers and coping skills helps you see danger while it is still in the distance and make plans for taking an alternative route. Relapse prevention coping skills also give you tools for fighting intense cravings that come on suddenly. Prevention strategies help you manage the emotional, mental and physical factors that make you more likely to choose substance abuse over continuing health.

Relapse Triggers

Every person is different, with unique factors that set them off. One person might feel a sudden urge to drink when they associate with old friends. Another may be thrown off balance when they see drug paraphernalia or smell alcohol. Some triggers are common to almost everyone.

Individuals are more likely to relapse when they feel withdrawal symptoms like nervousness, upset stomach or shakiness. Even after withdrawal, they may feel anxiety, depression or irritability that acts as a trigger.

How you take care of your body and stress management affects mental health. A poor diet, inconsistent sleep schedule or stressful environment can increase your relapse risk. You may be tempted to return to substance abuse when you feel strong negative emotions like loneliness, exhaustion or anger.

When relationships go wrong, or you have too much time for thoughts to run unchecked, it upsets your mental balance. Countless individuals have relapsed because they decided the struggle was behind them, that they no longer had a problem.

Relapse Stages

While relapse might feel like a force that jumps on you out of nowhere, it’s actually a process that starts well in advance of an individual’s return to substance abuse. It often happens in three stages.

The first stage, emotional relapse, starts with unhealthy feelings and behaviors. Factors outside your control may lead to work stress, financial pressure or days of poor eating and sleeping. You’re not thinking about drugs or alcohol, but you may stop going to meetings and feel moody, anxious or isolated. When you recognize the process at this stage, it’s easiest to make adjustments.

The next stage is a mental relapse, when your mind begins to suggest substance abuse as a way to feel better. You might start to fantasize about using drugs or alcohol and plan how you might accomplish it without those close to you noticing. You reach out to old friends or drive past old hangouts, tempted to go inside. You come up with ways to have just a little and this time show self-control. The temptation becomes harder to resist.

At this stage, you can still prevent relapse by reaching out for help. Contact your support individuals and tell them you’re struggling to release the internal pressure. Then occupy your time with other hobbies and interests. Yoga helps because it takes that tension and channels it into something that is healthy and right.

The final stage is the physical relapse. If your mind continues to entertain the idea of using drugs or alcohol, eventually you give in.

Benefits Of Yoga

Relapse has both physical and mental components, and yoga strengthens both. When many people enter recovery, they have spent years engaging in unhealthy behaviors that weaken muscles, create nutrition imbalances and reduce stamina. They also may have co-existing mental health disorders that affect healthy thought processing. Recovery itself is stressful, and yoga helps channel that stress into an activity that improves mind and body strength.

One of the biggest benefits of yoga therapy is that it’s accessible to individuals at every fitness level. It helps people become physically strong and develop greater muscle control. Even if you can’t touch your toes at your first session, over time you’ll see improved flexibility. As joints and muscles become strong and limber and tight connective tissue begins to stretch, chronic aches and pains will decrease, encouraging even more physical activity.

Substance abuse and unhealthy eating impact cartilage and joints. Yoga improves circulation to flood these areas with nutrients, so they begin to rebuild. When you lift your body weight in postures like downward and upward facing dog, you strengthen bones and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

Some describe yoga as meditation in motion. It helps you focus on being present, on the sensations in your body. You feel healthy breath fill your lungs and strong muscles move you fluidly through your space. Your self-awareness improves and your mood lifts. Whether you think of yourself as spiritual or not, you feel a connection between body and mind. While yoga is commonly thought of as a fitness activity for women, men can and should make it a part of their exercise regimen as well.

Additional Resources

Reflections Recovery Center helps individuals find sobriety and stay healthy for life. Find more resources for preventing relapse and living sober on our relapse prevention page.

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You’re reading 5 Things You Need To Know About Improving Your Mental Well-Being, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

A person who is mentally well and happy is also a healthy and happy person overall. Our mind is the engine that runs everything, and happiness and well being are like the oil change that keeps it going and never lets it shut down. Right from the time we are born, each and everything thing we do, learn and experience, molds the brain into a solid organism. This organism runs everything and makes sure that we function through every day the way we’re supposed to.

Of course, we’re human, and that was just an analogy. Unlike machines, we have more flaws and cannot be understood or predicted using a manual. Each of us function differently, process information differently, and also have similar brains but very different minds. Our mind’s well-being depends a lot on how well we take care of it and how much importance we give to keeping it healthy and stable.

What exactly is mental well-being?

It refers to a mental state where you are balanced, secure and in complete control of your mental responses. These responses are nothing but your emotions, your reactions and your decision making power. It’s important for you to understand yourself, your mental needs and your feelings first before you look for answers elsewhere. Believe it or not, mental well-being can be a major factor that shapes up a person’s personality and their future in many ways.

How?

A happy person, or rather an optimistic person, usually has a very positive and hopeful personality. They tend to look for the silver lining in even the worst situations and do not struggle with coming to decisions.

Now, let’s talk about a person who has a sad or aggressive demeanor. Their state of mind is more negative than positive, and can directly affect their outlook on life as well. As a personality, a negative person finds it harder to look at the brighter side of things.

Of course, there are those who are rather neutral with their emotions. Such people are usually more balanced with their thoughts and do not have very strong emotional responses to any given situation.

Now, the objective here is not to label any mindset as “good” or “bad”, but to highlight the fact that we are all innately different in the mind, so it’s important for each of us to understand our mental needs well.

Is it possible for you to improve your own mental well-being and be responsible for having a healthy mind? Definitely.

Here are some important tips you need to know about improving your mental well-being:

1. It’s your choice

The need to take a step towards improving your mental state and health should come from within you; an initiative that stems de your own interests and ideals. Self-motivated improvement is the most effective form of improvement, which also has more value and meaning attached to it. Getting to the bottom of your motivation, you have to be the one holding your own flag of progress.

Is it your choice to improve your mind’s health? Are you the driver and protector of your of your mental state? If yes, then you know that you’re on the right path.

2. What motivates you?

You have to be aware of what are your reasons to improve your wellness. Each of us perceive motivation is different ways. For some, it’s all about discovering themselves. For others, it’s all about growing past mistakes and flaws and becoming more evolved individuals. Well, whatever your reason might be, it has to be one that is concrete enough to keep you going. A motivated and inspired mind is one that is easier to shape, easier to build on and also easier to work with. Have your reasons charted out for you, and you’ll be traveling in the right direction.

3. Loving yourself

Self-love can be healing and is the perfect catalyst for the growth of a happy and healthy mind. When you love yourself enough, your wellness automatically becomes a top priority. Self-love is not about being selfish or having a one-track mind; it’s all about being sure of how important you are to yourself. On a priority list, you need to mention yourself too. Self-love should seem like an easy feeling, but a lot of us struggle with it. Hence, sometimes you need to make a conscious effort to say “I love myself”.

4. Know what you want

Your goals need to be clear, and your mind won’t have to feel clustered or stressed at any point. Even if you have to write it down, do it, but remember to declutter your mind and keep it like an empty canvas that will allow improvements, growth and positive changes.

5. Say “yes” to better cognition

Using Nootropics for cognitive enhancement and better performance might just be a good idea, if you’re willing to give it a shot. These drugs are specifically meant to improve your mental health and keep your brain in an alert and active state, which is good for your mental growth.

Your mind is your jewel, one that you need to take utmost care of. And, before you move into finding ways and remedies to improve your mental state, you need to make sure that you’re in full control of your mind and its responses.

 

You’ve read 5 Things You Need To Know About Improving Your Mental Well-Being, 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 3 Tips From An Introvert On How To Improve Your Relationships, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by jerks.

I have been a social introvert for as long as I can remember. You know, I always preferred the company of my family and that of my close friends. Meeting someone new meant sweaty palms, an increased heart rate, and the occasional embarrassing blunder. After it kept me from taking advantage of opportunities and from meeting new people for years, I decided that something had to be done.

Assume Responsibility For Your Behavior

One thing that I used to tell myself, again and again, was that I was unlucky when it came to meeting the “right people”. This included people at work, the few acquaintances I had, and one failed relationship after another. All that changed when I started assuming responsibility for my behavior and for the people that I met.

You see, you attract people through your behavior. Yes, you are correct, Lady Luck also has a hand in it. But, if you go bar hopping, you are more likely to find other bar hoppers. It might get you a little bit of temporary excitement, but it rarely leads to something more meaningful. If you lack self-esteem, you are more likely to be taken for a ride by a control freak that will exploit your vulnerability.

Once you start to assume responsibility for who you are and how you feel, things change. You realize that you are in control of how you feel, where you go and who you meet. You are more likely to meet people that you’ll actually enjoy as friends. You get a lot more lucrative opportunities and you will not hesitate to take advantage of them.

 Stop Caring So Much

I have literally spent tens, if not hundreds of hours worrying about what other people thought. Any inquisitive glance thrown my way made me wonder if there was something wrong with my hair, the way I looked or the way I behaved. After I worked up the courage to ask a few people about the way they looked at me, I realized that some, if not most of those looks where admiring, thoughtful or just unintentional.

You should avoid being rude, overly sarcastic or even arrogant. Some people use that as a defense mechanism. On the other side of the spectrum, caring too much about things that other people see as trivial matters is going to take you nowhere good. Unless you are in a position of power or influence, you cannot change millions of other people to be more like what you expect them to be. Most of the time, you can only change yourself.

Manage Your Expectations

My childhood was spent reading adventure novels. A good book, with mixed flavors of mystery, romance and adventure could keep me occupied for hours. At that time, most of the things that I knew about social behavior, human interaction and relationships came from those books. You can probably imagine how big of a shock was when I first started living on my own.

Expectations are what usually what trigger dissatisfaction, anxiety, or even depression. Let’s suppose that your significant other ends up stealing the few inherited pieces of jewelry that you have, pawns it and gambles the money away. You are naturally going to be very angry and hurt because you expected your partner to behave better. This example is a double-edged sword and it was meant to be that way.

There are expectations that are the result of the rules that make up the foundation of our society. You know, such as not stealing, not hurting other people, etc. These rules are usually respected and enforced, but that shouldn’t trigger a false sense of security in you. It is better to stay a little bit more alert, as a habit, than to become a victim.

For the other type of expectations, let’s go through a little exercise.

1. Imagine that you acquired the things that you dream about. You know, not fortunes and everlasting fame, because you are not a greedy person and you do not want those things just for the sake of having them. I am talking about a loving spouse, a few beautiful children, a big house in a cozy neighborhood, brand new SUV, good job with a more-than-comfortable income.
2. Now imagine that you do not have ALL of those things. You still have a loving spouse, a few beautiful children, but you struggle with your job and income, you live in a 1-bedroom apartment and drive a second-hand, older car.

Correct me if I am wrong, but if you expect to someday to have everything listed in point 1 these are your options:

• Postpone your happiness until you can get everything in point 1 and more. You will feel miserable because you do not have it yet and those feelings are likely to transmit to your family
• Appreciate what you already have and work hard to get more. Even in the eventuality that you fail getting that big house, you are still happy, because you already had what really matters

Practicing gratitude is a trendy tactic that helps people break free of depression and live a happier, fuller life. You should give it a try because it really works.

However, when I hear the words “appreciate what you already have”, I get a little bit scared sometimes. I am afraid of not settling for less than I can get. I am afraid of not becoming the most that I can be during my lifetime. But I also refuse to let expectations that might be hard to get prevent me from seeing what I already have and how truly blessed I am.

You’ve read 3 Tips From An Introvert On How To Improve Your Relationships, 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 may going through agonizing circumstances in your life right now.

Your romantic relationships or marriage could be tearing at the seams and you may not be able to hang on much longer.

Or some other kind of family relationship may be tearing your heart in half.

People may be making you choose sides.

Blackmailing you. Threatening you.

Giving you the silent treatment.

When emotional family drama consumes your life, it feels like everything is spinning out of control.

The very people who love you are turning your life upside down.

How do you remain sane when the emotional turmoil of your life is tearing you apart?

How do you remain above the shore when family drama and emotional turmoil are trying to sink you?

How do you stay sane when your world feels like it’s spinning out of control?

1. What you can control. I want you to remember that you can’t change anything that is happening around you. People will act out of ego, anger, resentment or greed. People around you, even close faily and spouses, will act malicious and with the desire to hurt you. You can’t control people, their actions and the circumstances you find yourself under.

2. Your primary duty. You may believe that your duty under these circumstances is to win. Or to have a strategy to combat or find some way to stand up to the nasty oppressors in your life. You may feel like your reason for living is to find a solution. It’s not. You only have one duty under these circumstances: your primary duty. Your primary duty is to cope and stay balanced while the drama is going on around you.

3. Answers will appear. You don’t need answers or need to know how everything is going to turn out. This is life. It will turn out as it’s going to turn out. You don’t have proactively or reactively do anything at this point, especially seek answers that haven’t formulated yet. Answers will come if you don’t grovel for them to appear. Answers will appear at their own time.

4. Embrace the wind. You are being tossed and turned like a dry leaf in hurricany-type storm. You can either ask why, questions the universe, get angry at the Gods or embrace the situation that you’re in. This means to embrace the things you likely hate most: change, conflict and uncertainty. If you don’t question the sequence of events or wonder why the Gods have cursed you, you’re winning. If you’re open to the rapid and unpleasant changes and are accepting them, you’re winning on the sanity front.

5. Be a fully present leaf. Your life may be a mess but you’re not a mess right now. Situations may be sticky, doom may be pending and drama may surround you every day but that doesn’t mean that this moment is ruined. In this very present moment, everything is ok. You are in no danger right this second. Everything is all right. The past has already happened and what you fear tomorrow is at this point, a figment of your mind. Fully embrace the place where you are at right now.

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Vishnu coaches professionals to discover their life purpose and do more meaningful work. For the ebook, “11 ways to discover your highest purpose and transition out of your profession”, visit www.vishnusvirtues.com

You’ve read How to Stay Sane When Your World is Spinning Out of Control, 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 Ultimate Meditation Guide, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Meditation was for many years perceived by Western cultures as “mystic mumbo jumbo” from the Orient. In fact, it’s only in the last 10 to 20 years that meditation has become a common practice in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and even parts of Europe. However, it has been practiced by the Chinese, Indians, Japanese, and other Asian cultures for thousands of years.

The benefits of meditation are undeniable:

• It improves your immune system, decreases cellular inflammation, and decreases pain.
• It reduces your risk of anxiety, depression, stress, and improves positive emotions.
• It makes you feel less lonely, increases your compassion, and promotes social connectivity and engagement.
• It improves self-control, willpower, and discipline.
• It enhances your emotion control and your ability to introspect.
• It increases your brain’s grey matter, cortical thickness, and volume in the parts of the brain that regulate emotion.
• It enhances focus, attention, memory, concentration, and multi-tasking ability.
• It improves problem-solving skills, makes you more creative, and helps you think outside the box.

The truth is that there are DOZENS of different benefits you can obtain through daily practice. But don’t think that it is something you have to practice for hours every day. Meditation techniques can last for seconds, minutes, or hours. Each person’s practice is unique and tailored to them.

Below, we’ve got your complete guide to meditation for beginners. We’ll answer questions like “what is meditation”, show you how to meditate, teach you a few meditation techniques, share meditation tips and tricks, and even get into the various types of meditation you can try. By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to give meditation a try for yourself!

What is Meditation?

There are so many definitions of the word “meditation”. Let’s take a look at a few of the more common ones:

“Meditation is a practice where an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself.” – Wikipedia

“Meditation is a means of transforming the mind…techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things.” – The Buddhist Centre

“Meditation means ‘a cessation of the thought process’ . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns.” – Health and Yoga

“Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state.” – Yoga International

A lot of different definitions, but they all point to the same fact: meditation is a way to improve the mind, enhance consciousness, and transform the mind.

The Many Types of Meditation

Meditation is present in ancient cultures, and it is an integral part of Buddhism, Yoga, Hinduism, and Chinese culture. There are many types of meditation you can practice, each with their own unique elements and focus. Below, we’ll take a look at a few of the more common ones:

Buddhist Meditation

Zen meditation, also known as “zazen”, is an integral part of Japanese Zen Buddhism. It originated in India, but became a common practice in the Japanese culture.

“Zazen” means “seated meditation”, and is practiced in a seated position. Practitioners sit either on the floor (in the half-lotus or lotus position) or in a comfortable chair. The posture is important: sit straight, keep your head up, close your mouth, and keep your eyes lowered.

There are two ways to practice this type of meditation:

1. Shikantaza – This is also known as “just sitting”, and is a meditative practice of remaining in the present while observing objects around you. You observe your thoughts and emotions as well, without dwelling on anything specific.
2. Focusing on Breath – This is a practice of focusing on breathing patterns, using a sequence of breaths and counting inhalations and exhalations. Counting helps to keep you focused on the practice and reduces distractions.

Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana Meditation is another form of Buddhist meditation popular in India. Its focus is on the mind-body connection, paying attention to the physical sensations running through your body. It’s another observation-based form of meditation, a mindfulness meditation (which is used by holistic healers for mindfulness based stress reduction therapy).

Loving Kindness Meditation

Metta bhavana, also known as “compassion meditation” or “loving Kindness meditation”, is another form of Buddhist meditation commonly practiced in India. Metta meditation uses mental repetition of phrases like “May I be happy” and “May I be healthy and strong” to develop compassion and improve mood. The practice starts with directing these phrases at oneself, then moving on to others (family, friends, “neutral” people, difficult people) and eventually to the world/universe at large.

Hindu Meditation

When we think of Hindu meditation, most of us immediately picture Mantra meditation (or “Om meditation”). The repetition of mantras or the chanting of “Oms” is a common practice in Hindu meditative practice.

The repetition of the mantra is intended to deepen awareness, disconnecting you from your thoughts and putting you into a sort of meditative trance/relaxed state.

Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation is a sub-type of mantra meditation. It’s practiced for 15-20 minutes per day, and the mantras repeated are Tantric names of the Hindu gods. It’s a more “mystical” type of meditative practice, one with deep roots in the Hindu religion.

Yoga Meditation

Every type of Yoga practiced involves some form of meditation (usually paired with the Pranayama breathing techniques), but there are a few types of Yoga that place greater emphasis on meditation. Some of the Yoga-specific meditative practices include:

• Kundalini Meditation – This type of meditation is based around the belief that the “kundalini energy core” is located in the base of the spine. The asanas (physical poses) of Kundalini Yoga practice are intended to tap into this energy.
• Gazing Meditation – This is often included at the end of a Yoga session. The practitioner sits in a comfortable position and fixes their gaze on a specific object—usually a candle. The eyes remain open as the practitioner focuses their gaze on that object. Even when their eyes close, the object must remain fixed in their mind’s eye. It’s a practice intended to develop focus and block out the world.
• Chakra Meditation – Hinduism teaches that there are 7 chakras, or “energy centers”, in the body: root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra. The meditative practices are intended to activate the chakras and release the energy. This type of meditation is often practiced after a Yoga session, and involves chanting mantras for each chakra.
• Third Eye Meditation – This type of meditation focuses on the “third eye”, or ajna chakra, the spot between your eyebrows that has traditionally been considered the “eye into the spiritual”. It’s a form of mindfulness meditation that involves repeating mantras, and it can be practiced with eyes open or closed.
• Sound Meditation – Also known as “Nada Yoga”, sound meditation is a type of meditative practice that uses external sounds (soothing music, sounds of nature, etc.) to draw the attention of the practitioners. By focusing on external sounds, it’s believed to enable the hearing of “inner sounds” in the body. The goal is to hear a sound without vibration, the “Ultimate Sound”, the OM.
• Kriya Yoga – This is a set of breathing, meditation, and energization exercises intended as a devotional practice, for those who want to explore the spiritual aspects of Yoga and meditation.

Tantra Meditation

Tantra meditation is often erroneously equated with sex, but it is actually a series of meditative exercises that merge the mind with the senses, exist in the present moment, and concentrate on specific objects. There are over 100 different types of Tantra meditation, none of which involve ritualized sex.

Pranayama Meditation

Pranyama meditation is a type of Hindu meditation that focuses on regulating breathing patterns. It’s less a form of ritualized meditation than it is basic mindfulness practice. The simple breathing patterns (counting each inhalation and exhalation) helps to focus the mind inward, balances the mood, and calms the body down. It’s an integral part of all Yoga practices.

Chinese Meditation

Meditation has been an integral part of Chinese culture for well over 1,000 years. Daoism was influenced by Buddhist meditative practices, and includes techniques that focuses on circulating, generating, transforming, and accessing the “qi” or “chi”—the body’s internal energy.

Emptiness Meditation – This practice involves sitting quietly and emptying your mind of all images in order to “forget everything”. This is done with the goal of experiencing inner peace and quietude.

Neiguan – Also known as “inner observation”, this is a form of mindfulness meditation that involves visualization of the body, mind, organs, inner movements, and thought processes. It’s intended to “acquaint you with your body”.

Breathing Meditation – This is similar to Hindu Pranayama meditation. The practice uses either mindfulness techniques or breathing patterns to “focus the vital breath”.

The meditation posture for most Chinese meditation practices are the same as Buddhist meditation postures: sitting on the floor or in a chair, with your spine erect and eyes closed.

Qigong

Qigong, also known as “chi kung”, “chi gong”, or “qi gong” is the Chinese word for “life energy cultivation”. It’s a type of mind-body practice included in martial arts training and meditative practices.

It typically includes:

• Slow body movement (like Tai Chi)
• Regulated breathing
• Inner focus

It uses many Daoist meditative techniques, focusing on the “qi” or “chi” in the body. There are thousands of Qigong exercises and more than 80 different breathing techniques. Some are used only for martial arts, while others are used for meditation healing or spiritual cultivation.

 

Modern Guided Meditation

Guided meditation is a much more modern form of meditation, one intended for a busier life. It uses auditory stimulus (sounds of nature, binaural beats or binaural music, or even spoken instructions) to “guide” the practitioner through meditative techniques.

Traditional Meditations – These are audio recordings with a teacher or instructor to guide you through to a meditative state. The exercises are often rooted in Buddhist or Hindu techniques.

Yoga Nidra – This is a series of exercises using Yoga meditative techniques to help you fall asleep at night. For those with insomnia, this type of sleep meditation can be an excellent option.

Guided Imagery – Guided imagery uses “focus meditation” to help you imagine or visualize objects or guide you through a mental journey. It’s usually used for relaxation purposes, but it can often be a way to promote emotional and mental healing.

Binaural Beats — Binaural beats have been in practice since the 1840s, using signals of two different frequencies (alpha waves and beta waves) to initiate a meditative state. The binaural music uses that brainwave differences to promote easier meditation.

Affirmations – Affirmations are intended to imprint a positive message in your mind. They’re usually paired with guided imagery and other relaxation techniques.

Relaxations/Body Scans – These help to relax your body, bringing calmness and peace. They’re ideal for those with insomnia or pain, as they can reduce pain and discomfort and promote sleepiness.

 

Wow, that’s A LOT of different types of meditation!

The truth is that meditation comes in many shapes and forms, and each has its own benefits. It’s worth researching more into each type to see which one suits your personality, lifestyle, and practice habits best.

 

How to Meditate

If only it was as easy as a 3-step guide to meditation!

The truth is that everyone has to find their own way to meditate. They have to find the type of meditative practice and techniques that work for them. That means experimenting with the different meditation techniques and types listed above. There is no “one size fits all” approach to meditation.

One explanation that many people find helpful comes from the Brahma Kumaris Centre. Basically, it divides meditation into five steps:

Step 1: Relaxation – You have to start off by relaxing your body and mind. This helps to eliminate stress and gets you in the frame of mind to meditate.

Step 2: Concentration – Once you’re relaxed, concentration will help you go deeper into your mind and body. You can focus on your thoughts, feelings, emotions, the sensations of your body, your breathing, or the mantra you’re chanting.

Step 3: Contemplation – As you go deeper, you are able to contemplate your inner world, your values, your desires, and more. It’s a study of the subconscious without coming out of the meditative state.

Step 4: Realization – When you understand the way you feel, you experience a deeper reality, one with greater meaning.

Step 5: Meditation –The final step is the awakening of the inner you, putting you in a sense of well-being, peace, and happiness.

Not all meditative practices follow this process, but it gives an interesting insight into how meditation slowly pulls you deep until you reach that “inner being”.

Meditation for Beginners

You don’t have to sign up for classes or take a spiritual journey to India or China. You can practice some basics techniques without leaving your house or even standing up from your chair.

Mindfulness Meditation

To begin, get in a comfortable position. Sit or lie down, and make sure your head, neck, back, and knees are all properly aligned.

Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Count to four for the inhalation, and again to four to exhale. Continue this breathing pattern.

As you breathe in and out, pay attention to the sensations of your body. Feel your ribs expanding your chest rising, and the rush of blood that follows each inhalation. Let the sensations fill your thoughts.

Do this for 3-5 minutes, then open your eyes. You’ve just meditated!

Gazing Meditation

Light a candle and set it in the desk in front of you. Sit in your chair in a comfortable position.

Focus your eyes on the candle, and watch the dancing, moving light. Resist the temptation to look anywhere else.

Control your breathing, counting to four with each inhalation and exhalation. After a minute, you’ll settle into a rhythm and won’t need to keep counting.

If any thoughts pop into your head, feed them to the flame. Use the candle flame to keep your mind clear.

Stare at the candle for 3-5 minutes, or as long as you want to complete the meditation.

 

These are just two basic meditations to try, but there are SO MANY more. You can find amazing resources online, or you can attend your nearest meditation center or Yoga studio to learn more about the various types of meditation. The more you learn, the easier it will be to find a type of that works for you.

Meditation Tips

If you want to make your meditation as relaxing and effective as possible, here are a few tips to help you do it right:

• Do it at the right time of day. Perhaps it’s easier to meditate first thing in the morning or last thing before bed. Some people prefer to meditate in the middle of a busy day when they need to clear their minds of stress. Find the time of day that works best for you, and stick with that time every day. Repetition is the key to more effective meditation.
• Start small. Very few people can meditate for hours on their first try. Most will be able to sit for a few minutes at first, and slowly increase their meditation time as they practice. Start with just 5-10 minutes per day. Don’t stress if you can’t meditate for longer. It will come with time.
• Don’t stress about it. Stop worrying about “how” to meditate, but just start doing it. If thoughts pop into your mind, don’t worry about keeping your mind totally clear. Just keep being in the moment and allowing your mind and body to relax and simply “be”. Worry makes it much harder to meditate.
• Get to know yourself. Find out when you get the best meditation times, what type of meditation works best, and how you’re most comfortable. Meditation is meant to give you a deeper understanding of both your mind and body.
• Wear comfortable clothes. You should try to wear clothing that is loose, flowing, and comfortable. If it’s cold out, bundle up so you’re warm. In the summer heat, wear clothes that keep you cool.
• Choose the right surroundings. You need to find a place to meditate that is quiet and free of distractions. Smells can enhance or detract from the meditation, so you may want to light a candle or incense to block outside scents. If light draws your attention, try meditating in a dark room. Choose the surroundings that help to bring peace to your mind and body.
• Do it every day. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it will make “permanent”. Your mind is a muscle, one that grows stronger with practice. The more you meditate, the easier it will become. You’ll find that daily practice allows you to clear your mind and focus on your inner being with less effort over time.

 

The beauty of meditation is that there isn’t just “one path to inner peace”. As you’ve seen above, there are dozens of ways for you to relax, clear your mind, and get in touch with your inner being. The benefits of meditation are undeniable, so it’s worth a try if you want to improve your mind and body. The more you try, the more you will understand the meditation techniques that work best for you.

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Jessica is blogging over at Her Infinity, their goal is to provide authentic, smart and meaningful content. With a wide span of categories they are covering health, wellness, career, nutrition and more. They encourage everyone to shine and spread positivity into the world.

You’ve read The Ultimate Meditation Guide, 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 a Tremor of Truth?, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

My courage is faith—faith in the eternal resilience of me—that joy’ll come back, and hope and spontaneity. —F. Scott Fitzgerald

At this writing, I can bench press 150 pounds. It wasn’t easy. I put everything I had into it. My personal trainer kept saying, “Let me see your tremor of truth.” Raising an eyebrow at her, I grunted and trembled and sweated before reaching the goal, but I got there. She explained later that the phrase “tremor of truth” is used in physical fitness circles when we push ourselves to the max. Lifting weights, we grimace as a tremor of unease shoots through the body. Our arm muscles quiver during pushups. Our legs tremble with exhaustion running a marathon. The brain says we can’t do it, but just as grass grows through concrete, we persevere, discovering mental and physical reserves we didn’t know we had. And just before giving up, we push through the challenge.

So what does working out have to do with writing? Some literary agents say the number one key to writing success—even more important than good writing—is resilience, dogged determination in the face of disappointment. Tremor of truth builds muscles on the physical plane and a growth mindset on the psychological plane. Meteoric writing obstacles often seem too great, as if we’re pushing through relentless steel, a vein of encased ore: an impossible deadline, a heartbreaking rejection, impassible writer’s block, a lousy review, sounds of crickets at book signings, or the rumble of our own self-doubt. Sometimes the setbacks make it too hard to bounce back. The hole feels too deep, too dark, the disillusionment too wide and overwhelming.

Over time rejections and disappointments nibble away at us like torture from half a million cuts. It starts to feel as if we’re bleeding to death and can’t tolerate one more slash. Statistics say more of us have the stamina to continue to take safety risks after a car crash than to continue after a series of psychological defeats. After repeated failure, many writers throw in the towel to avoid more disappointment. Attempts to bring quick relief to the misery of defeat rob us of knowing what missed opportunities lay beyond the barrier. This impulsive reaction—scientists call it the what-the-hell effect—is a way out: permission to give up. Adding insult to injury, we seek comfort in the very thing we’re trying to conquer: writing failure.

Although growth as a writer is painful, it can be even more painful to remain tight in a secure little nest. Craft alone won’t carry us through the massive writing hurdles. When we’re knocked down in the writing arena, the heartbreak slams the wind out of us. Our faces marred by dust and sweat and blood, we push ourselves up on our scabby knees stagger to our feet, and summon the courage to try again. Just when we’re ready to give up, one more tremor unearths a second wind and a vein of resilience that we didn’t know we had. A sudden jolt sizzles through us, and we’re fueled with pit-bull determination. One extra push and we plough through the smackdown moments that had brought us to our knees, moving over the finish line.

You can build a growth mindset by waiting for your reserves to kick in and learning how much more you’re capable of. If you give up too soon, you’ll never know if you had it in you to pull it off. And that’s a tough unknown to live with. In the heat of the moment, ask if you’re pushing hard and far enough through the gray mist of uncertainty. Or do you need to amp up your efforts? And how far do you stretch before reaching your breaking point? Most of us can go farther than we think we can. The term “springback” refers to a process when metal returns to its original shape after undergoing compression and tension (stretching). We, too, have an elastic limit to which we can stretch to a certain point before returning to our original shape. Springback moments happen after failure, mistakes, or hopelessness over seemingly impossible odds, preventing us from giving up on our writing dreams, no matter how improbable they seem.

Here are ways your “tremor of truth” can mine the hidden reserves you didn’t know you had—golden opportunities to cultivate a growth mindset and push through veins of writing hardships:

1. Grow thick skin and expect writing rejections and setbacks. Commit yourself in advance to facing the many smackdowns you will encounter like all successful writers before you.
2. Ditch the desire for comfort and step into writing’s growth pains. Be willing to go to the edge of your emotional pain so you can be fully present with what lays beyond the barrier.
3. Cultivate creative sustainability. Think of yourself as an elastic band that bends and stretches to a certain point before you spring back higher than you fall.
4. Turn roadblocks into steppingstones. Pinpoint opportunity contained in difficulty. Make it a goal to use negative writing challenges—no matter how painful, frustrating, big or small—as lessons from which to learn. Ask, “What can I manage or overcome here?” or “How can I turn this matter around to my advantage?”
5. Refer to previous experience. Reflect on past writing obstacles you’ve overcome. Point to lessons learned and underscore ways you have grown stronger through writing’s hard knocks.
6. Take risks. Find that one place in your writing where you’ve been hiding, then stick your neck out from your comfort zone. Ask what edge you can go to in your writing. Seek out risky writing experiences that help you bloom instead of low-risk situations that keep you safe in a bud.
7. Identify self-doubts that have cramped your writing style or crippled you from growing fully as a writer. Harness them—instead of running from them—and channel them into useful writing so they don’t paralyze you.
8. Stay off the roller coaster. Manage the ups-and-downs of your writing practice by treating highs and lows equally. Celebrate the highs but don’t take them anymore seriously than the lows, and don’t take downturns anymore seriously than upswings.
9. Eschew the what-the-hell effect. This attitude only adds insult to injury. Face writing letdowns by taking the towel you want to throw in and use it to wipe the sweat off your face then hop back into your writing saddle.
10. Stop throwing the book at yourself and catch yourself when you fall. After a setback or discouraging situation, we bounce back to our writing quicker when we support ourselves with loving-kindness. Instead of kicking yourself when you’re down, be on your own side, wish yourself well, and be your best advocate as you progress on your writing journey.

You’ve read What is a Tremor of Truth?, 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 Things Successful People Refuse To Do, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

I like to think that there is a meaning to life, in the sense that finding purpose and striving to reach that level of fulfillment becomes part of daily routine. Living just for the sake of it, without wanting to reach greatness will lead to regret later in life when you realize that so much time has passed without doing nothing.

When thinking about successful people, it doesn’t necessarily translate to “industry big-shots”. People that have discovered their life purpose and stick to it are already walking “the road of success”. I would like to point out the I have purposefully used “of” instead of “to” in order to point out that success is not a destination, but rather a path. Something that sticks with us.

Indeed, successful people constantly enrich their lives, but there’s more to that: knowing what to include, when to exclude and how to control their inner voice. Let’s see a few examples of situations in which saying no is beneficial.

They don’t allow other people to drag them down

You won’t get far surrounded with the wrong people. When choosing to make a change, some people in your life can be a hinderance and distract you from reaching your goals.

Colleagues, friends and even family can negatively impact your motivation when you express your dreams and aspirations. They may say things like “You can’t do it” or “Others have tried and failed”. Being surrounded with people that don’t believe in you will ultimately lead to you not believing in yourself, which will sabotage your endeavors. That doesn’t mean that you must cut them out. Simply drawing a line between them and “the road” will do.

On the other hand, having around positive people that share your vision and support your ambitions is great and will make your life happier.

They don’t allow other people to dictate their path

As long as you don’t have a purpose or a dream to follow, you’ll surely be part of other people’s plans. Successful people follow their own road and aren’t caught up in activities that have nothing to do with their own purpose.

The main reason for not getting caught up in activities that aren’t worth it is quite simple. It’s because time is our most valuable resource and, unfortunately, is quite limited.

They don’t give up on their dreams, even when faced with failure

Oftentimes, the fear of failure can make lots of people give up what they’re doing.

Unfortunately, most of us are programmed by school and society to feel ashamed whenever we fail. Thus, the fear of failure dictates our choices and reduces our willingness to face the risks that come with embarking on the road of success.

Failure is, in fact, the natural way of growing. Successful people are aware of this and view failure as a stepping stone.

They refuse to limit their dreams

Setting high expectations will give you a vision regarding how your life will look like if you take the right steps. This trait is obvious in many people that have excelled and achieved truly great feats in life. Freddie Mercury knew that he won’t be merely a rock star, “I will be a legend”, as he famously stated. Steve Jobs knew the power of high expectations and used this idea to craft one of the most famous ads that reflect Apple’s mission, famously stating that “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

They refuse to get caught up in insignificant tasks

Successful people know what’s important for them and don’t work just for the sake of it. This can be tricky because it’s easy to lose sight and get caught up in repetitive tasks. Successful people prefer finding ways to boost productivity or delegate when things get too crowded.

They never stop learning

Successful people are aware that knowledge is power. Your level of expertise regarding a topic is very important if you are to achieve something truly great. Also, being knowledgeable regarding a wide range of topics will boost your chances of

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Michael Schoeff is an entrepreneur involved in a significant number of projects. Writing about success helps him be in tune with his purpose.

You’ve read 6 Things Successful People Refuse To Do, 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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