Establishing Strong Meditation Habits

Creating new habits isn’t easy and getting into the habit of meditating regularly is no different. Yet taking the time to establish this habit of daily meditation has so many benefits that carry into all aspects of your life. You’ll feel calmer and more collected. You’ll be able to concentrate better, show more patience, and live in the moment. Meditation is even good for your health and can help reduce stress. In short, making meditation a habit is a very good idea. 

 

Here are a few tips to help you get there. 

 

Make It Part Of Your Routine 

 

It’s much easier to create a new habit when you make it part of your daily routine. This is why meditating first thing in the morning works so well. Your daily meditation becomes part of what you do to get ready in the morning. Try meditating after you get out of the shower or even before you get out of bed in the morning. Set your alarm to go off 10 minutes earlier and start your day with a short meditation session. Since it is part of an already established routine, it will quickly become a habit. 

 

Stick To The Same Time And Set An Alert 

 

If including your daily meditation practice into an existing routine isn’t an option, make a new one. It’s helpful to stick to roughly the same time each day when establishing a new habit. In the beginning, you may find it difficult to get into the swing of things so set an alert on your phone to remind you to meditate.

 

Another helpful tip is to commit to this new meditation habit for 30 days. Check them off on a calendar and do what you can not to miss a day. At the end of the 30 days, you will have started to establish the new habit and sticking to it going forward will be much easier. 

 

There’s An App For That 

 

Last but not least, consider using a meditation app. You can find them in the app store for your favorite mobile device and most of them are free to try. The basic version may be just what you need to start establishing the meditation habit. The apps keep things interesting with new guided meditations for each day and let you track your progress. It will also remind you to meditate with an alert on your phone. Give it a try and see if using an app helps you establish a strong meditation habit.

 

How To Start Meditating

Getting started with meditation is a lot easier than you may think. There isn’t any special equipment you need to buy or classes you should be taking. While buying a book, a guided meditation audio recording or an app for your smartphone are certainly options, you don’t even have to do that to get started. I’ll share everything you need to know to get started meditating right here in this post. 

 

Start by getting comfortable in a spot that’s as free of distractions as possible. You want to sit down either on a chair with your feet firmly planted on the ground, or sitting cross-legged on the floor. If you sit on the floor, you’ll be more comfortable if you sit on a cushion. It’s important that you can sit in whatever position you choose comfortably and that you’re keeping your back straight. Slumping may make you sleepy while you meditate, and bad posture may cause you discomfort after a while. 

 

Before we start with the actual meditation, let’s get back to distractions. In the beginning, you want to cut as many of them out as possible. Choose a quiet spot where no one will interrupt you. Turn off the ringer on your phone, close the blinds if you think it will help to create a calm and soothing space. You won’t always have to go through all this trouble to meditate because, after a little practice, you’ll be able to do the little meditation exercise I’m about to share with you anytime, anywhere. But like any new skill, meditating can be a little hard in the beginning. It sounds simple enough, but it’s easy to get distracted. That’s why it’s important to set yourself up for success by cutting out any distractions you can. 

 

Here’s how to meditate. Sit down, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Notice how the air flows in and out of your nose and mouth. Try to think of nothing else. This is the hard part and something that takes practice. Start meditating for a few minutes here and there and increase the time as you move along. Don’t judge yourself when your thoughts stray. Keep bringing yourself back to the sensation of the breath anytime you notice that you’re thinking of something else. 

 

That’s all there’s to it. Getting started with meditation is simple, but like any new skill, it takes practice. Be patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Stick with it and keep practicing these new meditation skills. You’ll be glad you did.

 

The Smart Way To Smarter Brain 4 (Infographic)

The Smart Way To Smarter Brain 3 (Infographic)

The Smart Way To Smarter Brain 2 (Infographic)

 

The Smart Way To Smarter Brain 1 (Infographic)

Why Do You Need To Learn To Focus?

Mind power is undeniably powerful but it is principally unproductive without another constituent –focus. Our energies must be well channelized in the correct order to make them more functional. Unlike nature’s powers which cannot be caged and deflected, the human mind is free and more potent than any other power around us. It is extremely painful to see a person with potential, squander the possibility of a successful existence and end up living an average life. Our cognitive powers are ineffectual unless we learn how to focus on our goals and build up positive energy. The first step to learn how to focus is indulging in unwavering concentration. In actual fact focus is nothing but protracted concentration.

 

Focus is very important for people looking to lose weight. Spending all the time thinking about junk binging is a constant worry which most people find hard to deal with. There are four ways which will be of assistance to you to focus on weight control

 

• Focus hard and picture yourself thin – Before starting with a work out plan frame a picture of your slim body and bear it in mind recurrently. Remember, no one can underestimate your mind power.

• Eat neat – Focus on your eating habits and food weaknesses. Don’t let any temptations overpower your self-control.

• Acknowledge help – Do not be hesitant to accept positive reinforcement and never avoid a question even if it hurts as it will help you to become stronger in your efforts.

• Be your best buddy – Focus well on your strengths and weaknesses and let yourself down. Take pride in what you are and what you stand for.

 

When you try to solve a jigsaw puzzle, what is important? It is purely with focus that you can put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Our lives are similar to that puzzle and ultimately, we get what we focus on.

 

Focus On Strengths Not Weaknesses

At job interviews we are often asked a question that, what actions we have taken in the past to improve our weaknesses and we wonder why the interviewer can’t ask about our achievements. The answer is simple; he wants to know how well we have learnt to focus on our strengths and not wasted time and energy on the weaknesses. People are often taught that in order to be successful, they have to overcome those tasks and incapacities which they battle to perform. All historical, corporate, sports and science geniuses have focused merely on building their strong points. These masterminds are considered epitome of wishful thinking and not only have they been triumphant in their fields, they have set an example that one should love to accomplish his goals.

 

You should have the nerve to follow your heart and instincts. If you really want to be thriving, your focus should not be on attempting to amend those areas which characterize our weaknesses. It takes away from us, vigor, time and labors from chasing what should be our actual goals. Life is quite short to be lived like someone else’s. If we observe noticeably there are people around us who have shaped their lives based on the strengths they hold. The ideal place to begin a similar journey is to look into our own strengths and which will unquestionably lead us to a greater sense of success, contentment and delight in our lives.

 

Once you locate the areas where you can attain the most, it becomes easier to pursue those areas and contribute positive energy on the whole. This enables you to face challenges despite hardships and do the work which you love doing and outshine others with. However it does not mean that you totally neglect your weaknesses. Explore the hidden skills within you, you never know it may be one of your weaknesses!

 

Solve Your Life’s Problems Calmly

Time and again, we come across several issues regarding health, family, relationships, job etc. Sometimes we find a provisional solution to such problems and feel contend that they have vanished forever. Why is meditative thinking and chanting considered a practical and passive therapy to resolve life’s major concerns? It is so, because; contemplative thinking reroutes our minds from the negative to positive. The feelings of resentment, apprehension, rebel and envy paralyse our efforts to solve issues between friends, companions, colleagues and even our own conscience. Focusing through meditation is highly productive and enlightening which is why it is believed that life’s biggest troubles are sorted submissively.

 

If your child is experiencing problems with studies, don’t try to force him to learn how to focus on his assignment. Instead, be cool, calm and collected in helping him build his concentration power. Teach them tolerantly, how to focus on schoolwork and put aside the ‘daydreaming’ for the future! You also need to create an atmosphere at home so that your child does his homework with attentiveness. The setting should have educational wall charts, comfortable desks, less traffic and clatter. TV is a big distraction for kids and you have to ensure that your kid will fail to focus when TV is viewed at the background.

 

It is a must that you develop patience to deal with life’s problems. When we experience repeated failure, we give up saying’ ‘maybe this was not my destiny’. Truthfully speaking, it is a cover up on our lack of patience as we give up too quickly without focusing on how to be tolerant. Being satisfied with second-rate results is not the answer to long-standing success. Our thoughts and actions have to be well planned out and precise with appropriate progress of the focal point. With firmness in your thoughts, you can acquire stupendous success even after a series of failures.

 

Learning to Focus is Like Learning to Win

Being capable to focus appropriately and to concentrate and isolate your precise goal is an indispensable feature of success. Just like an inadequately presented TV channel gives out low quality images, an unfocussed psyche results in reduced outcomes. By focusing on your goal you can obtain finely tuned visualization and desires rather than sheer visions and desires. Have you ever wondered why practice makes a man perfect? The secret to perfection is constant focus and absorption of the defined targets. It depends wholly on how you choose to achieve those targets. Some prefer to go slow and steady, while some want to take the short cut to success. Those who shun the short cut and pay detailed attention to work on their strengths to shape them into building blocks to success are the last winners.

 

Focusing on proper scheduling and usual practice is fundamental to realize quick success. You must know that success does not happen overnight and requires long-drawn-out practice with persistence, hard work and willpower. For instance if your ultimate goal in life is to become a famous guitarist, you need to devote at least one hour of practice every day with a ten minutes break to re-energize yourself. Exploring your passion is a must as, without knowing your passion your body is a mere vessel without a soul. If your soul lies in playing the guitar then choose the genre of songs you like to play the most and make practice a pleasant experience!

 

Sometime we cannot choose to focus on something, we necessarily have to. It depends on the frame of mind we are in and the circumstances around us. That is why you must always be with encouraging people, sharing constructive thoughts and learning positive things. So be around cheerful people, focus on the right things and let your versatility not go waste.

 

Make Your Brain Work Faster Than Ever

It is evenly important to exercise the brain like other body parts. If your brain is not energized then it is apparent that you start losing focus. Nevertheless, when you learn the facts you will be provoked to involve yourself in activities that train your brain. These activities are simply one of the finest ways to invigorate a weary brain, build focus and rouse it simultaneously. Constant worry can influence the brain in a multiplicity of unhelpful ways and is a massive problem for scores of people. You can keep your mind sharp by keeping it lively. It is said by neurological experts that the brain keeps changing and learning irrespective of age. Truthfully, as we turn older our subconscious skills tend to diminish, lowering our concentration power.

 

As you grow, have you noticed that it is difficult to recollect certain details in a book as you finish reading it? It happens when you find it hard to pay notice to things going on around you as your brain is having obscurity staying focused on a task. People who often indulge in multi tasking experience a hard time keeping focused on one task when the need crops up. Such people have automated their mind to do a variety of jobs, concurrently. By indulging in a range of exercises your brain will begin to see an up-gradation in your dispensation speed. You will start comprehending things faster and in the first shot and it will seem like someone has flicked a switch within you. 

 

Meditation is a very good way of exercising the brain, if you do not want to lose your cognitive abilities and instead make them sharper, you have to determine the ways to keep your mind healthy. A good source of finding out more of these exercises is the internet. This includes exercises to boost IQ and creativity, pacing up brain processing and memory enhancement.

 

How to Speed Read

Looking to save yourself time and get more done in the small amounts of time you do have in the day? 

 

Then how about trying to speed read? 

 

Speed read is the process of scanning through text while at the same time still taking in all the information. This is something some people are very good at and other people struggle with, so let’s look at some methods you can use to learn it.

 

Use a Tool

 

One easy way to learn to speed read is to try using a tool such as ‘spreader’. Spreader is a program that lets you paste a large amount of text into a website and then quickly runs through all the words, showing you one word at a time for a set duration. You can choose that duration and then by looking at the word count, the program can tell you precisely how long it will take to read that content. You can this way read a very big novel in a couple of hours!

 

Use ‘Jumps’

 

Normally we read by letting our eyes scan left to right across the page. You can speed this up though by letting your eyes ‘jump’ from one block of text to the next and by taking mental snapshots as you go.

 

When you do this, you may notice you are no longer sounding the words out to yourself but instead just trying to take the meaning in. This is a good thing – as you remove the need to mentally verbalize you can start reading with ‘unsymbolized thought’ which is much faster.

 

Time Yourself

 

Timing yourself at any task is an easy way to get quicker. Likewise, if you’re giving yourself 30 minutes to read in the evening, why not challenge yourself to see how many pages you can get through and then try to better that next time? The old saying goes: ‘that which is measured, improves’.

 

Eventually, try going just a little faster than you can comfortably understand.

 

Have a Goal

 

Often, we don’t need to read a lot of the text in an article or even a book. If you’re trying to get a specific piece of information from the text then set out with the goal of retrieving that and then look only for relevant content in the page. This is a good way to make sure that you aren’t wasting time by reading long introductions etc.

 

3 Key Things to Understand About the Law of Attraction

The law of attraction was first popularized in the 2006 movie “The Secret” by Esther and Jerry Hicks. It has had a huge impact on the mass consciousness, but there is still a large amount of confusion on its general application.

 

#1 - It’s About Vibration, Not Thoughts

 

The main idea behind the law of attraction is that people manifest their reality not through their thoughts but through their vibration. The universe will respond to the energy generated by a particular thought as opposed to the thought itself. So you need to first get yourself into a good mood somehow before you will be able to manifest the energy of what you really want. After a while, the vibration becomes the reward, and the material items just appear after the fact. 

 

#2 - Letting Go of Resistance

 

The level of internal resistance people have to the things that they want is not understood. People can have certain problems or issues, and then they create an identity of themselves out of these problems. When something comes along that is at odds with our idea of ourselves as inferior in some way, we resist. This can be observed when people win the lottery and wind up homeless 10 years later. We have to be a vibrational match to a new reality and not be attached to our former convictions. Otherwise, nothing will change. Many people are resistant to the idea of the law of attraction and will refuse to believe existence could be so simple. They will then continue to struggle believing that it is just how life is. 

 

#3 - Don’t Get Precise

 

It is important to understand the vibrational equivalent of what you want. You can have an image or a feeling about what you want that makes you feel good. But as you get more precise about how it is supposed to manifest, the universe has fewer ways that it can give it to you. There are millions of ways to get rich. But you can only possibly contemplate one or two methods which would involve years of work and labor. Consider that every successful person has vastly changed their business models. And they do so regularly. They might have a general idea about where they want to go, but they definitely innovate and change as these opportunities present themselves. So get happy and positive about the future, but don’t get too precise about how it will materialize. 

3 Ways to Gain a Comprehensive Understanding of Mind

The mind is something of a vague concept that can be hard to comprehend. Even scientists disagree on the nature of the mind and matter. But you don’t need to understand everything. You just need to know enough to further yourself and understand how you actually operate, so you can get to where you need to be. 

 

#1 - Read and Research

 

The best way to gain an understanding of the mind and of your personal inner psychology is to read and research. There are many amazing books that have been written on the art of psychology and persuasion. But it is also good to read a wide variety of literature, and you might consider reading some Buddhist or Zen material which describes the more esoteric nature of the mind. Additionally, there are some very interesting discoveries that have been made by scientific research about how the mind operates. By reading about the experience of others you can contrast them with your own thoughts and ideas. There are cultures with distinctly unique philosophies and ideas that are opposite to those in the West. Contrast is an excellent way to increase understanding and open-mindedness. 

 

#2 - Meditation

 

Meditation is the art of observing your own thoughts. It is the quickest and most widely recognized way to understand your own mind. Even if you are incredibly intelligent and successful, an ability to stand outside yourself is necessary in order for progress. Otherwise, the same habits and tendencies will simply keep repeating themselves. Outside of meditation, it is a good idea to become very strict about what you pay attention to. Do not consume words and images that are not pleasant to your mind. You will have to deal with them in meditation later. 

 

#3 - Learn From Your Emotions

 

Much has been said about the power of the mind in terms of generating our reality. The missing link in what could be arguably described as a left-brained society is the focus on feelings. Our emotions are a response to whether we are happy or sad with our current environment, in a sophisticated real-time feedback system. Emotions have been brushed aside as illogical tendencies, which is a drastic mistake. If you feel bad, it is time to change your thoughts and your situation quickly. Over time, you will gain experience with regard to how intricate the emotional system really is and how it can serve to guide your thoughts. 

 

4 Inspirational Business Leaders With Incredible Mental Strength

In order to succeed in the realm of business, mental strength is essential. All of the most well-known leaders have amazing internal resources which enables them to get handle anything life throws at them. Here are 4 of the more admirable business leaders of the 21st century. 

 

#1 - Oprah Winfrey

 

If there was ever somebody who could be said to have overcome adversity, it is Oprah Winfrey. She was born into poverty and molested as a child, giving birth to a premature child at 14 who died in infancy. Nevertheless, she became the most iconic African America women of the 21st century and still remains very relevant as a symbol of female empowerment. She becomes the first African American billionaire and did much to change popular culture and sexuality taboos. 

 

#2 - Bill Gates

 

Bill Gates is the second richest person in the world with a net worth of over $60 Billion. Gates is the creator of Microsoft and while he still sits on the board, his efforts are mainly focused towards the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates has pledged all of his fortunes away to charity instead of to his wife and children. Gates is more interested in humanitarian issues such as climate change and diseases than just technology. Early in his career, he was asked why he didn’t just give sell Microsoft and give the money to charity if he cared so much. He answered that he could make more money with Microsoft and use it to help the disadvantaged. And that is exactly what has happened. 

#3 - Donald Trump

 

While Donald Trump is something of a polarizing figure, there can be little argument that he possesses formidable mental strength. In 1999, he said that Oprah Winfrey would be his running mate for a presidential campaign. He has endured a barrage of criticism for his border wall, personal misconduct, and Russian collusion allegations. But the president has an immensely strong psychology that has endured attacks from all sides. He is also a finance magnate with a global presence in the hotel and casino industry. 

#4 - Mark Zuckerberg

 

Zuckerberg is the current CEO of Facebook and has performed very well to remain a position of power in his company, despite his youth. Under Zuckerberg, Facebook has won a large number of court battles. He also undertook a challenge to kill his own meat for a year to understand sustainable farming, which he completed. 

 

5 Proven Strategies to Increase Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a little difficult to pin down in many ways, especially with the modern-day emphasis on mental strength. While the two are inter-related, it can help to work on emotional intelligence as its own practice. There are 5 proven ways to increase emotional intelligence. 

 

#1 - Social Situations

 

Learning to handle yourself in social settings is the primary means through which emotional intelligence can be increased. Some people find social situations quite painful, but they are often the best way to excel. If you really want to fast track emotional intelligence, consider public speaking or debating. These are not merely mental practices but they will require emotional skills to execute successfully. 

 

#2 - Express Yourself

 

The majority of people do not know how to express themselves. In many ways, society teaches us to keep our emotions repressed, with a politically correct movement that prevents people from stating the truth. To offset this, learn to express yourself as much as possible. If not in a public setting, you can write or paint in ways that express how you truly feel. Expression is essential to wellbeing and its opposite, repression, will result in an unhappy lifestyle. 

 

#3 - Undertake Charitable Acts

 

While many people are focused on acquiring material possessions, studies have shown that giving away things and taking on volunteer work actually leads to increased meaning and happiness in life. Seeing how other people live in substandard conditions is an excellent way to increase emotional intelligence. It will increase your empathy and compassion. 

 

#4 - Talk Directly

 

The most direct way to increase your emotional intelligence is to find someone you are close to (such as your partner) and discuss how you feel. This will help you to understand how the other person feels and for you to release pent up frustrations. Releasing bottled up energy can assist in personal mastery, as there will be little holding you back. Good listeners are rare to find, but they are invaluable. 

 

#5 - Evaluation

 

Most people live in subjective bubbles. For example, the authoritarian manager can often have no idea how he or she comes across to others. You can evaluate how you make others feel in order to improve your emotional intelligence. Another way to evaluate your emotional intelligence is through journaling your daily experience and quiet reflection. Always remember that your relationship to yourself will be reflected in your relationship to others. 

 

How Minimalism Can Help to Clean and Strengthen the Mind

Strengthening the mind is largely viewed as an internal practice. Yet the outer environment also plays a large role in a healthy mindset. Minimalism is a relatively new phenomenon that can help to increase psychological strength in various ways. 

 

Benefits of Minimalism

 

It is easy to understand the personality of an individual by simply seeing the state of their bedroom or workspace. In many instances, these places will be disorderly with significant clutter. This is an obvious sign that the mind of the person is cluttered and messy, not organized and clear. By making a habit of cleaning our rooms and workspaces, we will have a stronger psychology and more space to make decisions. One of the easiest techniques is to simply make our beds every morning or to make a habit of keeping a tidy workspace. 

 

Minimalism can also increase revenue to a great degree. It involves cutting out what is unnecessary and focusing only on what works. This has massive implications for business and personal success. Too often, we allow thoughts, ideas, people, and materials into our space that just do not belong. By tidying the places where we most frequently visit, we get into the mindset of organization and cleanliness. We then start to tidy up other aspects of our lives. 

 

Minimalism for the Mind

 

Aside from material items, what people really need is information minimalism. All successful people reduce the information that they take in and only assimilate relevant data. People who are not so focused can spend all day online or on social media. Even the tips and tricks that they believe to be helpful on blog posts is wasted energy in most instances. Information that is not actively applied is wasted. Most of the material that people read is not actualized. 

 

To offset this, it could be a good idea to go on a data diet or reduce the time spend using modern technology. Alternatively, information channels should be streamlined or a break could be taken from social media. People need to spend more time away from technology so their minds can assimilate all the data and act on the pieces of information that are most relevant. 

 

Unsubscribe from all irrelevant emails that are cluttering up your various inboxes and undertake a digital cleanup. Online minimalism is now as important as keeping a tidy physical space.