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Instant Happiness and Addictions


Addiction does not have any boundaries. It can be in several forms. If a person eats too many hot dogs in a day, he or she will also be labeled as addicted to it. What is weird is when people associate addiction only with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, porn or sex. It's much to do with the fact that we only find those things harmful which are taught to us by the society. We never focus on the other things which make us weak and vulnerable from inside. Strangely isn't?

What is the connection between instant happiness and addiction?

Anything which helps us move through the difficult times can be considered as instant happiness. For an example -: if a person who just had a breakup, would surely be looking for ways and means to divert his mind from it. And the process of doing something to get a move on to achieve the temporary happy state can lead to wrong choices resulting in addiction. It all depends on an individual to what choices he or she needs to make keeping in mind the consequences attached to it.

There can be so many examples of it. We always have had people around us who shop more or probably eats more in depression. Isn't also a kind of addiction? Did we ever think why they do it? It's because we don't notice these things as long as we see them putting an effort to get through.For some reason, it is the effort which catches our attention not the path attached to it.

Food addiction is a very common example these days because it gives you a good and satisfying feeling by consuming certain food but having a constant urge to eat it when you are not even hungry brings a lot of serious consequences to it, it could be physical, social or even emotional. The result of over indulging in that particular food which brings you joy could be digestion problems, low self - esteem, depression etc.

Let's talk about relationships. We all have seen and experienced the immense pleasure of being in love. But relationships can't be taken for granted, we never know when it will get over and when it does, what can we do to get over it. I would like to mention about this friend of mine who would do anything to be in a relationship.Whenever he goes through a breakup, he would look for another person to fall in love with. This completely shows that he can't remain single for a long time. Maybe by being in a relationship, he gets his happiness. But how many times a person can fall in love, it sure looks like he is addicted to relationships. But does he know that?

We are definitely aware of the fact that not all the choices leading to the instant happiness result in the addictions but most of the times we tend to dwell in wrong choices. Isn't worth pondering about?

The question here is can we see us becoming addicted to something behind the curtains of instant happiness? It's the pain which we suffer makes us go to any depths to recover from it and thus leading to the dangerous path of unknown addictions.

Most of the times it is very difficult to foresee the consequences of efforts we put in to go for the instant happiness which we seek and desire. I am sure the circumstances play a pivotal role in the choices we make but at the end of the day, we must accept that we are strong enough to control the circumstance.

The only thing that can be done is to be more observant about the choices we make to move through the difficult times. One should never think of finding the short cuts for it, rather we should all embrace the difficult times as a challenge for better future without having to face any unexpected and oblivion ramifications of our need for instant happiness. It is difficult but absolutely a secure way of permanent happiness.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Instant-Happiness-and-Addictions&id=9786639

4 Steps to Help You Be Heard When You Lack Self Esteem


You whisper a suggestion, and the person besides you parrots what you've said to great applause. You want to scream out and say "that was my idea" but your throat is dry, you feel clammy and sweaty and just want the moment to end. Your heart is beating so fast you are sure it is noticeable. At least the focus is off you for now but then suddenly it's your turn to offer something, to say anything and you can't. You are frozen in fear. Business moves on and you want to say something, to say anything so your superiors know that you have something to contribute. The stress response has three options for you, fight or flight, which we are familiar with and then the third, freeze. You cannot move. It's as though you have become disconnected from your body.

You are sick and tired of seeing those less qualified promoted above you, people you've even trained! Why doesn't anyone just notice you and sing your praises? You do all the work and do it well but it goes unnoticed. You've fallen into the rut of being dependable, you never say no to extra work but when favors are being dished out, no one notices your existence.

Was it always like this you ask yourself? You used to have ambition and drive but you're stuck. Your bosses are becoming younger and younger and see you more as a relic from a time gone by, no longer interested in the detail that you pride yourself on.

You find yourself feeling unwell, you may have IBS or other stomach related anxiety. Every day is nerve wrenching as you try to find a way to be noticed for the right reasons. You are competent when left to work alone but as soon as someone in authority is around, you freeze, just like what used to happen at school.

Why?

Because your mind associates authority and your "superiors" as somehow having power over you and you become the "little girl". This is who is reacting in any situation where the focus is upon you. You want attention but you don't and your mind becomes conflicted. You feel unworthy of attention as that inner critic seeks to silence you. How many times have you told yourself, no one is interested in what I have to say, what would I know, they'll laugh at me.

Communication has very little to do with the words that are spoken. It is tone and your body language. This is why bullying claims are very hard to prove, the words of he said/she said are anemic on paper.

Whispering won't get you noticed, you have to learn to speak up in such a way that others listen. They hear you. But you have to believe in yourself before others and believe in you.

Who is someone that is always heard? Do they whisper and cower or do they take up the space they occupy without any hesitancy or apology for being around?

You can use them as a model, a way to understand the relationship between confidence and body language. Improve one, you improve the other. Let's start with these 4 steps. Stand in front of your mirror to notice like a before and after image. Look at how you are standing and your expression, not fun for you, I bet. Now step away and do the following:

4 steps to learn how to speak up:

1. Lower your voice. That's right, lower your pitch. Little girls are high-pitched and so are women and men who lack confidence. Practice it in a store buying a coffee, practice at home.
2. Play your favorite tune in your mind. This must be a song from when you felt alive and confident, an anthem from your teenage years. Singing activates both parts of the brain, the left (logic) for the words and right for the melody. It immediately relaxes the body to prevent your shoulders rolling forward to try to disappear. Singing will encourage you to open your chest.
3. Learn to say "no". Whether or not, you have the time and energy, just start saying no. Don't add an excuse. Just say no. Practice this in the mirror, in a lower timbre and loosen the body with your favorite song, and say, no. Picture the person who prevails upon you the most, the person you carry and say no. Have a giggle to yourself at the sense of power this gives you. You are not a little girl/boy but an adult.
4. Whose confidence do you admire? It can be someone you know, or an actor or a character from a story or movie. See them in your mind's eye, what is it you admire? Drift into their bodies, like trying on clothes, and see what it feels like.

Now go back to your mirror, what are the differences you can see, I bet your face is more relaxed and your body more at ease!

These are little steps that you can adapt and use immediately. It is important to clear the past and choose a therapy modal that suits you. Hypnotherapy and NLP are ideal modalities to raise self esteem as they go to the core of your inner self, your subconscious mind and to heal your inner child self who never learned to speak up because she/he thought what they had to say was not worthy of being heard.

You don't need to be defined by your past. Let these 4 steps act as a catalyst to help you be heard.


https://ezinearticles.com/?4-Steps-to-Help-You-Be-Heard-When-You-Lack-Self-Esteem&id=9611229

Important Details Regarding Healing Affirmations For Those Who Are In Pain


Professionals in the field of medicine have been able to improve health care by coming up with new and effective drugs to curb the impact of even the most dreaded diseases. Nonetheless, pharmacists and researchers have been unable to come up with a globally recognized medical procedure to cure the mind. For one to Heal with Affirmations, it is fundamental to first ensure that the mind is free from any distress.

When experiencing pain, recovery seems to be out of reach. This is natural. Therefore, the affirmations you make should be credible and true for the mind to harness its healing power. Nonetheless, the pain you go through may at times challenge these affirmations especially when in a bad health state. But by developing a positive attitude, one starts on the journey to full recovery.

From the time one is born, the natural healing power of the body has at one time been put to task. For instance, in some way which you do not comprehend, bruises and painful injuries that you sustained have healed. It is an indication that the body has capabilities to heal. For this reason, convince yourself that, for sure, physical wellness is achievable through this power and this energy is working at the very moment.

It is critical to have trust in the subconscious wisdom rather than relying on what you think. At times, you receive signs and signals from our inner selves that tend to disagree with our interests. If you decide to fight it, then the healing capabilities are greatly undermined. On the flip side, if you give credence to the information sent by the mind, this shows that you trust in this wisdom.

Affirmations for pain are meant to build confidence in the curative abilities you have to bring the required state of health. Therefore, persuade your mind to accept that all your organs are working effectively and correctly. Within you there is a strong energy that thrives on the intelligence of the mind so as to stabilize your physical and mental health. It is energy that empowers every organ to work efficiently to restore good health.

The human mind is linked to the natural forces of the universe. Just as the stars move in a synchronized manner in the universe, you have the mental capability to ensure each component of your frame works together. Besides, they are designed to function in the same way. They are capable to perform their duties simultaneously to regenerate the energy within you. Hence, take the body as a miniature universe capable of alleviating pain.

Your health depends a lot on a joyous mental state and that vitality is its song. The mind does not know any stress. Rather, this warm feeling of mental peacefulness is usually disturbed by turbulence caused by consequences poor decision making, malnutrition and lack of physical fitness exercise. On the other hand, if you cater for these needs, you heal faster.

For you to take away pain brought about by ill health take care of mind first. If you feed it with positive thoughts, the body can regain its lost fitness. Even the most qualified doctors cannot assure recovery if the body is functioning contrary to the mental instructions. The body becomes unresponsive to medical attention.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Important-Details-Regarding-Healing-Affirmations-For-Those-Who-Are-In-Pain&id=10144239

Message From the Universe: The Time and Space Theory



"One of my favorite things about time and space is that absolutely NOTHING can ever happen there that can't be seen as a blessing in some wonderful way.

Perspective rules,
The Universe"

Everything in life happens for a reason, both the good and bad. We feel unfortunate when we are plagued with diseases, or financial distress or anything else related that brings more challenge into our life, especially when we didn't ask for it. We wonder what have we done, or the typical "Why me?" question. Sometimes, bad things happens to good people and it is, as I've mentioned many times before, TOTALLY out of our control. Now, there is some ways to minimize the bad things from happening into our life such as thinking positive, feeling upbeat, living life, letting ONLY positive thoughts enter our mind and accepting life as it is. There is no way we can control every single outcome on this journey we call life but it is possible to alleviate the level of the misfortune we will experience all through our life. If we put work in things that means a lot to us, we can figure out ways to make things better for ourselves.

I agree that when dealing with difficult challenges in life, the desire to abandon ship may come to mind at times. Some of these moments may occur repeatedly all through a lifetime but it is really up to you to take a step back, breath, relax, and analyze the issue in more details so you can find the solution that fits the best for you. Stop looking around for answers as everyone is willing to give you the wrong one. It is easy for everyone to advise you on doing something because they are aware that you are the ONLY one who will have to deal with the outcome of THEIR advice. Stay away from these people at all cost. Do not mention ANYTHING unless you are 100% sure they have your interest at heart. Not many ever do.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-The-Time-and-Space-Theory&id=9786180

Be Kind to Yourself


We have always been taught to be kind to others right from our childhood, but more often than not, we forget about being kind to ourselves. Sometimes, we can be really bitter self-critics and bring ourselves down. Many of us neglect taking care of ourselves emotionally. Life is tough in itself, and there really is no reason to make it harder than it has to be. Just think about it for a moment, the energy we spend worrying about our future, dwelling in our past, comparing ourselves to others, and judging ourselves, never having to spend any of that energy on such trivial things.

Do not associate being kind to yourself as being selfish. We need to realize that it is okay to care for ourselves, and start believing that we deserve to be happy too. Start being kind to yourself and your confidence will improve. It is very important to be kind to yourself in order to have a healthy self-esteem. In the beginning, it may feel awkward to do so, saying things that making you feel better, because we seldom do it. Doing it in small amounts everyday can really boost your mood and self-esteem. If we are able to be kind and gentle towards others, we should be able to treat ourselves the same way as well.

You can begin by quashing all self-doubt about yourself. Cheer yourself up. Be your own biggest motivator. Start thinking about all the good things you have done out of selflessness and rejoice in those memories. Be kind to your mind and do things that make you feel positive. Stop holding grudges as they are an unnecessary burden. Mistakes are a part of life and it's absolutely okay to do mistakes. It is what makes us human. Grudges take a toll on us both physically and emotionally, so just learn from them and set yourself free.

Take a moment to give yourself credit for all the things you have done. We move through so fast through our days, we often forget to give ourselves credit which makes us unhappy. Do kind things for your mind. Take some time in the morning or evening to read a book or listen to some music or to do something that really brings you joy. If you are enjoying it, take more time. Always remember to be kind to yourself. Always ask yourself, "Have I been kind to myself today?"



https://ezinearticles.com/?Be-Kind-to-Yourself&id=9787293

How Not To Make A Decision Under Pressure


Fight or flight? This way or that way? Yes or no?

Each of these three questions describes a brain under pressure. Could be your brain, could be mine. When it comes to pressure situations, we all tend to default to the same mode: a binary mode.

In other words, when we're under pressure and need to make a decision, we all have a tendency to simplify the situation to two choices, and two choices only. We're actually hard-wired to do this, and for good reason.

Think back to when you were a caveman or cavewoman. And if you're too young for that, think back to when your parents were cavepeople. In those days, the typical high-pressure situation involved a saber-toothed tiger, so we'll go with that.

So the situation is this: you're being charged by a saber-toothed tiger. At this point, your brain becomes a binary machine: do I try to run away, or do I stay and fight? That's it. No other options. There's no time to think, "Wait a minute - what if I were to build some sort of rudimentary trap, capture this tiger, domesticate her, name her Lollipop, and feed her two tins of tuna a day... " You'd be tiger food before you finished the word "rudimentary."

That's why we're hard-wired to simplify high-pressure situations to just two options.
The problem with this, of course, is that there are rarely just two options. The saber-toothed tiger went extinct 12,000 years ago, but our brains haven't yet caught up. As this Harvard Business Review article says, "We devote mental energy to figuring out how to avoid a loss rather than developing new possibilities to explore."

In other words, in a high-pressure situation, we're still putting most of our energy into trying not to be eaten.

How do you get around this "binary bias?" These two techniques may help.

Anticipate the crisis.

Many, if not most, high-pressure situations are predictable. A key employee leaves, a supplier goes out of business, a competitor comes up with a game-changer. All of these situations can be anticipated and planned for. So spend some time - either alone or, preferably, with your team - playing "What if?" What if the bad thing were to happen? What would you do? What options would you have?

Play the "vanishing options" game

This comes from Chip and Dan Heath, the authors of Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. When we're under pressure, we tend to pick one option, at which point we stop even considering other options. What the Heaths suggest is a mental game that goes like this: Assume you can't choose any of the options you're considering and then ask, "What else could I do?" Unless you're in that saber-toothed tiger situation and literally have no time (rare), this game will force your brain to see other possibilities.

High-pressure situations are rarely either/or, rarely yes or no. By reducing them to a false binary, we're depriving ourselves of other - possibly better - options.



https://ezinearticles.com/?How-Not-To-Make-A-Decision-Under-Pressure&id=9985039

Self-Care and Stress Management


What is stress? Stress is made of stressful thoughts and images in the mind, a rush of adrenaline, and corresponding sensations and tensions in the body. Anxiety and fear are other words for stress. Fear is as natural and healthy a response as is the pain we feel when we put our hand in the fire.

Fear is a helpful message that says, "Danger! Pay attention! Take care!" The question is, is there real danger (immanent), or is it imagined danger, like the thought, "I won't be able to get it all done", and the feeling that something awful will happen if I don't?

Usually, when we talk about stress management, we are talking about ways of getting rid of or reducing the tension or fear. The only way to reduce fear is to feel safe again. Fear/stress activate our fight/flight/freeze response so we can get back to safety.

But what happens when we cannot find our way back to safety, as in our fear of failing to complete our dissertations or getting our degrees; or fear of losing our loved ones; or fear of losing our health, etc.? We remain in the fight/flight response longer than is healthy for our bodies, so they start shutting down to conserve energy. This shows up as tiredness, fatigue, lack of energy, loss of motivation, or depression.

To feel safe again in the face of failure and loss, we can come to accept these as inevitable in life and to realize that, while uncomfortable and painful, they are not dangerous. We have all already survived both. They are like an injury or illness from which we heal.

I am reminded of the quote from At the Will of the Body by Arthur Frank, to paraphrase, "Every time we get ill or become injured at some level we fear our death, yet we recover from every injury or illness until we encounter the one from which we do not recover".

This brings us squarely to our inevitable existential fear of death, which we all-too-successfully deny (see The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker), yet of which we are inevitably and frequently reminded.

There is a saying that states, "F E A R can mean two things - Forget Everything And Run, or Face Everything And Rise. We can spend the rest of our lives running and distracting and avoiding, or we can find the courage to face our fears and rise above them to do what we love and live our lives fully until we die. We get to choose. Only one of them qualifies as self-care.

Kelly McGonigal found research that shows that stress is not bad for us. What is bad for us is the belief that it is bad for us. The people who died from stress were only those who believed stress was bad for them (see her TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend )

To summarize, the impulse to manage stress is probably always motivated by our fear and resistance to our stress, which only adds to our stress. It is not stress that needs to be managed, but our response to stress.

When we respond to stress by simply acknowledging, allowing and accepting it, we are switching off the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight), and switching on our parasympathetic nervous system (that returns us to calm). We could call this "permission to be stressed".

When I first learned of this, I'd tell myself, "I get to be as stressed as I need to be for as long as I need to be", to counter the years of messaging that told me that I should not be stressed, I had no reason to be stressed, and to get over it. Meeting stress with acceptance is self-compassion and is the first step back to our longed-for calm. This is self-care in the face of stress.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Self-Care-and-Stress-Management&id=10235312

Making Schedules In Getting Things Done



Do you know that stress is sometimes helpful especially in getting things done? But when it is already high it can have an adverse effect on your mental and physical health.

Don't plan out everything you need to do to finish a project, just focus on the very next thing you need to do to move forward. Usually doing the next, little thing will lead to another, and another, until you're done. Be as concrete and discrete as possible. You cannot possibly do all the tasks that need completing.

Don't set things aside and deal them later. Do It Now You have to fight procrastination before it becomes a habit. When making a decision, decide what you're going to do with every circumstance that you encounter in life. Learn to make bold decisions even when you're not really sure if it would be productive or not. Keep moving forward.

The hardest part when to start especially when a task is difficult or complex. However, if I can just get moving on it, even for a few minutes, it tends to get easier. Because I know this about myself, rather than setting the intention to finish something, it's better to condition myself to start. The more often I start, the easier things get finished. Overcoming that first bit of inertia is the biggest challenge (just like getting started on a run, or the first push of getting a car moving).

Once things are moving, just the way you want them and the momentum is on your side, make sure you get done. Make a system and schedule in every activity that you have in life. Now you don't have to worry about it anymore. You will be free of worries for a lot of productive time you spend on repetitiveness and inefficiency.

You need to know what needs to be done, right now. Whatever it is, you need to define it and then get started. Every now and then take drastic measures to ensure that you stay focused. Care about what you are doing because there is a likelihood that it will never happen again.

As much as possible try to spend the first few minutes of your day thinking about the life that you are creating, the people you care about and about what you do. Keeping those things in the front of your mind to help you stay focus. A schedule is very crucial in getting things done. Have a scheduled sequence of tasks before you get down to work. It will save you a decent amount of time during the working process, because you will not need to decide what to do next, but rather merely follow the plan.

Therefore, you cannot get faster at doing things unless you are focused and able to channel all your energy and attention towards some particular task. One thing at a time. That`s the rule that allows you to get the things done faster.

Indeed, planning ahead of time makes your work easier and worry-free.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Making-Schedules-In-Getting-Things-Done&id=9711606

Designed for a Purpose


Purpose creates the existence of everything which we see. The things which are seen existing are in existence because of its purpose. Purpose must be fulfilled and so things are built to exist as a means through which purpose is fulfilled, that without purpose nothing will exist. Everything built was made with the purpose in mind which means that purpose makes the things which we see possible. This is quite a compelling understanding because with this understand we can fully be aware of the reason why things are made differently, why a shoe does not look like an airplane because of their difference in purpose which created the obtrusive difference in the invention.

PURPOSE OF HUMANS

Watching lives being lived without discovering purpose is one of the most disturbing views to watch. We live a confused life when we refuse to discover our purpose, denying ourselves the opportunity to live the life that is full of everything that is for us only. We exist to serve a purpose, it is in the serving of the purpose that we really are living and so to be unaware of purpose is to exist without living. Anything that lives outside of its purpose becomes useless to itself and others, like a shoe, if it goes outside of its purpose, it becomes useless, useless because its potential is not been used and it is in no way needful in a place outside of its purpose. Each one of us is created differently because of the different purpose we have to fulfill and so our innate potential differs. We are unique like it or not.

THE STRUGGLE TO KNOW OUR PURPOSE

There is a visible struggle that is seen in the very eyes of the ones who are frantically seeking after the knowledge of their purpose. It has in a way landed some people down the plane of search, put off the fire that burns for coming into purpose. In this stage of life, it is not all that goes into the forest that comes out with the revelation of their purpose. It is in the same look we have as humans that make it difficult to discover our purpose. A car and a phone, the purpose is obtrusive because we see the difference between them and we understand that our unique purpose makes us different but looking from the outside of ourselves, we look alike and that has left us with the struggle that has led many to die without fulfilling their purpose.

HOW TO KNOW OUR PURPOSE

It is imperative that we come quickly into the place of purpose to live our unique life more fully. Knowing your purpose is a solution to the confusion you encounter in your life, the mirror which you see the place you fit and the answer to why you are said to be unique.

The first step is to go to your creator. The purpose of an invention is in the mind of the inventor and so if you can't see the purpose of a thing, you ask the one who made it. It is therefore compulsory to go to God the one who created us to find our purpose. The seeking of God's face is the discovery of purpose and so to be in the inventors mind is to find your purpose. If you can get God to keep you in his mind by seeking him ravenously, he will reveal to you your purpose.

The second step is a form of self-analysis. Observing yourself from within to see how different you are from others because the differences is as a result of your purpose so the moment you look for how different you are from others, you open your eyes to discover your purpose. This leads me to a thought that your purpose is your true identity, that who you are is not in the similarities you have with others but in the differences, that is why when we try to fit in with others, we compromise the possibility of discovering who we are and denying ourselves the knowledge of our purpose. The ones, who really know who they are, behave differently and if not already living on purpose, can easily discern it. They are the most productive, impactful and effective individual in the world

To discover purpose is to be aware of who you are. It gives your life a sense of meaning and responsibility, a mission and vision. To live on purpose is to fulfill the objective of the one who made you.

It is possible to live a great life if you can live on purpose.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Designed-for-a-Purpose&id=9859651

Expanding Consciousness to Know Spirit


The sense of your spirit, or consciousness, only becomes apparent when you develop the gap between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind is the here and now- it is present moment thinking. The subconscious mind is habits, emotions, memories, and reactions. It is the "gap" between these two minds where the spirit exists.

By developing an awareness of the separation between the two minds, you develop the space for consciousness to exist and to grow. In other words, you grow to know and develop your spirit. The more you expand the space between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind, the more apparent your spirit becomes. You gradually become aware that spirit does not exist in the mind, or in any one place, but is everywhere and in every cell of your body. It is only through the separation of two minds that you can begin to experience it.

Spirit or consciousness is not matter. It is energy; it is light. It is the energetic wave produced by matter but it is not matter. This energy is subtle. It is not easily measured by the equipment we have today, but it can be sensed. We can learn to sense other spirits, too. By expanding the gap between the two minds, we become more and more aware of the field of consciousness giving rise to spirit. We realize that this space created is consciousness, and that consciousness is spirit.

We then become aware that our emanating field of consciousness is connected to all other spirits - differing only in vibration. We see that our spirit is vibrating out, and is transmitting and receiving the waves of all other spirits. We realize that we are not alone. We are all connected to each other, and all other spirits, in this universe and other multiverses.

As we continue to expand our consciousness, we realize that we are not who we think we are, or we are not who we thought we were. We are spirit, which is energy, which is information. We are a vibrating field of information contained over many lifetimes. We begin to realize that our only purpose is the sharing of the information contained in the vibration of our spirit. We do this not by words but by extending our spirit outwards. This, by definition, is love, "Extending your spirit out to help another spirit."

As a physical form, we do not matter. As a spirit, we are not matter.

We exist to love one another. We will eventually realize this in this lifetime or another. Nothing else matters. Every ascended master, prophet, or sage realized this before physical emancipation. Love is all there is. Energy is love and spirit is energy.

It has always been with you; waiting for you to open the gap for consciousness to allow the spirit to flourish and gain power. Before any of this can happen... we must create the gap. Witness the difference between your chattering mind and your conscious mind. When you perceive the difference, the gap begins to open and spirit begins to shine.

Patience is required in the process. Keep practicing expanding the gap by witnessing the two minds. With practice, the gap opens wider and awareness of true self begins. You realize that you are not your ego, or your hairstyle, or your waist size, or your bank account - you are a spirit. You are energy. You are not alone. You are here to share your information. You are here to love.



https://ezinearticles.com/?Expanding-Consciousness-to-Know-Spirit&id=9819090

Importance Of Making Decisions Right


Difficult decisions are sometimes difficult to undo. We become so conscious on identifying the best option because we cannot afford to risk a wrong decision. However, we failed to realize the importance of ensuring that any decision we make turns out right. We overly emphasized on the choices we make instead on everything that follows.

By merely choosing the best option available for does not warrant that things will turn out right in the long run. We should focus on what will happen next if we select this choice. By doing so, a given decision made will be determine if it is right or wrong. Our sense of agency and ownership is diminished once we focused too much on the right decision. On the contrary, focusing on the effort that will be required after our decision not only helps us see the means by which any choice might succeed, it also restores our sense of agency and reminds us that while randomness plays a role in every outcome, our sense of control resides in our daily activities more than in our one-time decisions.

We should simply not allow our emotions to choose for us. We might regret later. Though emotions are important input into decision-making; but it will most likely lead to a negative outcome and focusing our attention on the options likely to lead to a positive outcome. That's the reason why too many people commit the same mistakes over and over again. They let their emotions rule their rational thinking. In the end, they suffer the consequence of their wrong decisions.

Some people who have difficulty in making choices. They are afraid of the risks of making the wrong decision. They have trouble making decisions because they fear of making mistakes. They do not want to be wrong but the trouble is they worry too much, they are blinded to see that it should be the other way around. When they make a decision, they should exert every effort they have to turn it right no matter what happens.

What it means to have too many choices is that it also varies. Some people are overwhelmed by choosing between two things. Others can have an almost endless options but it also depends on what the choice is. Making decisions is sometimes making a commitment to a choice and sticking with it, but often there is an opportunity to find out something new if we only allow ourselves to have a room for improvement. Having an opportunity to find out something can make decisions fun.

Just bear in mind, "We cannot always make the right decision, but we can make every decision right by being objective and rational."

Some people have trouble with making decisions because they have trouble setting priorities. The sad thing is, it's difficult to teach people how to make the right decision because of their poor judgment or lack of insight



https://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-Of-Making-Decisions-Right&id=9895213

Child Abuse - Why Is Healing Possible?

All types of child abuse often have a devastating emotional component that does long-term psychological damage. This is especially the case if the perpetrator was a person whom the child should have been able to trust. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) offers excellent guidance for all those adults who as children were neglected, or verbally, physically or sexually abused.

Not all children who have suffered child abuse will experience very negative long-term consequences. It will partly depend on the frequency, duration, and severity of the ill-treatment. Some children are more naturally resilient than others; more robust than fragile. Even for those who are badly psychologically damaged, NAPAC says emotional recovery and even thriving is later possible.

What then are the healing factors? How can the survivor gain the self-esteem and self-confidence needed to form trusting relationships, and lead a psychologically healthy life?

Therapy for child abuse
An important vehicle for healing is the therapy work of people able and wanting to help. Often it is not so much the type of therapy or counselling that is important as the personal connection between the practitioner and the survivor on the healing journey.

One needs a safe place to talk. There has to be a good chance for the development of trust in the therapist. What is talked about will also be out of one's comfort zone, and will very likely be hard work for the therapist as well as the client.

Within a confidential relationship one can hopefully untangle the web of confusion created by the past manipulation and lies of the abuser. Confused questions can be addressed:

  • Why did I keep going back to that person if I knew it was wrong?
  • My body reacted to the sexual stimulation, so how can I call it abuse?
  • I hate them for what they did and yet I still love them...
  • Why can't I remember the details? Did I imagine it?
Guilt arising from child abuse
Freedom from experiencing guilt comes from seeing the words and actions of the perpetrator through rational adult eyes rather than through the eyes of a child. This means taking into account that children naturally:
  • Trust people older than themselves,
  • Love attention and compete for it
  • Love sweets, presents, outings and other treats
  • Do not know the law
  • Are protective towards people and animals they love
  • Often believe that what is happening to them is normal
  • Do not like getting into trouble
Those adults who are willing to exploit the vulnerable can so easily take advantage of this simple outlook of children. They tell the child lies from the position of authority, combine abuse with giving attention, threaten punishment and so on.
Freedom and rationality
According to many spiritual thinkers, the soul brings to the mind a faculty of inner freedom and rationality. Hence, for the adult who had experienced child abuse, gaining relevant knowledge and ideas offers the possibility of using these faculties to make important choices.

Seeing one's options for personal change more clearly means one feels less hindered in being who one wants to be. For example the option to see oneself not as damaged goods but as a wounded human being; instead of thinking "I hate myself", using the phrase "I am okay with me".

Another choice is whether to stop blaming oneself for the abuse that one experienced when a child. The alternative is to continue to take some responsibility for what someone else did.

Those suffering child abuse learn mistrust. They see the world as an undependable, unpredictable, and possibly a dangerous place. We all require warmth and encouragement but those who did not get sufficient of these during childhood need human affection during subsequent years if they are to ever feel accepted and valued.

A part of the healing process is insight gained into how one's life needs to change if one is to increase the chances of finding lasting quality relationships, love and a sense of emotional security and well-being.

For example the abuse that the now adult experienced as a child could result in:

  • Isolation and feeling different from everyone else,
  • Mistrust of others or of oneself,
  • Being self-destructive or sabotaging anything good in life,
  • Emotional insecurity,
  • Being easily riled to anger,
  • Anxiety,
  • Self-pity,
  • Rebellion against authority,
  • Fear of judgement from other people,
  • Guilt or shame,
The individual cannot change the fact that the child abuse happened, but can change the impact it has on him or her today.
Potential personal growth after child abuse
I would like to suggest that hidden within each of us is a hunger for a nourishment that is more profound than food or emotional comfort.

"Spiritual food consists in knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom. These are what quicken and also sustain (those)... who desire them and have an appetite for them as men desire and have an appetite for food when they are very hungry." (Emanuel Swedenborg, spiritual philosopher)

According to the view of Swedenborg, our divine Source implants in us, without our awareness, a desire to know about and understand the deeper side of life. This would include self-insight and appreciation of human virtues and vice, right and wrong, wisdom and foolishness.

You might wonder if such a searching state of mind interested in the truth about life might be destroyed by negative and irrational thinking associated with mistrust, fear, and self-denigration; thoughts and feelings associated with child abuse.

Swedenborg wrote about inner qualities of the mind:

* trusting innocence,

* appetite for spiritual nourishment,

* rationality

* inner freedom.

I would say that bad experiences cover up these qualities until later circumstances in the person's life enable them to emerge and become functional.

In other words, deep within every human soul, there is an uplifting energy which can provide us with potential courage to face up to what is bad in ourselves, to look at what is meaningful with clear understanding, to search for a higher purpose.

There are those who can release this healing force. They are people with whom the individual confides, such as therapists, who have the appropriate personal skills and qualities.

The result can be new confidence, new trust and new hope. With help all suffering individuals, if they wish, can bravely explore the truth about themselves and the opportunities available for living life to the full.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Child-Abuse---Why-Is-Healing-Possible?&id=9831816

The Role Of Challenges For Our Growth



Daily, we face one challenge or the other. In our world with an estimated population of 7 billion people, no one is immune to, or exempted from challenges.

Most of us think challenges, also call problems by some, are created by factors, or forces outside themselves. This is not entirely true.

Well, there are also millions of people out there, who know from personal experience that whatever challenges facing them are caused by them and not entirely by outside factors.

A challenge is a test of somebody's abilities, or a situation that tests somebody's abilities in a stimulating way.

This is one of the many definitions of challenge by Google and it is correct. Whatever your profession, vocation, passion, status, or position in life, you must face challenges, daily.

Face squarely whatever challenges you are going through and sort them out. We should not behave like the ostrich and hide our heads under the sand, pretending our challenges will go away, or does not exist.

I am just trying to remind my beloved readers and fans out there that when we face our challenges, sort them out, we grow in wisdom, experience and understanding.

Spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, and social growth come from solving problems, taking personal responsibilities for our thought, words and deeds. I am already sounding like a teacher, here. I hope I am not boring you. Sorry, if I am.

In my period of meditation, I read a statement from one of the many digests of The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC the other day.

It says the cosmic masters, who are silently serving humanity today were once ordinary men and women, like you and I.

These masters were problem solvers during their many incarnations on this earth plane.

Now, they are serving the great humanity, the great light, the cosmic, after they have been thoroughly illumined.

The great journey to illumination and service to God and humanity. This sounds good and acceptable to me. But, what do you think, beloved?

Challenges or problems, in most cases are not created by the devil, Satan, our enemies, generational curses, as some religious persons will want us to accept, whatever.

We attract these challenges to ourselves, with a genuine and deep seated, intention to grow in all planes of existence. This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But, please do not accept it hook, line and sinker. Reflect on it.

Look around you and see those who are truly illumined, great, powerful, spiritual, successful, etc, you will notice that they are problem solvers and that they passed through many challenges and are still passing through.


https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Role-Of-Challenges-For-Our-Growth&id=9880702

Why It's Never Too Late To Rediscover Your Joy And Fall In Love With Being Alive


We All Have Choices, Irrespective Of Our Conditions

I want to ask you a question so simple you may not have asked it before: Are you happy being alive? Do you feel a sense of joy when you wake up each morning? Do you look forward to the day or is your outlook filled with dread, worry or anxiety? Ponder this over the coming paragraphs as I try to convince you why it's never too late to rediscover your joy and fall in love with being alive.

There's a great deal that takes place beyond our conscious mind which we're unaware of. For this reason, it is important we make time for self-enquiry to see what is going on beneath the surface. I liken it to a pot that simmers before it comes to a boil. By then the temperature has increased, which reflects what takes place in our own lives. If a situation is not given our attention, it will simmer beneath the surface and reach a boiling point. It may be difficult to find our way back to peace and harmony because of the disruption to our lives. Some people believe life is difficult and don't experience joy and happiness, even if it landed in their lap. This is because they are mired in their misery which becomes their default setting and they view any change as unfamiliar.

We all have choices, irrespective of our conditions, our past and present circumstances. We can choose joy and fall in love with being alive because it is one of the most precious gifts we are given. Something happens to a person at a certain point in their life. They come to appreciate the value of life which can be taken away from us in any moment. When we are young, we have the world ahead of us and don't think far into the future. But the future arrives quicker than we realise and soon enough we are middle-aged and time has passed us by. Reflect on your own life, how has the past affected who you are now? Have you experienced challenging moments or turning points that shaped the way you are today?

Remember. Release. Renew

Whilst it's said the past needn't determine where we're headed, we create a prosperous future by referencing the past through a new landscape. We don't need to drag the past along with us like a worn-out ornament, but see it through the eyes of compassion and forgiveness. We ought to take what is valuable from the past to alter our experience of the future. You are not defined by your past any more than what happened to you yesterday. The past has taken place but from this present moment, it is a figment of our imagination. We cannot touch, see, nor experience it but only replay it in our minds. It was the Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren Daishonin who once said: "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present." It is why forgiveness, kindness and compassion are essential when rewriting a new karmic script for the future.

It is possible to experience exuberant joy and fall in love with being alive, irrespective of what has occurred in our life. The obstacles and challenges we experienced are not the impediments but are in fact the way. Our pain, hurt and misery are the keys to heal what is buried deep within us. As the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill once declared: "If you are going through hell, keep going." The way out through pain and heartache is not to run away from it or stow it deep within our mind since that makes it come back stronger. To overcome the wounds of the past requires us to experience them now in the present moment through the eyes of forgiveness and compassion. These higher vibrational states which are bestowed in love are the soul's eyes looking at itself through a canvas of love and equanimity.

To rediscover joy and fall in love with being alive requires we let go of hurt and disappointments while refusing to drag along excess baggage not relevant to our future. I often mention to coaching clients and audience members a three-word mantra to describe this process: Remember. Release. Renew. So we remember the past, however instead of witnessing it through the eyes of pain and suffering, we rewrite a new script through the eyes of forgiveness and compassion. To release means to let go of disempowering thoughts or emotions associated with the past since we cannot create a new future with these negative states following us. Renew invites us to appreciate the lessons imbued in those experiences, so we can see them through a new lens. If we wish to rediscover joy and fall in love with being alive, we must let go of that which impedes upon this way of life. Only then will we discover the fountain of joy that has been living within us all this time.


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Stop Ruining Your Life With Worry


Here are 13 Tips To Reduce Worry

1. Recognize that worrying doesn't change anything and is unhelpful.

2. Learn to identify the thoughts, feelings, sensations, visions that trigger your worry. It's easier to control what you recognize and acknowledge than the things you don't.

3. Review what you're worried about and ask yourself these questions? Is worrying about this helpful or harmful? Will this matter in a week from now? A month from now? A year from now? And so on. Is there any evidence to suggest that by worrying about this problem or situation that I may somehow control, contain, and/or change this situation or problem. Excessive worry is often called rumination when it becomes out of control. Much like how a cow chews its cud over and over it's called rumination. People will also do what's also called "rumination" where they spending time thinking about things longer or "ruminating" longer prior to making a decision.

4. Next ask yourself if this situation or problem is something that you can change or resolve then plan what to do next.

5. Humor can also reduce the stress of a situation, if you take the time to slow yourself down. Try to see the problem or situation from a different angle and learn to let go of what no longer serves you. If it no longer serves you there is no point holding onto it. Don't waste excess energy and time on thinking about something that you don't have control over. If you do have control over the situation or problem than take steps to make a plan to change.

6. Try to see things as a learning experience. When you may help you to look at things in a more objective way, with an eye towards moving forward in your life. Another way to deal with what your worried about may be to go as far as to move yourself from the situation. By creating some space with this you may have a more constructive view on it which will assist you in making a more informed decision about it.

7. What would you suggest a friend or family member do in this situation. In doing this you may be softer, kinder and more supportive of yourself. Don't judge yourself if you did something wrong. Just learn from it and now that you know, you will always know not to make the same decision. If it should happen again, know that you just have more to learn and that's okay.

8. Accepting your situation the way it is, can be one of the most difficult things to do. If your not able to do that figure out if there is anything you can do to change, negotiate or compromise in the situation and if not maybe removing yourself from it is the only option left.

9. Utilize meditation or yoga to break the vicious cycle of rumination by doing something physical. Doing one thing at a time in the moment and becoming grounded/centred within yourself is called, "Mindfulness" which is essential for breaking this habit. Also, by focusing your attention on meditation or your breathing you can be more in your body and less in your head.

10. Remember: You are not your thoughts! They are not who you are nor do they need to define you. Your thoughts are not always true! Your thoughts will come and go if you don't hold onto them so tightly and let them come and go. Your thoughts can't hurt you unless, you let them. If you allow them to control you, and take over your mind, they will.

11. Schedule a period of time every day to spend time worrying and after that time is done know that you will have to wait till the following day to worry about it or other things. This way you don't have to continue to think about that worry right in that moment when you have it already built into your schedule. Maybe set a timer for 15-20mins and at the end of your time, set those worries aside for that day. If you can't do anything about things in that minute, it's okay to let it go till you find a better time to figure it out.

12. Make a choice to let the situation be because holding onto whatever worry, discomfort, or distress you are going through only becomes worse the more you think about it. The more energy you put towards something the longer you will hold it in your thoughts which is not helpful.

13. Know that too much worry or anxiety will not cause you to go crazy or kill you. It can feel extremely distressing and uncomfortable causing many different symptoms to appear in your body but it won't kill you. Remember that it's not good for your health to hold on to things that you can't do anything about. That held worry which may get pushed down and not processed in a healthy way can manifest inside yourself as illness, disease, mental health issues or many other health problems. So ask yourself if worrying about it, is worth it because you may be sacrificing your health... if it's not.



https://ezinearticles.com/?Stop-Ruining-Your-Life-With-Worry&id=9874081

Quit Beating Yourself Up - How to See the Positive Side of Things


When things don't go your way, do you beat yourself up? If yes, stop doing it to yourself. Instead, see the positive side of your situation. How do you do that? Read on to find out.

Here are some scenarios:

  1. When an older relative passes away, do not let yourself be overwhelmed by the negative spiral of thoughts. It would be better to focus on your own budding family, share with them your thoughts and gradually fall back into the normal pace of life.
  2. When you cannot pass a job interview, don't let your self-esteem go down. Think of it as a learning experience and your personal growth as you take part in more job interviews in near future until you nail an ideal job for yourself.
  3. When your daughter falls sick, don't despair. Consult a doctor or take her to the hospital depending on her condition. Consult with doctors for updates. It may not be too severe and maybe you are being too worried for nothing. The big take away from this is that you get acquainted with some good doctors who ultimately help your daughter to recuperate completely.
  4. When your son fails an exam, it may hit your ego hard and you are ashamed to talk about it with your friends and colleagues. Know that it was partly your fault, not taking care properly of his school lessons. Apart from the teachers, you are also responsible for your son's performance at school. You must also guide him and prepare him well for his school exams. So once you understand that, you will never let it happen again to your son.
  5. One of your acquaintances has borrowed money from you and he is not paying you back. So what do you learn from this situation? Do not lend a big amount of money to others, however, sweetly they may talk. Give them a little whatever you can afford and don't expect them to return it back to you.
  6. You are building walls everywhere as you get along with life. The negative thoughts and self-talk are the sources of these walls. Try to think in positive terms and maintain a positive attitude. Treat everyone, including yourself, and your goals and aspirations with enough love to go around. Then you will find all the walls melting down and yourself opening up to fresh, new opportunities.
Summing up, those are some of the scenarios you may find yourself in everyday life. A positive outlook on life, on the overall, no matter how grave your situation is, always helps and goes a long way.


https://ezinearticles.com/?Quit-Beating-Yourself-Up---How-to-See-the-Positive-Side-of-Things&id=10253687

What Is Your Life Calling? 8 Powerful Ways to Remember Your Brilliance


We all came here on a Sacred mission and our soul keeps longing to live it.

As vast as teaching millions of people or as concentrated as being a devotional mother to a child, or even an animal, we all have our own unique fragrance.

This one extraordinary ray of light that is ours to add to the entire mix of humanity.

When we pursue our calling, our contribution to the whole, we feel deeply fulfilled. On other hand, if we are not in tune with it, it keeps knocking on our inner door and begging for our attention. We feel it in our inner struggles.

These few pointers will support you in remembering (you already know it all!) what is your life calling, what is your particular gift that the world will find valuable.

1. What did you enjoy doing as a child?

This is a powerful indicator of the activity or field of interest that consumed your early days, before you prioritised your life according to learned (often corrupted) importance. What consumed your totality before you were conditioned by your parents, family, teachers and society regarding how you should live your life?

Perhaps, you took some roads for the mere acceptance of others rather than your own true desires. In many occasions to pursue your life calling meant to be a rebel.

Connect to life from the heart space, from the innocence and purity of a child and you will soon tap into your brilliance once again.

2. Observe the thread of your life.

You will find many clues and building blocks creating the tread of your purpose.

Life itself organised all the necessary events, tools, skills and depth of experiences, which supports your soul as it is seeking to expand itself into its full potential. Sometimes we can only connect the dots once we are aligned with our purpose. Then we are able to track how we were always guided and supported even through what we categorised as "bad", we can now consider to be opportunities for your evolution, blessings in disguise on your life journey (even if you can't see it right now).

Life holds the power to provide you with the necessary keys to unlock your own potential once you accept them as they are: your stepping stones on your path for self actualisation.

For that, you have to make the choice to be the hero of your life rather than the victim of your story.

3. Observe whether you are wired* as a victim/ mortar/ pessimist or total altruist? or any other limiting archetype.

If you find yourself stuck in one of these archetypes and it inflicts pain on you, notice and accept it as a precious gift that served as a survival mechanism in your private circumstances.

It is not a life sentence and it can be transformed, but you do have to make a conscious decision that you want to drop this limiting pattern of behaviour, that no longer serves you.

The awareness of this pattern together with new wiring of self-loving attitude can shape shift your current reality into the one you are thriving to live - free from the bondages that were created in order to feel loved.

4. What blessings can you count and be grateful for now?

it is important to create a vibration of gratitude as it takes you closer to your life calling.

5. What gives you life energy and fills you with vital power?

When you live your purpose it feels great.

When I am speaking or writing I feel alive (did I mentioned, dancing... ?)

I am so passionate about what I do that it sends ripples out to people around me. It is magnetic creative power. what is it that turns you on?

6. What would you do if money (or time) was not an issue?

What would you do then? Most likely your life calling.

If your answer is, I will vegetate in front of the TV, surf on social media, or lay on the beach all day, anything along those lines than you clearly choose to stay mediocre and let life pass by. Perhaps, you lost the burning flame of the fire of life, or you are suppressing so much pain that it is numbing you.

In this case, there are many therapies to ignite this flame of life again, my favourites being breathwork and plant medicine.

7. What are your interests, talents and passions?

They all are powerful indicators of your purpose.

There is always a distinction between your gifts and the gifts you are here to share. It might unveil a new direction, a whole other angel. It might be all manifested in a way you could not envision, so be open to the flow of life.

8. What is your Golden Shadow?

Your dark shadow makes up your fears, addictions and dirty secretes. Your golden shadow is the matrix of your hidden talents, blinding beauty, inherited intelligence and unique creativity.

The golden shadow is what we hide from others (or even from ourselves!) and what we are unwilling to love in ourselves.

It can be your esoteric gift that you hide from the fear of being perceived as weird or your natural feminine sexuality that you temper for the fear of seeming too outrages.

When we dare to share our golden shadow, this divine aspect of us, we unlock its power and become more integrated.

When you own your golden shadow you shine.

*Wired means neurological pathways that imprinted a certain pattern in the brain.



https://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-Your-Life-Calling?-8-Powerful-Ways-to-Remember-Your-Brilliance&id=9946225

Effectiveness of Pareto's Principle in Human Life


Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian engineer, sociologist, was the father of the Pareto principle, now also known as the 80/20 rule. Pareto observed that 80% of income in Italy went to 20% of the population. Pareto later carried out surveys in some other countries and found to his surprise that a similar distribution applied. In the late 1940s, quality guru, Dr. Joseph M. Juran, attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto's Principle. Pareto's Principle or Pareto's Law is a useful tool to help you prioritize and manage the work in your life. For example

  • 80% of our revenues are generated by 20% of our customers.
  • 80% of our complaints come from 20% of our customers.
  • 80% of our quality issues occur with 20% of our products. Or we can say it otherwise
  • 20% of our contributors provide 80% of our funding.
  • 20% of our employees are responsible for 80% of sick days.
  • 20% of my ideas generate 80% of my traffic on my blog.
The value of this Principle is that it reminds you to focus on the 20% of the things that matter. That 20% produces 80% of your results. Although it's a rule of thumb, this principle is used to plan the time and efforts of human beings.
There are so many examples in our lives where we are using this rule without knowing. Analyzing the work task, recording the food habits, daily activity log, reading, socializing, Emails, television shows, budgeting are some of the important activities where this rule is implemented on daily basis.

Talking about applying it to daily life, let us say if you start by making your morning time the most productive time, then you will have the rest of your day the best of your day. suppose if you do only 20-30 minute workout in the morning, you will feel energized whole day. The same formula is applied to your study as well, if you study with sharp concentration for only few hour, you will remember it for next few days. The meaning is very simple daily small effort (20%) are leading you towards (80%) success. But make sure whatever you do, you deliver continuous effort to make that 80% workout.

Without a doubt, I would say that 80% of our happiness is extracted from 20% of what we enjoy doing most. This would include being around family and friends, spending time in the outdoors, flying small airplanes, and doing household chores.

To take action you must start to focus on your outputs instead of inputs. This means consume less, don't focus on materialistic goods, and spend fewer evenings on the couch. Instead, start producing and creating for the world. Go out and volunteer for a non-profit in your community. Mentor a young person or donate time to make someone else's life better. Start focusing on others and helping them reach their goals. Teaching is one of the most rewarding things a person can do in life. You'll find teaching to be an amazing way to build trust with others, which will help in business and life. If you'd like to start a business, find a pain in the market and provide a solution to it. Finding answers to problems and helping others will take you to the next level.

One of the greatest things about the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule, is that it actually tries to make things easier for you! You could even say it's the lazy man's guide to achieving what you want. Because it's not about extreme changes and strict routines - it's about recognizing what 20% of things you do already on a daily basis, accounts for 80% of the results you want. Unfortunately, people would much rather be as they are (inputs) and not bother to make the effort (outputs) of applying such a basic principle into their daily lives in whatever area they want to improve upon. Make the effort, be an output. Find what you are good at and maximize it. Recognize the actions that produce the most results for you and your business and put your energy where the big rewards are.


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Thoughts About How to Improve Creativity and the Creative Thinking Process


Now, the question in your mind will be, how to develop creative thinking skills. It is obviously not a cake walk since you are not accustomed to thinking out of the box however developing these skills is quite an entertaining procedure. You can let go of your sanity in thoughts, unleash your mind and let your thoughts flow.

Your thoughts might not sound very practical; however the Neanderthal man would never find a telephone or an airplane practical, would he? All the great inventions and all the great scientists arise from creative thinking. People, who might laugh at your thoughts today, will want to be the ones who thought of it first, tomorrow.

Let's use a technique conceptualized by Albert Einstein, one of the most creative and most accomplished thinker and inventor, known as "thought experiments". This technique of thought experiments helped him to vitalize his brain and thoughts, so that he could shut down the common and practical thoughts and be creative.

A thought experiment is nothing but letting your thoughts and brain fly and travel, something you never do. It will help you explore and experiment with your thinking skills. It will unleash your mind and help you reach thoughts and places you would have never thought about.

Thought experiments are simple, mind-based and without physically moving anywhere, they help you to travel around with your thoughts.

The first step here would be visualization, a substantial and significant aspect of creative thinking; that is trying to actually form an image or vision in your head of all your thoughts and ideas.

Apart from visualization, thought experiments include various aspects which have been enlisted below.

  • Come up with intense compelling questions. These deep thoughts and queries can be rhetorical or ones with obvious answers or even deep thought-provoking questions which could never have a perfect solution.
  • Think about great geniuses. Think that you are having a deep conversation with a legendary person like Albert Einstein and think of everything you would want to ask him and all his probable answers.
  • Think of a parallel world, a parallel life or living in a different century. Try to think and picture what this would be like, how would the world around you look, how would the people be.
  • Try about a high superior power, like God. Imagine yourself to be with God and think about what you would ask him.
  • Experiment with astral projection. Read up on this and try to push yourself into astral plain.
What you could also do is think about a lot of "what if" situations and make your mind think of unreal probabilities and options in various different kinds of ways. Push your mind to its creative limit. Think of all your probabilities and 'what if' situations and conceptualize deep intense thoughts and ideas around them.

Although creative thinking is no cake walk, there are various methods by which you can inculcate this skill. Listed below are a few additional pointers to trigger creative thinking:

  • Deep breathing and relaxation techniques: Deep breathing does not only de-stress you but it also calms and relaxes your mind and helps you to let go of all your thoughts. With a clear mind, you can allow your mind to wander and think deep and intense thoughts.
  • Visualization. Try the technique of visualizing everything. Whatever you read, hear; try to visualize it.
  • Try and research on things that get your attention: By trying to get information on things that interest you, it will be a thought-provoking process. With creative thinking, you can think of how to improvise on already existing things.
  • Get some company. It would be advisable to get a friend who will brainstorm with you, and you can both work together and develop your creative thinking skills. With another person's thought and perceptions, it can be motivating for you.
  • Try and impersonate someone else. Free yourself from your personality and perceptions; try and impersonate another individual in your head and think like that person would.
  • Challenge your brain often. Do not let your brain rust, give it constant exercise with puzzles, crosswords etc. Constantly out your brain to use and conceptualize new ideas often.


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