Always Love and Accept Yourself

I have found this wonderful poem about loving and accepting oneself and I wanted to share it with you:

I accept myself completely.
I accept my strengths and my weaknesses,
my gifts and my shortcomings,
my good points and my faults.

I accept myself completely as a human being.

I accept that I am here to learn and grow,
and I accept that I am learning and growing.

I accept the personality I've developed,
and I accept my power to heal and change.

I accept myself without condition or reservation.

I accept that the core of my being is goodness
and that my essence is love,
and I accept that I sometimes forget that.

I accept myself completely, and in this acceptance
I find an ever-deepening inner strength.

From this place of strength, I accept my life fully
and I am open to the lessons it offers me today.

I accept that within my mind are both fear and love,
and I accept my power to choose
which I will experience as real.

I recognize that I experience only the results
of my own choices.

I accept the times that I choose fear
as part of my learning and healing process,
and I accept that I have the potential and power
in any moment to choose love instead.

I accept mistakes as a part of growth,
so I am always willing to forgive myself
and give myself another chance.

I accept that my life is the expression of my thought,
and I commit myself to aligning my thoughts
more and more each day with the Thought of Love.

I accept that I am an expression of this Love.

Love's hands and voice and heart on earth.

I accept my own life as a blessing and a gift.
My heart is open to receive, and I am deeply grateful.

May I always share the gifts that I receive
fully, freely, and with joy.

~~ Author Unknown ~~

Loving and accepting yourself is powerful, isn't it?

Some ways we can develop self-acceptance

As Nathaniel Branden says: “If we are to grow and change, we must begin by learning self-acceptance”.

For me it was really hard to understand the concept of self-acceptance. In fact, I was afraid of this word because I thought that if I accepted myself nothing was going to change for me. So I kept resisting.

I now finally understand that to be self-accepting it means not to be in war within myself. To be self-accepting makes the concepts of approval or disapproval irrelevant and makes me be more aware of myself.

For example, if I say:

“ I don’t like to be afraid of what people think of me. I like to get rid of it”.

With this statement I am denying the fact that I am afraid, I do not want to feel this way. This is not self-acceptance. But, if on the other hand, I say:

“ I don’t like to be afraid of what people think of me. I have this fear. I accept the fact that I am afraid and I accept it”.

Saying these statements puts me in a different position. First, I am aware of this fear, second I am taking responsibility for my feelings and not denying them, and third because I am aware, and I am taking responsibility I am more open to accept this fact. Now, I am ready to do something about it and change my attitude.

When I can accept myself, I have put myself on the side of reality rather than attempting to fight reality. I am more conscious and I am not living on denial of my present condition. This way I am a position to have a healthier self-esteem

How to Have a Healthy Self ESteem

There are many circumstances in our lives that can lower our self-esteem. We can loose our jobs, fight with somebody, or no achieve a goal. However, we have to be aware that even if your self-esteem gets low because of an event, it does not mean that you lost your self-esteem.

Having a healthy self-esteem means that you know that once in a while you are going to go through difficult times. If you are willing to accept this events, learn from them and move on , you will be able to build a healthy self-esteem.

Whenever I go through a difficult time I always try to remember good times in the past. I also keep saying to myself ” hang in there, this shall pass too”. But the most important thing that I do is doing something to feel good about myself. Instead of sitting at home complaining for example, I go out, exercise, and take a walk, read something. I understand that this is an event and have nothing to do with my self-worth. It does not matter how bad is the situation I am going through, how bad do I look to others, how bad do I feel about it, I can learn to keep a healthy self-esteem instead of loosing it through self-pity and victimization.

Doing small things each day to feel good about yourself will help you to have a healthy self-esteem. Doing small things when you are going through a difficult situation will help you to have a healthy self-esteem and overcome your difficulties more easily.



"To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives". ~ Denis Waitley

Boost your self-esteem with exercise

I exercise regularly and this helps me a lot in enhancing my self-esteem. After I exercise I really feel good, energetic and proud of myself. Exercising for me enhances self-esteem because I became conscious that I am taking care of myself. I am taking time to be with myself.

Any kind of physical exercise will help you to enhance your self-esteem. According to Robert D. Rice (Mental health matters):



"Exercising greatly enhances a person's self-esteem and mental outlook while reducing stress. Self-esteem is a critical component of any program aimed at self-improvement program. It offers hope to correcting these problems. A close relationship has been documented between low self-esteem and such problems as violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders, shcool dropouts, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement. It is never too late to start a work out program as a way to best guild towared the goal of improved self-image, and always too early to stop exercising. Early on in the attitutde adjustment process periodic exercise is necessary for good physical and mental health".

There are a lot of things you can do to exercies. You can walk 20 minutes daily, you can run 2 or 3 times a week, you can go to the gym and lift weights or just take areobic classes. . Even doing yoga , ayurvedic exercises, martial arts will help you to feel good about yourself and therfore, enhance your self esteem. Even you can practice any sport. Next time you are sitting at your home like a coach potato , complaining about your life, feeling down and miserable, just think for a second : Would you rather feel great about yourself or you prefer to be sitting there feeling really bad about yourself?.





"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live." -- Jim Rohn

Meditation

Meditation is a great tool we can use to improve our self-esteem. It is a great way to be with ourselves. In order to have a healthy self-esteem, we have to allow ourselves to spend time with us. One of the ways to do this is through the practice of meditation.

Dr. Borysenko says: "Meditation may lead to a breakdown of screen memories so that early childhood abuse episodes and other traumas suddenly flood the mind, making the patient temporarily more anxious until these traumas are healed. Many so-called meditation exercises are actually forms of imagery and visualization that are extraordinarily useful in healing old traumas, confronting death anxieties, finishing 'old business', learning to forgive, and enhancing self-esteem."

There are many types of meditations we can practice. I personally started with mindfulness, and then I used hoponopono. I am actually practicing the called So Ham meditation that is recommended by Deepak Chopra in his book
Journey to the Boundless: Exploring the Intimate Connection Between Your Mind, Body and Spirit


I do not think that there is a meditation technique that is better than the other; any meditation will help us to be in contact with ourselves.


"We are so addicted to looking outside ourselves,
that we have lost access to our inner being almost completely.
We are terrified to look inward, because our culture has given us no idea of what to find.
We may even think that if we meditate, we will be in danger of madness.
This is one of the last and most resourceful ploys of the ego
to prevent us from discovering our real nature.
So, we make our lives so hectic that we eliminate the slightest risk of looking into ourselves...
In a world dedicated to distraction, silence and stillness terrify us." Sogyal Rinpoche's book
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying .

Stress :: Autogenic Relaxation

Stress can cause all sorts of problems for us in our daily lives. Not the least of which is a decreased ability to think productively and creatively. Autogenic relaxation works by influencing the autonomic nervous system through self-suggestion. The goal is to learn how to relax your limbs, heart and breathing.Start by sitting in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Concentrate on your legs and arms. Feel them getting heavy. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My arms are getting heavy. My legs are getting heavy."Now feel your arms and legs getting warmer. Repeat to yourself, "My arms are getting warm. My legs are getting warm." Try to really feel them getting warmer.Now, concentrate on your pulse. Feel it beating calmly. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My heart rate is calm and regular."Now, focus on your breathing. Take deep and regular breaths. Repeat, "My breathing is calm and regular."Focus on your abdomen and feel it getting warmer. Repeat, "My abdomen is feeling warmer."Lastly, pay attention to your forehead. Feel it getting cooler. Repeat to yourself, "My forehead is pleasantly cool."Repeat as many times as you desire. A feeling of peacefulness and relaxation should come over you as you progress through this exercise.

Stress :: Relaxation Response

The Relaxation Response is a simple technique developed by Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson to help reduce stress and prevent heart disease and other problems that can go along with it. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Starting with your toes and moving up towards your head, relax every muscle in your body and keep them relaxed throughout the exercise. Now, focus your attention on your breath. Breathing through your nose, silently say the word "one" on each exhalation. When you find your mind wandering, gently but firmly return your attention to your breathing. With practice you may be able to get through an entire 10-20 minute session without having your mind wander. When you finish, sit quietly for a few moments before returning to your day.This simple exercise is very effective at returning your body to a calm and relaxed state

Stress :: Shoulder Stretching

The muscles in the shoulders are a very common place for people to carry tension from being under stress. One way to feel less stressed is to reduce this tension. This simple stretching exercise will help you do just that.1. Start in a standing position with good posture and make sure that you are breathing properly throughout the exercise.2. Slowly lift both shoulders up towards you head and hold for a few seconds. Release back to normal. Repeat a few times.3. Slowly rotate your right shoulder in a circle (up, back, down, forward) a few times. Repeat with your left shoulder. Then switch directions and repeat.4. Slowly tilt your head towards one shoulder and feel the stretch. Now move your head back to the center and go to the other side. Repeat several times.5. Slowly turn your head so you are looking over your shoulder. Return to the center and then go to the other side. Feel the stretch. Repeat several times.6. Remain standing and take several deep breaths before finishing.

Stress :: Pavlovian De-stressor

Similar to how Pavlov's dog had associated food with the sound of a bell, it's possible to program your mind to associate some stimuli with being in a relaxed and calm state. This can be a very effect way of coping with stress.The first step is to find a trigger that you can use on yourself. It should be something that doesn't happen in a normal day. Maybe it could be sticking a finger in your ear, pinching the back of your hand, or taking a whiff from one of your scent canisters.The second step is to associate this trigger with the state of being calm and relaxed. Try to conjure up a vivid memory of a time in the past when you were totally at peace. Try to recreate all the sounds, smells and images. Once you think you have a good visualization, program it into your mind by sticking your finger in your ear, or whatever else you have chosen to be your trigger. In the future, whenever you are naturally feeling calm and relaxed you should reinforce your trigger by doing it. Now that you have programmed your mind to associate the trigger with a relaxed state, you can use it whenever you feel stressed. Simply activate your trigger and you will immediately start feeling more relaxed.

Stress :: Smile and Humor Therapy

Chronic stress can cause an imbalance in the neurochemicals that contribute to elevating our mood and reducing anxiety. Fortunately, research has shown that you can reduce the imbalance simply by smiling or laughing, regardless of your actually mood. When you smile or laugh, your brain gets fooled into thinking that it is happy, and releases the corresponding neurochemicals. Laughter has been shown to have the following benefits.1. Lowering levels of the stress hormone, cortisol2. Reducing blood pressure3. Boosting the immune system4. Improving respiration and circulation5. Reducing pain6. Reducing depression and improving moodIf you are having a hard time getting motivated to do something and you need a pick me up, try smiling or laughing out loud. It may sound silly, but it can actually improve your mood and get you thinking more creatively. So, when life gives you a frown, turn it upside down!

Stress :: Analyze the Problem

Worrying about a problem reduces our ability to focus 100% of our attention on the task. One way to focus your attention is to answer the following questions.1. What exactly is the problem? There is no sense in worrying about something if you do not know exactly what you are worrying about. Take some time to write down specifically what the problem is that you are trying to solve.2. What caused the problem? Sometimes solving the immediate problem is not the correct solution because it does not fix the root causes. Try to determine if this problem was caused by something else.3. What are all the possible solutions? Too often, one solution is proposed and time is wasted arguing about that one solution. Try having a brainstorm to find every possible solution before you argue about the merits of each one.4. What solution is best? Once all the solutions have been laid out, it should be a pretty easy task to pick the best one and move forward with it.If you are in a position where people bring their problems to you for help, this is a great strategy to help them solve their own problems. Simply, ask each person to answer these four questions before coming to you. It is likely that they will solve their own problem, but if not, it will make your job much easier

Creativity :: Risk

The fear of risk is similar to the fear of embarrassment. Good ideas are sometimes not explored because the perceived risk is too great. Before you disqualify an idea or solution for being too risky, take a moment to quantify the risks involved. Ask yourself "what is the worst thing that could happen?" If the answer is that you might be embarrassed, then perhaps the risk is worth it. Often, it is the risky ideas that have the highest reward when they are successful.Naturally, you shouldn't always take risky options when other equally good (and less risky) options exist. A careful analysis of the risks and rewards involved with each solution will help you determine which one to pursue.

Creativity :: Icebreakers

It is likely that you have been in a meeting or lecture where there were awkward silences, people who don't participate, and a general feeling of disconnectedness. Icebreakers can help infuse some much-needed energy into these unproductive meetings.Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tension and loosen up a formal atmosphere. Starting a meeting or brainstorm with an icebreaker can help get the creative juices flowing and get everyone in a mood to participate. An icebreaker should not exceed 15 minutes. After all, you do want to get something done, don't you? You should also pay attention to the age of your group and the skills required to complete the icebreaker. You don't want to make an elderly gentleman hop around the room like a bunny or ask a 5 year old to solve a complex puzzle.

Creativity :: Icebreaker: Name Game

Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tension and loosen up a formal atmosphere in a meeting where you want to have creative ideas and group participation. Here is one to try at your next meeting:Sit in a circle and pick one person to start. This person should say their name and a one-word description about themselves that starts with the first letter of their name. For example: "Juggling Jake." Going clockwise, the next person would repeat this and add their own information: "Juggling Jake, Golfing George." Continue around the circle until everyone has participated. Not only does this icebreaker introduce everyone to everyone else, but it also tells you a little about each person.

Creativity :: Icebreaker: True or False

Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tension and loosen up a formal atmosphere in a meeting where you want to have creative ideas and group participation. This is an example of an easy icebreaker to try with a small group:Going around a group, each person should say one true statement about themselves and one that is false. After each person has said their two statements, the group takes a vote to determine which is which. People should be encouraged to make the false statement sound plausible to make it more fun. You can learn a lot about people with this exercise, and it's fun too.

Creativity :: Taboos

A taboo is an inhibition resulting from social customs or emotional aversion. Taboos serve a useful purpose to society because they prevent people from experiencing displeasure about something. However, taboos can cause people to ignore certain solutions to problems, even if they are very good. A popular example is to imagine a pipe stuck in the ground with a ping-pong ball in the bottom. How do you get the ping-pong ball out using a minimum of supplies and without damaging anything? The taboo answer, which is a very effective solution, is to pee into the pipe, thus floating the ball out. You may have thought of this answer in your own mind, but if you had been in a group of people you probably would not have verbalized it.Since taboos exist to protect other members of society, you do not need to censor yourself when you are working alone. You might not end up with a taboo solution, but sometimes you must work through incorrect or unacceptable solutions in order to reach a correct one.

Creativity :: Icebreaker: Silent Birthday

Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tension and loosen up a formal atmosphere in a meeting where you want to have creative ideas and group participation. Try this one to get people out of their seats and interacting in new ways:Have everyone line up in the order of his or her birthday. The catch is that nobody is allowed to talk or write. This should inspire people to use some interesting forms of communication. Variations of this game could include lining up by age or alphabetically by the city in which you were born.

Creativity :: Uncomfortable Concentration

Have you ever attended a really boring lecture, needed to complete a really dull task, or simply been tired when you needed to be alert? In these situations it can be very difficult to concentrate; our minds wander and we are prone to daydreaming. One way to prevent yourself from daydreaming when you don't want to is to put your body into an unfamiliar or uncomfortable position. Maybe you could sit on your hands, curl up your toes, or keep pinching yourself. Try repeatedly contracting and relaxing certain muscles in your body. These actions make it difficult for your mind and body to relax. If you are not relaxed then you will be less like to tune out and start daydreaming.If you can anticipate when you are going to be put into one of these situations, you could prepare by getting some good sleep. If that isn't possible, you could bring along some props to help you stay alert. For example, if you bring a glass of ice, you could hold an ice cube in your mouth. The coldness from the ice will keep you awake. Experiment with your own ways of keeping your mind and body alert.

Creativity :: Icebreaker: Animals

Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tension and loosen up a formal atmosphere in a meeting where you want to have creative ideas and group participation. Here is an icebreaker that will test the group's creativity:Everyone needs to stand up. Now, going around the group, each person must say the name of an animal that starts with the next letter of the alphabet (Ant, Bear, Cat, etc). When you reach the end of the alphabet, start again at the beginning, using all new animals. If someone can't think of an animal, or repeats an animal, then they are out and must sit down. Keep going around the circle until only one person is left. You may choose to award a small prize. You may also vary this exercise by picking things other than animals (flowers, foods, movies, names, etc).

Memory :: Good Sleep

Good sleep is extremely important if you want to have a strong memory, because it is during sleep that memory consolidation occurs. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your sleep.
1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (including the weekends). Having a consistent schedule will keep your internal clock in sync and will make it easier to fall asleep at the proper time each night.
2. Refrain from doing any physical exercise shortly before bed time. All that energy can make it difficult to fall asleep on time.
3. If you are sleeping in a noisy place, try to mask the bad noises by using mellow music, a white-noise machine, or even a fan with a constant hum.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol prior to bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake. Alcohol can interfere with your brain chemistry and prevent you from entering the most restful stage of sleep called REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.
5. Avoid taking naps during the day, or at least limit them to 30 minutes or less. Napping can make it difficult for you to fall asleep at the proper time because you wont be tired yet.

Memory :: Space it Out

Memory :: Space it Out

Taking breaks is very beneficial to studying as it gives your mind a chance to digest and organize the information that you have absorbed. Even a 15 minute break every 45 minutes can be a huge help. Cramming is studying for long periods without taking breaks and is not recommended. Spacing out your learning will actually decrease the total amount of study time that you need to learn a subject. Additionally, taking a break between studying two different subjects will help prevent interference, especially if the two subjects are similar.

Memory :: Break it Up

Memory :: Break it Up

When you are studying something, you must decide if you want to study the whole subject or break it up into chunks. If you break it up into chunks, you should study the first part until you have learned it fully before moving on to the second chunk and so on. With the whole method, you study the whole thing from start to finish over and over until you have learned it. The most effective method depends on the study topic. An advantage of the whole method is that the entire subject will be in context and you will know how each section relates to the others. If the subject is difficult to divide, the whole method may work better. Material with distinct parts will make using the part method easier. When using the part method, you will need to spend extra time putting each piece back together into the whole picture. The more material there is, the more beneficial the part method becomes.An advantage of the part method is that you will get quicker feedback about your progress because you will be testing yourself more often. With the whole method, you will not have any feedback until you have studied the whole thing for a longer period of time. People who need feedback might prefer the part method. People who have used the whole method before understand that they are making progress even if it might take longer to realize it.Additionally, you could combine the two methods. You could review the entire subject a few times and then break it up into parts. Then combine it all at the end and review the whole thing. Or, you could use a progressive part system. With this, you start with a part and each time you add a chunk, you study everything learned so far. For example, you would start by studying part 1. Then you would study parts 1 and 2 together and finally parts 1, 2, and 3 as one piece.

Memory :: Mozart Effect

Memory :: Mozart Effect

The Mozart Effect is the notion that listening to classical music composed by Mozart can temporarily increase your IQ and enhance other mental functions. It is said that playing classical music to infants can improve their mental development. Some studies have shown that listening to Mozart can temporarily increase one's IQ by up to 9 points when given a spatial reasoning test. Other studies showed that it had the opposite effect! One theory to explain this is related to mood. If you happen to enjoy classical music, then listening to it will bring you pleasure. This will put you in a good mood, which can improve your mental performance. If you dislike classical music, listening to it will annoy you and cause you to perform poorly on any subsequent test. This enjoyment effect is not restricted to Mozart; it goes for any type of music. So, listen to what you enjoy and try to get in a good mood whenever you need to perform at the top of your game.

Memory :: Random Roadtrip

Memory :: Random Roadtrip
Without constant stimulation from new experiences the brain's strength and agility can decline over time. One way to break your routine is by taking a random roadtrip in your car. Normally, when you are driving from point A to point B, you brain goes on autopilot. A simple way to introduce novelty is to take a different route to your destination. Take some streets that you've never driven down before.Another fun way to change things up is to set out on a trip, but have no destination in mind. Simply turn whenever you feel like turning and go wherever your fancy takes you. This can be a fun family experience if you let each person pick the directions for a period of time.Another way to drive somewhere new is to get out a map, close your eyes, and put your finger down someplace. Now drive there and see what it's like. These new experiences are a great way to stimulate the mind.

Memory :: Cortisol

Memory :: Cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone that is release by the body in response to stress. Its effect on the body is to increase blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It also causes the immune system to get weaker, bone formation to decrease and inflammation to lessen. In fact, artificial cortisol, called hydrocortisone, is intentionally used to fight inflammation.Short-term exposure to cortisol can actually improve memory. This is the method by which flashbulb memories are believed to be formed. Additionally, a small amount of stress can increase the mind's ability to focus on a task. However, long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol can damage the hippocampus which can cause serious memory problems. It is unclear how much time it takes to cause permanent memory impairment, but finding ways to reduce stress in your life is always a good idea.

Memory :: Chunking

Memory :: Chunking

Did you ever wonder why phone numbers and credit card numbers are separated into little groups of numbers? It's to help you remember them! Chunking is the technique of taking smaller objects and grouping them into larger objects so they can be more easily remembered. It's much easier to remember 65-74-81-32 than it is to remember 65748132. Try remembering the letters TRTESEL. Now try remembering the same letters in this order: LETTERS. Because your brain is remembering a word instead of 7 random letters, it doesn't have to work as hard. Essentially, you have compressed more information into a single chunk.The next time you are trying to remember a list of small items, try chunking them together so you can fit more information into your short term memory.

Memory :: Brain Deterioration

Memory :: Brain Deterioration

The brain does not have to deteriorate as we grow older. In fact, one recent study shows that new cell growth in the brain occurs in adults, something previously thought not to occur. This growth occurs in the hippocampus which is where memories are stored.Another recent study shows that brain cells do not die as we age. In fact, when we are senior citizens we will have the same number of brain cells as when we were teenagers. Nearly 90% of people will age without any memory impairment caused by diseases or other medical conditions. The decline that most people will experience is due to a reduction in the number of dendrites in the brain, which form the connections between neurons in the brain.Dendrites deteriorate because of disuse. The good news is that this can be avoided by staying mentally active. Solving brain teasers and playing games is one way to keep mentally fit.

Memory :: SQ3R

Memory :: SQ3R

SQ3R is an acronym for a popular study system that will help you get the most from your studying. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. It's a good system to use if you are trying to learn the material in a textbook.SurveyIn this first step, you should take no more than 5 minutes to get an overview of what the chapter or book is about. Read the preface, table of contents, chapter titles, headings, graphs, summaries, etc. This will give you an outline of what you are about to learn which will help you know what to expect.QuestionSurvey the material again, but stop at each section and ask yourself some questions about what you hope to learn by reading that material. This step helps increase your interest in the topic and focus your attention on what you will be learning.ReadRead the material. Don't take notes or highlight anything yet. The first time you read through the material, you don't yet know which facts are important, so taking notes is difficult and inefficient.ReciteIn this step, you should try to answer the questions you asked in the Question step. Look back at the material only if necessary. Talking out loud to yourself isn't necessary, but it can help reinforce the information. Recitation also provides Feedback. Spend at least half of your time on this step.ReviewSurvey the book again and take note of which areas you were able to recite successfully and which areas you were not. You can study the weak areas again later. A review right after studying will help solidify the material in your mind. Periodic reviews at later dates will refresh your memory and help relearn material that you have forgotten.

Memory :: Forgetting Speed

Memory :: Forgetting Speed

Sometimes we forget a fact almost instantaneously and sometimes we can remember it for the rest of our lives. If a fact is stored in our short-term memory, we are more likely to instantaneously forget it again. But once information enters our long-term memory, it still may be in danger of being forgotten. Studies have shown that the rate of forgetting is highest shortly after the learning happens and tapers off as time passes. Additionally, we may remember the general idea much longer than specific facts. The more thoroughly you learn the subject, the less likely you are to forget it. This is because you are reinforcing the memories more deeply into your mind by overlearning the topic. Information learned quickly will also be forgotten quickly. Another factor that determines forgetting is the amount of reinforcement that you give these memories. If you learn something and then are never asked to recall that information, it is going to be forgotten much more easily than if you use the learned information on a regular basis. So, if you want to remember something, you should learn it thoroughly and then refresh your memory from time to time.

Creativity :: Clear Your Mind

Creativity :: Clear Your Mind

Because we are always thinking, planning, and worrying about things, our minds tend to get cluttered with thoughts and it becomes difficult to focus all of our mental energies on a specific task. You can't think creatively about a problem when half of your mind is thinking about what you want to eat for dinner or how bad the traffic is going to be when you leave work. Before you begin a task where you want to apply all of your creative ability, start by clearing out your mind.There are many ways of doing this, try this one to start. Sitting comfortably, find a nearby object such as a pencil. Now, stare at it. Try to empty your mind of every thought that isn't related to your object. Your whole universe is the pencil. What would it be like to be a pencil? Without touching it, close your eyes and imagine what a pencil feels like. Does it have a smell? A taste? If any unrelated thought enters your mind, refocus your attention onto your object. With practice you will become better at shutting out unrelated thoughts. Do this for at least 5 minutes (set a timer so you aren't thinking about the time). You should find that your mind is more focused and has fewer distracting thoughts. This is the correct mindset for creative thinking.

Creativity :: Mind Dump

Creativity :: Mind Dump

Have you ever had the feeling that your mind is too cluttered to concentrate on a particular task? If so, this little exercise will help clear out your thoughts. Get a pad of paper and start writing down everything that is on your mind. Include everything that you need to do, everything that is bothering you, everything that worries you, anything you regret, wishes, hopes, etc. Put it all down on the paper. Don't stop until you can't think of anything else. This has the effect of clearing out your mental closet. With a list of everything that you are thinking about, you'll be able to set priorities and make quicker decisions. This will free you up to think creatively about something that you were previously unable to tackle.

Creativity :: Caffeine II

Creativity :: Caffeine II

In Caffeine I we talked about what caffeine is and how it works on the mind. In addition to working as a brain stimulant, caffeine has also been shown to improve athletic performance and endurance. Two additional things to keep in mind about caffeine are that it is a diuretic and causes increased calcium loss. So, if you consume caffeine you should make sure that you are drinking enough water to avoid dehydration and that you are getting enough calcium in your diet.It's probably a good idea to limit your caffeine intake to 250mg per day (less if you are pregnant). Unfortunately, companies rarely label their products with the amount of caffeine that they contain. Here is a little chart to help you.
Drip Coffee (8oz)
95mg
Instant Coffee (8oz)
85mg
Decaf Coffee (8oz)
3mg
Espresso (1oz)
40mg
Coffee Ice Cream (1 cup)
50mg
Brewed Tea (8oz)
50mg
Instant Tea (8oz)
28mg
Iced Tea (8oz)
25mg
Snapple Tea
42mg
Cocoa (8oz)
6mg
Chocolate Milk (8oz)
5mg
Chocolate Bar
10mg
Mountain Dew
56mg
Diet Coke
47mg
Coke
35mg
Pepsi
38mg
Barqs Root Beer
23mg
NoDoz Max Strength
200mg
NoDoz Regular Strength
100mg

Creativity :: Letter to Yourself

Creativity :: Letter to Yourself

When you let your conscious mind take a break from the task, your subconscious mind continues to process the information in the background. Sometimes, insightful ideas will flash into your mind. To encourage this, you can try this exercise.Sit down and write a letter to yourself about the problem you are working on. Pretend that you are writing the letter to someone who knows nothing about the project and give a good description including everything that you have done to date. Be as detailed as possible. Don't forget to mention any constraints that are imposed on the problem and what types of solutions are preferred. Then, give your subconscious a deadline. For example you could write, "I expect a full report by the end of the week!" It may seem silly to talk to yourself in this way, but give it a try. Now close up the letter and put it away. Unbeknownst to you, your subconscious will continue to think about the problem. When the deadline approaches, open up the letter and read it. Chances are that at that point (or possibly earlier) you will have experienced a flash of insight with a potential solution.

Creativity :: Breathing

Creativity :: Breathing

The breathing pattern of someone who is under a lot of stress is likely to be shallow and rapid. This type of breathing lowers the amount of oxygen that can get into your bloodstream and up to your brain. Decreased oxygen can cause dizziness, headaches and heightened feelings of stress. Learning how to breath properly is one of the most important things you can do to help relax yourself. It's for this reason that controlled breathing is a part of almost every type of meditation practiced in the world.Proper deep breathing starts with your diaphragm. Instead of puffing out your chest, try to puff our your belly as you breathe. Use your entire lung capacity. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.Whenever you feel stressed, take a full five minutes to concentrate on deep breathes. This type of breathing will increase oxygen flow to your brain and release endorphins and hormones that act to sooth your nerves.

Memory :: Levels of Learning

Memory :: Levels of Learning

When you learn something, there are several different ways to measure how you remember it. The deepest form of memory is called recall and refers to any piece of information that you can instantly remember (for example: your name). The goal of most studying is to get the information memorized to a point where you can recall it. One step down from recall is aided recall. This describes the type of memory where you cannot remember it until you are given a hint (for example: your first grade teacher's name starts with a B). Mnemonics help with memories in this stage by providing the cues to help you recall the information. This is why mnemonics work so well! You don't have to study the facts as much in order to remember them.If you are unable to recall the information, then you may have only memorized the information to the point of recognition. At this stage, you are unable to recall the information even if aided, but once the material is shown to you, you instantly remember it. This is why multiple-choice tests are easier than fill-in-the-blank tests. You only have to recognize the answer, not recall it.If you learned the fact at some point and now have forgotten it to a point where you can't even recognize it, then your memory may be in the relearnable stage. In this stage, there is some evidence of previous learning because you learn it much faster the second time around. An example of this would be relearning a foreign language that you learned many years ago, but forgot.