Uncategorized Archives - Page 10 of 10 - Start Early Today - Personal Transformation, Self Development, and Wisdom for a Better Life

These Principles are from Napoleon Hill’s “Think & Grow Rich”. If you are in your personal and success journey, this is a perfect book to start with. We will be going through these principles very simply and clearly. Let’s get to it.

1. Desire

The starting point of all that is is desire. Desire is to long for. Have looked into your deepest desires? What brings you fulfillment? Notice if you have been passive and content with just getting by or being comfortable. Try looking deeper into what would really be amazing to you! You could be that, it is best to lay them out on paper. Loving relationships? creative projects? physical feat? What kind? Get specific down to the last detail. This is called designing your life, taking responsibility in building the life of your dreams. It is also a must that you be specific in asking / desiring. Write that desire down on paper and imagine that you already are that you desire. Be not attached to the gap between now and your achievement. The now is always changing and it is best to not be attached. Become watchful of your thoughts and always keep in mind that you only think that of desirable things. It is said in the Bible that “What so ever things that are pure noble and Godlike; Think on these things”.

2. Faith

Florence Scovel Shinn said “Faith knows it has already received and acts accordingly”. This is where most people get stuck. The common man puts so much faith in things that he sees therefore he always ends up where he is. Have faith in things hoped for, believe in things unseen. Once again we are quoting the Bible “Calleth the things that are not as if they were and the unseen will become seen”. Try to look back 5 years from now, don’t you have some achievements now that you only dreamed of then? Knowing this law you can practice the act of faith. That you work with great power and everything can be brought upon you, but first you gotta believe. So keep faith in mind and heart.

3. Auto Suggestion

Napoleon touched upon the concept of the Subconscious mind. If this is the first time you are encountering this concept it is simply this. The conscious mind is what you know and think, the subconscious mind receives commands or information with no judgment whatsoever so it brings what ever you think to you. If you think you are having a great day and seeing the good in everything, the sub conscious mind brings it to you through illogical and unreasonable situations in your life. So train the Subconscious mind with repeated affirmations of good such as “I am now happy and grateful now that I am receiving such and such from the universe”. Make a habit of maintaining a positive inner dialogue.

4. Specialized Knowledge

You have written what you want, how and when you are getting it. Specialized knowledge is how you will achieve your desire. Dig deep on what stirs you up. Discover your innate talents and passions, engage in learning the industry that surrounds that craft and alot a daily schedule in practicing. Master a craft, specialize in a skill, the one unique skill that will compensate you in leveling up towards the manifestation of your full potential. Take a moment, close your eyes, imagine yourself engaging in your ideal craft. Be free here, it can be anything, imagine yourself being skillful in crafts like, speaking, cooking, painting, singing. You are creating a blueprint for your destiny and when you see yourself in your head doing something, the subconscious mind already works on how to bring it to your reality. Plan out your next steps. Take a course, read books and schedule deliberate practice. In doing this you are on your way to mastery, and we all know masters rule.

5. Imagination

“As within so without”. You ended up right here right now because of all of your accumulated habitual thinking, feeling and acting. Develop the skill of imagining. Visualize the thing that you desire, visualize how you are getting there, visualize the process. Notice the feeing as you imagine. Remember that the subconscious doesn’t know the difference between something really happening and imagining. As long as you are firing up the emotions of what is longed for the subconscious grants it as real and done. So imagine your ideal day, imagine your ideal partner, imagine your ideal business, feel it, feel the texture of the paper as you receive the check. Vision boards help a lot. So practice imagining, imagine the meeting going well. Imagine the best possible good. Be consistent and see changes.

6. Organized Planning

You have designed the best possible outcome of your life and how to get there, now time to put it on paper and act upon this time space reality. Remember that in your mind things are already built as intended but in the real world there might be some obstacles, use them, stay flexible with your plan but consistent with the goal. Learn from others and know that we are all here to progress and bring each other up. Time to put a date and time on your power move, if you want to write a book, start the first page. Engage and connect with people in the industry you are in ask questions, move forward and course correct as you move along. Remember, have an organized plan of action towards your ideal. Imagination without action leads nowhere, you might levitate but what long term good does that do in this lifetime?

7. Decision

Be decisive. When you decide, you say no to all distractions, you cut out all pathways that leads you farther from your goal. Once you decide, there is no looking back. This is the time where you decide on what you want to become and not what others want for you. Decide fully and adjust as you go along. Do not get stuck in paralysis by analysis, you know what happened to the donkey who couldn’t decide whether to eat some hay or drink water… yes that donkey went to heaven. So don’t be afraid to decide, usually your first gut is the right one, choose what’s right, choose what feels right. Here’s another thought, all of your decisions in your pursuit will be wrong, but it will be wrong in the right direction. So muster up that courage to become more decisive.

8. Persistence

I know and believe that I can achieve what I set out for myself so I demand of myself persistent consistent effort towards its attainment. Make deliberate practice a lifestyle, stay persistent, observe what happens if you persist on a certain practice for a certain amount of hours and days. Little by little, a little becomes a lot. Every effort compounds, 1% towards a goal each day adds up to a lot. If you haven’t figured out what to be persistent in, try simple things like taking a walk every after lunch. Observe your resistance, observe how you handle them, think of how you can be persistent, starting is always the hard part so it is best to start simple and easy.

9. The Power Of The Master Mind

No matter how awesome you think you are, you will become exponentially more if you use the capabilities and skills of others. Join a mastermind, find a mentor, study a person you look up to, biographies are great. So harness the power of the collective mind. Keep an open mind on what your mastermind has to say and figure out practices that would be mutually beneficial.

10. Sex Transmutation

This is harnessing your sexual energy and channeling it towards the attainment of your goal. Notice when you are having these urges and choose to divert your attention into activities that will help you grow instead of squandering your energy. If you resist giving into these urges, your energy will be released through creativity and productivity

11. The Subconscious Mind

We have mentioned the Sun conscious mind in the desiring and imagining principles. Joseph Murphy specializes in this topic and he does a good explanation of this. Your subconscious mind is where your true beliefs are contained, therefore it is the gate keeper of your comfort zone. What does this mean? It means that you are only going as far as your subconscious pre programmed limit is. But here is the truth, there are no limits. We have discussed earlier that the subconscious mind takes command from the conscious mind, so be intentional and identify your resistance in some areas. Speak, feel and believe your success as a present fact, not a future plan, affirm this persistently and consistently to imprint the subconscious mind sometimes also called the subjective mind. Know that the subconscious mind is open to suggestions from the conscious mind so suggest only life affirming facts. Expand your limits, go to new places and create new experiences. Having a beginner’s mind and an attitude of gratitude imprints the subconscious mind that you are open to receive and already have so it will bring forth instances in your life that are alike to what you are thankful for and expecting. To that which is like unto itself is drawn, life makes more life, money makes more money, good creates more good.

12. The Brain

There are more connections in your brain than there are subatomic particles in the universe?! This is what Gerald Edelman, the Nobel prize winner, claims. That’s the magical thing you have in between your ears. It has been said that we only use 10% of our brains so there’s more to explore and become! Look into Neuroplasticity and Growth Mindset. There is no limit to what you can be, do or have. You have a brain right?

13. The 6th Sense

It is the sense through which Infinite Intelligence communicates voluntarily without any effort from the individual. Learn to listen to this intelligence. Make time for silence and meditation and listen to messages from the source. This is where you will get insights that will help you get closer in achieving your goal. So have a daily practice of tapping into your 6th sense, early in the morning and upon retiring at night. There is infinite knowledge and ways of achieving that is out there and you can tap into it. All you gotta do is be persistent in practicing.

Hope these principles help you set up framework that works within your day to day. With definiteness of purpose, a plan and consistency. Nothing is impossible.

Our minds are designed to see the negative, calculate, predict what is going to happen. It is hard wired due to programming and its journey towards self preservation. Not knowing how to manage our overthinking mind will lead to its own demise. Anxiety, confusion, fear and all other negative mental states can be avoided with simple insights to remember.

1. 3 Deep Mindful Breaths

Bringing your attention to your breath automatically shifts your nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic. It shifts from tense and stressed to rest and digest. In these 3 deep mindful breaths you affirm that all is well, you bring your attention where your true power lies, the now. So keep this tool in mind, all throughout the day make time to pause and take 3 deep mindful breaths, an opportunity to recenter, look again and cultivate a positive mindset.

2. Body Scan

Bring attention to parts of the body and intentionality blow relaxation upon them. We tend to store emotional tension on the hips and shoulders. Take a moment to untense starting from the feet going up to the crown of the head. Train the mind and utilize its power to focus. In here we are focusing attention in certain parts of the body and softening them, exhaling through them and returning them to ease and balance. The mind can be commanded to disperse its attention as far wide as the galaxy and to focus its attention to the tiniest of atoms. In this practice, by the power of awareness we focus the minds attention to each cell of your body, allowing it to renew and relax to its natural state.

3. Nature Immersion

Nature is our greatest teacher. We came out from it and manifesting through it. Overthinking is caused by the delusion of separateness from the one true source of all life. The life that is happening that is you, your story, your identity is only a minuscule part of what is really happening. Take a walk in nature and tap into the feeling of the vastness of the sky and the groundedness of the mountains, the lightness of the birds and the depth of the ocean. Listen to nature and become more a part of it. There is a higher order going on unfailingly and your tiny existence is a part of it, being a part of such grand intelligence cultivates faith and knowingness that I am and You are safe.

4. Brain Dump

Much as you do a morning digestive system dump, same goes for your brain. Our minds are sensitive receptors of data, you might have been carrying debilitating thoughts in your head since you were 7. In this brain dumping practice, you release clutter in your head, things that have been bugging you, things that inspire you and everything in between. Mindfully jot down these concepts in your head on paper or on your journal. Treat them as files that need to be transferred in an external drive. Once it is out of your head and on paper, you can asses on how you will go about it; Accept, change or delete completely.

5. Pattern Disruption

Maybe you got comfortable in being stressed and being a overthinking worrier. We tend to get attached to what we know and tend to repeat it over and over till it becomes a habit. Make sure your habits are nourishing and helps you get closer to the future-self of your ideal. If in a loop of bad habits, disrupt that pattern by doing some slight changes in your schedule, maybe take the scenic route, listen to new music, or try out a new yoga practice. There is always an opportunity to look at old things in a new way. If your days are feeling stale, give it a good stir and introduce some new spices and get psyched on new flavors that life can bring.

6. Identify Thought Patterns

Sit in a quiet undisturbed place away from your demanding responsibilities. Maybe a corner in a living room, an altar, a place of serenity and solitude. In this minute of silence notice the quietness, realize that the noise that is keeping you running tired hither and tithed is a voice inside your head. It is normal, we all have voices in our heads trying to persuade us what is best for us. But in this practice, you bring attention to the awareness of the voice, listen to the voice and become really inquisitive of its chattering. With your greater awareness you can easily Identify the egos pattern. It is usually running away from something, protecting its correctness and is just afraid to love. Notice the pattern of your thoughts and know the roots of its behavior. Knowing this you can move on with actions that lead to more compassion and more harmonized with the greater good.

7. See The Bigger Picture

Affirm to yourself that out of this situation only good can come. Anything that is causing us to overthink is our lack of willingness to accept or take responsibility of what is bestowed upon us. Anything that happens to us is for us, everything that happens to you is for you. It is the way we see things that we need to work on, not the thing itself because “the bigger picture is just is” and “you are just another one of those”.

8. Acknowledge Past Victories

Like practicing gratitude it is really helpful to relive your past successes that brought you here. Take time to meditate on the hardest lowest point in your life and remember the version of yourself who took the situation by the horn and took charge to solve the problem no matter how painful it was. Pain is what builds our character, through pain we were born, through suffering we learn and after all of that to Love we shall return. You maybe in a position in your life where you are complacent, maybe it is time to run towards something bigger carrying all the skills and strength we built up in the past. From a psychological point of view time is not linear, it is holistic, meaning you are now all of what you learned and about to become. You are the whole package with endless features. You contain multitudes. Acknowledge your past successes will bring you more of it.

9. Enter Flow State

Flow state happens when you are fully engaged in a specific activity for a specific period of time. In this state, mind stops to overthink and will have become fully immersed in the thing you are doing. Flow state increases productivity by 400% and you get to be truly alive. Flow state happens on the edge of your capability, challenging enough that you are not stressed, and easy enough that you are not bored. So find an activity where in you can tap into flow, drawing, running, playing an instrument, finishing a task. Small mundane tasks are also a gateway to flow state, dishes, laundry, de cluttering and tidying up. It is up to you! What are you gonna flow with today?

10. Positive Reframing

We discussed previously that it is not the thing that bothers us but it is how we perceive and feel about that causes the problem. Positive reframing helps us gain un understanding that there are always two sides of the coin. The law of polarity says so, notice when the negative mindset is getting the best of you. Notice and observe we’re you focus your attention, for where your attention is focused on the more of that the mind creates. You can also go the midway path of the Dao which is all is neither a fortune nor a misfortune, it just is. From that state of equilibrium channel your energies to what positive key aspects of the certain situation has. You have the capability to reframe or counteract a thought with a more positive, nourishing, life affirming set of lenses. Notice, settle in the midst of it and refocus on the good side.

11. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

In your silent self reflection, listen to your inner guide. In this space of inner awareness, set Audacious goals. Put them on paper and set daily Smart goals. It needs to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound. Being clear on your purpose, knowing your “why”, being persistent in daily actions to its attainment will leave you no time to overthink because you are in constant motion flowing towards the becoming of the Self you imagined. Overthinking is a privilege and luxury that we are tempted to be in. Get down on what you are about and get going, do not be afraid because for sure you will fail and will be wrong but you will be stumbling towards the right direction. Look up Carl Jung’s Circumambulation of the soul, we will never arrive or finish as long as we are breathing we are always in an end and a beginning of something malleable circling around the northern star. What you create daily is up to you, towards your northern star or away from it. With SMART goals may you flow your way with balance and ease. Nurturing and discovering, making and breaking, developing a thick skin along the way.

12. Have An Attitude Of Gratitude

Our minds tend to have a negativity bias, this is due to our nature to self preserve. Notice this pattern of the mind to see the negative and focus on the positive through gratitude. In silent meditation name 3 things you are grateful for, it can be as simple as another day, to as specific and complex as your hero’s journey. Switch your “I got to’s” to “I get to” perceive things that you have to do as opportunities to cultivating a better world. This is where you put on your big picture glasses, I get to take care of things around me, I get to nurture my curiosities educate myself and equip myself with skills that will make my uniqueness shine and contribute. Practice gratitude for knowing the laws of mind, be thankful that you are capable of unselfish performance of duties, unwavering rectitude and unlimited forgiveness. Each and every hour of the day, a lot 1 minute to thank divine intelligence that we are still here.

13. Go Back To “Why”

Overthinking tends to make us feel that we are in charge and tricks us in thinking that we are helping the situation. Take a step back, zoom out and go back to “Why” you are ruminating on this specific thing. Maybe you are protecting something, maybe you are scared to lose something, maybe you want to be the best at something. Go to the root of why and gain a greater perspective and maybe a solution will pop up. Maybe in shifting your attention to the core values of your purpose will help a new way of arriving at the situation come to be. Most things can be bypassed and are of little or of no importance. Go back to your why and the how will come to you.

14. Identify and Deploy

Identify problem and deploy solution. Get specific on what you are ruminating on. Is it a pending loss of something? Is it overthinking on ways on how circumstances will be? You can think all you want but the mind won’t be satisfied until bless you master it. One way of handling overthinking is to identify what specific thing you are worried about, lay out possible scenarios, after this you can even get simpler. Narrow it down to either it will or it won’t. Is it yes or no? Make up your mind in 90 seconds. Be decisive and keep a positive mental attitude no matter how uncomfortable it may seem. We lose good things to make space for better ones. If you are unwilling to change, nature will do it for you, so it is better to get flexible, adaptable and capable. Let us approach life rather than avoid it. So once you know what you need to do, just do it with a smile and a little positivity.

15. Access Peace From Mind

We are often presented with the concept of peace of mind but it is impossible for the mind to get peaceful, it’s very nature is to dissect and know and to be uneasy and unsettled in the present. The real trick is to become aware of the mind. Become aware of its automated generation of thoughts and know that these thoughts don’t have any power unless our awareness choose to be emotional about a certain thing. Know that you only bring power to thoughts through your attention so be a selective sifter, only choose to put attention to thoughts that are of help to you and others.

16. Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is one of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques that is very effective. Expose your self to that thing that triggers you and the innate intelligence will adapt and won’t be bothered no more. Chose to face what makes you overthink, the intensity of the anxiety will heighten immensely but will die down immediately. Expose your self to cold and you won’t be cold, expose your self to public speaking and you won’t be afraid no more. It is best to choose to expose yourself to things that you need work on, than being pushed by nature and circumstances external to you. Intrinsic motivation to face what is needed to be dealt with develops your character rather than waiting too long and being forced by need to face a certain situation. An example would be I am intrinsically motivated to lift weights to feel strong rather than a need to lift weights because the doctor prescribed me to do so. I think we both prefer the prior one.

17. Self Coaching

If you are the personality type that doesn’t want to be told what to do, this one is for you. There’s no other person in the world that knows who you really are and what you want other than you. Be accountable and responsible for where you are going in life, destinies and meaning is not handed down to you, it must come from you. Gather the tools you need and structure a day to day with yourself being accountable. Start small, you can start by walking daily, meditating, cleaning, getting clear on your goals. Hold your self accountable and track your progress.

18. Practice Imagining

Visualize your ideal self, paint a clear mental picture of how you want the problem solved. Visualize your creativity shine. Your mind is practicing its great powers by overthinking, overthinking is already imagining scenarios right? So might as well imagine all the good things that you want and desire! What you put attention to grows!

19. Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway

Overthinking is going through all the variables regarding a certain scenario. Here is the reality, there is no end to the combinations of possibilities that might happen. You are over analyzing something because you are scared or you are hiding behind the intellect but the real truth is you just might be plain scared. There is an anti dote to this. Feel the fear and do it anyway, in doing so you’ll find that overcoming what you are afraid of is what will get you to the next level of your journey.

20. Set Deadlines

Compressing the timeframe will help you make a snap decision. A lotting 90 seconds to deal with a certain matter gets it solved in 90 seconds although not completely but it will take the issue up onto the next phase. So intend those segments in your day. Commit 1 hour to tidying up, 30 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes on deciding what to cook. Learning to set deadlines will create a version of you who takes action. The type who finishes tasks, getting things done, always start small maybe just decluttering your reactions to your thoughts.

21. Start Early

Setting a morning routine sets your day up for success. Knowing what you will do the day before leaves you no time for overthinking. You will be too busy becoming towards the life of your dreams. Here is a quick structure of a morning for you. Practice silence, then next minute gratitude, then next minute visualize the day, 39 minutes cardio l, 10 minute journal, carry an affirmation Al through out the day such as, “Today I shall manifest creativity within me and I am open to opportunities where my talents will be utilized”. “Today I’m open to surprises” this will get impressed to the subconscious mind and will reflect upon your daily affairs. So affirm your power first thing by practicing these self empowering tools.

22. Be Here Now

Yes it is an Oasis Album and a Ramdass book but let us not underestimate this powerful phrase. The whole essence of Zen, Mindfulness and Yoga is this. To be here now is to be where life is, all suffering and pain is either remembered or anticipated meaning they are not really here. Sit for a moment and be here, letting go of what is passed, letting go of what is to come and just be this. Sitting breathing, thoughts rising, dissolving. Not needing to make anything happen. Not needing to chance things in a certain way. Just this. Resting, relaxing and letting be. This will surely rid of overthinking for you will realize it’s futility compared to just this.

23. Take It Slow

Think of your mind as a machine automatically presenting thoughts. Your brain runs on different brain waves, delta when asleep, theta / alpha semi awake this is where intuition, subconscious and conscious overlap. At beta your waking state, the brain is vibing at a high speed that if you act on its every whim you will definitely burn out. There is no need to match the pace of your thoughts. Your awareness can be slowed down by slowing the breath and becoming awareness and knowing that you are not your thoughts. Do things gently at a slow pace. Increase the space between stimulus and response is my favorite. Watch the spaces. Observe the emptiness and feel its fullness. Wait and let spirit move you rather than the ego.

24. Become The Observer

Will I, won’t I, This or that, here or there. There is no end to the choices and variables the mind can ruminate on. Pondering the problem is one of the mind’s favorites. Accept that the mind overthinks and with practice you will be used to being the observer of the mind. Your awareness is separate from the thinking mind, think of it as a multimedia player playing an endless montage of best of’s and what could haves and what ifs. You are just an observer of that motion picture. Initially you will have a hard time watching thoughts because of your habit of associating with each thought that arises. But through practice of disassociation, engaging not entangling, knowing the truth of the nature of the mind. You have entered the world of the observer and will have a good relationship and will be able to utilize the brilliant powers of the mind. As you observe, you get to pick what thought forms you will bring attention to. Let the mind overthink, let the heart beat, you are awareness and the observer, the one who selects and creates life through disciplined wise choices.

25. Read The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.

This prayer was written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and popularized by Alcoholics Anonymous. This prayer sets things in perspective. It categorizes things you can change which you can act upon, and things you can’t change where in you practice acceptance and letting go.

26. Take A Cold Shower

I read from my favorite author Stuart Wilde that goes along the lines of “Throw yourself in the river at 4:00am each day, that should fix the ego pronto”. If you engage your ego in something it doesn’t want you immediately disempower it. Plus enjoy the many benefits of cold exposure. A very good tool to disrupt the pattern of over thinking.

27. Do Not Mind What Happens Next

This one is inspired by Krishnamurti. Either it will or it won’t. Your peace is not deep upon conditions. May your peace be as deep as the ocean and as sturdy as the mountains. You are eternal, immortal universal and infinite. So the next time you find the squirrel eating produce in your garden let him and thank him for blessing you with his presence, his squirrel time is precious too you know. Not minding what happens next keeps you open for miracles and opportunities. Let go of rigid expectations and start to open a new world right now.

Irоnісаllу, ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе is thе ultіmаtе freedom.

Wаkіng uр еаrlу, mаkіng uр your bеd, bruѕhіng your tееth, аnd eating a healthy breakfast саn transform уоur whole dау.

7 Sіmрlе Habits Tо Imрrоvе Your Sеlf-Dіѕсірlіnе

Lеаrnіng hоw to mаѕtеr self-discipline іѕ difficult. Evеn knowing hоw to build dіѕсірlіnе as аn аррrеntісе is hard!

The good nеwѕ іѕ еvеn іf іt can ѕоmеtіmеѕ ѕееm аѕ thоugh уоu hаvе nо control оvеr certain aspects of уоur lіfе, уоu dо. You juѕt don’t know іt yet. All you nееd to dо іѕ lеаrn ѕоmе ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе tірѕ.

Lеаrnіng hоw to mаѕtеr ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе is dіffісult. Even knowing hоw tо buіld dіѕсірlіnе аѕ аn apprentice іѕ hard!

Thе gооd news іѕ even if іt саn sometimes ѕееm as though уоu hаvе no соntrоl оvеr сеrtаіn аѕресtѕ of уоur life, уоu do. Yоu juѕt dоn’t knоw it уеt. All уоu nееd tо do іѕ lеаrn ѕоmе ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе tірѕ.

Whаt іѕ ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе?

Self-discipline іѕ уоur соnѕіѕtеnt аbіlіtу tо соntrоl уоur actions, fееlіngѕ, and еmоtіоnѕ. Whеn it соmеѕ tо уоur fіnаnсеѕ, you саn ѕtісk tо your рlаnѕ оf paying dоwn dеbt, ѕаvіng аnd іnvеѕtіng.

Onсе уоu lеаrn hоw tо master self-discipline behaviors, you’ll ѕtау motivated аnd are mоrе likely to achieve ѕuссеѕѕ. Sо іt’ѕ ѕtrоnglу соnnесtеd tо wіllроwеr, whісh соntrоlѕ оnе’ѕ іmрulѕеѕ and actions.

Benefits оf ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе

Thеrе are a lоt оf роѕіtіvе rеаѕоnѕ tо become a dіѕсірlіnеd реrѕоn. Imрrоvіng ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе hаѕ many bеnеfіtѕ I’vе listed below.

• Dесrеаѕеѕ anxiety

• Inсrеаѕеѕ your аbіlіtу to асhіеvе уоur long-term gоаlѕ

• It mаkеѕ you fееl hарріеr

• Yоu bесоmе more rеѕіlіеnt

7 Simple wауѕ to іmрrоvе уоur ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе

Here, wе’vе outlined ѕеvеn ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе tірѕ to mоvе уоu tоwаrd thе bеttеr life you deserve аѕ long аѕ you’re wіllіng to work for іt.

1. Countdown, then tаkе action

Sоmеtіmеѕ, we nееd a little рuѕh tо tаkе thаt next step—that’s how іmрrоvіng ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе begins.

2. Put уоur gоаlѕ whеrе you can see thеm еvеrу dау

Wrіtіng a gоаl dоwn makes іt аll thе mоrе real, аnd it’s a big раrt of hоw to buіld discipline. Hang it uр ѕоmеwhеrе. Yоu will ѕее іt often аnd іnѕріrе yourself — at уоur work dеѕk, bedroom, саr, etc.

3. Remind уоurѕеlf why you ѕtаrtеd

Of аll the ѕеlf-dіѕсірlіnе tірѕ, this оnе саn help уоu keep gоіng whеn lіfе іѕ сhаllеngіng. Kеер your еnd gоаl in mind wіthоut allowing уоurѕеlf tо fоrgеt whеrе you started.

4. Set small goals fіrѕt

Try nоt tо оvеrwhеlm yourself wіth hоw tо buіld discipline by ѕеttіng the bаr tоо hіgh. Buіld уоur соnfіdеnсе by setting and асhіеvіng a small gоаl bеfоrе уоu gо for a big one.

5. Prасtісе рrіоrіtіzіng

Dесіdе whісh tаѕkѕ аrе wоrth dеdісаtіng thе most еffоrt tо, thеn оrgаnіzе your day tо сruѕh them. If уоu set a ѕtudу рlаn, уоu’rе lеѕѕ lіkеlу to рrосrаѕtіnаtе оn thе less-than-savory tаѕkѕ.

6. Know уоur wеаknеѕѕеѕ

If уоu want tо knоw hоw to master self-discipline, proactively combat уоur wеаknеѕѕеѕ. Dеtеrmіnе hоw уоu mіght ѕlір uр аnd how you саn рrеvеnt thаt from hарреnіng.

7. Gеt friends tо hоld you ассоuntаblе

You are less lіkеlу tо сhеаt on уоur gоаlѕ if ѕоmеоnе уоu аdmіrе is watching. Have уоur hеrо (оr just your BFF) ѕеt a goal alongside уоu. Yоu can cheer еасh other on.

Sеlf-dіѕсірlіnе and соnѕіѕtеnсу pay lіttlе dividends, but they соmроund ԛuісklу, іmрасtіng your lіfе.

How to Get Up Early: The Benefits of Getting up Early

People who rise early are often viewed as problem-solvers and leaders of businesses, organizations, and sometimes nations. Have you ever wondered how a morning person accomplishes so much in 24 hours?

People who rise early are often viewed as problem-solvers and leaders of businesses, organizations, or even countries. Have you ever wondered how one person can accomplish so much in 24 hours? You can get a head start on your morning by getting up early.

Night owls might disagree. Some may argue that you can get more work done at night. This may be true for some people, but most of us are wired to be most productive in the early hours of the morning.

Benefits of getting up early

You should be aware of the many benefits of waking up earlier than you think. Besides the stunning sunrise, you already know the benefits of waking up early. Here are some benefits for those who don’t like to be early risers.

• Enhanced Organization Skills

Because you have uninterrupted time to yourself, the early morning hours are often the most productive. When you are free from distractions, it is easier to accomplish any task.

This quiet time can be used to plan your day, assigning a time frame for each task and creating a calm space. Your organization skills will improve if you mentally plan your day before you start it.

• Eat Healthy Foods

You can make a healthy breakfast by getting up earlier than usual. Smoothies, salads, or fruit bowls are all possible. They take only a few minutes to make. This allows early risers to make a healthy and simple breakfast for their family. You’ll likely be late for everything if you get up too late. This can lead to a domino effect. You’ll find yourself running late and often grab a quick breakfast such as a muffin or a doughnut, or even skip breakfast.

Breakfast is an important meal that gives you energy and fuel to get through the day. You will feel hungry and eat a lot of sugar or fat to satisfy your hunger.

• Exercise Regularly

It gives you adrenaline, so it is best to exercise in the morning. Adrenaline increases alertness and helps you get rid of the tired feeling. You are less likely to miss a morning workout if there is another important task taking up your time. You are more likely to miss it if you exercise at night due to extra work hours, friends gatherings, or exhaustion.

• Beat Peak Traffic Commute

You can beat peak traffic hours if you get up early. It’s not a waste of time to get stuck in traffic on your commute to work or drop off the kids. You will also be on time for all other appointments throughout your day.

• Stay Stress-free

You can plan your day by getting up early. You don’t have to rush through your day with a blurred mind. You can plan and avoid the stress of rushing to accomplish things. You will also find that you are more likely to have time for stress-busting leisure activities. This will help you get started your day calmly and composed. This is the key to staying stress-free all day.

• Get Quality Sleep

People who are early risers tend to be more likely to fall asleep quicker. To go to sleep, you don’t need to count sheep. Your body will feel tired earlier if you get up in the morning, which leads to better sleep once you go to bed. Your body becomes accustomed to your natural circadian rhythm, and you are more likely to go to bed early or rise early.

Adenosine is more easily accumulated when there are fewer waking hours. Adenosine, a neurotransmitter, causes sleepiness by inhibiting neuronal activity. A faster accumulation of adenosine can make you tired in the evening, so it is important to wake up earlier. You will feel refreshed and well-rested if you go to bed earlier.

• More energy

Because they are more likely to complete all stages of their sleep cycles, early birds get better sleep quality than night owls. They are more energetic than night owls, who don’t have enough time to finish all stages of their sleep cycles.

It improves your mental and physical well-being by completing the sleep cycles and stages. The deeper stages of sleep are when growth hormones are released, which cause tissue repair and regeneration.

• Feel Happier

You will reap the rewards of good habits and be more energetic, healthy, balanced, stressed-free, punctual, and well-rested if you get up early. This gives you a sense that everything is in order, which makes you happier. According to a

2012 National Library of Medicine Study

Healthy adults who woke up earlier than night owls had more positive thoughts.

• Better Grades

Your chances of getting a better academic grade may be higher if you get up earlier than the rest. Recent research showed that students who got up earlier in the morning had better results than those who stayed awake late. The average GPA (grade point average) for the early birds was a full point higher than that of the night owls.

How to Get Up Early

You now know the importance of getting up and bed early to make your day more productive.

Getting used to the routine of getting up earlier may take 30-60 days. Once you are comfortable with your new sleeping schedule, you won’t need an alarm to get you up.

We’ll be sharing tips and discussing steps to help you develop the habit of getting up early without sacrificing sleep.

• Start Gradually

Be realistic about your expectations. Don’t wake up at an odd hour and start the day. You can gradually increase the time. If you’re used to getting up at 7 AM, set the alarm for 6:45 AM. After your body adjusts to the change, you can increase the time by 15 minutes. Your body will adapt better to this change if you take it to step by step. You won’t feel sleep deprived if you wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual.

• Keep the Alarm Clock away from the bed

You will have a lower chance of hitting the snooze key if you keep the alarm clock away from your bed. You can place the clock on a shelf or table in a different part of your room instead of keeping it next to your bed. To turn the alarm off, you must reach it when it rings. These steps may be enough to wake you up from your sleep.

• Get out of your bedroom as soon as you wake up

Your brain has been programmed to feel asleep in the bedroom. You will be discouraged from returning to sleep if you get out of bed in the morning. Even though night owls are trying to be early risers and become more productive, many of them succumb to the temptation to return to bed after spending time in their bedroom.

• Motivate yourself

You will be more motivated to get up in the morning if you have a goal. You might want to get up early to go to the gym or go gardening. No matter what your motivation may be, keep something that is associated with it close to you. You might keep your gardening gloves or gym clothes where you can easily see them when you get out of bed.

• Reward yourself

You can encourage the system by training yourself to get up earlier. You can reward yourself with a cup of your favorite coffee or extra time in the bathroom. To make yourself feel extra special for waking up at an early hour, do something you don’t normally do. You can reward yourself for your hard work by rewarding yourself.

• Adopt proper sleep hygiene

Create a bedtime routine to signal your body that it is time for sleep. Take a warm shower, read a book, or reflect on the good things about your day. These activities help you relax and get ready for sleep. A warm water shower prepares your body to sleep. Warm water warms up your body and drops as soon as you get out of the shower. Warm baths facilitate this process.

• Keep Away from Blue Lights

The blue light from your television or electronic devices can reduce melatonin production. This can negatively impact your sleep quality and production. It would help if you got to bed early to be consistent about getting up on time.

To get to sleep early, you should avoid blue lights for at least an hour before bed. You can also avoid scrolling on your tablet or phone and binge-watching your favorite shows. These activities can further stimulate your brain and delay sleep.

• Be kind to yourself

Do not force yourself to get up early if you feel tired or under the weather. You won’t be annoyed by the idea of getting up early.

• Don’t Make Excuses About Sleeping In

You may feel like you can sleep in on a cold or rainy day while you are training yourself to get up earlier. Avoid giving in to these excuses. Once you do, it will be hard to get out of the habit. You’ll need to start over.

• Enjoy a light dinner

While spicy and heavy meals can temporarily make you sleepy, they are slower to digest, impacting your ability to fall asleep.

Acid reflux and heartburn can be caused by food that isn’t fully digested before you go to sleep. The extra calories can also be harmful.

“Exercise not only changes your body, it changes your mind, your attitude and your mood.”

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a
few of them are dirt.”
JOHN MUIR

The body is the vehicle you ride in this journey. Much like an auto mobile, it needs tuning, maintaining and make sure all components are running smoothly with minimal friction as possible. A machine when regularly turned on, used, cleaned, integrated with natural elements runs to its optimal and able to do unimaginable feats.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Jim Rohn

‘The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion.’
Arnold Schwartzenegger

Tuning into the body means knowing how to optimally inhabit it. You are infinite awareness and the mind can be an endless maze of confusion if not coherent with the body. You have faculties which are the Mind Body and Spirit which we have to integrate with each other to coherently function as optimal You.

‘Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.’
Henry David Thoreau

Neglecting to tuning into the body will result in anxiety, depression and psychosis. Tuning into the body brings you to the present where true power lies. It will provide you with clarity and confidence and will aid you in truly knowing what it means to be here right now.

‘All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.’
Michael John Bobak

Too much spirit will get us out of touch with our duties here on this lifetime. Too much mind will drive you nuts with all the intellectual concepts to ponder. Too much physical body will also make us neglect the bigger picture of our mission. Balancing these three is the key to happiness, fulfillment and success. Now let’s get specific on how we can Tune in to the body. We won’t learn to overcome hunger or meditate for several weeks, but we will work to strengthen our bodies and make them more flexible through 1 to 1.5 hours of exercise every day.

‘The clock is ticking. Are you becoming the person you want to be?’

— Greg Plitt, fitness model

‘You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.’

— Michael Jordan, basketball player

Because you already know how important exercise is for your body and mind, I won’t go into the “benefits” part.

‘What hurts today makes you stronger tomorrow.’
— Jay Cutler, pro bodybuilder and four-time Mr. Olympia

‘You have to think it before you can do it. The mind is what makes it all possible.’
— Kai Greene, pro bodybuilder and artist

We’ll be doing an exercise program for the next 90-days, and it’s going to be for two reasons you probably don’t know:

1. Your body releases lots of dopamine and serotonin when you exercise. This is what makes you feel good.

These cravings can be managed by exercising, which acts as a proxy activity to release these “fun’ chemicals in your brain.

2. Exercise can improve your ability to control emotions and increase the connection between your mind and body.

‘If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.’
— Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, actor and pro wrestler

You’ll be able to control your blood flow and heart rate at will – both essential for emotional control.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

You will also find it easier to control your emotions when you have hormones imbalance. This will make you a calmer person.

Exercise is a great way to let go of any frustrations or extra energy you have. Brings you back in harmony with your organs. Harmony within you and outside of you.

When you feel a surge of energy, you will know that it needs to be expressed in the physical plane. We were built to outrun horses and hunt, that is in our wiring as humans and neglecting this fact, energies should flow through us, if not may cause blockages and that’s not good if you are aimed at higher things in life.

You don’t have to start a new exercise program if you already have a strong training regimen. Make sure you do enough cardio and train hard enough.

If you don’t have one, we’ll incorporate 60-90 minutes of bodyweight exercises into our daily routine.

Strength training is about lifting weights. You should incorporate bodyweight exercises if your aerobic exercise, such as jogging, is the majority of your workout. Because exercise isn’t just about burning calories, it’s also about building lean muscle mass. Lean muscle is the ultimate goal for health and well-being.

Here’s your exercise plan for the next 90-days:

1. 60 Jumping Jacks for warming up

2. Stretch your body

3. 60 Squats

4. 60 Push-Ups

5. 60 Sit-ups

6. 60 Calf Raises

7. Three 1-Minute Planks

You can Google these exercises if you don’t know how they are done.

This is not an easy exercise.

If it is too difficult (and if not, you will), take as long as you need to rest between each workout. It doesn’t have to be done all at once. You can break it down into as many pieces as you want.

If you find it difficult, increase the repetition count from 60 to 100.

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”

-Earl Nightingale

“I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.”
-Muhammad Ali

“Go the extra mile. It’s never crowded.”

-Wayne Dyer

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

-Babe Ruth

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

-Jim Rohn

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

-Sean Patrick Flanery

“You did not wake up today to be mediocre.”

“Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow.”

“Success is usually the culmination of controlling failure.”

-Sly Stallone

“Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out.”

-Jack LaLanne

“Don’t say ‘I can’t.’ Say, ‘I presently struggle with’.”

-Tony Horton

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

-Jim Ryun

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.”
-Aristotle

“Your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince.”

-Andrew Murphy

“Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it”

-George Halas

“There are two types of pain in this world: pain that hurts you, and pain that changes you.”

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
-Lou Holtz

“When you hit failure, your workout has just begun.”

-Ronnie Coleman

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

-Mark Twain

“You can either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”

-Jim Rohn

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

-Muhammad Ali

“No matter how slow you go you’re still lapping everyone on the couch.”

“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

-Buddha

“When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no ‘I’ll start tomorrow’.”

-VL Allineare

“We do not stop exercising because we grow old- we grow old because we stop exercising”

-Dr. Kenneth Cooper

“It never gets easier, you just get better.”

-Unknown

“The gym is not the social club for the fit. It’s a training ground for everyone.”

“The mind is the most important part of achieving any fitness goal. Mental change always comes before physical change.”
-Matt McGorry

“It always seems impossible until it is done”

-Nelson Mandela

“You don’t have to be good at it, you just have to do it.”

-Karine Candice Kong

“You have to push past your perceived limits, push past that point you thought was as far as you can go.”

-Drew Brees

“In training, you listen to your body. In competition, you tell your body to shut up.”

-Rich Froning Jr.

“I will beat her. I will train harder. I will eat cleaner. I know her strengths. I’ve lost to her before but not this time. She is going down. I have the advantage because I know her well. She is the old me“

“Good things come to those who sweat.”

“You’re going to have to let it hurt. Let it suck. The harder you work, the better you will look. Your appearance isn’t parallel to how heavy you lift, it’s parallel to how hard you work.”
-Joe Mangianello

“Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.”

-Jerry Dunn

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside of you that is greater than any obstacle.”
-Christian D. Larson

“The body achieves what the mind believes.”

“Once you are exercising regularly, the hardest thing is to stop it.”

– Erin Gray

“If you don’t make time for exercise, you’ll probably have to make time for illness.”

-Robin Sharma

“Dead last finish is greater than did not finish, which trumps did not start.”

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

-Abraham Lincoln

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they worked on it every single day.”

Every noble work is at first impossible.

Thomas Carlyle

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.

Teddy Roosevelt

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.
Dennis P. Kimbro

Your mornings set the tone for the rest of the day.

Most people find that the first thing they do in the morning is to hit the snooze key and get some more sleep.

We will do the opposite. We will make a killer morning routine, which we will immediately execute when we wake up.

This is:

1) Do ten jumping jacks when you wake up. This will get you out of bed and help you avoid the snooze trap.

2) Repeat the mission you have created for yourself. This will ensure that your mission is always the first thing you think of when you wake up.

3) Drink one glass of water every 8 hours to combat dehydration.

4) Finish your exercise routine.

5) Get a good shower, then drink your coffee (or beetroot juice).

6) Take 15 minutes to meditate

A morning routine can also help you get more work done in the first few hours of awakening. You can start your exercise and meditation within two hours of getting up.

On the other hand, most people spend time checking their social media accounts and lazing around.

You’re already up and moving!

Remember that objects in motion and people in motion remain in motion.

Start your day with a positive attitude, and you will find that your day will be productive.

The difficulties and struggles of today are but the price we must pay for the accomplishments and victories of tomorrow.

William J. H. Boetcker

If you need more morning ritual inspiration, check this out.

Start early today