If you don’t live the days of your life achieving something whether it’s a goal, plans, or dreams, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities
What are some of those things you’ve always wanted to do before you die?
Having a list of all the the goals we want to realize, the dreams we want to fulfill, and the experiences we desire to have, keeps us focused on doing what is important. It reminds us of what is significant to us so we can act on it.
The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.
1. Expand my thinking beyond what I am conditioned to conceive of
2. Delegate more effectively so that I have more time to work on what matters most
3. Lose weight without orienting my life around it
4. Develop a financial plan to become financially independent at age
5. Change my relationship with food from comfort to sustenance
6. Change my approach from selling to telling and from telling to modeling
7. Learn how to set up a website that showcases myself and my services/company
8. Become masterful with sending and receiving all forms of email
9. Improve the quality of my home life
10. Take much more time for me instead of living too much for others
11. Take charge of my life instead of letting other people run it for me
12. Become unconditionally constructive in everything I say
13. Design a lifestyle that makes me incredibly happy
14. Improve the profitability of my company by at least
15. Expand my network to include the finest professionals in 100 different fields
16. Stop pushing for individual sales and start investing in lifetime buying relationships
17. Goof off and not feel guilty about it
18. Communicate so well that people respond immediately
19. Turn my time into an asset — 1440 ‘assets’ a day
20. Eliminate or reduce adrenaline in my life so I don’t burn myself and others up
21. Redesign my life so that it’s oriented around vacations, not work
22. Increase by ability to process more information without getting overwhelmed
23. Accelerate my personal evolution
24. Feel a lot better about myself and my family
25. Reduce the amount of conflict in my life so that I can relax
26. Increase the amount of money I have in savings
27. Start a new business and avoid the common learning curve
28. Identify the triggers that cause adrenaline, before they get me wired
29. Start reading the books that will help you evolve instead of merely develop
30. Design my path of personal development
31. Reduce what I am tolerating at work
32. Clean out the clutter in my closets, draws and garage
33. Learn how to ask the right questions in any selling situation
34. Create a buying environment instead of a selling environment
35. Learn how to make more money in the New Economy
36. Discover what is causing dissonance in my life
37. Become cyber and Internet literate without having to struggle through the process
38. Come to endorse my worst weakness as my biggest strength
39. Be able to look at any problem and see an opportunity, without wearing rose colored glasses
40. Have more patience, especially when I have none
41. Walk my talk without strutting
42. Become a Toleration-Free Zone
43. Strengthen my Personal Foundation so that the underpinnings of my life are rock solid
44. Add value to my customers and clients, just for the joy of it
45. Identify the unique skills and talents that I know are waiting to be leveraged
46. Eliminate delay, so I don’t miss opportunities
47. Stop procrastinating and be ‘inventory-free’
48. Toss out my to-do list (or to create one)
49. Expand my vocabulary so that I can better express myself in any situation
50. Stop whining and start winning
Personal Goals
51. Find the career that is no longer work
52. Play with my kids everyday instead of when I have time
53. Identify every source of stress in my life and either reduce or eliminate it
54. Put my family first without having to put myself second
55. Learn how to give people what want, without it costing me anything
56. Evolve from win-lose to win-win in my thinking
57. Design values-based goals instead of whim-based goals
58. Stop taking live so darn seriously
59. Give others the experienced of being heard, instead of just being listened to
60. Increase my bandwidth in order to handle more input
61. React less and respond more
62. Clean up my life and start clean
63. Start over
64. Discover my personal values and orient my life around these
65. Identify and eliminate 10 tolerations in the next 10 days
66. Create a perfect life
67. Become self-actualized
68. Write a book without the pain
69. Develop a LifePlan and start living it
70. Make the personal changes I have not been able to make on my own
71. Get focused
72. Blow up the blocks standing in the path to success
73. Start taking the path of least resistance instead of working against life
74. Increase the momentum in life so that I am carried forward instead of pushing myself
75. Find a better way to motivate myself
76. Stop watching Jay Leno and get to bed earlier
77. Throw out my television set
78. Move to the country because I want to
79. Make a significant personal decision
80. Create a business plan without taking 3 months to do so
81. Get in the habit of flossing daily
82. Get the support I need to visit the dentist
83. Get the nudge I need to hire a house cleaner so I don’t have to do it
84. Improve my attitude so I’m always positive, naturally
85. Take more chances
86. Change my relationship with risk
87. Develop a reserve of time during my day
88. Get out of a rut.
89. Do a personal makeover
90. Improve what I see in the mirror
91. Keep me on track around using Nautilus 3 times per week
92. Better identify the people who are really good for me, and who are not
93. Extend my boundaries without setting up walls
94. Strengthen my character so I am really proud of who I am
95. Become more sensitive with people who need that from me
96. Stop micromanaging people
97. Bring in 5 new clients a month
98. Make a million dollars next year
99. Become a saver and therefore start saving because I enjoy it
100. Reduce my credit card debt much faster than I am currently
Future Goals
101. Get control over my spending
102. Build a “team” with my area managers
103. Spend more time in the garden
104. Spend more time at the beach
105. Spend more time
106. Learn how to practice Extreme Self Care
107. Increase my havingness level to that I can maintain my success
108. Simplify everything
109. Get back to exercising: 40 sit-ups and 20 push-ups per day
110. Be able to meet men and women and not get anxious about it
111. Book at least 5 selling appointments in the next 10 days
112. Help me identify my unique selling proposition and my label
113. Close ten new clients in next 90 days
114. Start an email-based weekly newsletter to expand my network
115. Easily ask for what I want
116. Become a very direct and confident communicator
117. Tell the truth instead of what people want to hear.
118. Increase my awareness
119. Slow down to enjoy the weather and take in the wonder of everyday life
120. Spend less time in the future and more time enjoying the present
121. Design my winning formula
122. Reduce business expenses by $20,000
123. Increase business by 20% without spending more on advertising
124. Identify three specific goals that light me up for next year
125. Get clear on my values and align my goals with them
126. Create an inspiring project where I will touch at least 100 people per month
127. Launch a national organisation
128. Become a better team leader so employees love their jobs
129. Create a sales program for a new niche
130. Let go of the people in my life who drain my energy
131. Create a personal health plan that includes exercise
132. Take more days off
133. Plan three wonderful vacations for next year
134. Set clear boundaries and train those around me to treat me with respect
135. Begin a financial independence plan
136. Save $100,000 next year
137. Take a day every week to renew and rejuvenate
138. Develop a national reputation for what I do well
139. Brainstorm and prioritize the best ideas to use in my business
140. Work 25% less hours without making less
141. Become a person who smiles almost all of the time
142. Write to someone with whom I have unfinished business
143. Apologize to someone to whom it is very difficult
144. Ask my partner to give three hours of his time per week, to release me to do something I really enjoy
145. Discover what makes me tick
Goals in Life
146. Bring balance to work, home, community and personal time over a three months
147. Start running each morning
148. Decrease body fat percentage by 10% within six months
149. Upgrade all computer programs within three months
150. Stop smoking completely within three months
151. Stop over-promising and making commitments
152. Complete a tough project on time
153. Pay off car loan one year early
154. Buy a new car within 6 months
155. Buy a house within one year
156. Quit my job to work from home within two years
157. Become a telecommuter
158. Go half-time at work
159. Redecorate house in 6 months
160. Negotiate a 10% raise next evaluation
161. Learn five skills to better communicate with my children
162. Learn five skills to better communicate with my spouse
163. Establish one delicious habit and do it every day
164. Rebuild my life after a loss
165. Bring romance back into my marriage within 90 days
166. Discover my life purpose and begin setting goals to live it within 90 days
167. Become more efficient without becoming a machine
168. Return to school to pursue a graduate
169. Get married within five years
170. Expand business to sell products over the Internet
171. Take a trip to Europe
172. Go on a safari
173. Own a boat
174. Stop fibbing and lying completely within three months
175. Build meditation and yoga into daily
176. Achieve assigned sales numbers one week prior to end of month to avoid rushing for sales the last week
177. Spend 10% less money monthly
178. Identify 101 things I love to do and do one each day
179. Decrease time spent paying bills
180. Increase personal time by four hours a week within one month
Examples of Goals
181. Enroll in a cooking class
182. Take scuba lessons and go on a Caribbean dive
183. Discard unnecessary household and personal items within three months
184. Discard items cluttering office and desk within one month
185. Establish three things I am passionate about as priorities in my life within six months
186. Drop three clothing sizes within six months
187. Fit into those 32-inch Levis within six months
188. Go on a guilt-free shopping spree
189. Pay back money owed to friends within 6 months
190. Stop complaining within 14 days
191. Shift/release a sabotaging belief within 60 days
192. Reconcile credit report within 6 months
193. Establish and enforce boundaries within a relationship
194. Reduce number of credit cards to three in 18 months
195. Move into a larger apartment within nine months
196. Visit grandparents out-of-state within the year
197. Design a class or TeleClass and market it within six months
198. Allow one day out of each month to do something I really want to do
199. Organize my pension, will, life insurance and mortgage papers within 60 days
200. Meet with a Financial Advisor twice a year to keep finances updated to set goals on a weekly basis
201. Genuinely thank people who help me, daily
202. Reestablish a lost relationship
203. Call up one member of my family per week, just to say
204. Pay off mortgage within five years
205. Be prepared for a holiday season (eg, Christmas) at least one month before the holiday begins
206. Train a pet to consistently perform a desired action on command
207. Reorient personal and professional life completely around values (not wants and needs) within three years
208. Join Toastmasters and complete first ten speeches within six months
209. Develop two new profit centers in my business within one month
210. Trash 100 megabytes of stuff I don’t need on my computer
211. Clean out/purge all home and work files this month
212. Get my hair cut and styled the way I really want it and the way that is most attractive for me
213. Say “no” 5 times this week
214. Keep the gas tank in my vehicle at least half full at all times
215. Join and participate in those networking groups that will assist in business and personal life
216. Disentangle from those organizations that do not add value to business or personal life within one month
217. Learn how to use a computer
218. Develop a sense of style
219. Take a world tour
220. Improve my reputation among my colleagues
221. Attract the mate of my dreams
222. Become Ms Right instead of searching for Mr Right
223. Turn my ideas into revenue streams
224. Clean up where I get my energy from
225. Reduce the friction in my life by finding the right oil
226. Develop a reserve of opportunities so I don’t have to look for them
227. Build a personal support network of people with similar interests
228. Learn how to attract business instead of constantly marketing for it
229. Design a personal development plan for my children
230. Deepen my relationships with my friends
231. Delight my customers, not just please them
232. Become a more respectful person of other peoples’ ways
233. Keep my word
234. Be accountable for results
235. Enjoy responsibility instead of trying to avoid it
Bucket List
236. Clarify my professional commitments
237. Become an adult in every sense of the word
238. Learn how to say no without turning people off
239. Make it clear to people what I require of them
240. Reorganize my office and work environment
241. Automate and delegate almost every aspect of my personal tasks and chores
242. Get more done, but slow the pace of how I’m working
243. Increase my self-esteem
244. Balance my personal, family and business lives
245. Better integrate what I already have
246. Reduce the roles I am for others
247. Become a lot more creative in what I do
248. Prioritize my time so that I don’t feel rushed and exhausted
249. Trust my inklings more
250. Turn my intuition into my primary decision-making system
251. Develop a marketing strategy for my business
252. Build my personal brand
253. Free myself from my beliefs
254. Come to accept that which I resist
255. Become a better writer
256. Speak in a lazer-like fashion
257. Become an effective public speaker
258. Find my voice and speak confidently
259. Distinguish truth from b.s. in every situation, instantly
260. Become a proactive person who never waits
261. Develop grace
262. Improve the relationship I have with my husband
263. Improve the relationship I have with my spouse
264. Improve the relationship I have with my wife
265. Improve the relationship I have with my children
266. Improve the relationship I have with my son
267. Improve the relationship I have with my daughter
268. Improve the relationship I have with my father
269. Improve the relationship I have with my mother
270. Improve the relationship I have with my siblings
Bucket List Ideas
271. Improve the relationship I have with my in-laws
272. Improve the relationship I have with my neighbours
273. Improve the relationship I have with my boss
274. Set Foot on North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Australia, Antarctica and Africa)
275. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
276. Personally Know Someone Famous
277. Dance with Miss America
278. Swim with a Dolphin
279. Learn a Foreign Language and Actually Use It
280. Have my Portrait Painted
281. Watch a Space Shuttle Launch
282. Be an Extra in a Film
283. Skydive
284. Scuba Dive
285. Ride a Train
286. Be a Member of a Studio Audience
287. Send a Message in a Bottle and get a Response
288. Go to Space
289. Plant a Tree and Watch it Grow
290. Learn to Ballroom Dance -Properly
291. Sit on a Jury
292. Write an Autobiography
293. Be Someone’s Mentor
294. Shower in a Waterfall
295. Learn to Legitimately Play a Song on any Musical Instrument
296. Teach someone illiterate to read
297. Spend the night in a haunted place
298. See a Lunar Eclipse
299. Spend New Year’s Eve in Times Square
300. Drive Across America Coast-to-Coast
301. Go Snow Skiing
302. Crash an extravagant wedding
303. Write my will
304. Sleep under the stars
305. Go white-water rafting
306. Own my own house
307. Grow a garden and eat the produce
308. Have six-pack abs
309. Go Deep Sea Fishing
310. Spend time at a concentration camp
311. Create a Family Tree
312. Spoil my grandchildren
313. Catch a foul ball or home-run at a MLB game
314. Hit a hole-in-one
315. Run a marathon
316. Swim with sharks
317. Experience weightlessness – no gravity
318. Go to a sumo wrestling match
319. See a tornado touch ground
320. Go to an active volcano
321. Go to a nudist colony
322. Travel on a safari
323. Ride a bull
324. Run with the bulls in Pamplona
325. Attend a Jewish wedding
326. Go to a Pow-Wow
327. Ride a cable car in San Francisco
328. Watch the Yankees-Red Sox in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium
329. Try to make a guard laugh at Buckingham Palace
330. Walk a length of the Great Wall of China
331. Go to a drive-in movie theater
332. See Mt. Rushmore
333. Drive an 18-wheeler
334. Eat a meal from a world-class chef
335. Crash a Hollywood Studio
336. Meet someone famous randomly
337. Spend a day in a spa
338. Walk the red carpet at a huge event
339. Stay at a 5-star hotel
340. See Stonehenge
341. Stand next to a pyramid
342. Ride a Gondola in Venice
343. Take a yoga class
344. Take a photography class
345. Shake hands with a President
346. Learn how to sail
347. See the Northern Lights
348. Kiss on top the Eiffel Tower
349. Learn to Juggle
350. Get a tattoo
351. Crowd Surf at a rock concert
352. Bungy Jump
353. Save someone’s life
354. Get a book published
355. Get a standing ovation
356. Kill a wild game animal
357. Make a clay pot
358. Relax in Tahiti for at least two weeks
359. Live abroad
360. Eat frog legs and gumbo and shrimp in the Deep South
361. Snowboard
362. Be on a game show
363. Go treasure hunting
364. Be involved in a heist
365. Own a pet monkey
366. Land a flip on a wakeboard
367. Surf the waves in Hawaii
368. Enter a professional Ping-Pong tournament
369. Give my daughter away at her wedding to a man who deserves her
370. Watch the sunset on a beach on my honeymoon
371. Coach my son’s little league baseball team
372. Run my own successful business
373. Watch OU-Texas at the Red River Rivalry
374. Walk across hot coals
375. Go to all 50 U.S. States
376. Be on a Reality TV show.
377. Be completely out of debt.
378. Go on a cruise.
379. Drive through a Redwood Tree.
380. Ride the Skycoaster at the Royal Gorge
381. Go to the Summer Olympic Games
382. Have acupuncture
383. Visit the Hoover Dam
384. Climb Chichen Itza
385. Stand beside the Christ the Redeemer statue
386. Walk around the Colosseum in Rome
387. Visit Machu Picchu
388. Explore Petra
389. Take a picture in front of the Taj Mahal
390. Adopt a child
391. Travel to the center of all religion, Jerusalem
392. Ride a Segway
393. Attend a World Cup Match
394. Go Ice Fishing
395. Take the Polar Plunge in a cold weather country
396. Give a commencement speech
397. Sleep on a Trampoline
398. Swim in every ocean
399. Fly an airplane
400. Go to a NASCAR race
401. Have a street named after me
402. Tour the White House
403. Set a World Record
404. Get something patented
405. Catch a trout while fly fishing
406. Eat at a Brazilian Steakhouse in Brazil
407. Visit an orphanage in a foreign country
408. Ride a Double Decker Bus in London
409. Set atop the London Eye
410. Get my Ph.D
411. Complete the Hawaii IRONMAN Challenge
412. Draw a charge from Nick Collison in a pickup basketball game
413. Give a speech to over 10,000 people
414. Attend the Iditarod
415. Baptize somebody somewhere cool
416. Be an Olympian
417. Be in a community theater
418. Be in the $40,000 plus speaking club
419. Be interviewed on national morning show
420. Be invited onto a professional court/field
421. Be invited to the white house
422. Be the world champion of public speaking
423. Build a tree house
424. Buy someone a house
425. Camp in a national park
426. Carry the Olympic torch
427. Climb a lighthouse
428. Complete a 40 day fast
429. Crank my neck upward at the Sistine Chapel
430. Create a board game
431. Dance with an African Tribe
432. Dig a well for community
433. Eat at Michelin award-winning restaurant
434. Eat chocolate in Switzerland
435. Encircle a giant sequoia at Yosemite National Park
436. Finish a corn maze
437. Fly a kite with my girls on the beach
438. Fly in a private jet
439. Get gas at the world’s largest truck stop
440. Give a $10,000 gift to charity
441. Give a $25,000 gift
442. Give a $50,000 gift
443. Give away a car
444. Go indoor skydiving
445. Go on a 30 Day leadership adventure
446. Go whale watching
447. Go Zorbing
448. Golf at Pebble Beach
449. Graduate with a master’s degree
450. Have a book published
451. Have a conversation in 2 second languages
452. Hear Niagara Falls
453. Help build an orphanage
454. Hike in the Grand Canyon
455. Hike part of the Appalachians
456. Host a Christmas party for people with nowhere to go
457. Host a collection (10 piece min)
458. Host a foreign exchange student
459. Host a leadership training in Antarctica
460. Invent a well-known game
461. Kiss the Blarney Stone
462. Live in NYC for 6 months
463. Make a scrapbook with each child
464. Marvel at Aurora Borealis
465. Meet the POTUS
Bucket List Ideas
466. Mush a dog sled
467. Own a house outright
468. Own a cool antique
469. Own a pinball machine
470. Own a signed copy of “Giving Tree”
471. Parasail
472. Participate in a reenactment
473. Plant a master’s commission or ministry school
474. Play bocce ball
475. Be on a Radio Show
476. Crash a Party
477. Push a stone at Stonehenge
478. Quote scripture at Christ the Redeemer
479. Raise $1 million in 1 fundraiser
480. Raise my arms on the top 5 coasters in the world
481. Read 52 books in 1 year
482. Read the Bible in 7 different translations
483. Read the complete works of C.S. Lewis
484. Read the top 100 books of all time
485. Read the works of John Maxwell
486. Receive an honorary degree
487. Ride a camel in its natural environment
488. Ride a roller coaster at Cedarpoint
489. Ride an ostrich
490. Ride in a gondola
491. Ride in a helicopter
492. Run a 1/2 marathon
493. RV across part of America
494. Say something profound which becomes a famous quote
495. See a bear catch a salmon
496. See Adele in concert
497. See blinded eyes open
498. See Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone
499. See the Acropolis in Greece
500. Shake hands with a matador
501. Camp at the Grand Canyon
Did you add any of these items to your list? Start creating yours now. Write it down, mix it up, make it personal and stay motivated. Download more of the bucket list below:
We would also like to here about your Bucket list ideas. Tell us in the comments about your top 10 Bucket List ideas.
Help us to share this great article. Your friends will appreciate it!
5 Natural ways to relax and get centered.Yes, there are plenty of ways you can de-stress, unwind, enjoy time with your self and get centered. Getting centered, it sounds a little offbeat to those of you who don’t meditate or practice other self-awareness rituals. Maybe the word mindfulness is better. Either way, hear me out.
We all have a busy and hectic life, throw in kids and it gets even crazier. So how do you destress? I know you have a girls night or even guys night out to unwind and blow off steam. Aren’t their ways to do this without the potential use of alcohol and a hangover? The next morning is never any fun.
No need to be wary this doesn’t require guru knowledge on meditation, yoga just open-mindedness. Being centered merely means being at peace with who you are, in every moment. Stillness and quiet are what that means for me. To thine own self be true.
These five things will help you to de-stress and allow you to exhale. The key is to be in the moment and let your feelings, energy and mind flow in all of these exercises.
First, let’s discuss journaling. Yes, we are going back to the “dear diary” days but a more grown-up version. Pick out a journal or notebook, whatever you like. You may ask “what do I write once I open the notebook (love that movie BTW, the book was even better)?”
To start, looking at a blank page can be intimidating if you’ve never journaled before. The first thing I like to do is start by writing the date at the top of the page. On days you have a lot of feelings to get out just start writing. You’re not getting graded on these entries so don’t worry about how to properly get started and use correct punctuation and grammar. Just let yourself flow.
Start with “I feel…” and go from there. The entries can be short or long. I’ve written pages upon pages before and then only a single page other times. Really allow yourself to be in the moment and let your emotions flow. Something happens during this process that is therapeutic. You’re able to self reflect and analyze a situation better, step back and see things differently. Read how to do automatic writing or journaling here.
You can do this at the end of my day, or when the mood strikes you. I believe getting emotions out and not holding them in helps to heal your spirit. At the very least, it helps you to be calm and learn about yourself.
So pick up a pen and notebook and start de-stressing. Journaling is for your personal use only. No one ever has to read it or see it, unless you want them to. Over the years I’ve used many different kinds of journals. I’m currently using this moleskin journal. I love the feel of the paper and smooth writing.
Walking in Nature
nurture, relax, serenity
Nature is an all-encompassing cure for feeding the soul. A simple walk in nature can alleviate stress, calm you down through exercise, and feed your soul. Listening to birds chirping, wind rustling through the leaves of tall pine trees, water gently waving in the lake as the reflection of the sun bounces off the water.
That my friend is relaxing and total de-stresses the best of us. Nature almost forces you to be still and quiet. Listen to the sounds around you and lookup. Oh my gosh, the joy of just looking up! We don’t take the time to just look up and observe.
Look at the trees swaying in the wind, geese flying over information, clouds moving pass. Do this and take a breathe and exhale. The simple things we don’t pay attention to because we look down, at our devices. Busy rushing through from one stop to the next.
Take that walk in the park, listen to the sounds, and breathe. Breathe and walk with intention. It’s more of a stroll rather than a timed fast walk. Try not to have your headphones in the entire time. It’s tempting, and some days I do it myself. Or I listen to audible but nonetheless I’m still observing nature and taking it in. If you live in a busy loud city then turn on calming music.
Taking the time to do this a couple of times of a week or more, if you can, helps bring you back to being centered. Quiet on the inside to where you can hear your true self. Not the restless chatter that you hear all day. Give yourself a break and take a walk.
Meditation
There are so many different types of meditation from mindfulness, transcendental, guided, sound and the list goes on and on. I’ve tried a lot of these, read about it here, to see if there was one that worked best for me or that I connected to most.
As I mention throughout my blog, no two people are the same therefore no two people will meditate or do anything for that matter the same. We will all have different experiences with meditation. Trying different types will help you not only learn what you like but also allow you to practice meditation itself.
I have found that mindfulness of breath meditation is best for me. It is bringing awareness to your breath. I prefer to be in a quiet room where I will not be interrupted, hard to find these days with 2 little shadows. Don’t be surprised if you catch me in the closet trying to get some meditation time in, just sayin’ do whatcha gotta do.
You can use an eye mask, to make it dark, I find this helps me to relax and focus. You’ll have to try again and again before you learn to really quiet the mind.
This is a learning process so please keep on the path and don’t give up. Start with a few minutes at a time and build up from there. You’ll notice over time you can meditate a little longer each time, and it becomes easier to get into that state.
Don’t be intimidated by the postures, everyone learns at their own pace and becomes more advanced in time.
Everyone should practice yoga, at least once. You have to try it to know if you like it. My yoga journey started around 16 years ago or more. I will admit that I haven’t done it continuously during those 16 years. There were some years that I didn’t practice at all. Other times I would attend a yoga class 4-5 times a week. Currently, I practice yoga in my bedroom with my favorite yoga youtube channels.
Just like meditation, there are many types of yoga styles. As a result, I’ve tried many of them and learned which ones I like best. You do the same.
Yoga has many physical benefits such as increased flexibility, muscle strengthening, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and the list goes on. As far as de-stressing, well this helps with that too.
You don’t even have to leave your own home to try, especially if classes aren’t your thing. With that yoga classes have a different environment than other “gym” type classes. Everyone is focused on themselves and their own practice. There isn’t that feeling of everyone is watching me.
The flow of the poses is very soothing once you learn the salutations or sequences. That word mindfulness comes in again. It’s hard to not be during yoga. You become very focused on your pose and breathe that this, in turn, becomes its own meditation. It never ceases to amaze me how quiet the mind gets when you are practicing yoga. It’s almost effortless.
5–Hydroxytryptophan (5–HTP) is an amino acid that your body already produces. It’s derived from an African plant known as Griffonia simplicifolia. It helps to increase the serotonin levels in your body thus boosting your mood. Allowing you to be more mindful and less stressed and preoccupied.
It’s a natural supplement that offers numerous benefits including a calming effect. To learn more about 5-HTP as a natural stress reliever read the article that goes into more depth.
There you have it 5 natural ways to relax and take a moment for your self. Self-care is a buzz word that we’re hearing everywhere right now. Don’t think its not for you or you don’t have time. Making time will only improve your daily life and mental health.
Being mindful during any of these activities will bring you to a more relaxed state and bring you into alignment. Find what works best for you and continue to develop your own self-care routine.
This article is republished by https://inspirehealthandspirit.com/ under Creative Commons license. Read the original.
Help us to share this great article. Your friends will appreciate it!
In this article, we’re going to look at how enlightened people put their wisdom into action.
The mark of truly enlightened people is in the actions they take to help put an end to suffering throughout the world.
From my studies about spiritual figures in history, and my experiences with people well along their path, I’ve identified some general activities that enlightened people engage in to bring more peace and harmony into the world. Keep in mind that their activities will vary according to how enlightened they are.
To say that their work is selfless is not entirely correct. You see, the enlightened person has realized that he is interconnected with the rest of humanity—more accurately with all that exists—and has lost the sense of a separate self.
Keep in mind that the loss of a sense of separate self is not the same as a loss of self. The enlightened person has lost only the notion that human beings are characterized by an individual and independent living entity. In other words, it is the extinguishment of the individual ego. Since the enlightened person is an integral part of all of humanity, everything that he does to help others also benefits him personally.
Listen to Eckhart Tolle talk about enlightenment and the egoless state. Video lasts about 8 minutes:
One day a friend of mine tried to point out to me that I derived a personal benefit from the work I do to help others on their spiritual path. I had to concede that he was correct. And since I am not yet fully enlightened, some personal gratification is still involved, though I hope that motivation is diminishing as I progress in my spiritual development.
With these things in mind, let’s look at how enlightened people put their wisdom into action:
They Teach, and Don’t Preach
The enlightened person wants others to have the peace and serenity they have found. To that end, he dedicates his life to teaching others how to put an end to their suffering. He understands human nature and the most effective ways of transmitting his insights.
He also understands that people who are truly interested in greater insight don’t respond well to preaching and lecturing. Instead, they prefer to be guided down the path of enlightenment.
Generally, people who prefer to be lectured are those who are not inquisitive and prefer to simply accept a particular spiritual doctrine without questioning. They don’t want to put in the effort it takes to finding the Truth within themselves. I should point out that we are all susceptible to getting set in our views. It takes work, courage, and humility to continuously question our own views.
The enlightened person understands that his role as a teacher is to show others how to become less dependent on him for their enlightenment. He wants his students to understand that all the wisdom in the world is within them, and his job is to show them how to reach it.
The enlightened person leads people down the path to inner peace. She works tirelessly to reach more people with her teachings. She knows that in order to reach more people, she must develop a following. But she doesn’t do it for personal gratification.
The enlightened person is also not interested in being idolized. On the contrary, she realizes that once someone begins to idolize her, they stop looking within themselves for peace and serenity.
People follow her because of who she is and what she stands for. They also follow her because they know she can show them the path to enlightenment. However, once her followers progress in their spiritual development, they too begin to realize that they must now become leaders, and abandon their roles as followers.
They Practice
The enlightened person practices what he teaches. He not only talks about love, compassion, and understanding, but he practices these principles more diligently than his followers. He has an unshakable faith that his spiritual practice will lead to peace and harmony within himself and in the world around him.
The enlightened person is committed to his own daily meditation practice. He is also continuously looking for ways to improve it further. He is a student of life. He knows that in order to improve his effectiveness as a messenger, he must improve his understanding of the path to enlightenment, and the interconnected nature of all existence.
He is not looking for the right way of doing things, but rather for a more mindful way of doing things, because he knows that more mindfulness leads to less suffering. For him, this process never ends.
They Serve and Protect
The enlightened person is committed to being of service, not just to humanity, but to all life. She has a deep reverence for all living beings, no matter how big or small. To her, it is not necessarily about having a right to life, but rather about having compassion for the inherent ability of living beings to suffer. She, therefore, works to protect all life.
She also knows that many people, as well as many other living creatures, are not fully capable of protecting themselves from the unmindful actions of others. She is aware that in our ignorance, we all do things that harm ourselves, other people and living beings, so she strives to protect us from others and ourselves.
These are some of the general ways that enlightened people work to create harmony and goodwill in the world. They come from all walks of life. They may be doctors, lawyers, or teachers. Or, they may come from more humble professions such as factory worker, restaurant worker, or even trash collector.
Whatever their background, they generally transform their livelihood into something related to helping others find peace and serenity. The specifics depend on their skills and opportunities. They are not afraid to make a career change, because they realize the importance of helping other people.
To them, this path is not a matter of choice because they realize their duty. However, given the choice, they would still choose to help others because they simply have compassion for all suffering beings. It also contributes to their own peace and serenity.
Is Enlightenment Possible?
I realize that to some of you, achieving enlightenment might seem like an impossible goal. I can assure you, it’s not. From what I’ve described, there are real people among us with these qualities. You may even know one of them. I figure that if they can do it, then so can I—and so can you. My purpose for writing these 3 articles on enlightenment was to give us a North Star to guide us. I hope they help guide you on your spiritual journey.
This article is written by Charles A. Francis and republished from https://mindfulnessmeditationinstitute.org/ under Creative Common license. Read the original article.
Help us to share this great article. Your friends will appreciate it!
Self-care doesn’t need to be elaborate—or expensive. In fact, we like to think the most valuable forms to take care of ourselves are the simple and inexpensive ones that are at your disposal whenever you need them. Here are seven of our favorite ways to take a calming moment to yourself, any time, any day:
1. Start a tea-sipping ritual to take care of yourself.
There’s something so cozy and comforting about a cuppa your favorite brew. For a quick but mindful tea ritual, find somewhere to enjoy your tea undisturbed. Take it slow. Watch the steam rise off the surface, letting it warm your face. Smell the mild aroma of the tea. Sip slow and savor—the tea and the moment.
Tea rituals like this one are only heightened when you drink a brew that has well-being benefits, too. We love Yogi’s teas for their high-quality herbal ingredients that pack a healthful punch.
2. Have yourself an aromatherapy moment.
Aside from smelling great, some essential oils have relaxing and stress-soothing properties. Others have a more energizing impact if you’re looking for a pick-me-up.
Whether you place a few drops in your diffuser or apply your favorite oil blend topically, essential oils give us an opportunity to enjoy the simple luxury of a lovely scent, on top of the other benefits they can provide. So, stop and smell the rose essential oil (or lavender, or frankincense), and enjoy the mindful moment of self-care.
3. Press an acupressure point.
Acupressure is a practice that has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to help with everything from stress and anxiousness to chronic pain and immune health.
Rather than using needles like its TCM counterpart acupuncture, acupressure uses pressure from fingertips to facilitate healing in the body and balance chi, or life-force energy. Get started by pressing the Yintang point, underneath your third eye, where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead. Stroke it gently with your index and middle finger to promote calm during stressful moments.
4. Take a sound bath using nature noises.
To elicit relaxation and a sense of calm, try taking a sound bath using nature sounds (or singing bowls, chimes, or any other audio you like). You can easily find recordings of sound baths online, and then, it’s simply a matter of giving the sounds your full attention.
Enjoy the sounds for two minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour—however long you need to feel like you cared for yourself and are more relaxed than you were before.
5. Try a breathwork exercise.
Whether you need to calm down or wake up, breathwork is one of the most powerful ways we know to influence the state of your body at any moment. There are dozens of techniques to try, which all elicit different effects—may we recommend alternate nostril breathing, or Nadī Shodhana? It balances the masculine and feminine energy within your body and helps you achieve a state of calm relaxation.
6. Take an EFT (aka tapping) break.
Tapping has risen in popularity over the years, likely because it’s just so easy to do. Similar to acupressure, the Emotional Freedom Technique, or tapping, involves repeatedly tapping certain points on the body while saying specific phrases. By verbally addressing a problem while tapping pressure points, the idea is to physically and mentally release stagnant energy.
One study found that tapping can help ease anxiety while increasing happiness, and since all you need is yourself, it can be done anywhere. Check out this primer for a stress-busting tapping sequence.
7. Treat yourself to a mindful walk.
And when all else fails, a good old-fashioned walk is an excellent way to work some self-care into your day. You get your body moving, you can enjoy nature and all its sounds, and walking itself is known to have tons of health benefits. Take it one step further and go barefoot—also known as “earthing”—to connect with the Earth while you take some time to connect with yourself.
Self-care comes in all shapes and sizes, prices, and time spans. A spa day or a full-blown weekend trip to the wilderness may be the self-care you need one day—but there will also be days you have 10 minutes tops to show yourself some love. When those moments come, these options are always available to you.
Life is tough, learn to take care of yourself. Here are some simple ways to take care of yourself every day.
Be nice to yourself especially during hard times. Here are ways to stay positive at all times…
Most of us have an inner voice — the one that usually shames us when we mess up at work or forces us to replay arguments from 7 years ago while in the shower. Even though it’s super common for us to critique ourselves (far more than others critique us), we can also use this inner voice to build ourselves up.
Enter positive self-talk. Granted, it can be weird to compliment yourself in your head — it’s like writing a cover letter (which I hate). But I swear it really works. My therapist and my eating disorder specialist both co-sign that our inner voice can be a powerful tool to help us feel better about ourselves.
P.S. I promise it’s normal to talk to yourself. You never question whether it’s weird when your inner voice says mean things about you. So why question it when the voice is nice?
Let’s talk about some ways to give yourself a little extra grace and compassion.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are many types of negative self-talk. Here are four examples and some particular ways you can use positive self-talk to combat those intrusive negative thoughts.
Personalizing thought: “My partner must be mad at me because they didn’t answer my text.”
Positive self-talk: “My partner is probably too busy to talk right now. It’s great that they know their boundaries. They’ll respond when they can!”
Filtering thought: “Ugh, I didn’t finish this assignment on time. I’m such a failure.”
Positive self-talk: “I got a lot of things done and was able to rest. Work isn’t everything!”
Catastrophizing thought: “If I don’t get this job, I’ll never be employed.”
Positive self-talk: “It’s OK if I’m not a fit for this role. I want to work somewhere that values me and what I can bring to the table.”
Polarizing thought: “I slept in 2 days in a row. I’m so lazy.”
Positive self-talk: “Wow, I must have been tired! I’m glad I could prioritize resting.”
It’s OK if you have things to work on (Lord knows I do), but it’s hard to make positive changes in your life if you give in to the negativity. Reframing every negative thought that comes into your head may seem like a lot of work, but it becomes much easier with practice.
Guided meditations: These can teach you how to use positive self-talk in the beginning stages, when it might feel a bit awkward or unnatural. When you have another person guiding you through the process, it can feel affirming.
Sticky notes: Every day for 30 days, write a positive thing about yourself, your life, etc., on a sticky note and put it somewhere you look often. Mirrors and the refrigerator are popular sticky note locations.
Journaling: Writing things down can be a more engaging way to practice positive self-talk. What’s great about journaling is that it’s a tangible way to get negative feelings out onto the page and then work out new, positive framings on the same page.
Daily mantra: This works through the power of repetition. Pick a new mantra biweekly or monthly and repeat it every morning or evening or in times of stress or sadness.
Questioning: Use this tactic to interrogate the negative thoughts that pop into your head. Are they true? (No.) Why aren’t they? The answer is usually a positive affirmation.
The power to stay positive and positive reinforcement
As much as we might wish it would, positive self-talk doesn’t work overnight. Think of practicing positive self-talk like training for a marathon. You’re teaching your brain and its neural pathways to handle negative thoughts better and for the long haul. The point is that repetition and reinforcement are keys to becoming proficient at anything.
If you play an instrument or practice yoga, you likely remember the very first time you tried. It felt totally unnatural! But as time went on and you practiced, you were able to get into the habit of doing yoga or playing an instrument until it felt natural. Same goes for lifting weights, rehearsing for a play, or engaging in positive self-talk!
Ideally, positive self-talk becomes second nature once you make it a habit. You’ll be able to nip harmful thoughts in the bud by naturally engaging in positive self-talk.
If you need a bit more structure but can’t necessarily afford professional help, there are other resources to explore.
If you want more personal accountability, try leaning on friends or family. Being transparent with people you trust can be helpful, particularly in the positive self-talk reinforcement stage.
Bottom line: You’re not in this alone. But during the times when you’re by yourself, you can still be your own best source of support through consistent positive self-talk.
when times are tough, it is important to always stay positive. Be happier with life. Stay positive to have a positive outlook. When you stay positive, you become calmer and can focus on what are the most important things. So stay positive at all times.
Original article by Reina Sultan. Reina is a Lebanese-American Muslim woman working on gender and conflict issues at her nine to five.
Reinventing yourself is not that difficult. It is really about the desire to change, discovering a new path to follow, and having a curiosity about life.
It’s Time. It is time to mix it up. You are feeling stagnant, or things are not going the way you’d hoped. Now is the time to start your new beginning. You are probably thinking, “do I have to move to another city and change my name?” “How am I going to reinvent myself if everyone knows me?”
Everyone may know one side of you, but perhaps they have not met your creative side or your wild side. Maybe everyone knows you as being defined by your job, where you go, or what you do. But they haven’t met the “new you.”
Some people reinvent themselves all the time. They do this by changing their way of thinking, following an interest, or going back to school. Companies do this all the time, as well. They change the packaging of a product, reinvent a new name for an old product, or restructure their entire business purpose.
Reinventing yourself is not that difficult. It is really about the desire to change, discovering a new path to follow, and having a curiosity about life. Here are ten sure-fire strategies for reinventing yourself.
1. Change your posture:
I could sense your body change as you read this. Yes, lift your head, pull your shoulders back and down, pull your abs in, and push your hips forwards. The minute you realize you have been walking around in the shape of a banana, you will understand that you’ve been in a “hiding position.”
It happens to all of us. We go through our day, not wanting to be noticed or taken too seriously. We tend to get wrapped up and involved in our “phone life” or just not caring. This is the hiding position. The minute you decide to stand tall is the minute, and your life will start to change. Feel that energy coming out of the top of your head to heaven.
Feel your feet grounded, yet your body pushing forward in the direction of the life you desire to go towards. When you change your posture, you change your life. Your body language expresses a desire to pay attention and move upward. You tell the world, through your attitude, that you are conscious, aware, and engaged with life.
2. Change your mind:
How many times a day do you emotionally beat yourself down? How many times do you tell yourself you are not good enough, or you can’t do anything? Better yet, how often do your actions alone express this?
The minute you take control of your thoughts is the moment your life can change. Change your mind, change your life. Instead of wishing, start doing. Instead of berating yourself, praise your actions.
We have to make a conscious decision to be the best we can be. You have everything you need to make your dreams come true, so don’t fool yourself with excuses.
3. Change your outlook:
Positivity is the only outlook you are going to have. When you see yourself as what you wish to be, it is the most powerful visualization and affirmation you can give yourself. It is the stepping stone of growth, as well as becoming that “new person” you are going to be.
Your outlook must be a nourishing, self-loving, and self-respecting reinvention of the person you currently are coping with. When you project your new self forward, other people’s perceptions of you will also change. Those who are savvy and forward thinkers will see this in you.
They are the role models and mentors you should believe in. Avoid the jealous, salacious ones who hold you back. Remember, pride is just the flip side of envy’s coin.
4. Change your inner programming:
When we decide we want to reinvent ourselves, we have to start with our inner beliefs or how we perceive ourselves. It can be a process that takes a long time because we need to restructure how we look at something. Are you judging the situation? Are you self-opinionated, arrogant, stubborn, or obstinate in holding to your own opinion?
If you want to reinvent yourself, you have to let go of who you were and start looking at life through the eyes of humility, trust, wonder, and an open mind. You are pulling away from your comfort zone to reach new heights. Bumps in the road are inevitable. It’s how you choose to deal with them that manifests your positive inner programming.
5. Change your style:
What is your style? A new beginning starts with a new wardrobe. Go in another direction. Take on a different persona. Cut your hair. Get a facial. Commit to having fun with it. Sometimes styles emerge.
The more you get to know yourself, the more comfortable you become with your new look or image of who you want to be. Your inside reflects your outside persona, but your outer persona or look can help you to “get into character.”
6. Learn something new:
A critical factor in reinventing yourself is following the passions you yearn for. Remember, there will always be a learning curve to overcome. Learn to embrace and understand it.
You may remember the feeling of accomplishment when you have mastered a new procedure or process in the past. It makes you feel better about yourself and shows you that there is so much more out there for you to comprehend and enjoy. Your ability to do anything is proportional to the amount of love and commitment you give it.
7. Follow your train of thought:
When reinventing yourself, it is important to follow an idea that has presented itself to you. It has come up for a reason. Perhaps it’s your subconscious telling you what you want, even though you don’t think it’s possible. Go down that road without fear. This is often your intuition chiming in.
It is great to have a plan, but be flexible. Listen and act on your gut feeling or intuition. This unfolding of your journey may not always be smooth. Following that, daydream could be a (perceived) nightmare. But in reality, it is just steps you have to take into the unfamiliar, to get to the side of knowing.
8. Control what you can, the rest will follow:
Factors such as motivation, will-power, and enduring emotional stress will ebb and flow. You may not be able to control these ups and downs, but what you can control is how you cope with them. You are going to face adversity.
You can make yourself mentally ready for these challenges each day, by starting with a little “me time.” We all have commitments to meet and daily life to pursuing. Schedule your “me time.”
Make the time to prepare yourself. Some people meditate, do morning yoga, or just take a more extended shower. Whatever your process, create an extra 15-30 minutes to prepare your mind for the day ahead.
9. Support is something you manifest:
If we look long and hard enough, we find what we want. In the meantime, support can be just what you need when you fall off the positivity train or need direction or guidance. You can find support groups in your local town or on social media.
Consider finding reinforcement from books or articles. One of my favorite support tools is journaling. This is a daily or weekly expression of your journey on the road to reinvention.
Create a journal that you can express your joys and fears. Be sure and fill it with positive reinforcements such as ideas, images, colors, scents, or anything that inspires you to go on.
10. Don’t forget to improve what you have now:
Improve your strengths, better your weaknesses. If you look at who you are now, you will see what you are best at doing. These traits are your strengths, and they are there for you to build a better foundation on. We also know what we may not be the best at.
This is where there is room for improvement. Where there is room for improvement, there is room for growth.
Reinventing yourself is like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon to become a butterfly. This process is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences you can put yourself through.
The effort it takes to do this will challenge your mind, body, and spirit. What is most rewarding is when you look back on your old self and see those stagnant patterns you have overcome. It is when you realize just how much work it took to find your new self, as you reap the rewards you have truly deserved.
Knowing how to improve makes yourself better. Reinventing yourself during these times will help in your personal growth. You can start reinventing yourself with the help of these powerful strategies. Start reinventing yourself now.
For many of us, life seems to dash by at breakneck speed. Like a game character jumping through hoops, solving puzzles and facing challenges, it can sometimes feel as if we are being propelled forward with little agency or control, thoughtlessly rushing from one thing to the next; then realising that months have disappeared and we’re not entirely sure what we’ve done with them.
Luckily, however, we don’t have to rely on someone else to press pause and give us some much-needed breathing space – we can do it ourselves.
These are just a few of the ways we can empower ourselves to put everyday life on hiatus, and enjoy a moment or two that’s entirely our own.
Meditation has an extraordinary number of benefits, and is recommended for everything from alleviating anxiety to improving our creativity. A hugely important yet often overlooked benefit, however, is that at the most basic level it gives us some time to ourselves.
By committing to 25 minutes where we simply aren’t allowed to take phone calls, sort out lunch for our kids, get stressed reading the news or scroll through emails, we are giving ourselves much needed “time out.”
While benefits like reduced anxiety and improved performance are key to a meditation practice, it also gives us the discipline to not constantly engage with whatever flighty worry our brain throws at us.
And what’s more, it teaches us that it doesn’t matter how urgent something seems or how busy we think we are, there’s always time to take a breath and withdraw from everyday cares – which is an extremely powerful lesson.
Plan periods of rest
In the past and in many cultures, a “day of rest” was codified in religious law. While this can still be surprisingly strict in small pockets of society (for example in traditional Jewish communities), somewhere along the line the idea of setting aside a day to rest was lost to the majority of us. Work takes up a huge amount of our time, and once that’s finished, we have everything else to contend with.
The result is that it can be surprisingly difficult to slow down, because there’s always another chore, commitment or social engagement to attend to.
The best place to start is to plan periods of rest – even if it means putting them in your diary a week in advance, and deliberately turning down invitations or obligations during that time. You may have to call in support to make this possible, but there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
For example, if you plan to rest on a Monday afternoon, you may arrange for a family member or partner to take on the responsibility of picking up the kids from school on that day, and return the favor another time.
You also have to be strict with yourself, to make sure you don’t find yourself thinking “oh, I’ll just sort out a couple of things on my to-do list.” If you find it difficult to switch off, try leaving the house and going somewhere you find relaxing, like the beach or cinema; or commit the time to a restful task you really enjoy.
You might love cooking, and could spend that Monday afternoon leisurely preparing an elaborate meal. Or perhaps you could spend the time journaling, walking or painting – as long as it’s something you love, but don’t usually get enough time for.
Remember that not everything needs to be productive
Sometimes we have to remind ourselves, in a world where our day is so dominated by the idea of being on the clock, that not every action has to be productive. In fact, it’s perfectly acceptable to while away time doing things that aren’t productive at all.
We place so much value on efficiency – to the point where even our sleep needs to become “optimized” – that we completely miss the main point of life: to have a nice time, and try to make sure other people are having a nice time as well.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have goals, of course, or want to achieve things. But it also doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be busy 24/7, and work flat out all the time. We’d still be ploughing fields with oxen and working 16 hours a day if we hadn’t invested thought in how to make our lives easier, and fought for our right to leisure time.
Rest isn’t only important; it’s completely necessary to our wellbeing – and you could argue, when you look at all the repairs our body is busy with when we’re at rest, that being unproductive is actually a very productive way to spend the day.
While there is value in hard work and pushing yourself, there’s equal value in saying “you know what, today I’m doing exactly what I want to do.” Getting over the mental block that tells us there’s always something we need to be stressing about is a vital factor in hitting the pause button. And with rest at the top of our to-do list, life in general will suddenly feel just that little bit more chilled.
When life seems so fast and noisy, you deserve to have a break. Following these powerful ways here will help you have a break in your busy life. Do not be afraid to have a break. You also need to re-charge. your body needs to refresh.
Original article by Holly Ashby. Holly is a wellness writer who works with Beeja Meditation, a meditation centre that teaches a form of transcendental meditation in London, and has written extensively on the benefits of meditation.
Pingback: How to be happy – Don’t Worry, Be Happy | Wise Life Lessons