1. Exercise: Exercise boosts brain power.2. Survival: The human brain evolved, too.3. Wiring: Every brain is wired differently.4. Attention: We don’t pay attention to boring things.5. Short-term memory: Repeat to remember.6. Long-term memory: Remember to repeat.7. Sleep: Sleep well, think well.8. Stress: Stressed brains don’t learn the same way.9. Sensory integration: Stimulate more of the senses.10. Vision: Vision trumps all other senses.11. Gender: Male and female brains are different.12. Exploration: We are powerful and natural explorers.

The 12 Brain Rules 

An updated and expanded edition of the international bestseller Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details that every business leader, parent, and teacher should know — for instance, that physical activity helps to get your brain working at its best. How do we learn? What do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multitasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget — and so important to repeat new information? In Brain Rules, Dr John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in brain science, and how it can influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule — what scientists know for sure about how our brains work — and offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. In this expanded edition — which includes additional information on the brain rules and a new chapter on music — you will discover how every brain is wired differently, why memories are volatile, and how stress and sleep can influence learning. By the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works — and how to get the most out of it.

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

books

Books

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

An updated and expanded edition of the international bestseller Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details that every business leader, parent, and teacher should know — for instance, that physical activity helps to get your brain working at its best. How do we learn? What do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multitasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget — and so important to repeat new information? In Brain Rules, Dr John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in brain science, and how it can influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule — what scientists know for sure about how our brains work — and offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. In this expanded edition — which includes additional information on the brain rules and a new chapter on music — you will discover how every brain is wired differently, why memories are volatile, and how stress and sleep can influence learning. By the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works — and how to get the most out of it.

DR. JOHN J. MEDINA, a developmental molecular biologist, has a lifelong fascination with how the mind reacts to and organizes information. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School" -- a provocative book that takes on the way our schools and work environments are designed. His latest book is a must-read for parents and early-childhood educators: "Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five."Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and two boys.

John Medina

Brain Rules

<ul><li>Workout - Sticking to daily workout</li><li>Food - Having consciousness on what you consume daily basis</li><li>Rest - Getting a good sleep </li></ul>

Weight Loss Need Patience & Persistence

Standing up 4 hours rather than sitting and working 8 boost your calories burn by 20%

Standup

<ol><li>Pumps up your energy</li><li>You can get rythm to your workout</li><li>Relieves boredom</li></ol>Cons <ol><li>Can cause distraction as well</li><li>Might Increases your workout time if you spend more time tuning to your favourite music during workout</li><li>Jogging on roads have to be highly cautious </li></ol>

Music & Workout

"Somedays You have to give up to get going ". Rest days are harder then the days you workout . But Rule is you have to rest and give your body recovery time.

Rest Days

turn on the Hiit music .. 30/10 for 8 mins .. is a real good stretch.

Try 10 MINS HIIT

Don't give up .. You will see results...

Journey Of Weight Loss Causes Depressing

food

Food

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

How to loose wait ?

Patañjali was a sage in India who is believed to have authored a number of Sanskrit works, the most prominent of which is the Yoga Sutras, a classical yoga text dating to 200 BCE – 200 CE. Though references to yoga within Hindu scripture had already long existed, it’s believed they were too diverse and complex for the general public, so Patanjali created the Yoga Sutras as a way of compiling already existing teachings into a format easier to follow and understand.

6. Maharshi Patanjali 

There was a saintly woman Gonika, who attained the high truth, the highest knowledge, which she wanted to propagate for the well being of mankind. Hence, she was searching a right person for it. Once, offering a holy water to Sun, while praying, a small fish emerged in her palms and as the water dropped down, it turned into a human child figure. Thus as fallen from palms, he was named as Patanjali (Word – Patan – fallen down Anjali – Palms).He was an incarnation of Shesha i.e. Hooded Cobra, having uncountable skulls (brains or centres of knowledge).

A Popular story about the life of Patanjali, 

As per Indian tradition of knowledge, the origin of Yoga is ascribed to the Hiranyagarbh, a celestial being. In Mahabharat (Shanti parva) Krishna states, ‘Acharyas call me as Hiranyagarbh who is lauded in the verses of Vedas,’ thus, Krishna indentifies himself with Hiranyagarbh. Narrator called him Yogaeshvar in Bhagvad Gita. Yoga-yajnavalkya Smruti describes Hiranyagarbh as original teacher of Yoga, just as Kapil, of the Samkhya system.The science of Yoga evolved for millennia of years, even prior to Patanjali. Vedic Rishis or Seers of hymns have recorded their own experiences and musings.

Hiranyagarbha

Traditionally, Yoga is a precious science of wholesome life, leading to liberation or ‘self realization’. The concept of Yoga has confined to a particular discipline, observed by handful ascetics i.e. Sanyasins, for their own goal of emancipation or self realization.Various rigorous practices like breath regulation, fasting, meditation, devotion to god, an austere and secluded life etc. cumulatively called Tapasya were practiced by them, mostly in the Himalayas.As a result Yoga was somehow alienated from the society as whole; and the number of practitioners of Yoga in society dwindled.

Traditionally In Bharata

History has recorded the advancement of Yoga since Vedic days in different manners like verbal traditions, behavioral patterns of Yogais, scriptures, texts, carvings, caves, idols of gods and Seers. At present India and territories around, have a huge treasure of such records. Many literary records attest that Yoga existed since RgVedic time.India being a Yoga-hub has rich collection of scriptures like Vedas including Upanishadas, Puranas ,Darshanas, Itihas (history), Dharma-grantha (Scriptures), etc. describing different dimensions of Yoga voluminously.

Dimensions Of Yo

As Yoga has a long history, it is hard to define the accurate chronological order of different scriptures or texts, with respect to time, verity of practices and components, etc.Archaeological records found in Indus valley sites display some figures of ascetic postures like Padmasan etc,suggesting that Yoga was practised, well over4000 years.(this portion can be deleted if doesn’t suit)India being a Yoga-hub has rich collection of scriptures like Vedas including Upanishadas, Puranas,Darshanas,Itihas (history),Dharma-grantha(Scriptures),etc.describing different dimensions of Yoga voluminously.

Records Found In Indus Valley 

The science of Yoga evolved for millennia of years,even prior to Patanjali.Vedic Rishis or Seers of hymns have recorded their own experiences and musings. History has recorded the advancement of Yoga since Vedic days in different manners like verbal traditions, behavioral patterns of Yogais, scriptures,texts,carvings,caves,idols of gods and Seers.At present India and territories around, have a huge treasure of such records. Nadbindupanishad – define Yoga as – To be indulged in listing a spiritual (anahat) sound while sitting in Siddhasan is said to be Yoga.

Advancement Since Vedic Days 

Yogatatvopnishad – Describe four types of Yoga – Mantra (recitation), Lay, Hath and Raj.Amrutnadopnishad – describe 6 limbs of Yoga – Pratyahar, Dhyan, Pranayam, Dharana,Tark( logical thinking) and Samdhi. One remarkable statement is found in this Upnishad. It states that Ashitihi shat Shatam chaiv sahstrani trayodash lakchaiko-pi nih-shvasah ahoratr prmantah – 34.  It means in 24 hrs we breath 1,13, 600 it means we breath around 78 times / minute.(Normal breath rate is around 15 to 18 /minute according to western as good as eastern health sciences) It seems author is mentioning about

What Upanishads Says 

pulse rate, as further it says Pranvayu (life energy) is of Red color.Dhyanbindopnishad– describes different mudras, pranayam with location and functions of different Nadis (life force carriers), bandhas, meditating upon Vishnu, contemplating on Aumkar (pranav).Yogatatvopanishad– It mentions that individual being has many limitations or demerits like – craving, shyness, fear, anger, laziness, hunger, etc which can be overcome only by practice of Yoga of different kinds as HathYoga, LayaYoga, MantraYoga and RajYoga.

There are number of Puranas describe Yogaic concepts directly or indirectly and following are some selected descriptions about Yoga.Agni Puran – defines Yoga – ‘To know Brahman in total is Yoga’. The technique to conquer senses by knowledge, renunciation and Pranayam.Kurma Puran–describes two types of Yoga – Abhav and BrahamGaruda Puran–mentions about three types of Yogai–Bhautik, Kshatr (warrior) and Anthyashrami.Vishnu Puran–defines Yoga–‘To unite that power of Mind(Chitta) to Brahman is called as Yoga’.Shiva Maha puran– states about MantraYoga, sparshaYoga, BhavYoga, AbhavYoga and MahaYoga

What Puranas Says 

1) Popular Darshan – Patanjali Yoga is sacred Darshan, authored by Sage Patanjali. Darshan is philosophical system.‘ It means perception of ‘truth’ through pure mind and intellect together (reasoning). Those are not mere collection of information and descriptions but are the essence of direct perception or experiences of Seers or Rishis.2) Chief aim is to describe Yoga i.e. science of Self-realization or liberation.3) A Complete condensed set of principles and techniques of Yoga.

The major characteristic features of Patanjal Yoga sutras are:

Divided in 4 chapters –Samadhi pad — 51 AphorismsSadhan pad – 55 AphorismsVibhuti pad – 55 AphorismsKaivalya pad – 34 Aphorisms4) Focus on–Chitta(causal mind)as cause and end both, for the Klesh(pain).Many ways and means to rule out Klesh and attain complete sense of contentment,are helpful in stress,depression,anxieties,etc.5) ‘Sarvabhaumtva’– i.e.Practices transcend the conditions like class, time, place, period,etc.6) Abhyas(constant practice) and Vairagy(dispassion),Ishwarpranidhan – through pursuing Aum, path of 8 limbs,Pratipakshbhavana, etc are important practices towards Liberation.

....

Patanajali Yoga sutra has both oral as well as textual tradition of Yoga. It is acknowledged by traditional Vedic schools as the authoritative source on Yoga. It is bouquet with everlasting fragrance, contrast to its modern western transplanted forms, containing classical Indian ideas about: Definition of Yoga, Features of Chitta (causal mind) and its modifications, the techniques and practices of restraining Vritties and meditation, culminating into super consciousness.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras

here and hereafter (consequent rebirth) and the metaphysical foundation and description leading to mystical powers. Different spiritual powers as a result of Yogaic practices and how to renounce them while leading Liberation.Considering available space here, it is difficult even to enumerate all the 195 sutras: aphorisms, so let us have glance at some important aphorisms (especially those are applied part) and subjects dealt in sets of aphorisms in different chapters.

Mechanisms of ‘karma‘ or action in the world: 

Vashishth muni defined Yoga in Yoga-vashistha as – technique of conquering world.Gita defines it as: equanimity is Yoga. Many such definitions are seen in philosophical works. Patanjali’s definition strikes directly to the core of the subject. In next sutra, he states that when one can inhibit such modifications, he or she would attain Self or fundamental character (spirit).Then the ‘Drashta‘ i.e. seer realizes or establishes in his own vital or fundamental character (spirit) or Brahman.Yogavasistha a discussion about liberation between Rev.

Yoga Vashishth 

When an actor is playing some dramatic role and has a makeover, it is difficult to recognize him or her, but when the makeover and drapery is put off, it is very easy to notice the person. In the same way, when a seer is not associated with any Vritti, he or she can realize his or her Self or fundamental character.An actor can put off the makeover within couple of minutes, but it is not easy to dissociate or restraint Vrittis. It takes a long time, even many lives to realize ‘Self’. Patanjali has prescribed two chief instruments of this restraint

Realization Of Self Character 

are those two chief means of restraint (self-restraint).Abhyas means a persistent repeated practice (of anything). Vairagy is disinterestedness and dispassion.Patanjali further describes these two faculties as: Endeavor to settle in that (self or fundamental character) state, is Abhyas or in state of Chitta vritti nirodhPatanjali has mentioned two levels or types of Vairagy –Vahsikar Vairagy – A perfect mastery over craving towards any object (or subject) either tasted (experienced) or not.

‘Abhyas’ and ‘Vairagy’ 

Par Vairagy – It is highest level of non-desire, even for the virtues (possible only), when one attains the ultimate ‘Purush’ i.e. supreme being.By explaining different levels of Samadhi, obstacles to the same and some very effective techniques to overcome them, especially ‘Ishwar-pranidhan Patanjali has defined the destination of whole mission or journey.

Par Vairagy 

– deals with different techniques and disciplines to be persuaded as to achieve the goal: Samadhi.In this chapter, he states the Kleshas(psychological dispositions)are the cause of pain experienced by an individual and which ultimately leads to an endeavour for overcoming the same.He assures that, Ashtang Yoga is a perfect set of instruments to eradicate the Avidhya(a chief Klesha– idea contradicting to truth).The perfect awareness of Purush the fundamental reality is attained, when spiritual illumination arises after eradicating all impurities, by practicing eight limbs of Yoga.

Ch -2 Sadhan pada 

Ashtang Yoga –Yam, Niyam, Asan, pranayam, pratyahar,Dharana, Dyan and Samadhi are eight limbs of Yoga.Ashtang Yoga is complete set of 8 instruments, which are called as Angas (limbs). Though Patanjali has put them in a sequence, it doesn’t mean that it is to be practiced one after the other, each limb has its own separate as good as collective significance. The whole set is divided in two parts, Bahirang and Antarang. It is general convention that, first five Limbs i.e. Yam, Niyam, Asana, Pranayam and Pratyahar form a Bahirang and last three limbs i.e.Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi form Antarang.

Ashtang Yoga 

But some scholars, Acharyas consider Pratyahar as a part of Antarang. Bahirang means exterior set of limb and Antarang is an interior set, having their own features as –Limb 1 – five yamasComponents of Yama:Ahinsa, Saty, Astey, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha are five YamasFive disciplines to be observed to maintain good and harmonious relations to all other constituents of universe. Ahinsa= Non violence, Saty= observance of truth, Astey= non stealing, Brahma-chary = celibacy and A-parigraha= abandoning collections or gifts.

The 5 Disiples For Good Relati

Limb 2 – five niyamsShauch = Purity, 2. Santosh= Satisfaction, 3.Tapas=Penance, 4. Swadhyay= Self study and 5. Ishwar-pranidhan= Contemplation on god are five Niyams. Limb 3 – AsanAsan (posture) is to remain steadfast and at comfort.Limb 4 – PranayamAfter it, (attaining posture), there is possibility of cessation of inhalation and exhalation of breath. Limb 5 – PratyaharPratyahar is to withdraw sense organs from their respective objects of pleasure.

5 Niyams , Asan , Pranayam ,  Pratyahar 

– deals elaborately with Sanyam or Antaranag Yoga and different spiritual achievements as result of it.Limb 6 – DharanaDharana is confinement of causal mind in particular area (object)Limb 7 – DhyanMeditation is uninterrupted flow (of mind) towards one and single object.Limb 8 – SamadhiWhen there remains only a consciousness of object of meditation (not of anything else) is Samadhi.These three together is Sanyam.

Ch -3 Vibhuti pada

– deals with the law of Karm or action, effects of passions here and hereafter, Jivanmukti and Videhamukti the two states of liberation.

Ch -4 kaivalya pada 

The perfect awareness of Purush the fundamental reality is attained, when spiritual illumination arises after eradicating all impurities, by (persistent) practicing eight limbs of Yoga.Vasishth Muni and Bahgwan Shriram define Yoga as –" Yoga is that skill which makes one i.e. Jiv (easy) to conquer (mundane) world."

Conclus

mindfulness

Mindfulness

health

Health

meditation

Meditation

Patanjali Yoga Sutras – Ancient Indian Wisdom

Your attention determines:<ul><li>what you perceive, learn, and remember;</li><li>how steady or how reactive you feel;</li><li>which decisions you make and actions you take;</li><li>how you interact with others</li><li>your sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. </li></ul>No matter how much I tell you about how attention works and why, and no matter how motivated you are, the way your brain pays attention cannot be fundamentally altered by sheer force of will

Introduction

<ul><li>Attention simultaneously highlights what’s important and dims distractions so we can think deeply, problem-solve, plan, prioritize, and innovate</li><li>It threads together the moment-by-moment colors, flavors, textures, insights, memories, emotions, decisions, and actions that create the fabric of our lives</li><li>What you pay attention to is your life</li></ul>

Attention Is Your Superpower

<ul><li>attention biases brain activity. It gives a competitive advantage to the information it selects. Whatever it is you pay attention to will have more neural activity associated with it. Your attention, quite literally, alters the functioning of your brain at the cellular level. It truly is a superpower.</li></ul>

(continue)

The Flashlight<ul><li>Where you focus to, that point become clearer. Other than that point, become suppressed. Like a flashlight</li><li>Called orienting system</li></ul>The Floodlight<ul><li>Opposite of flashlight, this subsystem is broad and open. Your attention is ready for any input within your vision</li><li>Called alerting system</li></ul>The Juggler <ul><li>To direct, oversee, and manage what we’re doing, moment to moment, as well as ensure that our actions are aligned with what we’re aiming to do </li><li>This is the overseer that makes sure we stay on track</li><li>Called central executive</li></ul>

3 Brain Subsystems 

<ul><li>Attention never vanishes, even though it might feel as if it does when you’re struggling to focus and simply can’t</li><li>The amount of attention you have remains constant. It just gets used differently, and maybe not how you want it to be used</li><li>You always use 100 percent of your attention. Attention always goes somewhere. So the question becomes: Where?</li></ul>

Load Theory: Attention Is Not A Gas Tank

Any tasks you do over a period of time:<ul><li>Performance declines</li><li>Errors goes up</li><li>Response becomes slower and more variable</li></ul>

The Vigilance Decrement

<ol><li>Get ready, sit in an upright alerted posture, shoulder back chest open and be comfortable.</li><li>Tune in to the breath related sensation, imagine the air entering your lung as you breathe in slowly, and exit your lung as you breathe out</li><li>Notice when your mind wander and focus back to the breathing exercises. It's normal to wander and always use constructive words when trying to refocus</li></ol>

Core Practice: Find Your Focus

<ul><li>When we try to do two things at once that both require our attention, it’s really hard to do either of them well</li><li>Think of it this way: You only have one flashlight. Not two. Not three. And your one flashlight can only ever be shining at one thing at a time</li><li>When you’re trying to accomplish multiple tasks at once that require your focused attention, what you’re actually doing is moving your flashlight from one thing, then to the next, then back to the first</li></ul>

Don't Multitask

To get a sense of what this means for your cognition, imagine a studio apartment. There is only one room. Every time you want to use the room, you have to completely change out the furniture. Want to sleep? Set up a bed and nightstand. Want to host a party? Take down the bedroom and set up couches and coffee tables. Need to cook? Drag that all away and set up a stove, counter, and cooking supplies. Sound exhausting? It is! And it’s the same for your cognition, when you switch from task to task.

Multitasking Metaphor

<ul><li>Working memory is where you hold the micro-intentions and deliberate aim of having a desired outcome for each and every task you engage in</li><li>All the decisions, planning, thinking, actions, and behaviors you do over the course of a day: anything you set out to do</li><li>You lean on your working memory to maintain your goals and subgoals, update them, and scrap them for a different goal, on a continuous, moment-by-moment, task-by-task basis.</li><li>Hold a goal in mind, and then take action based on that goal. That’s how working memory works, and also why it impacts you so profoundly</li></ul>

Working Memory

Working memory is the essential partner to attention: it’s what allows you to actually do something with the information your flashlight focuses on. But if attention keeps piping in salient and distracting content, that will become a big problem for goal maintenance, let alone goal accomplishment. Why? Because you only have so much space to work with. Just like a real-life whiteboard, your working memory has limits

Continue

The flashlight encodes information and maintains it in working memory, “retracing” it on the whiteboard to keep it there for longer. — Key vulnerability: Bait and SwitchWhen your attention is automatically “captured” or yanked by something salient, this more exciting (to your attention) content overwrites what was being maintained. Voluntary attention then starts retracing this new content. The prior information is lost forever, gone without a trace.

The Flashlight

The floodlight gains access to the whiteboard to accomplish an urgent goal. Under acute threat or stress, your alerting system temporarily blocks access to working memory to ensure that your brain’s action systems prioritize basic survival behaviors (fight, flight, freeze) over any other goals or plans. — Key vulnerability: Road BlockThe alerting system can be set off by feelings of threat, even when there is no real danger. This temporarily cuts off access to working memory and impairs any functions that rely on it (like long-term memory, social connection, and emotion regulation).

The Floodlight

The juggler keeps your current goals active on the whiteboard, and updates these goals as circumstances change. — Key vulnerability: Ball DropOverload, blanking, and distraction in working memory all derail the central executive’s juggler, leading to lost goals and misguided behaviors. The juggler drops the ball.

The Juggler

1. Repeat the previous steps. We begin the same way we did with the basic Find Your Flashlight (find where your thoughts focus on), by sitting in a chair, comfortable but upright, resting your hands in your lap, and closing or lowering your eyes (to limit visual distraction). Again, select prominent breath-related sensations. Remember the metaphor of your attention as a flashlight, the beam pointing toward your selected breath-related body sensation. When your flashlight drifts to something else . . .

CORE PRACTICE BOOSTER: WATCH YOUR WHITEBOARD

2. Notice where it goes. This is a new step! In the first exercise, I asked you to notice if attention wandered away, and if so to immediately move your flashlight back to your breath. This time, I want you to pause for a moment and observe where the flashlight is now directed.

3. Give it a label. Identify what type of distraction has appeared on your whiteboard. Is it a thought, an emotion, or a sensation? A thought could be a worry, a reminder, a memory, an idea, an item on your to-do list. An emotion could be a feeling of frustration, an urge to stop doing the practice and do something else, a twinge of happiness, a swell of stress. A sensation is something in your physical body: An itch. A sore muscle. Noticing that your back hurts from sitting there, or noticing something you heard, smelled, touched, or saw (such as a door slamming, food cooking, cat jumping).

4. Make this a quick process. Notice if you begin going down a rabbit hole of elaborating on the distraction, or asking why you are thinking about this particular topic, or defaulting to unsupportive habits like chastising yourself for getting distracted in the first place. It is not your job right now to answer these questions or reprimand yourself. Now is actually the time to notice what is on your whiteboard but not to engage with it. Just label the contents as best you can from these three categories: thought, emotion, sensation. And then . . .

5. Move on. Come back to the present moment, back to your breath, after every instance of labeling. If it’s a strong experience, it might pop up repeatedly—then just label it again.

6. Repeat. Each time you notice yourself mind-wandering, tag the content of your mind-wandering (as thought, emotion, or sensation) and then come back to your breath.

your memory for experiences, involves selective encoding of only those aspects of experience that were most attended to and held in working memory. Translation: you’ll only remember what you focused on and “wrote” on your whiteboard—not everything that occurred. And further, your episodic memory doesn’t merely involve the external aspects of events (who, what, where, and so forth) but is deeply wrapped up in your autobiographical take on what you experienced. So—was the experience happy? Sad? Interesting? Tense? Your emotional experience will influence what you focus on.

Episodic Memory

your general world knowledge, for facts, ideas, concepts—is similarly selective. What you remember is based on what else you’ve previously learned.

Semantic Memory

Do these three critical things:1. Rehearsalwhen you studied with flashcards, that was rehearsal2. Elaborationrelating new experiences or facts to knowledge or memories you already have3. ConsolidationThis is what happens as you’re performing the above two functions, and it ultimately leads to the memory being stored. As the brain replays information, it’s laying down new neural pathways and then going over them, strengthening those new connections

How To Make Memory

Certain things may become “sticky” on our whiteboards because of generalization. We can make generalizations about the behavior and intentions of others (“She never supports me”) or regarding ourselves (“I will never amount to anything”). An incident where you made a mistake becomes “I always get this stuff wrong—I’m such an idiot!” It’s not the incident itself that takes center stage on your whiteboard: it’s the generalization you derived from it. The oversimplified packaging allows it to remain in working memory with minimal effort: it’s short, it’s clear, and it probably isn’t accurate.

Get ready . . . This time, stand up! You can always sit if you prefer, in the same way as with the previous practices. But I usually recommend doing this practice in what is commonly known as Mountain Pose. Stand comfortably, your feet shoulder-distance apart. Let your arms relax at your sides, palms out. Close your eyes or lower your gaze.

CORE PRACTICE: RIVER OF THOUGHT (1)

Get set . . . Find your flashlight and direct it toward prominent breath-related sensations for several breaths. This is always where we’ll start with any practice. And at any point in this exercise if you feel yourself getting drawn away (for example, getting caught in a ruminative loop), you can always anchor back on the breath. Flashlight on the breath is your home base—return to it whenever necessary, and reset.

CORE PRACTICE: RIVER OF THOUGHT (2)

Go! Now broaden your awareness so that you are not selecting any target object. Instead, use the metaphor of your mind being like a river. You’re standing on the riverbank, watching the water flow by. Imagine your thoughts, memories, sensations, emotions—whatever arises—as if they are flowing past you. Notice what appears there, but don’t engage with it. Don’t fish it up, chase it, or elaborate on it. Just let it flow by.

CORE PRACTICE: RIVER OF THOUGHT (3)

Keep going. You’re not going to be actively “labeling” the stuff that you notice on your whiteboard, nor returning to your breath once you do. Your job right now is not to be making distinctions between which content is useful or relevant, and what’s mind wandering. You’re not even going to try to stop your mind from wandering. The river will keep flowing—there isn’t anything you can or need to do about that. This is the key to open monitoring: you allow your mind to do what it will do. Your job is simply to observe that flow, at a distance, without engagement or participation.

CORE PRACTICE: RIVER OF THOUGHT (4)

Troubleshooting. If you have difficulty letting things pass you by, come back to your breath. Imagine your breath sensations as a boulder in the middle of all that flowing water. Rest your attention on that stable, steady object; when you feel ready, broaden your attention again and go back to monitoring.

CORE PRACTICE: RIVER OF THOUGHT (5)

(1) Stop the inner war against the actual circumstances—just accept them. It is what it is. Let me be clear: this does not mean that you are “all good” with the situation. It has nothing to do with your judgement about the actual event. It just means that you are accepting the actuality of what has occurred.

Decenter - Skills To Control Your Emotions

(2) Drop the story—your assessment of this situation is merely one story. Not the only one.

(3) Roll with it—keep going, keep moving, get curious about what the next moment will bring.

Decenter - Skills To Control Your Emotion

During a difficult interaction, take a moment to pause. It can be the length of one breath. Or, before a difficult interaction, take a moment and picture this person. Then, remind yourself: “This person has experienced pain, just like me. This person has experienced loss, just like me. Joy, just like me. Was born from a mother, just like me; will die someday, just like me.” If these phrases don’t resonate with you, feel free to substitute with other phrases that emphasize the common humanity we share with others.

On-Demand Practice: “Just Like Me”

<ol><li>Begin this practice as you have the others, sitting comfortably yet alert. Anchor on your breath and focus on breath-related sensations.</li><li>Now shift to bringing a sense of yourself into your mind, at this very moment in your life.</li></ol>

CORE PRACTICE: CONNECTION PRACTICE

3. Silently repeat the following phrases to offer yourself well-wishes (three min). Remember: the point is to offer yourself well-wishes, not make requests or demands for them. Saying these phrases supports that: May I be happyMay I be healthyMay I be safeMay I live with easeThe phrases and their order are not important. Some people may say, May I be free from suffering instead of May I be safe. Others may wish to say, May I find peace instead of May I live with ease. The important thing is that you choose phrases that resonate with you and that convey a feeling of goodwill to the recipient.

4. Next, while allowing this sense of yourself to recede from your focus, call to mind someone who has been very good to you in this life, very kind and supportive, someone you might describe as a benefactor. Silently repeat the phrases below, offering them to this person: May you be happyMay you be healthyMay you be safeMay you live with ease

5. Now, letting your sense of this person recede, bring to mind the image of someone with whom you have no real connection and for whom your feelings are neutral. It could be someone you see now and again but don’t have strong feelings for, one way or another. Perhaps it’s a neighbor you pass while walking your dog, a parking lot attendant you see daily, or a grocery store clerk. Mentally offer them the phrases.

6. As a sense of this person recedes from your focus, next bring to mind an image of someone with whom things are challenging at this time in your life. This is often called a “difficult person” . Remember, you are not endorsing their view and are not necessarily even forgiving their actions in the past. You are simply offering kindness to them as a practice aimed at strengthening your ability to take another’s perspective, realizing that—like you—they too wish for happiness, health, safety, and ease. With this in mind, mentally offer them the phrases.

7. Now move on to everyone in your home, community, state or province, and country, and continue to expand outward until you include all beings everywhere. Spend a few moments visualizing each place (your home, your community), and then offer the phrases to everyone there.

8. Throughout this practice, notice when your mind wanders away from the chosen focus, and gently guide your attention back.

9. When you’re ready, spend a few moments anchoring on your breath to end the practice.

How to train your attention and be more productive

STOP FOR A MOMENT. Are you here right now? Is your focus on this page? Or is it roaming elsewhere, to the past or future, to a worry, to your to-do list, or to your phone? Whether you’re simply browsing, talking to friends, or trying to stay focused in an important meeting, you can’t seem to manage to hang on to your attention. No matter how hard you try, you’re somewhere else. The consequence is that you miss out on 50 percent of your life—including the most important moments. The good news: There’s nothing wrong with you—your brain isn’t broken. The human brain was built to be distractible. The even better news: You can train your brain to pay attention more effectively. Stay with me a little longer and soon you will be able to: Focus without all the struggle. Take back your attention from the pull of distraction. And function at your peak, for all that truly matters in your life.

productivity

Productivity

***NATIONAL BESTSELLER***STOP FOR A MOMENT. Are you here right now? Is your focus on this page? Or is it roaming elsewhere, to the past or future, to a worry, to your to-do list, or to your phone?Whether you’re simply browsing, talking to friends, or trying to stay focused in an important meeting, you can’t seem to manage to hang on to your attention. No matter how hard you try, you’re somewhere else. The consequence is that you miss out on 50 percent of your life—including the most important moments.The good news: There’s nothing wrong with you—your brain isn’t broken. The human brain was built to be distractible.The even better news: You can train your brain to pay attention more effectively.Stay with me a little longer and soon you will be able to: <ul><li>Focus without all the struggle.</li><li>Take back your attention from the pull of distraction.</li><li>And function at your peak, for all that truly matters in your life.</li></ul>

Amishi P. Jha

Peak Mind

<ul><li>January is considered one of the most stressful months of the year for several reasons. One of the biggest: <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/new-year-resolutions-for-stress-relief-3144722">New Year’s resolutions </a>.</li><li>Well-intentioned goals become a source of stress—stress that prevents you from moving forward and achieving your goals. </li><li>For each common resolution, look for ways to achieve it in a way that is positive and affirming instead of stressful.</li></ul>

January- The Most Stressful Month Of The Year?!

<ul><li>The most common New Year's resolution has to do with getting in shape. </li><li>If you're trying to hit the gym to improve your health, enlist a friend to exercise with you. </li><li>A workout buddy means you have an incentive to exercise, along with built-in social support.</li><li>Fitness technology can also help you stay on track. </li><li>Having all your information in one place and readily available can help you be more aware and get closer to your fitness goals.</li></ul>

1. Get Fit?!

<ul><li>You know you should save. Sometimes this is easier said than done. </li><li>But when you look around and it seems like no one else is doing it, you feel alone. </li><li>Furthermore, it can be stressful to try to find the money to save. </li><li>But budgeting for your future doesn’t have to be a stressful task.</li></ul>

2. Save Money 

Turn your weight-loss resolutions into <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/smart-goals-for-lifestyle-change-2224097">SMART goals </a>. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Here are some SMART weight loss goal ideas:<ul><li>I will lose one pound each week until I reach XXX pounds in eight months.</li><li>I will lose six pounds a month until I reach XXX pounds in one year.</li></ul>

3. Lose Weight 

<ul><li>Losing weight is a very popular New Year’s resolution, and it's usually a great idea for overall health as well as for the fun of fitting into better clothes.</li><li>However, especially with certain types of diets, the first days of a new diet can bring frustration (from feeling "deprived" of favorite foods), moodiness (from biological changes in your body), and the loss of a coping mechanism (for emotional eaters who can no longer eat to deal with the stress).</li><li>It can be as stressful to be around a person who is trying a new diet as it can be to be that person, so stress management is key here as well.</li></ul>

4. New Diets 

<ul><li>No matter what the specific change you’re attempting, New Year’s resolutions can be stressful if tackled with the traditional method of setting a high goal and trying to attain it immediately. </li><li>When people fail once, they tend to give up. </li><li>This makes keeping resolutions an exercise in perfectionism, which can be stressful for anyone. </li><li>If you’d like to maintain resolutions with less stress, create a different format for your goals. </li><li>Take baby steps, build in rewards for your progress, and make a few other minor changes and you will see greater success with less stress.</li></ul>

5. Resolution Perfection

Stressed about resolutions? Learn common sources of New Year's Resolution stress and find strategies for stress relief.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

habits

Habits

New Year's Resolutions: From Stressful to Stress-Relieving

Eliminating sugary drinks, this includes sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary sodas, fruit juices, and various high sugar sports drinks.Keep in mind that none of this applies to whole fruit, which are extremely healthy and have plenty of fiber that mitigates the negative effects of fructose.(Sugar is half glucose and half fructose. When you eat a lot of added sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose and is forced to turn it into fat.)


1. Minimizing the amount of sugar in your diet 

Eating plenty of protein can boost your metabolism and reduce hunger levels, making it a very effective way to lose weight. Several studies suggest that protein is particularly effective against abdominal fat. They also provide for good calories.

2. Increase Protein intake

Just avoiding the refined carbs — like sugar, candy, and white bread — should be sufficient, especially if you keep your protein intake high. Low carb diets have many other <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets">health benefits </a>besides just weight loss. For example, they can significantly improve health in people with type 2 diabetics.

3. Cut down on carbs

They dramatically slow the movement of food through your digestive system. They can also slow down the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The end result is a prolonged feeling of fullness and reduced appetite. The best way to get more fiber is to eat a lot of plant foods, including vegetables and fruit. Legumes are also a good source, as well as some cereals, such as whole oats.

4. Increased intake of soluble fibres

Weight training and cardiovascular exercise will reduce fat across the body.Aerobic exercise — like walking, running, and swimming — can allow major reductions in abdominal fat (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3568069/">32</a>Exercise also leads to reduced inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, and improvements in other metabolic problems associated with excess abdominal fat<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3568069/"> </a>

5. Exercise

Tracking food intake doesn’t mean you need to weigh and measure everything you eat. Tracking intake every now and then for a few days in a row can help you realize the most important areas for change.Planning ahead can help you achieve specific goals, such as boosting your protein intake to 25–30% of calories or cutting down on unhealthy carbs.

6. Tracking your diet

Here are some tips to reduce abdominal fat, the accumulation of which is linked to life threatening cardiac diseases. Not only that, eating healthy always manifests itself with an overall improved mood.

Belly fat is the most harmful fat in your body, linked to many diseases. Here are 6 simple ways to lose belly fat that are supported by science.

6 Simple Ways to Lose Belly Fat, Based on Science

What you do really matters when it comes to your health. Morning stretches are important for your body to help kick-start your <a href="https://megabloginfo.com/pre-workout-smoothies/">energy levels </a>and to help circulation. Your level of physical activity, along with your <a href="https://megabloginfo.com/what-to-eat-before-the-morning-workout/">dietary choices, affects your daily perform</a>ance<a href="https://megabloginfo.com/what-to-eat-before-the-morning-workout/"> </a>and your risk of a number of diseases, including <a href="https://megabloginfo.com/unhealthy-eating-habits-diseases/">heart disease and some types of cancer</a>. 5-10 minutes Stretching early in the morning in bed can be a safe and beneficial activity for healthy adults and seniors that will help you improve.

Morning Stretches

Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. With your hands, pull both knees towards your chest at the same time until you feel a stretch in the lower back. Hold both knees for 2-3 seconds and take 6-8 breaths. Repeat 3-5 times daily in the morning.steps:<ol><li>Lie on your back with feet on the floor</li><li>Pull both knees with your hands towards your chest</li><li>Hold for 4-5 seconds until You should feel a mild lower back by this stretch</li><li>Repeat 3-5 times every day</li></ol>

Double Knee-to-chest stretches

Morning stretches are important for your body to help kick-start your energy levels. Can help Reducing pain, chronic and mental conditions

7 Simple Stretches You Can Do Every Morning in Bed - Health fitness blog info

It's time to ramp up your pull-up. Pauses will help you gain strength in parts of the pull where you're weak instead of relying on momentum. Also, it'll stop you from swinging during the movement, forcing you to stay super strict. Just pause each rep in the middle on the way up, at the top, and in the middle on the negative.

Controlled Reps

Strict for is very important to me in my training. 

Get stronger by adding pauses to your pull-ups. Pause halfway up, at the top, and again halfway down.

Strict Pause Pull-Ups

Find 100+ Fun Facts about Exercise - Curated from popular Videos, Podcasts, Books, Guides & Articles - Genuine Insights from like-minded Users like You!

Brain Rules

How to loose wait ?

Patanjali Yoga Sutras – Ancient Indian Wisdom

Peak Mind

New Year's Resolutions: From Stressful to Stress-Relieving

6 Simple Ways to Lose Belly Fat, Based on Science

7 Simple Stretches You Can Do Every Morning in Bed - Health fitness blog info

Strict Pause Pull-Ups

Maximize Protein Synthesis

READ TO LEAD. Classics for Life.

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

Brain Rules

How to loose wait ?

Patanjali Yoga Sutras – Ancient Indian Wisdom

Peak Mind

New Year's Resolutions: From Stressful to Stress-Relieving

6 Simple Ways to Lose Belly Fat, Based on Science

7 Simple Stretches You Can Do Every Morning in Bed - Health fitness blog info

Strict Pause Pull-Ups

Maximize Protein Synthesis

READ TO LEAD. Classics for Life.

It's time to Read like a Pro.

It's time to
Read like a Pro.