October 21, 2014 by Toku on Mindset

Sometimes You Fight Slug Monsters

Why I didn’t post a blog today:

An Essay By Toku The Martyr of The Slug Monster War

Somedays everything comes easy. You sit down at your computer to work and it’s like magic. The words flow, the ideas congeal, and you become a veritable ass kicker of clear and succinct prose.

And then there are the other days where you stub your toe, you space the super important phone call, and writing or working feels like an epic struggle against gargantuan slug monsters that latch themselves to your brain and extract every decent idea you have while they slowly drip self doubt and hopelessness directly into your blood stream.

For me today was one of those days.

But that’s ok.

The key to being happy and mindful is knowing that these days happen.

And that even though the slug monsters won today, tomorrow is another day and another chance to fight the evil hordes of doubt and unclarity, and more likely than not emerge victorious.

Please remember we all have bad days.
Sometimes it’s just your turn.

Photos

March 24, 2014 by Toku on Mindset

The One Email You Should Write Everyday

About a year ago I watched a TED talk that outlined some very simple things you could do to make yourself happier. Some of them I had heard before, like exercising and meditating. But one idea that stuck out was when they encouraged everyone, to do one daily good deed, by sending out a nice email every morning.

Instantly, I loved the simplicity of this idea as well as its ritualistic nature. How often do we get so caught up in our own affairs and forget to reach out to the people who make our lives better?

And so, for the past six to nine months I’ve been writing at least one nice email everyday.

Some of the emails have been simple thank you notes to people who were nice to me. Some of them were to old friends to let them know how much they meant. And some of them were to people who I thought needed to hear something nice.

But each email changed the way I saw the recipient, as well as the way I saw myself. Here are some things I discovered about the practice of sending one nice email a day.

Writing Nice Emails Is Easier Than You Think

One thing that amazed me was how easy nice emails are to write. When I started this practice, I was worried that my emails would seem forced. That I would come off sounding inauthentic. And that people wouldn’t take me seriously.

But I found as I started to write my heart would step forward and I would able to write with sincerity.

I realized we don’t have to go far to find admiration for the people in our lives. Instead I found that again and again, I was inspired by all the amazing, kind, beautiful, smart, and talented people I’ve been blessed to know.

People Appreciate Small Gestures More Than You Realize

Often not long after I hit send I’d receive a reply telling me how much my email had meant.

One reply I received was from an old teacher who told me my email had come at a moment when he had been doubting his choice of profession. Another came from an old friend who told me they had been facing some hard times I had known nothing about.

And while I didn’t write the emails so people would thank me, each reply made me so blessed to have been able to offer kind words to others in their time of need.

You Don’t Realize How Much You Mean to Others

While I didn’t send these emails so that other people would appreciate me, I did receive many kind emails in return.

Best of all, their replies reveled qualities in me that others admired, but that I’d never considered a strength.

The emails I got in return helped me to really absorbed the compassion of others. And to see how our lives often touch others in mysterious ways.

And while it’s totally fine when I don’t get a reply. The bounty I did receive far outweighed the cost of a few minutes of typing.

Being Kind is its Own Reward

Despite the personal benefits and kind replies, the best thing I’ve gotten from this practice is a more positive outlook. Everyday I remember to write an email I find that it’s harder to be grumpy or sad. Plus it’s changed the way I look at the people around me.

Part of rediscovering deep admiration for everyone in my life has been to realize that everyone admires, inspires, and cares about each other more than you ever would’ve guessed.

How To Get Started:

The best thing about the nice email practice is how simple it is to get started.

1. Make a Top Ten List

Make a list of the top 10 people you’d like to tell how much you care or how much you appreciate. Pick people who’ll be easy and fun to write to.

Then every morning write a short email or letter to one person on the list. This short list will get you started and it’ll encourage you connect with old friends, acknowledge the people who have helped you, and get grounded in gratitude.

2. Select a Phase or Location of Your Life to Focus On.

After you finish your first list, it can be hard to know where to go next. I’ve found that if I focus my energy on appreciating one group of friends or one time in my life that it’s much easier to keep going.

When I first started writing nice emails, I wrote quite a few to my friends back in Nashville. I hadn’t kept in touch with many of them when I moved and I wanted to reach out and reconnect. Eventually I had written to most of my closet friends from my old how town.

By focusing on my friends in Nashville, not only was it easier for me to pick subjects, it was easier for me to connect with and remember all the things I loved about those friends and those times in my life.

3. Go All Willy Nilly

Eventually a day will come where you aren’t sure whom you should write to. When this happens I usually just go into my contact list or onto my friends page on Facebook and pick someone at random.

While this can be harder, I’ve found that by going on and looking with an open heart, I often find people to express kindness to that I might normally miss.

This method has helped me write emails to long lost college friends and even to fellow employees from jobs I can hardly remember. But each time I’ve been glad to realize how even these small players of my small life have had an impact on who I am.

Final Thoughts

There are so many things we can and do spend time on. And it can be easy to believe that sending a nice email a day is a silly or pointless exercise.

But what I’ve discovered is that despite all the Upworthy posts and the touching YouTube videos so many of us are starved for real personal appreciation.

And this simple act of sending a nice email not only offers a true blessing to the world, but it is one of the easiest ways to make everyday I little better.

So I invite you to try it. Close this post and open up a composition widow, and send a email to someone you love. Then come back and tell me how it went. I promise it’s an amazing way to begin your day.

July 28, 2013 by Toku on Meditations

Be Free, Organized, and Happy – The Best Posts May – July

The last 3 months have been really big for MindFitMove –
This blog has moved from 1,200 views in April to having over 6,000 views in July
In July I broke through not only the 10,000 view barrier but have now blasted past the 15,000 mark as well.

So here are the best posts of the Last 3 Months:

Plus here are some of the guest posts I wrote in the last 3 Months

I have many people to thank for this including but not limited to Jane Endacott my romantic partner and often editor, my parents, Lori Deschene of TinyBuddha, Peter Clemens of ChangeBlog, Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, and most importantly all of my readers who inspire, support, and keep honoring me with their attention.

Don’t Forget to Subscribe to Mind Fit Move for more great post from August and Beyong

Click here to join hundreds of people who receive regular posts from MindFitMove about changing your life with mindfulness and movement.
(+ get a free Beginners Guide To Mindful Fitness just for signing up.)

Photo Credits

July 24, 2013 by Toku on Mindset

Do You Define Yourself and Your Life Negatively? – My Guest Post On TinyBuddha.com

I was lucky enough to have a guest post today on the Website tinybuddha.com.

Please head over and check it out.

Do You Define Yourself and Your Life Negatively?

Picture is From Tiny Buddha Post

By Samuel Gentoku McCree

Growing up on military bases I learned to make friends quickly. My family moved a half dozen times before I was out of the second grade, so I didn’t have many other options. But while living on base it was easy, because all us military brats were in the same boat.

In third grade my dad retired from the Air Force and we went to live in a small town just south of Nashville, Tennessee. Once we moved everything changed. Instead of living with the sons and daughters of service families, I went …

Click here to Read More

This post will also be included in an awesome new course on tinybuddh.com about recreating your life story. Click here to take a 5 min quiz and find out about the course

July 4, 2013 by Toku on Mindset

10 Mindful Declarations of Independence

Freedoom,… just scream it loud out

Celebrate Freedom by Freeing your mind
– 10 Mindful Declarations of Independence

This 4th of July I find myself asking this question: How can I honor the freedom I’ve been given?

I’m not going to fight in a war, becoming xenophobic isn’t my style, and just waving a flag doesn’t seem like enough. Freedom means more to me that freedom of speech or religion.

For me freedom means trying to live a life free of all the things that hold me back.
So with that in mind I offer:

10 Mindful Declarations of Independence

1. Declare independence from limiting self-definitions
We are so good at defining ourselves in limiting ways. We are constantly saying what we can’t do, who we aren’t, and what holds us back. But so rarely do we challenge these definitions.

I have had clients tell me they don’t like to exercise and later tell me how much they love to get out and move. When we repeat limiting definitions we only reinforce what holds us back. But when we challenge those definitions in thought and action we often find they were never true to begin with.

2. Declare independence from doing something else while you eat.
We spend approximately 38,003 hours of our lives eating. That’s over 4 years! Unfortunately, we spend most of those hours not paying attention to our food.

When we read, watch, and text at every meal we are loosing all the joy of tasting smelling, chewing, and delighting in everything eating has to offer. When we pay attention to even just a few bites of every meal we grow our capacity for appreciation and add years of pleasure to our lives.

3. Declare independence from stuff you don’t need.
If you have ever taken a long trip, you quickly relize how little you actually need. Yet, we fill our lives with so much stuff.

When we acquire more than we need we lose ourselves. Our priorites get mixed up in the process of buying, caring for, and organizing everything we own. When we let go of the things we don’t need we get more time to do things we love.

4. Declare independence from believing critical thoughts.
We all have critical thoughts. And even though we’d like to get rid of them, doing so is hard and maybe not so beneficial.

When we identify with critical thought we lose faith and become afraid to fail. When we create space from critical thinking and realize those thoughts aren’t who we are. We can learn from their wisdom without being debilitated by their perspective.

5. Declare independence from comparing yourself to fitness models and celebrities.
Aspiration is great, but comparison isn’t. We each have our own paths through this world and each of our stories is as beautiful as it is unique.

When we compare ourselves to celebrities and fitness models we do ourselves the disservice of not honoring our own journey. When we start to look at our own lives and bodies with admiration, we generate amazing energy and find more peace in every day of our lives.

6. Declare independence from your iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
I love technology as much as the next person, but it’s important to be able to put these things aside.

When we spend every moment looking at, listening to, or typing on some device we don’t allow space for reflection or change. When we set these things aside for even a short time, we find we can connect more, reflect more, and be present in a way we’ve forgotten.

7. Declare independence from letting fear stop you.
There is nothing wrong with being afraid. In fact, fear tells us that we are alive and that we care. But we mustn’t let fear rule our lives.

When we let fear control us we shrink the scope of what is possible. When face our fears, we gain the confidence to take risks and the faith to endure whatever comes our way.

8. Declare independence from multitasking
Multitasking should be defined as trying to do many things poorly.

When we try to increase our efficiency by doing two or more things at a time we not only lose our focus, but we also lose ability to perform with excellence. When we unitask we perform better and allow ourselves to become absorbed fully in what we are doing. And full absorption is the foundation of great joy.

9. Declare independence from letting your mind control you
Your mind is not the boss of you. It likes to think it is, but it likes to think all sorts of things.
Although your mind is a powerful ally, its perspective is limited.

When we allow our minds to become dictators of our lives, trouble ensues. But when we balance the power of our minds with the compassion and intuition of our hearts, we learn to live life less like a math problem and more like a creative writing project.

10. Decleare independence from independence itself.
We can’t do any of the things listed above without help from others.

When we think we could or should do everything on our own, we vastly limit our own potential. When we ask for help and acknowledge all we receive, we grow our capacity for gratitude and ability to do amazing things with our lives.

It is my hope that you will join me on this 4th of July in reflecting on our freedom and try to find new ways to expand our horizons. Though I have been given a lot by living in this democracy, that gift pales in comparison to the gift I can give myself and others when I slow down, pay attention, and let go of the things that hold me back.

What do your want to declare your independence from?

Photo Credits

June 25, 2013 by Toku on Skillset

Minimalist Mindful Fitness – 5 Key Practices

Minimalist Mindful Fitness – 5 Key Practices

(Avg. Reading time 4.5 Mins)

What the Hell is Mindful Fitness Anyway?
Recently I received this question from one of my readers:
“What activities and/or cues have you found to be most helpful in incorporating mindfulness into your clients’ activities? Walking, breathing, something more meaningful to each person? Do you have an activity that you tend to start with to introduce that concept?”

First off, I want to say this is a great question. Many people struggle with how to start practicing mindfulness and/or fitness with so many fitness options the possibilities can be a bit overwhelming.

So here is my
Minimalist Mindful Fitness Guide –
5 Key Practices to Get Your Started.

1. Intention –
The first practice I start with most of my clients is identifying their list of internal and external goals. We look at how many pounds they want to lose or how many miles the want to run, but we don’t stop there.

We also look at how they want to feel and what they think losing weight or getting in shape will do for them. By looking at their intentions first, they connect with deep motivations and a sense of purpose.

2. Journaling –
The second practice I recommend for all my clients is journaling. Many people trying to make a life change struggle with judgments, self doubt, and internal criticism. The purpose of journaling is to increase awareness without judgment.

I have my clients record a very basic journal of what they eat, what activity they do, and their state of mind. I also ask them to notice any connection between these three. Lastly, I encourage them to write down one thing everyday they are grateful for.

I do this before we start with any exercise or nutrition plan. Because I want them to just notice what’s going on.

Often without any prompting, they will identify ways they are sabotaging themselves or areas where they need to do some investigation.

Because this wisdom comes from within these revelations are much more powerful than anything, they’ve read in a book or heard from a trainer.

3. Habit Formation
Many trainers have a particular exercise regime or nutrition plan they employ with clients. But I believe the best nutrition and exercise plan is the one you will actually do.

The main problem with most diet and exercise plans is they demand too radical change too quickly. The main goal of the MindFitMove method is not to help you lose weight or gain muscle.

Let me repeat that again because I know it sounds crazy. The main goal of MindFitMove method is not to help you lose weight or gain muscle.

The main goal of this mindfulness based fitness approach is to help you create more awareness and then use that awareness to make different choices.

The first two practices help establish a baseline awareness. In habit formation we take that awareness and start making change a reality.

First, I find what that person likes to do and get them to do more of that. I believe that if it doesn’t fit smoothly in your life you won’t do it.

For example, I had one client who liked riding his bike so I got him to ride his bike up a steep hill 3 times a week. I had another client who lived next to a lovely park so I got them to walk and eventually jog in that park.

The hardest part of regular exercise is the regular part. By finding, a physical activity you enjoy or at least don’t despise. You vastly increase your chance for success.

4. Set the Stage
Once we’ve established baseline awareness and started creating new habits then we work with specific mindful fitness techniques.

The fundamental mindful fitness technique is creating an environment for mindfulness.

I encourage my clients to exercise outside, to exercise without the use of music, and to exercise with the intention to focus on their bodies.

These 3 techniques all help create an environment of mindfulness. And though they don’t require a ton of concentration. They do lay the groundwork for intense focus and spacious awareness.

5. Active Mindfulness – 4 Mindful Fitness Techniques
Once we’ve established an environment of mindfulness, then we use advanced mindfulness based fitness techniques to increase awareness and focus during exercise.

I’ve used these 4 mindful fitness techniques in my own practice as well as with my clients.

1. Noticing before and after –
At the end of your work out take a minute close your eyes and focus on how you feel now vs. how you felt before you exercised. This practice helps connect us with the ease that exercise can bring. It also tunes us in to any aches that may indicate any problem areas we need to work on.

2. Cadence –
Cadence is the rate at which your feet hit the ground when running, or the speed that your pedals turnover in cycling. When practicing with cadence we simply notice how it changes as we exercise.

Cadence helps us in two ways:
One. It helps us tune into our bodies natural rhythms
Two. Working to maintain a fast even cadence will decrease injuries and increase speed and efficiency.

3. Pay attention to sound –
The world is filled with sounds we never notice. But when we open our sense, we often find joy in the sound of chirping birds and the even pad of our feet on the trail.

In addition to enjoying our natural environment, sound can also reveal imbalances in our exercise form.

For example, I’ve noticed, as I get tired my footsteps get louder. Louder footsteps means higher impact and lowered efficiency. So, by working to run quietly I increase my speed and decrease the stress on my body.

4. Breath-
Breath practice often gives us cues about how we are approaching exercise and our life in general. No matter what the activity, noticing our breath can help us perform with greater skill and confidence.

In yoga, the breath helps us move the body in an even rhythm. In endurance events like running and cycling, our breath tells us when we are pushing too hard or moving out of sync. And in weight lifting, our breath not only helps us connect to movement, but also works to stabilize and strengthen our bodies.

Simply Amazing
There are 1000’s of books on fitness and eating, but most of them overcomplicate everything with complex theories and complicated techniques. What’s so amazing about these practices is how simple they are.

Using just these 5 practices people can make amazing progress towards establishing a mindfulness based fitness practice.

Mindful fitness isn’t about taking one model and applying it to everyone. It’s about establishing principles and then investigating how those principles apply to your life.

Because of that, no two people will ever approach mindfulness based fitness the same way. But it also means that this practice can adapt and change as you change. It can become an organic part of your own growth and that’s why it’s such an amazing tool for lasting transformation.

Thanks
Thanks very much to Kelsey for sending in this question. Kelsey has been one of my best and most loyal readers from the beginning of my blog. She is an awesome physical therapist and super cool lady.

If there is a question, you have please feel free to leave it below or email me and I’ll do my best to address it in one of my future posts.

Photo Credits

May 30, 2013 by Toku on Skillset

A Journey From Chaos to Calm Guest Post by Catie Cameron

Intro (AKA My Friend Catie Rocks!)
Today I’m lucky enough to present an awesome guest post by my old friend Catie Cameron. She is an aspiring writer, baker, and master of her many domains in Nashville, TN. She also wrote an awesome bakin blog http://flourmaiden.wordpress.com/ about the misadventures of a baker that I’m hoping she will start back up again.

She is blessing us with an inspiring story about her struggles with mental illness and how mindfulness and the support of others has helped her find new peace and acceptance in her life. I am honored that she is willing to share her story on my humble blog.

A Journey From Chaos to Calm by Catie Cameron
When you feel like you can’t control your own mind, you try to control everything else in your life. This way, when your thoughts are spinning, there’s something solid around you. This was how I felt for many years, not knowing it was a futile effort. It was only by letting go that I could stand still and find peace.

Tribulations
For most of my adulthood, I dealt with depression, yet with all my efforts, nothing felt right for long. Therapy, medication, exercise. Nothing. Perhaps the death of my younger brother in 2004 left an unpatchable crack. Or maybe it was something else, something deeper.

I even tried suicide twice, and couldn’t even do that properly. Now, I know it was the universe’s way of saying it wasn’t my time. There was something left for me out in this world.

Everything around me and in me felt wrong most of the time. There were months of happiness, but then I simply fell back down the well. Since I couldn’t stop my brain, I clung tightly to anything else that might save me. But when you squeeze too tightly to things, they break or pop.

Diagnosis
In December 2012, after yet another crippling bout of anxiety and massive depression, I mustered up just enough energy to take myself to the hospital. Finally, they diagnosed me as having Bipolar II Disorder. It was a terrifying and relieving experience, thinking maybe this was right.

The hardest part has been learning how to deal with it, in coming to terms with this. To many, Bipolar means you’re “crazy.” It’s easy to victimize yourself with mental illness, since others do the same. Once I realized that I wasn’t a victim of this disorder, I found much relief.

That’s the biggest part of this, really. Of coming to terms with BPII. It’s knowing I’m not a victim and that I can take responsibility for my thoughts and actions. That simple comprehension changed everything for me.

Having friends and family that support me and stay vigilant means more than I could have imagined. This was evident in my last hospital stay in December. The number of friends that came to see me, let alone my super-supportive older sister reminded me of how much I was loved.

Resolution
My therapist and I work a lot on mindfulness, as it’s quite beneficial for anxiety. Once I understood I could take responsibility for myself, I found I could practice mindfulness much easier. I don’t worry nearly as much about every little thing.

I also break up my day into smaller chunks, which helps with being in the Now. This may not work for everyone, but it does for me. There’s the work day, and the evening. My present moment is as small as I need to not feel overwhelmed.

I’m also taking medication for the BPII. The biggest realization is that it’s just an aid to my own efforts. Meds don’t cure this. Nothing does. It only takes my erratic brain waves from an EKG to a sine wave. Makes it manageable.

What I’ve Learned
One of the biggest ways I’ve found that helps in dealing with this disorder is knowing that no feeling is final. As much as I can, I sit with the bad feelings and acknowledge they exist and are real. Something about mentally staring them down and focusing on them helps them disappear. It also helps with knowing that I can take responsibility for them, by knowing I can choose to feel this way or not.

Accepting that some days I will have a tough time regardless, makes them feel less concrete. My therapist and I have devised a “First Aid Kit” of items to help in the healing of a downward slope. Mine includes chocolate, letters from friends, and a gift certificate for a movie. These small tokens allow myself to relax and let the day pass unfettered, again reminding me that this day will end and a brand new begins tomorrow.

What Helps
There’s something about knowing others love you and want to see you do well that helps. It aids me in getting up every morning. But getting up and living for myself is more important, I think. I know that I have gifts and talents that should be shared.

When it comes to helping loved ones going through a tough time like this, the best thing one can do is remind them how much they are treasured. Unfortunately, they can’t be fixed by any one person, but being at the bottom of that well, it’s nice to know there’s people up there waiting to see their faces again.

And that’s where this story ends, for now. Mental stability meant I could go back to the things I love, like rock climbing and writing a novel. And being a good friend, sister, girlfriend, citizen of the world.

May 10, 2013 by Toku on Mindset

Jeff Bezos & A Famous Dead Italian Woman Endorse Handwriting Sales Copy?

Reblogged From CopyHour.com
I was lucky enough to get a guest post featured on the Copyhour.com blog It’s not my normal topic, but It something I thought you might enjoy checking out.

This is a fascinating guest post from CopyHour member Samuel Gentoku McCree of MindFitMove.

“Imitation is the first instinct of the awakening mind.” – Maria Montessori

What if I told you Jeff Bezos and a dead Italian woman convinced me to sign up for CopyHour? You’d probably think I was crazy, right? Except that’s exactly what happened. Let me explain.

Small Busyness

I started my company MindFitMove, a mindfulness based fitness and self improvement business, back in September. As I got things going I had the same problem . . .

May 3, 2013 by Toku on Mindset

Life’s a Be Eye Tee Cee . . . – The 5 Phases of the Suffering Mind

So, I’m moving out of my house. It’s all for the best. And I’m actually happy I don’t have to stick around for an awkward month of 30 day noticing. Nothing is worse than having or being a lame duck roommate.

Still I feel defeated, rejected, and sad. It’s funny, because I know I did as best as could be expected. I communicated clearly and calmly 90% of the time. I was diligent in meeting others’ requests. I tried to get along and connect.

Negative GhostRider
But it didn’t work out. And even though part of me knows, that it isn’t my fault. Another part of me feels like King Poo of Poo Mountain

Situations like this are hard because the mind is a blame-placing machine. And in absence of resentment, our minds tend towards depression and subtle senses of self-loathing. It’s hard to see a way forward.

The key is to observe what your mind is doing without judgment. Just this observation alone can reveal what you need. Often the observation itself is a great source of healing.

I engaged in this practice of observation over the past few days. And here are 5 phases I notices my own mind go through during this time.

Phase 1: Total Recall
In this phase, you replay all the key interactions with the person or group of people you’re in conflict with. In each replay, you recast yourself as the diplomat or the sassy bitch.

Though each replay is compelling, nothing changes except your mood and your ability to let the interaction go. You can’t change the past.

Phase 2: Indecision
The mind seeks for a solution to the conflict. It charts how various approaches might play out. You contemplate deep heart felt confessions, strong confrontations, or manipulative subterfuge.

Then you find yourself standing at the top of stairs listening to see if your roommates are in the kitchen. Or maybe staring at a phone trying to decide whether or not to hit send.

No matter what choice you make you will never know whether it’s the right one.
It’s terrifying and you start to realize there might not be a perfect solution after all.

Phase 3: Distraction, Reaction, and Compaction
In this phase, you avoid your feelings by any means possible. This phase is ripe with the seeking of pleasure or sloth.

It involves excessive TV watching, the seeking of sexual satisfaction, engagement in meaningless and repetitive activity, and a dispersed sense of generalized dissatisfaction.

This usually arises because you are unwilling to feel the depth of whatever emotion is arising. On some level, you know you have to deal with what you’re feeling. But on another level, you’re not yet ready.

Phase 4: Sadness, Loneliness, and Dramatic Disenchantment with All Human Existence.
The words that run through your mind are confusing and unconnected. In this stage, you feel a dull ache in your stomach and a hole in the center of your heart. This is a deep and transcendent feeling.

You feel the tension between your deep faith in humanity and the current state of affairs.
You fear you will feel like this forever.

Phase 5: Remission
During this phase, the strength of your feelings and emotions mostly vanish. It may result from absorption in a compelling activity, the presence of someone you feel safe around, or the opening of a new possibility.

The challenge of this state is the mind wants to believe there is nothing left to process and deal with. But often the heart has more to feel even when the mind has moved on.

So, while this phase may be pleasant, it’s important to not try to hold onto it.

The Salvation of Observation
Now here’s the hard part. Other than noticing these states there is nothing else you need to do. As these states shift and change the main practice is to notice and accept.

We watch each state to arise, exist for some time, and then allow it to disappear. Just the act and willingness to observe has amazing healing powers.

Conclusion
Even though I am still caught in this cycle myself, I know my ability to observe my own heart/mind has helped me work through these feelings.

I don’t think it’s going to repair my relationships or be the solution to all my problems. But it will teach me more about myself and what it means to be human.

My hope is that I can use this knowledge to connect, heal, and support others. I believe that even suffering endured with proper attention and intention; can serve my heart and the hearts of others.

How do you deal with setbacks in your life?
Let me know by commenting below.

April 30, 2013 by Toku on Mindset

15 Mins or This Post Explodes

Write Something Meaningful in 15 Mins or Less.
So, I have three blog posts to write today. (Which is the direct result of procrastination.) So, I’m going to try and write this post in 15 mins (To be honest it was 10 but I couldn’t do it) and edit in 5 mins. And get it posted in 30 mins.

I’m not sure if this will work, but I appreciate your patience with me as I try it out.

Awareness of Time
Ever since I started my own business I’ve been much more aware of time.

There are advantages to being your own boss, like getting to watch the daily show while doing your own lunch dishes. But there are disadvantages too, like ending up watching an hour of daily shows you missed, instead of actually doing work.

Mime Tanagement
I’ve realized that managing time is one of the most challenging things anyone can do. Every person I talk to seems to have the same dilemma.

Time is our most valuable resource. More money can be printed, gold could be discovered on Mars, but time is universally limited.

No Respect
Ironically, the other problem is we don’t respect its limitations.

We treat time as if it were monopoly money. I can spend hours watching mindless YouTube videos, playing envy bingo on Facebook, or just lying around flipping through the channels.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like …
So, what do we do about time?
From one perspective is very limited and another perspective abundant.

The Biggest Enemy of Time is Distraction
If you can learn to focus on what you are doing for a discreet amount of time you can master any task. This is the skill that ancient yogis used for mediation, and pro athletes use when they perform at their peak.

The trick to learning this is to start small. I use the Pomodoro technique (sort of) and I’ve found it helps me stay focused. In fact, I’m using it right now.

Waste Time
The other enemy of time is stress.

Stress is what leads to distraction and procrastination. If we hate what we are doing, we will find a way to avoid it.

So to avoid unintentional distraction, it’s essential to engage in intentional distraction.

Take regular breaks from your work and take at least one day off a week.

Eat Better
What does eating have to do with time?
First, if you eat better you will most likely live longer.
Second, cooking for yourself gives you time, because you get to do something productive and it’s an act of self-care.

Self Care + Productivity = TIME BONUS
By doubling up on simple tasks like this you actually get more done and feel, better about your life.

Exercise
Again, exercise will help you live longer, but exercise also reduced stress so it’s a double up activity.

In addition, something amazing happens when you exercise regularly. Your body and mind function better. This higher level of efficiency pays off in the form of more functional time.

That’s it I have to put down my pencil now.
BYE