How to Get Your Brain to Focus | Chris Bailey | TEDxManchester

Life Interrupted: The Modern Living Challenge

You can't get anything done. You're always on the wrong side of every door. You struggle with issues of identity, love, and purpose. It makes sense that you feel this way. You are living in a "privileged" environment where freedom-of-choice and distraction make mince-meat of meaning with every ping, blip, and screen message issued. There's a Mississippian inflow of chatter coming at us through our latest, best, most engaging tech, and its tickling our neurons TO DEATH!

Beyond the technology proliferation explosion, modern life is marred by the rise of conspicuous and excessive consumption, political and religious polarization, mass-migration, the divorce epidemic, and a host of other psychologically draining developments. With so much social upheaval one could easily postulate that things are going especially poorly for the society of humankind these days. A quick examination of the history of humankind, however, will refresh the memory and that people never get a break, but that doesn't qualify as comfort anyway. Boo!

Not everyone who seems to have ADHD has ADHD. Many people just have a harder time focusing because they're creative, intelligent, competitive, and have a BRAND NEW SMARTPHONE, SOCIAL MEDIA APP, ONLINE ROMANTIC INTEREST, AND THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS! Bounding thoughts and interests coupled with the demands of an online business universe make it neigh impossible to avoid thinking with one's thumbs. The dopamine released with every fresh screen-swipe is addictive, and the swipe-habit has burrowed itself deep into society's every activity. Studies indicate that this deluge of stimuli and perpetual disruption of one's focused attention likely does affect the brain. The stress hormone, Cortisol, for example, damages the hippocampus, the part of the brain that regulates memory and our emotions.

There's hope, though. Here are a few activities shown to reduce stress on the mind associated with tech-overuse induced stress:

-Take a walk in nature. Slow, meditative walks in quiet, safe surroundings help regulate the sympathetic nervous system.

-Read a physical book. Reading from a tablet is potentially fine too, just try not to complete sudoku in a second window simultaneously. Allow yourself the pleasure of being engrossed in an idea or a story without judgement or distraction.

-Unplug your external hard-drive. The smartphone that does so much work for you won't quit driving you to work and obsess as long as you are holding it. Take a tech time-out every day for a couple hours. Some wise people unplug for one day out of every week.

-Dance, darn you! Taking up an activity that is physically and mentally engaging and requires a bit of balance is so helpful to one's brain. Tango and Irish Step Dancing have proven beneficial to Parkinson's patients. Dance for your neuroplasticity!

With all the stressors we encounter in our day-to-day lives, we search for big solutions. I have only a handful of simple-solutions to suggest, but I do believe small changes can make a big difference. There are many good ways to unwind. I wish you all the best in your journey.

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How Are You Influenced and Motivated?

 Negative motivators are those influences that drive us to certain and specific actions; based on a fear of some kind and maybe dislike of a certain outcome. The negative motivator may even be related an apprehension around the result; of the outcome which our inaction, or failure to undertake a specific task or fulfill an obligation; generates.

Positive motivators on the others side of the equation are those influencers which hold a desirable image, emotion or effect in our minds or habit nature.

These are interactions we know that, when completed successfully will add value to the quality of our lives, may even enhance our current situations, bring about a wonderful effect to our circumstances, or even progress us in one way or another.

These positive motivators also are borne of the understanding that when completed they will bring a better harmony, a peaceful effect to the environment, workplace or home... where we find ourselves investing in productive endeavor.

Know What Effects The Difference

The primary difference between how we perceive the difference between the two motivator categories is our freedom of choice.

Where we have negative experiences manifesting from specific actions such as, a loss, being reprimanded, receiving criticism or even a sense of discord within ourselves. We mentally and emotionally create an automatic associate between our actions and those negative connotations; and therefore, the outcome of these effects become negative motivators.

In this regard there may even be certain actions or undertakings that we really enjoyed doing; however, after repeated criticism, perhaps being mocked by the uninformed, or even receiving a reprimand, we lose our enthusiasm or joy derived and we begin to categorize these as negative.

However, with positive motivators these are thoughts, ideas, desires that let us to place ourselves above the pessimistic viewpoints of the average, beyond our current reality into a state that is future focused on the benefits and abundance attached to the enthusiastic completion of said action.

What we begin to understand is that in fact the primary difference between the two motivator categories is that it is actually our own personal approach to the specific action: our perception, our energy, our enthusiasm, our thoughts, our feelings... OUR ATTITUDE; which will decide the key differences between how the two opposite motivators influence and affect us moving forward.

A fundamental understanding that we need to resonate with, a key success minded attitude we need to adopt is: knowing that everything we do, every action we take, every thought we allow to enter our minds has the capacity to take us closer towards our desired outcomes or take us further than we had previously envisaged!

Maximizing Your Potential

'Efficient Action' and 'Acting in the Certain Way' as articulated by Wallace D Wattles in his book The Science of Getting Rich, educates us in the understanding that everything has purpose and a potential attached to it, and we need to grow out of our current situation by completing everything we do in a certain way... i.e. as a positive motivator!

This may prove to be a highly challenging prospect which leads us into conflict with our existing paradigm. Nonetheless when we begin to internalize our focus on where we are and where we are progressing to, aligned with the potential we have within us waiting to be expressed, then the influences of others or the feared outcomes do not have a bearing in our applications or responsibility.

What Choices Are Making?

So, as we continue to re-assess every action as one that will grow us, we experience an emotional and mental evolution that perpetuates like effects and like results! The ongoing perpetuation of the good allows us a resilience to reject what we do not want and a continued focus on what we do want!

So, what we close with, when we are increasing our understanding of what our specific motivators are, is that our freedom of choice will in fact decide what class any future exchanges will fall into. Our freedom of choice is a phenomenal gift that is given to us free at birth, but it is also one we give up too freely and too readily!

A simple story that illustrates this is the parable of the talents as related to us in the bible [Matthew 25:14-30].

When we assess this parable, we see that the key difference in the approaches discussed.

The fear of punishment, the fear of loss, the fear of failure and the fear of reprimand led to inaction which in turn resulted in a negative result as well as the manifestation of all the fears; for the one servant. Yet, on the opposite end of the spectrum the servants that took their responsibility seriously with a positive motivator reaped their own specific rewards.

In the case of all three... they all had the potential for the same consequences and in the instance of two of them there was a risk of greater loss therefore more severe consequences.

Let us choose to take action in an efficient and certain way so that our gifts increase through action taken with positive motivation!

At invincible mind, we believe in the unlimited potential of the mind and are striving to share the life-changing effects of a renewed mind!

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How to Use Resilience to Create a Better World

Resilience is that enigmatic quality we all seek when life gets rocky; it is the quality that allows us to dig deep, find renewed courage and face our biggest fears so we can tame our dragons and emerge unscathed at the other end of turbulent times.

Radical resilience offers us that hidden ability during crisis to get back up, dust ourselves off and generate a new vision for our lives at every level.

Genuine resilience has nothing to do with claims of invincibility, superiority or willpower; rather, it depends on our willingness to be vulnerable and stand firm at the very times when we don´t know the next step.

In spiritual terms, resiliency involves the commitment to awaken further during times of setback instead of shutting down, and that awakening leads to growth in wisdom and faith.

Charles Dickens´ classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, opens with these lines:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair... we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way... "

These words could well be used to describe current times instead of the French Revolution era almost 250 years ago that Dickens described! It tells about a time of chaos, conflict and despair; a time of controversies and contradictions, as well as happiness.

Still today, these challenges are inherent in life and thus continue. Life is filled with difficulties and triumphs, obstacles and opportunities.

Humanity is in the midst of a resurgent pandemic, suffering from a lack of leadership and facing the threat of economic collapse. We are caught up in civic uprisings and struggles against racial and social injustice worldwide. Beyond these immediate threats, we´re still facing a global climate crisis that makes the rest of our actions look like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Because all things are interconnected, the transformation we yearn for involves not a single change, but a cascade of complex changes. The way we approach these changes, could ultimately lead to global destruction or a genuine transformation of the world as we´ve known it.

The critical choices and responsibilities are ours.

We are being called to a greater sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. Effective choices and actions must come from a deeper level of understanding. We are called on to embark on a collective rite of passage to transform old beliefs and find new ways to orient our lives despite radical uncertainty and rapid change.

The pressure caused by continuing, rapid, major crises reveals hidden fault lines, great inequities and painful injustices in all areas of our lives. It is calling us to respond with more than simple survival: long-term resilience requires that we respond in the midst of crisis with genuine inner change on a personal level, so we can merge our purified vision with others` to transform society from the bottom up.

Resilience is a hard-earned quality. It is not developed by a life of comfort, ease and safety, despite what the ego would have us believe. Only when faced with obstacles, stress, and external threat does resilience develop. Psychological studies show that children who do not face adversity early in life tend to lack a capacity for resiliency. As the old proverb goes, "Smooth seas make bad sailors."

Resiliency can be developed by facing difficult times with faith and courage. It does not matter how many setbacks we face, or how many failures we experience, what matters is how we respond to challenges.

The soul is the only aspect of a person that cannot be overwhelmed. It is the seat and living source of human resilience.

We deepen our resilience by responding from the soul, and not the ego. Whereas the ego screams for revenge, the soul takes inventory and accepts humble responsibility for its own part in the unfolding picture. Instead of stirring up more turmoil, it forgives the wrongs. In so doing, it neutralizes the escalation of hatred and anger by extending forgiveness and compassion.

No matter how dark the night, the soul can find salient aspects to help the human soul awaken further. There is much that we can do to support this process.

We are in a collective rite of passage, a rare state of transition that can transform the nature of societies worldwide. If we can hold a vision for the emergence of a more inclusive humanity, we can find ways to navigate the rough terrain from here to there. Meanwhile, we need to embrace the unifying moments of community that appear in the midst of conflict, participating in these moments as part of the collective healing process where we agree to protect and care for one another.

In these troubled times, we can also draw closer to like-minded souls who share this greater vision. Our soul tribe may span the globe and all timelines past, present and future. We can find comfort in nature and in our animal companions. And we can draw from the well of Spirit to renew our faith so we can hold that vision for the world we wish to create, standing strong, brave and unwavering in the face of the demolition of the old. We can tend the sacred spark of our inner lives to embody a more soulful presence in this world.

Ultimately, it is the awakened soul that rises above isolation and despair. By nurturing this awakened state in ourselves and others, we will find the strength to hold onto that higher collective vision and to do our part toward its fulfillment. In fact, it is our sacred duty to support and serve the sparks of holiness we find others and in the world.

The light that burns in us is also the light that dwells in others; it is the hidden light at the center of all things. When the inner light of soul awakens from within, it enlivens things in the world around us as well. That is how things change, from the inside out; from the soul to the world. The radical resilience of the awakened heart can hold a vision of greater inclusiveness to spur us on toward acts of courage and forgiveness, leading us toward the creation of a better world.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Use-Resilience-to-Create-a-Better-World&id=10346887

6 Things I Wish I'd Learned At 20 | Robin Sharma

How to Change your Physiology to be Happy - Tony Robbins motivation

IT'S POSSIBLE (Les Brown's Greatest Hits)

Your Focus Keeps You On Track and Amps Up Your Productivity

Your focus and effectiveness are inextricably linked.

Indeed, time management tips, no matter how well-grounded they may be, are only as effective as your capacity to focus and follow-through.

So, your focus is a powerful productivity tool.

But that's not all. Your focus actually helps you restore your energy and free your creativity, too.

Staying on Track
In our information-saturated world, you can practically hear the battle being waged for your attention as an incessant buzzing in your head. Concentration can be difficult to come by, let alone sustain. Yet your focus is one of the most remarkable inherent strengths you can ever develop.

So, would you like some support around staying on task and on track? Read on...

Your focus is about you...
It is really all about your quality of relationship with yourself. Whenever you need the motivation to calm your mind and concentrate, recall these three key advantages you will always gain when you focus:

Whatever you are doing is enhanced.
You are more present in your life.
No time is required; there is always enough time to sharpen your focus.
This is about quality, not quantity. When you are centered you are bringing yourself fully to each of your moments and getting the most from what your moments hold. An hour is still an hour, whether you are present to it or not - but the content of that hour is essentially different when you are engaged as your fully attentive self.
What can your focus do?
So, let's deepen our appreciation of what this powerful and transformative time tool brings us by looking more specifically at what your focus can do for you. It can:

Transform Your Relationship With Time. Your anxieties about the future melt away because you fully inhabit the moment you are in. This is the rich experience of centuries of meditation practice, worldwide. You can trust it. When you are in the flow of the present moment, you experience the power that is always yours. You direct your inner relation-ship, with the rudder and sail in your hands. You attune yourself to life's winds and waves, and feel fully alive as you steer with increasing skill! The feeling of inner safety that comes when you fully occupy the moment cannot be matched.
Free You From Time-Consuming Past Scripts. Each of us carries stories from our past, created when we had limited understanding. Formulas we once thought kept us safe may now simply slow us down. So, how can you gain the perspective to step clear from old time traps? The ability to silence inner chatter and closely observe what surrounds you is an essential first step. As the Zen master instructs the student: "Attention... Attention... Attention... "
But that's not all...
Clarify Your Perceptions and Enhance Your Productivity. The less distracted you are, the more energy you direct to your task. Watch your effectiveness grow. The next time you start to feel scattered, breathe from your belly and warmly tell yourself that you can do one thing well. What about those urgent imperatives that vie for your attention? Write down whatever is distracting you. Promise yourself that when your task is completed, you can attend to that matter.
Increase Your Confidence. Nothing can match the feeling you give yourself by letting yourself experience the centered, relaxed, receptive self-intimacy that focused activity brings. By exercising positive control over your mind and your time, you immerse yourself in the flow of the present moment. Confidence grows organically when you direct your best energies to the task at hand.
And there's more...
Nurture Your Creativity. Do you question how creative you can be? As you cultivate your focus, new avenues of inner communication open up to you. Only when you silence the chattering that surrounds you can your wise and quiet voice of intuition be heard. Experiment with simply focusing within, on the effortless rising and falling of your breath. Let thoughts bubble up, and see which ones catch the light.
Continually Develop Your Skills. As you let yourself experience the satisfaction of being fully in the moment, you become less and less vulnerable to the nagging illusion that there is something outside of yourself that you 'need.' This encourages a rising spiral of self-reference, enabling you to direct your energy ever more skillfully.
In the end, focus, which takes no time, will actually give you time because it increases your power, satisfaction, confidence, and productivity. It allows you to pour your best energies into what you do right now, and watch them multiply.
So how will you start putting yourself in a position to find more success and satisfaction, beginning with this very moment?

You'll find expert guidance quickly with our free Finding Time Success Kit, so check out our video at https://thetimefinder.com/ and then sign up for your Kit!

You'll receive our Finding Time Boundary Template, our popular Weekly Tips, and our monthly, award-winning E-zine -- all free and all right to your in-box!

For even more time tips, tools and techniques, visit our blog at https://thetimefinder.com/blog/

Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert


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How to Reignite Your Life

You Control Your Destiny

As all the organs and limbs form your body, and your body, your life, you, are a whole unit built by parts, so is Destiny a whole unit built by the parts which are the Seven Powers which also control our life. Unhealthy Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Laziness, Anger, Envy, Pride.

Every event in your life can be dealt with in different ways, ways that you can choose; to run or stay, to cower or stand strong, to steal or be honest, to defend or attack, to lie or tell the truth, each moment of your life in which you have to make a choice, Destiny is right there, to determine the direction your life will take from that moment onward based on your decision and action.

Destiny is not fixed, it is as fluid as the weather, changing at any moment, and you are the master of your destiny, you just don't know it.

In fact, you do not want to know that you are the master, because the responsibility is too great, the challenge too difficult.

With every choice you have to make, even if you think you do not have a choice, if you reflect on your past, you will see that you had a choice, you probably just didn't like the choice you knew was right.

Gravity is a power of this planet and universe. It keeps everything down to the ground. It also keeps the moon in orbit around the earth and the planets in orbit around the sun. It is always drawing everything to the lowest point.

In the same way, the powers draw your life and thoughts to their lowest point. For the powers are our weaknesses, imposed on us to keep us in the often messed up human condition, the weaknesses, self-centredness and evil nature that is part of being human.

The energy that we are, which some people call the soul, but I call 'my conscience', or 'better judgment' or is commonly referred to as 'common sense' a rare commodity in the human race, is the true nature of what we are.

The battle is between the powers which are our negative qualities, keeping us down to our lowest level which is the human ego, and, our essential energy which is light. Not light just in the sense of brightness, but of weight, light and weightless, not subject to gravity.

When an event happens, and you make your choice, Destiny reevaluates if you made an unpredictable choice, and re-determines your future.

If you made a bad financial choice, Greed and Wrath will grow with regret. If you made a good choice and made a lot of money, Pride takes over, which may give rise to more Envy of others. As your taste of success propels you to recognition, you may become jealous and envious of other people who get recognition as your desire for more grows, having tasted it.

With every decision you make, good or bad, one or more of the powers will rise or diminish in you, and with that, Destiny will turn your life in another direction.

By watching out for the Seven powers that control us, as the events of the day happen, being aware as those emotions and feelings arise in your mind, and choosing to act in a positive way, more humble or honest, supportive way, you can turn your destiny in yet a different direction.

You have the power to control your destiny in this way. The immediate outcome may not be what you want, it may not be good in the sense of your financial or love life, but Destiny is a plan for the rest of your life, until you change it again, so the immediate events are virtually irrelevant.

This is what you must keep in mind with every word and action, especially with the big things that go wrong, by seeing what direction they are taking you, to the seven powers or to the light and overcoming their negative manipulations.

Everyone knows that you do not take any material possessions when you die, but you do take your character. At your funeral, the number of people who mourn your death will be in proportion to your character, not your wealth if that was acquired by an asshole character. Instead of burying you with your gold and property, they will just write you a check to take with you to the grave.

Always remember that in the face of disaster, Destiny will make a new plan for your life based on your reaction. Bitter regrets and a desire for revenge or becoming depressed and hopeless will make one plan, but accepting the situation of your life as it is at that moment, as if you are just born that day with no past, facing it with courage and strength, will force Destiny to give you new ideas and creativity, new opportunities to rebuild, start over and become a better person.

You are master of your Destiny, like it or not, believe it or not. You can test the truth of this statement if you simply recall the past big events in your life, how you reacted and how that effected you for days or months after, and how that reaction determined your following actions. Did you push people away with negativity and anger, or did you inspire people with your courage and ability to dust yourself off and start again.

Just think about your past, and learn about people who have failed, or succeeded, and learn from their reactions, was it strength of character or did it build a massive ego.

Now you can decided, are you going to control your destiny from today onwards and defy gravity, let your essence rise up, or let gravity bring you emotionally down, with your life like a leaf blowing in the wind, letting the wind of destiny take you where it and the seven powers want you to go.

David Samuel is The Entrepreneur Monk, applying his understanding of the mind and emotions in business, relationships and personal growth.
Your mind makes you a success or failure, business skill is only a small part.
David resolved the riddle of why we do what is bad for us yet do not do what we know is beneficial and teaches that very effectively.
Read more about David EntrepreneurMonk.com
Have No Regrets, Look Forward



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