What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
I love to watch buildings being built. I can easily stand at the construction site fences around partially finished Chicago skyscrapers just looking up in utter amazement. I especially marvel at the gigantic cranes that are used to lift the steel, glass and marble hundreds of feet in the air and then SLOWLY move them in towards the frame. Besides the load that is being lifted, the long horizontal arm carries a movable load of concrete as a counterweight to keep the tower in perfect balance. Incredible!
We weren’t very old when we began to discover the benefits of good balance. Sitting up without falling over took balance. Crawling followed by walking required balance. Then it was on to riding bikes, skating, rollerblading, skiing, etc. Is it possible to win at any sport while neglecting balance? Even everyday tasks like climbing stairs, walking on a slippery sidewalk or parking lot, or running all require balance. But balance in life is much more than just keeping the body upright.
You may recall my earlier writings on our TEAM: our body, soul and spirit. I mentioned how important it is to keep these “players” in balance with each other. Besides our internal world, balance is equally important in our external world. We all have jobs, family and friends, school, activities, church, holidays, etc. Some of us no doubt feel like we are juggling various aspects of our lives all the time. We all want to be happy, successful, healthy and financially comfortable. So here’s what I recommend:
· Simplify your life. Throw out or give things away that you don’t need any more.
· Invest in others’ lives. Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen. Find an elderly person who lives near you and visit them. Run some errands or mow their lawn. Do something for someone else, while expecting nothing in return.
· Figure out what you like to do, and then find somewhere to get paid to do it. I’m not saying don’t work – I’m saying do what you love, as soon as you can.
· Be adventurous and plan an annual escape. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Consider taking up scuba diving and exploring the other two-thirds of the world.
· Befriend someone who isn’t like you. There are many lonely people all around us.
· Teach your children the importance of compassion and kindness. Teach them to believe in themselves, to love themselves, others and God. Love is the most powerful force in the universe.
Balance in life is not only important; it is rewarding. Lower stress levels, greater peace, more happiness, and increased contentment are all by-products of good balance.
Well, I have enjoyed writing this column and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Over the next two years, I will be focusing on developing a seminar and associated web site and materials called “Your Ultimate Pursuit.” My goal is to help people all over the world live wonderfully fulfilling and successful lives. I wish you the very best life can offer. God bless.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Focus and Balance: Part 4
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
I hope these columns cause you to think. They certainly do me. So here’s something for you to think about. Have you ever wondered why some people are more successful than others? Or, seem to have more energy, or more free time, or more talent, or even more money than others? I certainly have, but I’ve discovered that wondering doesn’t do much – it’s inconclusive. Wondering must be followed with a WHY, which of course is a question. And as we’ve been taught in school, questions put our minds to work, searching for logical, rational answers. And it’s cheaper than dinner and a movie.
Consider that for every question there is an answer; for every problem there is a solution; for every choice there is a decision. Answers, solutions and decisions can be good or even excellent; or they can be bad – sometimes really bad. Since most of us want to live wonderful, fulfilling, and successful lives, we need to learn the most powerful secret of those who already live those kinds of lives. Are you ready? It’s the power of focus. Since focus is mostly mental, almost anyone can learn to focus. Here are a few ideas to get you headed in the right direction:
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
I hope these columns cause you to think. They certainly do me. So here’s something for you to think about. Have you ever wondered why some people are more successful than others? Or, seem to have more energy, or more free time, or more talent, or even more money than others? I certainly have, but I’ve discovered that wondering doesn’t do much – it’s inconclusive. Wondering must be followed with a WHY, which of course is a question. And as we’ve been taught in school, questions put our minds to work, searching for logical, rational answers. And it’s cheaper than dinner and a movie.
Consider that for every question there is an answer; for every problem there is a solution; for every choice there is a decision. Answers, solutions and decisions can be good or even excellent; or they can be bad – sometimes really bad. Since most of us want to live wonderful, fulfilling, and successful lives, we need to learn the most powerful secret of those who already live those kinds of lives. Are you ready? It’s the power of focus. Since focus is mostly mental, almost anyone can learn to focus. Here are a few ideas to get you headed in the right direction:
- Design your life. Write down what you want. Be creative, and be specific. Include a timeline. Stop using the word “whatever.”
- Get rid of your bad habits, and exchange them for good ones, one at a time. It takes 3 to 4 weeks for new habits to stick, or old ones to release their hold.
- Figure out what your gift is and develop it. Use it to make the world a better place.
- Stop trying to please everybody. It’s impossible. So please yourself, and be compassionate whenever possible. And learn to say no.
- Be spontaneous once in a while. Have a schedule, but be flexible and have fun!
- Eliminate distractions. Turn off your TV, computer, and phone. You’ll be stunned at how much time you have.
- Set smart goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-oriented. Start with little ones, and move on to bigger ones as you become victorious.
- Establish some boundaries for yourself. Just because you are an adult doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have any rules.
Next week: the importance of balance.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com
Monday, February 4, 2008
Focus and Balance: Part 3
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Well after those two great hints last week, you should have figured out how to get things done, reduce stress, enjoy more happiness, and have more free time. But if not, read on.
There are many different kinds of light, but there is one kind that stands out from all the others: laser light. A laser is an incredibly FOCUSED beam of single color light, which can be used to cut steel, reshape corneas, read DVDs, align and measure almost anything (like how far away the moon is), transmit intelligence; the list goes on and on. But in order for a laser to work, its light must be FOCUSED.
The human brain is absolutely amazing, and we are still learning how it works. It performs dozens of different functions, but we can get the greatest performance and efficiency from our minds by learning to FOCUS. Think about the light and warmth of the sun’s rays – then think about what can be accomplished by taking that energy and FOCUSING it, like with a magnifying glass, on a bug, on the sidewalk. I’m sorry, little bug.
It is the same with our minds. We can either be scatter-brained, (can you say “multi-tasking?), or we can be FOCUSED. Great success is only possible with FOCUS. This is not a secret, but most people don’t give it much thought. In other words, we don’t use our brains to think about how to use our brains. Anyway, we get so caught up in our strewn-out lives that we begin to believe that FOCUSING on one thing at a time must be a waste of time. However, geniuses understand FOCUS. Successful business people utilize FOCUS. Great athletes know how to FOCUS. Researchers and doctors are discovering new applications for FOCUSED light all the time.
In the same way that we have learned to complicate our lives by simultaneously juggling many projects, we can learn to simplify by FOCUSING on one thing at a time. We can use our minds in a general way and get average or poor results, or we can learn to FOCUS our minds and reap the benefits thereof.
Next week I’ll present a few ideas on how we can learn to use this incredible power. We’ll leave the light on.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Well after those two great hints last week, you should have figured out how to get things done, reduce stress, enjoy more happiness, and have more free time. But if not, read on.
There are many different kinds of light, but there is one kind that stands out from all the others: laser light. A laser is an incredibly FOCUSED beam of single color light, which can be used to cut steel, reshape corneas, read DVDs, align and measure almost anything (like how far away the moon is), transmit intelligence; the list goes on and on. But in order for a laser to work, its light must be FOCUSED.
The human brain is absolutely amazing, and we are still learning how it works. It performs dozens of different functions, but we can get the greatest performance and efficiency from our minds by learning to FOCUS. Think about the light and warmth of the sun’s rays – then think about what can be accomplished by taking that energy and FOCUSING it, like with a magnifying glass, on a bug, on the sidewalk. I’m sorry, little bug.
It is the same with our minds. We can either be scatter-brained, (can you say “multi-tasking?), or we can be FOCUSED. Great success is only possible with FOCUS. This is not a secret, but most people don’t give it much thought. In other words, we don’t use our brains to think about how to use our brains. Anyway, we get so caught up in our strewn-out lives that we begin to believe that FOCUSING on one thing at a time must be a waste of time. However, geniuses understand FOCUS. Successful business people utilize FOCUS. Great athletes know how to FOCUS. Researchers and doctors are discovering new applications for FOCUSED light all the time.
In the same way that we have learned to complicate our lives by simultaneously juggling many projects, we can learn to simplify by FOCUSING on one thing at a time. We can use our minds in a general way and get average or poor results, or we can learn to FOCUS our minds and reap the benefits thereof.
Next week I’ll present a few ideas on how we can learn to use this incredible power. We’ll leave the light on.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Focus and Balance: Part 2
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Last week after discussing the problems and dangers of attempting to do too many things at once and stating that “multitasking results in severe mental interference, hinders happiness, and oh yea, kills people,” I left you with an unanswered question. I asked: “So what do we do?” What I meant by that, was if multitasking is so ineffective, what should we be doing instead? Perhaps you’ve thought about that a little.
As a professor of computer science, I probably spend far too much time contemplating the commonalities between the human brain and the CPU of a computer. They both have similar functions: fetch or receive data (or input), decode, process, then store (or output). That’s about it, except a typical Central Processing Unit completes that cycle between 2 and 4 BILLION times every second. And it doesn’t get tired or sick, doesn’t need to eat, doesn’t complain, etc. But even more important, most computers don’t actually multitask at all. They just do what they do so unbelievably fast, that to us it looks like they are performing many operations at the same time. Sort of a computerized “slight of hand” trick.
The fact of the matter is most of us can’t even perform two operations per second; let alone BILLIONS. And we do get tired, distracted, hungry, and so on. On top of that, we work too much, don’t play enough, are often rushed, and don’t get enough rest. Can you say STRESS? But don’t get give up hope – there is a solution. There is ALWAYS a solution.
Here’s a hint: have you ever noticed that some people, while engaged in a two party conversation, seem totally “tuned in” to the other person? They aren’t distracted by noise or movement, they don’t look around; even if a third person comes by and attempts to politely interrupt, they just stay in their little “zone.” They seem to be “locked on” to the person with whom they are conversing – like a Star Wars tractor beam.
Here’s hint number two: think about Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
That’s all I have to say about that; more next week.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Last week after discussing the problems and dangers of attempting to do too many things at once and stating that “multitasking results in severe mental interference, hinders happiness, and oh yea, kills people,” I left you with an unanswered question. I asked: “So what do we do?” What I meant by that, was if multitasking is so ineffective, what should we be doing instead? Perhaps you’ve thought about that a little.
As a professor of computer science, I probably spend far too much time contemplating the commonalities between the human brain and the CPU of a computer. They both have similar functions: fetch or receive data (or input), decode, process, then store (or output). That’s about it, except a typical Central Processing Unit completes that cycle between 2 and 4 BILLION times every second. And it doesn’t get tired or sick, doesn’t need to eat, doesn’t complain, etc. But even more important, most computers don’t actually multitask at all. They just do what they do so unbelievably fast, that to us it looks like they are performing many operations at the same time. Sort of a computerized “slight of hand” trick.
The fact of the matter is most of us can’t even perform two operations per second; let alone BILLIONS. And we do get tired, distracted, hungry, and so on. On top of that, we work too much, don’t play enough, are often rushed, and don’t get enough rest. Can you say STRESS? But don’t get give up hope – there is a solution. There is ALWAYS a solution.
Here’s a hint: have you ever noticed that some people, while engaged in a two party conversation, seem totally “tuned in” to the other person? They aren’t distracted by noise or movement, they don’t look around; even if a third person comes by and attempts to politely interrupt, they just stay in their little “zone.” They seem to be “locked on” to the person with whom they are conversing – like a Star Wars tractor beam.
Here’s hint number two: think about Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
That’s all I have to say about that; more next week.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Focus & Balance: Part 1
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Have you ever wondered why we don’t seem to have as much free time as our parents? We have far more technical gadgets to “help us” than they ever had. Just 30 or so years ago, there were no cell phones, no personal computers, no internet, no satellite or cable television, no email, texting, instant messaging, iPods, DVDs, and so on. How did they stay in touch? How were they entertained? How did they stay organized? How did our parents survive? Can you say 8-TRACK TAPES?
So here we are knee deep in the information age, and we have all of this technology around and available to us: microwave ovens, dishwashers, automatic washers, computers, cell phones, Palms, Treos, iPhones, USB drives, blah, blah, blah. And we have tons of extra free time, right? BBBZZZZZTTTTT! Wrong! Why?
Well I certainly have pondered this question and here’s what I think. New technology, new hardware, new software, and new gadgets aren’t only cost expensive; they’re time expensive. They consume our resources (my parent’s phone bill was about $12 a month) and cause us to think poorly. Surely you’ve experienced that “drowning in information” feeling, or even worse, that “I have no idea what 25% of $80 is” conclusion. Or you’ve been stressed out by too much to do, like the rest of us. Is there a practical solution? Of course: you need to multitask!
My little sister is incredibly talented. She can drive her minivan with her left knee, put on makeup with one hand, drink lattés with the other, talk on her cell phone via Bluetooth, write out checks and yell at her boys in the back of the van, who are arguing about who-knows-what. All at the same time! Is that multitasking or what? Wow! And then she tells me she’s stressed out a lot. Ya think?
Here’s the problem: contrary to popular belief, multitasking doesn’t work. According to Wikipedia, “Since the 1950s, experimental psychologists have done many experiments on the nature and limits of human multitasking. In general, these studies have disclosed that people show severe interference when even very simple tasks are performed at the same time, if both tasks require selecting and producing action (e.g., Gladstones, Regan, & Lee, 1989; Pashler, 1994). Many researchers believe that action planning represents a "bottleneck," while the human brain can only perform one task at a time.” Just because your computer multi-tasks, doesn’t mean you can. So what’s the answer?
Well I’m glad you asked. But before I share my thoughts on that, let me toss this out: in general, do people seem less happy to you; as in less happy than people 30 years ago? Think about it: when was the last time you watched someone walking down the street with a great big smile? Or someone whistling while they worked? Interestingly, Wikipedia also had this to say, “Multitasking has been criticized as a hindrance to completing tasks or feeling happiness. Timothy Ferriss argues that one should rarely multitask and should instead devote full attention to completing a very small set of defined goals. Barry Schwartz has noted that, given the media-rich landscape of the internet era, it is tempting to get into a habit of dwelling in a constant sea of information with too many choices, which has been noted to have a negative effect on human happiness.”
Here’s the bottom line: multitasking results in severe mental interference, hinders happiness, and oh yea, kills people. Go Google “cell phone auto accidents” and you’ll find this headline: “Drivers on Cell Phones Kill Thousands; Snarl Traffic,” and inside the article, this, “Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year, according to the journal's publisher, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.”
No good. In fact, it’s worse than not good: it’s terrible, awful, and frightening. So what do we do? Well check back next week and I’ll focus in on the answer.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Have you ever wondered why we don’t seem to have as much free time as our parents? We have far more technical gadgets to “help us” than they ever had. Just 30 or so years ago, there were no cell phones, no personal computers, no internet, no satellite or cable television, no email, texting, instant messaging, iPods, DVDs, and so on. How did they stay in touch? How were they entertained? How did they stay organized? How did our parents survive? Can you say 8-TRACK TAPES?
So here we are knee deep in the information age, and we have all of this technology around and available to us: microwave ovens, dishwashers, automatic washers, computers, cell phones, Palms, Treos, iPhones, USB drives, blah, blah, blah. And we have tons of extra free time, right? BBBZZZZZTTTTT! Wrong! Why?
Well I certainly have pondered this question and here’s what I think. New technology, new hardware, new software, and new gadgets aren’t only cost expensive; they’re time expensive. They consume our resources (my parent’s phone bill was about $12 a month) and cause us to think poorly. Surely you’ve experienced that “drowning in information” feeling, or even worse, that “I have no idea what 25% of $80 is” conclusion. Or you’ve been stressed out by too much to do, like the rest of us. Is there a practical solution? Of course: you need to multitask!
My little sister is incredibly talented. She can drive her minivan with her left knee, put on makeup with one hand, drink lattés with the other, talk on her cell phone via Bluetooth, write out checks and yell at her boys in the back of the van, who are arguing about who-knows-what. All at the same time! Is that multitasking or what? Wow! And then she tells me she’s stressed out a lot. Ya think?
Here’s the problem: contrary to popular belief, multitasking doesn’t work. According to Wikipedia, “Since the 1950s, experimental psychologists have done many experiments on the nature and limits of human multitasking. In general, these studies have disclosed that people show severe interference when even very simple tasks are performed at the same time, if both tasks require selecting and producing action (e.g., Gladstones, Regan, & Lee, 1989; Pashler, 1994). Many researchers believe that action planning represents a "bottleneck," while the human brain can only perform one task at a time.” Just because your computer multi-tasks, doesn’t mean you can. So what’s the answer?
Well I’m glad you asked. But before I share my thoughts on that, let me toss this out: in general, do people seem less happy to you; as in less happy than people 30 years ago? Think about it: when was the last time you watched someone walking down the street with a great big smile? Or someone whistling while they worked? Interestingly, Wikipedia also had this to say, “Multitasking has been criticized as a hindrance to completing tasks or feeling happiness. Timothy Ferriss argues that one should rarely multitask and should instead devote full attention to completing a very small set of defined goals. Barry Schwartz has noted that, given the media-rich landscape of the internet era, it is tempting to get into a habit of dwelling in a constant sea of information with too many choices, which has been noted to have a negative effect on human happiness.”
Here’s the bottom line: multitasking results in severe mental interference, hinders happiness, and oh yea, kills people. Go Google “cell phone auto accidents” and you’ll find this headline: “Drivers on Cell Phones Kill Thousands; Snarl Traffic,” and inside the article, this, “Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year, according to the journal's publisher, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.”
No good. In fact, it’s worse than not good: it’s terrible, awful, and frightening. So what do we do? Well check back next week and I’ll focus in on the answer.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Vibrant Health: Part 4
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
The last and arguably most essential member of your TEAM is the spirit. Although hard to define or understand, most of us acknowledge a spiritual component and existence of some form. In many areas of faith, the spirit is believed to be the eternal part of us that lives on after all else has expired.
Our spirit is the innermost part of our being, or TEAM, and it consists of the conscience, heart, beliefs and feelings. The capacity for reason and wisdom come from our conscience; the ability to love and forgive from our heart; our beliefs allow us to have faith and trust in someone or something; and our feelings encompass everything from sadness to euphoria. The overall condition (health) of our spirit impacts our soul and body significantly—to the degree of driving our emotions, thoughts, attitudes, decisions, and ultimately our behavior. Problems here cause symptoms elsewhere—anxiety and fears, negative thoughts, the wrong kind of pride, and poor choices. Although these symptoms are painfully obvious, their causes are not.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we (as a culture) have migrated away from spiritual things. Sure we might spend an hour or two a week in worship or service. But generally speaking, the rush of our everyday routines keeps us tied up with the physical world that exists all around us. As a result, our spirit, and its place in our lives tend to be minimized, and even ignored. Remember the old adage: out of sight, out of mind? Well unfortunately, that is true and in this case, it works against our total health. A healthy body and soul does not automatically mean a healthy spirit.
So how exactly do we exercise, strengthen, and otherwise involve our spirits in our everyday lives? Here are a few ideas that might help:
Take some time everyday—15 to 30 minutes to relax and meditate. Find a place of solitude and beauty. Put on some soothing music. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Don’t focus on yourself and your troubles—allow the thoughts of your heart to move beyond the physical and the mental realms. Contemplate life, love, faith, belief and God. Think about good things—the beauty of nature, the wonder of birth, the blessedness of special people. Learn to be thankful for all that you have. In the same way that we feed our body (with good nutrition) every day, it is important to feed our spirit as well.
I am convinced that many of the problems and issues in our physical world exist simply because of problems and issues in our spiritual world. Without a doubt, a lot has changed in the last quarter of a century. We have amazing technology; and unbelievable tragedies. We see incredible potential for the future, while at the same time experience more fear than ever before. Could it be that our spirits are weak, ignored, malnourished, and disheartened? Not a good thing for the TEAM.
Here are a few web sites that you may find inspiring, as well as encouraging:
http://fathersloveletter.com/fllnarration.html
http://www.reata.org/interview2.html
http://positivepause.com/
http://thegoodnessoflife.com/
Finally I wish you the very best during this holiday season. May all your dreams come true, and may you enjoy an amazing and wonderfully fulfilling life. May God bless us and keep us healthy and safe in the year ahead.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
The last and arguably most essential member of your TEAM is the spirit. Although hard to define or understand, most of us acknowledge a spiritual component and existence of some form. In many areas of faith, the spirit is believed to be the eternal part of us that lives on after all else has expired.
Our spirit is the innermost part of our being, or TEAM, and it consists of the conscience, heart, beliefs and feelings. The capacity for reason and wisdom come from our conscience; the ability to love and forgive from our heart; our beliefs allow us to have faith and trust in someone or something; and our feelings encompass everything from sadness to euphoria. The overall condition (health) of our spirit impacts our soul and body significantly—to the degree of driving our emotions, thoughts, attitudes, decisions, and ultimately our behavior. Problems here cause symptoms elsewhere—anxiety and fears, negative thoughts, the wrong kind of pride, and poor choices. Although these symptoms are painfully obvious, their causes are not.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we (as a culture) have migrated away from spiritual things. Sure we might spend an hour or two a week in worship or service. But generally speaking, the rush of our everyday routines keeps us tied up with the physical world that exists all around us. As a result, our spirit, and its place in our lives tend to be minimized, and even ignored. Remember the old adage: out of sight, out of mind? Well unfortunately, that is true and in this case, it works against our total health. A healthy body and soul does not automatically mean a healthy spirit.
So how exactly do we exercise, strengthen, and otherwise involve our spirits in our everyday lives? Here are a few ideas that might help:
Take some time everyday—15 to 30 minutes to relax and meditate. Find a place of solitude and beauty. Put on some soothing music. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Don’t focus on yourself and your troubles—allow the thoughts of your heart to move beyond the physical and the mental realms. Contemplate life, love, faith, belief and God. Think about good things—the beauty of nature, the wonder of birth, the blessedness of special people. Learn to be thankful for all that you have. In the same way that we feed our body (with good nutrition) every day, it is important to feed our spirit as well.
I am convinced that many of the problems and issues in our physical world exist simply because of problems and issues in our spiritual world. Without a doubt, a lot has changed in the last quarter of a century. We have amazing technology; and unbelievable tragedies. We see incredible potential for the future, while at the same time experience more fear than ever before. Could it be that our spirits are weak, ignored, malnourished, and disheartened? Not a good thing for the TEAM.
Here are a few web sites that you may find inspiring, as well as encouraging:
http://fathersloveletter.com/fllnarration.html
http://www.reata.org/interview2.html
http://positivepause.com/
http://thegoodnessoflife.com/
Finally I wish you the very best during this holiday season. May all your dreams come true, and may you enjoy an amazing and wonderfully fulfilling life. May God bless us and keep us healthy and safe in the year ahead.
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Vibrant Health: Part 3
What Would Your Life Be Like…
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Imagine a TEAM with only three players – and two of them are INVISIBLE! The good news is uniform costs are down. The bad news is it’s hard to assign responsibility to “missing” members! Nonetheless, this second member of the TEAM is immensely important: without it we’d be just like the Scarecrow: brainless.
Much has been written and/or debated about the human soul. Being intangible makes it difficult to study. Certainly there are many theories about what the soul is and where it resides. One of these states the soul is that part of us that resides in between the flesh and the spirit. It consists of our mind, will, emotions, and attitudes. Besides being the center of thoughts and logic, our mind is responsible for unconscious body functions; our will is the final step in making choices and decisions; our emotions are expressions of our feelings; and our attitudes are expressions of our beliefs. Interestingly, our soul “feeds” our spirit and significantly impacts our behavior, as well as receives input from both the spirit and body. A vigorous soul contributes to overall good health. However, an unhealthy soul inhibits spiritual or physical health, and hinders TEAM success. Although the symptoms of an ailing soul can be agonizing clear, the causes are not as obvious. Sometimes people need professional help. However, purposing to have a goal of a healthy soul is a great place to start.
Whether or not the above description is entirely accurate, one fact is certain: The soul is a lot like the body—poor nourishment results in chronic conditions like poor judgment, excessive stress, and even mental illness. It needs good “food” just like the body does. Too often, we feed our souls with negative or unconstructive thoughts: horror films, killing games, books and music with a theme of death, musings of getting revenge on someone who cut us off in traffic, and so forth. Then we wonder why we’re angry. In addition, emotions of worry, anger, depression, and confusion may be tormentors resulting from believing lies or harboring bitterness and unforgiveness.
Every day, doctors warn their patients to take better care of their bodies: eat healthier, exercise, lose some weight, and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Why shouldn’t we be at least as cognizant of our souls? The National Institute of Mental Health states that mental disorders are common in the U.S.: over 26% of us in excess of 18 years of age suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Ouch! In addition, many of us struggle with excessive stress and powerful emotional issues. So what can we do to knock those stats down to less significant levels? Here are a few ideas you can use:
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
…if you had no debt; if you possessed vibrant health; if you did what you wanted to do; if your relationships were amazing; if you were focused and driven; if you celebrated life everyday; if you made meaningful contribution; if you had authentic happiness; if you lived your life like you only get one?
Imagine a TEAM with only three players – and two of them are INVISIBLE! The good news is uniform costs are down. The bad news is it’s hard to assign responsibility to “missing” members! Nonetheless, this second member of the TEAM is immensely important: without it we’d be just like the Scarecrow: brainless.
Much has been written and/or debated about the human soul. Being intangible makes it difficult to study. Certainly there are many theories about what the soul is and where it resides. One of these states the soul is that part of us that resides in between the flesh and the spirit. It consists of our mind, will, emotions, and attitudes. Besides being the center of thoughts and logic, our mind is responsible for unconscious body functions; our will is the final step in making choices and decisions; our emotions are expressions of our feelings; and our attitudes are expressions of our beliefs. Interestingly, our soul “feeds” our spirit and significantly impacts our behavior, as well as receives input from both the spirit and body. A vigorous soul contributes to overall good health. However, an unhealthy soul inhibits spiritual or physical health, and hinders TEAM success. Although the symptoms of an ailing soul can be agonizing clear, the causes are not as obvious. Sometimes people need professional help. However, purposing to have a goal of a healthy soul is a great place to start.
Whether or not the above description is entirely accurate, one fact is certain: The soul is a lot like the body—poor nourishment results in chronic conditions like poor judgment, excessive stress, and even mental illness. It needs good “food” just like the body does. Too often, we feed our souls with negative or unconstructive thoughts: horror films, killing games, books and music with a theme of death, musings of getting revenge on someone who cut us off in traffic, and so forth. Then we wonder why we’re angry. In addition, emotions of worry, anger, depression, and confusion may be tormentors resulting from believing lies or harboring bitterness and unforgiveness.
Every day, doctors warn their patients to take better care of their bodies: eat healthier, exercise, lose some weight, and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Why shouldn’t we be at least as cognizant of our souls? The National Institute of Mental Health states that mental disorders are common in the U.S.: over 26% of us in excess of 18 years of age suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Ouch! In addition, many of us struggle with excessive stress and powerful emotional issues. So what can we do to knock those stats down to less significant levels? Here are a few ideas you can use:
- Choose to be a happy person, no matter what is going on. Try it.
- Cut back on your daily intake of the “News,” and replace it with inspirational stories, encouraging books, and inspiring adventures. You’d be amazed at what you don’t need to know.
- Practice gratefulness. Stop taking everything for granted and tell others that you appreciate them.
- Quit being in a hurry. Stress is not necessary, and we often create our own.
- Laugh often. Kids laugh over 400 times a day; adults, about 6.
- Give & receive love. Nurture good friendships, and end contaminated ones.
- Work hard, play harder. Figure out what you enjoy and find a way to make money doing it. Within reason.
- Learn every day. When we stop growing, we start shrinking. Life is not static; it’s dynamic.
- Exercise often. The body was designed to move: so walk, run, dance, skate, play, give back rubs. Do something.
- Avoid all kinds of toxins: chemicals, people, places, and entertainment. Stay away, just like your parents told you.
- Avoid entertainment with a theme of death. Advertising works.
- Choose music and shows that instill and inspire happiness, truth and good endings.
- Relax and calm your mind.
- Replace negative self-talk (“I can’t believe I’m so stupid!”) with positive self-talk (“I’m learning new things every day!”)
If you’d like to ask a question, I’d love to hear from you; email me: drh@justimagineseminars.com.
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