Top 3 Meditation Techniques

Meditation dates back several hundreds of years. When someone mentions meditation, an image of monks in dark robes sitting for hours in silence may come to mind, but this is not the case.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation can benefit your body, mind, and spirit. Tests and studies that monitor brain waves of people during meditation have shown that you achieve deep relaxation and increased oxygen intake during meditation. It even raises your pain tolerance!

In addition, meditation can lower your blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol. Studies have also shown that when you practice meditation, you may have lower levels of cortisol and free radicals, which reduces stress and slows the aging process.

Meditation Styles, Types, and Methods

There are a number of different ways you can meditate, and meditation is different for each person. Meditation is a truly personal experience. Finding the right type of meditation for you may take a bit of time and practice, but the benefits are certainly worth the effort.

While there are various types, don’t let that overwhelm you. Start with something simple. Dedicate yourself to learning the technique, and see the benefits in your life. If one type of meditation isn’t right for you, try another one.

Three of the most common meditation types are Yoga, Mantra, and Mindfulness Meditation. Although each of these types are unique, there are also similarities.

Yoga Meditation

• Yoga is wildly popular because it relaxes both the body and mind. It’s a form of exercise that incorporates meditation. Meditation is one of the five principles of yoga, with the other four being diet, exercise, relaxation and breathing.
• The goal in yoga meditation is to promote control of both the body and mind.

Mantra Meditation

• Mantras are phrases or words that you repeat. When you think of those monks meditating, you might imagine them saying, “Ommmm.” This is their mantra. Yours can be that simple or more complex. You may use the word “calm“. You can say it out loud or silently while you meditate.
• Sound vibrations from the mantra invoke spiritual forces and strengthen areas of a person’s chakra. (Chakras are focal points for the reception and transmission of energies in the body. Remember when that girl who broke up with you called you back? That was your chakra becoming energized again.)

Mindfulness Meditation

• Buddhists call this type of meditation “insightful or vipassana meditation.” It is insightful because you become acutely aware yet learn to not react to both what is physically around you and inside your mind. You become aware of all these things without any type of judgment. You just let them be.
• You usually start by concentrating on your breathing, and then progress to the thoughts and ideas bouncing around in your mind. Eventually the ideas and thoughts drift by like slow moving clouds and you pay no heed to them. This is the type I use the most. I have now learnt to become calm and non-judgmental at any time in my life. This is closely related to psychological freedom, and this is the freedom to choose our own state of mind.

In order to receive the most benefits from your meditation, you should practice it on a daily basis. The amount of time you spend meditating will be a personal choice. Some people realize benefits in 10 minutes, while it takes others at least 30 minutes.

When learning the basics of the type you’ve chosen, be prepared to spend more time in meditation. It takes time to learn how to clear your mind and become totally relaxed.

If you’re unsure which type of meditation is right for you, seek the guidance of a qualified coach or instructor.

Once you practice meditation, you’ll develop preferences customized for your own mind and body. Find your balance and create your own meditation style if that’s what works best for you.

Once you make the conscious decision to meditate, you’ll find new peace, comfort, and better health in your life as a result. Get started today!

How to Weather the Storm of the Economic Collapse

As you may well know, we are currently still in the worst economic situation since the Great Depression. What exactly does this mean and how can you survive until the economy gets back on its feet?

The first thing to do is stay current on what’s happening with the economy. You need to have a basic understanding of it all and keep up with the changes that are happening as well. Without this information, you may make decisions that could be detrimental to your financial future.

It’s far too easy to panic and make rash decisions when the future is uncertain and frightening, so don’t dwell on the latest news, just keep yourself in the loop.

Here are a few things to remember that can help you survive the economic collapse:

1.      Markets. If you own stock invested in a long-term investment, leave it there. The markets will fluctuate up and down, and sometimes it will happen sharply. But over time, the market will recover; it’s a normal ebb and flow.

• If you’re concerned about your investments, ask a professional for their advice. Don’t pull it too soon in a knee-jerk reaction from a steep drop. This is the nature of the stock market and you should be prepared for this type of thing happening.

2.      Diversify. Simply put, don’t place all your eggs in one basket. If all your investments are in one place, spread them out. Look into CD’s, money markets and bonds. These types of investments are slow and steady and the principal is protected.

3.      Spend Less. This is pretty straightforward, but it’s an important reminder. If you went out to dinner 3 times a week before the economy dipped, try 2 times a month now. Put simply: if you don’t need to spend money on something, don’t. The money you save can help pay your bills.

• In this economy, survival requires sacrifice. You’ll have to cook at home more or maybe rent a movie instead of going to the theater. It could be worse, so make due with what you have!

4.      Spend Wisely. Where do you normally shop? If you answer high priced specialty stores, you may need to change your habits.

• Start heading to discount supermarkets and dollar stores. Believe it or not, dollar stores sell cleaning supplies for $1, as opposed to four or five dollars for the same thing in another store.
• Skip the Starbucks stop on your way to work and bring your morning coffee from home instead.

These times are tough. Unemployment is on the rise, jobs are harder to find, and businesses are closing down faster than ever before. Still, this is not something to fear. These things happen. It’s all part of a cycle and the economy will bounce back.

In the meantime, get creative and find new ways to make some extra money and save on expenses:

• Search through your garage, attic and basement for things you own that you don’t need anymore and sell them online.
• Look into home based Internet businesses and ways to generate passive income. Affiliate marketing is great for this. There are places all over the Internet with these types of programs.
• The worst thing you can do in this economy is ignore the fact that there’s a problem or think it won’t affect you. Consider everything expense you have and devise ways you can get it for less. You can make this recessionary economy work to your benefit by negotiating cheaper rates.

You may have to look a little harder for opportunities, but they’re still there. Take the skills you have, along with your passion, and find ways to generate some passive income from them. When you do these things, you’ll be able to weather the storm and come out ahead!

5 Things You Need to Know About Debt

I’m focusing on making life changes around the subjects of money and health. These are two of my most popular subjects from the traffic I’ve seen lately.

These days everyone is looking for ways to reduce debt and save money. It is possible to wipe out your existing debt and learn how to live your life within your means.

Here are five tips that will help you on your way to debt free living:

1. Stop using credit cards. One of the leading factors in the current economic crisis is people buying things on credit they cannot afford. The next thing they know, they find themselves unable to do anything more than make minimum monthly payments.

• Minimum payments will keep you in debt because every month interest continues to accrue on your original balance. A $1,000 balance on a typical credit card can take 22 years to pay off if you make only the minimum monthly payments!
• Don’t fall into the trap of credit card debt. Instead, avoid the hassle and expense by paying cash for the things you buy. If you want a big-ticket item, save the cash before you make the purchase. Only buy when you can afford to pay for the item in full before you bring it home.

2. Buy luxury items with cash. We all have extras and luxuries we want, but using credit to get them is a dangerous path to take. You’ll get much greater enjoyment from the extras in your life when you pay cash, rather than ongoing monthly payments.

• Nothing takes the excitement out of a new toy or nice vacation more than the large payments that strain your budget month after month.

3. Create a realistic budget that includes debt repayment. The first step in gaining control over your debt is creating a workable budget. Rather than stifling you, a budget can bring you freedom! You’ll know where your money goes and you’ll set a spending plan so you can continue buying the most important things in your life.

• Your budget should take into consideration all facets of your lifestyle, including housing, food and household items, utilities, savings, recreation and debt repayment.
• If your budget doesn’t include room for debt repayment, there will never be enough money to pay off your debt. Take control of your financial reality by working with a realistic budget every month. Before long, you’ll see your debt diminishing while your savings grow.

4. Seek the help of a professional credit counselor, accountant or financial planner. The best way to be sure you’re making sound financial decisions is to seek out the help of a financial professional.

• Credit counselors, financial planners and accountants are experts in the areas of savings, debt repayment, investments and tax deductions. Implement each of these areas into your finances to eliminate financial strain and secure a stable financial future.

5. Negotiate better rates with the banks or credit card companies. Many people assume they have no choice but to accept the interest and finance rates offered by their banks and credit card companies, but that isn’t always the case!

• Talk to the people at your financial institutions. You may be surprised at how willing they are to budge.
• If your credit is in good shape or you’ve made steady, progressive strides to improve it, you may be able to get lower interest rates on your debts.
• You might also receive higher interest rates on your savings, giving you a double shot at eliminating your debt entirely and moving forward with your finances in a positive direction.

You can repair your debt problems and learn to avoid creating them in the future. These five steps will point you in the right direction and get you started on a new path to financial freedom and prosperity!

How to Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

I’m concentrating on finance and health for a while. I think these are two of the most important life changes that are affecting people right now. Most of the tips below are just common sense. There is nothing complicated to follow here, just start with one tip and make it a habit!

Are you struggling to keep your resolution to eat healthy, nutritious foods? Once you’ve set a goal to maintain healthy eating habits, how do you go about actually achieving that goal?

The good news is that once you do something consistently for only a few weeks, it becomes a habit.

Here are some simple techniques to help you avoid those tempting junk foods so you can make wise and healthy decisions in your daily routine.

Strategies to Avoid Temptation:

1.      Am I hungry? Ask yourself if you’re really hungry or if you’re eating out of convenience or emotion. Many times you probably aren’t as hungry as you think, so try to get involved in a different activity instead of snacking.

2.      Water, water, and more water. Drink a lot of water each day. Not only is this good for your whole body (both inside and out), it can actually make you feel full. Also, oftentimes when you think you’re hungry, your body is actually thirsty, so keep yourself well hydrated.

3.      Try chewing gum. Putting something in your mouth like gum or hard, sugar-free candy can help convince your brain that you’re eating!

4.      Divert your energy. Instead of putting all your energy into making two grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon, try taking a walk or doing something that requires you to use your hands, like knitting or woodworking. It’s pretty hard to do these and eat at the same time.

5.      Allow yourself snack time. Choose healthy snacks instead of chips and salsa or chocolate bars. For snack time, try eating celery, popcorn without butter, fruits, or a make-your-own trail mix with raisins, nuts, and dried fruits.

• A good hint for snacking is to have healthy snacks readily available in your home, and unhealthy snacks completely out of the house; that way, the healthy stuff is easy to grab.

How to Choose Healthy Foods:

The next time you’re off to the grocery store, use these tips to help you choose the right foods and avoid the unhealthy stuff.

1.      Stay away from preservatives. You don’t need that Twinkie that can outlast any environmental disaster! When you learn to read nutrition labels and ingredient lists, you’ll find that there are many snacks that are full of preservatives. You probably shouldn’t buy the food when the ingredient list contains more than a handful of items. Plus, if the expiry date isn’t until two years from now, it’s being heavily preserved.

2.      Use the food pyramid. The recommended food pyramid from the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gears you toward whole foods and minimal sweets. Get a copy from the FDA and make your grocery list by following their guidelines.

3.      Buy lots of fresh vegetables that you can use to make up a quick and healthy stir-fry with chicken, brown rice, or even soy products. Buy easy to make salads where the lettuce and other veggies are already washed. These are easy, quick, healthy, and they taste good. The key is to choose vegetables that are dark green or orange in color.

4.      Buy fresh fruits and do some research on how to tell when fruits are at their freshest and when they’re in season. Try some of those exotic fruits you’ve always looked at but never purchased. Make your own fruit drinks and smoothies for a healthy, delicious treat.

More Great Grocery Store Tips:

1.      Shop in a circle. Many nutritionists will tell you to shop the perimeter of the store. Grocery stores are usually set up with their fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, fish, and breads all around the perimeter. Preservative-laced foods are in the center and at the ends of each aisle.

2.      Go alone. Leave your children in good hands and go alone to the grocery store. This way you can concentrate on getting only the healthy foods you desire without being pressured into buying junk. Alternatively, if you do bring your children, be prepared to spend extra time teaching them how to spot healthy foods.

3.      Make a list! This technique is a tried and true method to avoid buying foods that aren’t healthy. Stick to your list and, for fun, seek out healthy foods you haven’t tried before to tempt your taste buds.

With some determination and strategies in place, you can achieve your goal to eat healthy! By incorporating healthy changes into your diet one by one, you’re slowly creating a new habit.

Before long, you’ll be choosing healthy foods without a second thought, and those unhealthy foods you used to eat will no longer tempt you. Once you discover the benefits and better taste of fresh and healthy foods, you’ll never want to go back!

Five Ways to Make More Money Now

No matter what you do for a living, there’s always an incentive to make more money. Maybe you’re trying to pay off credit card bills, save up for something special, or have a little cushion should something unexpected happen in your life.

It used to be that if you needed to make a bit of extra cash, you needed to pick up a second job, like busing tables a few weekends a month or showing up early at the bakery to help with the ovens.

Now, thanks to the doors opened by the internet, and the ease of starting your own business, it’s gotten easier than ever to bring in some extra money without working yourself to death in the process.

Here are five ways you can make some extra cash in a pinch:

1.      Sell your unused items. Do you have books you’ll never read again collecting dust on your bookshelf? Is your closet full of outgrown or embarrassing clothes? Are your old computers taking up too much space? Sell them!

• Have a yard sale.
• Sell your things to specialty shops like second hand clothing shops, used bookstores, used furniture stores, or even repair shops that need parts from what you have.
• Use eBay or Amazon. I would recommend Amazon over eBay for certain items like books and CD’s.   Lots of things without local markets have a national or global market, and there are people who’ll buy the oddest things on eBay.

In particular, if you’ve got some sort of fairly obscure electronic hardware, try selling it on eBay first. Chances are someone wants it and is willing to pay a premium for it.

2.      Ask for a raise at your current job. There’s no doubt that asking for more money is difficult, especially during a recession, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Most people are too scared to ask for a raise, so you can use this to your advantage.

• Assemble a list of the things you’ve accomplished at your work in the last nine months and make your case.
• Another way you may be able to make more cash at your job is to ask your boss if there’s extra work you can do to gain more hours or get paid more for increased responsibilities.

3.      Trade skills for cash. Are you a skilled seamstress, writer, or graphic designer? There are countless websites where you can use your expertise to earn extra money.

• If you’re not sure how to get started, take a few minutes to do an Internet search. Resources abound on the ‘net that can help you find buyers for your skills.

4.      Get a work from home job. There are lots of telephone based customer service jobs that you can do with just a computer and an Internet connection. Some of them pay remarkably well and all of them have relaxed dress codes to boot!

5.      Start your own part-time business. Transform one of your hobbies or skills into a second business. There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as turning your love for something into a business and making it profitable.

Many of these money-making ideas will work fairly quickly with little effort. You can take it one step further and significantly boost your income by creating a business you can run from the comfort of home. Take action and you can make more money!

How to Save Money During a Recession

Whether you want to admit it or not, there’s a global recession happening, and it’s affecting millions of families. People are being laid off, companies are going under, and even some state governments are completely broke.

Finding ways to cut back on your spending can help you during this difficult economic period. Saving money is always good, but it’s a skill that becomes especially important during a recession.

How can you save money during a recession? It’s all about planning, cutting frivolous costs, and changing the way you spend money.

Here are some handy tips you can use to help you save money:

1.      Pay important bills first. The mortgage, electricity, water and heat have to be paid no matter what.

2.      Save Money on groceries. Groceries are a huge, yet necessary, expense. After the bills are paid, most of the budget will fall into the groceries category.

• Buy generic rather than name brands. They usually taste just as good but cost less.

• Buy non-perishable foods in bulk. Many items can be bought in bulk such as rice, canned foods, and frozen foods.

• Never shop on an empty stomach. Eat before grocery shopping; otherwise, you’ll wind up buying more junk and convenience foods because you’re hungry.

• Make a list of what you need and stick to it. It really is that simple!

• Cut and use coupons. 10 for $10 deals and sale items are your friends. Combining coupons with sales can slash your grocery bill even more.

• Avoid shopping at expensive stores, even if they’re closer to home. Instead, go a few miles out of the way for the discount grocery stores. Most items in the store are exactly the same thing, other than the price tag.

3.      Rent movies instead of going out. Have a movie night once a week. Sit down with some popcorn (the kind you pop on the stove) and watch a movie. This is a great way to spend quality family time, without much expense.

4.      Put the credit card down. Credit purchases may get your “stuff” now, but you’ll pay double for it later. If you want something, save up and pay cash or wait.

5.      Cook at home. If you go out to eat two or three times a week, cut back to once every two weeks or once a month. Instead, learn to cook at home. If you plan ahead and cook in quantities, you’ll save time and money by popping the extra portions into the freezer.

6.      Unplug. If there are things in your house plugged into the wall and you aren’t using them, unplug them. Many items, like computers and phone chargers, draw electricity whether they’re on or not. Plug it in when you need it, then unplug it when you’re done.

7.      Lower your thermostat. Set your thermostat at a specific temperature and leave it there. 68 to 70 is an energy-saving setting in the winter. If you get chilly, put on a sweater or grab a blanket. You’ll save more than you realize on your heating bills.

These are just some of the many ways to save money and stretch your dollar a bit further during these challenging times. These tips require a change to your habits, which can take some getting used to. In time, however, you’ll adjust and the money you save can make a big difference in your budget.

It’s important to stick with your plan to save money. Making a change for a week won’t do the trick. Committing to changing bad habits for good will reap the greatest benefits in the long run.

AH HA! Links of the week

Here are some interesting links for you. From how BP is still going to screw us, to publishing on your own, finding time, finding energy, money and friend philosophies.

Enjoy.

“Corporations aren’t people. They have no brains, no consciences, no capacity for intent or guilt. “

“I’m going to make over $100,000 this year, and a lot of the money is from the books that New York publishers rejected.”

“Turn off Twitter, Anne Lamott says. And don’t clean the house. That’s what it takes to create the rich life you deserve”

A Simple Life Change That Will Help You Live Longer And Happier

Why Money Makes You Unhappy

Want to Live Longer? Get Some Friends

Aching To Smack The Minimalists Around

I do support the minimalist blogs out there and their nomad and environmentally friendly lifestyles, don’t get me wrong.  I appreciate reading about how they avoid those yucky cars, sit in cafes blogging about hip memories, and stick their well traveled tongues out at whoever isn’t “master” of their lives. Ya well it isn’t all leprechauns and rainbows boys and girls.

You see…we can’t all chuck everything and go globetrotting at a moment’s notice.  Some of us have serious family commitments, a fascinating career (that may actually help make the world a better place)…and pets…and …oh ya… children.

And some of us really do like ascetically pleasing material goods. Is it bad to treat ourselves? Hey, if I’m going to sit in traffic for part of the day I WANT to be surrounded by soft leather and a Bose sound system.

Yeppers,  I have a 40 foot in ground pool with funky rock gardens surrounding it. After work, I plunge into that cool revitalizing water and skim under the surface in total silence.  Love it. Jagged beams of sunlight greet me to create a golden mirror effect throughout the baby blue water. It’s a fucking alternate universe. Love it.

Am I being authentic about my life? Hell ya. Do I always believe in it? Hell no. But I’m providing a beautiful haven for my family, my pets and myself (for now).

I’ll get to climbing Mount Pica Chu perhaps in a few years. And thank you for teaching me about the horrors of bottled water.  But for now I’m going to take my time to cook a delicious meal, crack open a fine red Syrah and be grateful for all that life has bestowed me.  You are all welcome to join me.

Cheers!

Now WTF am I going to do during winter?

Related posts:

Stop Complaining, Whining Or Making lame Excuses And Start Living

3 Reasons Why I Didn’t Sell My Website

I had an offer to sell my website but decided it was in my best interests not to.

I built this website to provide you with a tool and blog to help you make life changes. The first step to help you make a life change is for you to think about your life as a whole - “Who Am I“, and then link this to your core personal values and finally your goals or habits. By using this method you break your life down from the big picture to small bite sized chunks. If I can help you make one life change, or at least begin to think about making changes then I know my job is done. The blog is from my life experiences and the hundreds of books I have loved and read.

The blog allows me to express myself, search for meaning and purpose AND become a better writer. I love to write. Writing clears my head, provides a forum for my ideas, puts things in perceptive and expands my creativity.  Lately I have been trying to express myself through stories. Stories give me more meaning and I have to live my stories to make them real. The more stories I live, the more memorable a life I have experienced, written and shared.  This goes in parallel with one of the best tips I learnt about writing nonfiction. Express how something “feels”.  Without feelings, nonfiction writing can be robotic and bland.  People relate best to feelings and emotions. And perhaps most of all, writing has helped me open my heart to the world.

The blog helps me overcome my fears. Writing for an audience always brings up a certain fear factor.  You are afraid that you might not have something interesting to say.  You are afraid your writing style is boring. You are afraid your dream of becoming a writer will fail. But as I have gotten over those fears I have overcome times of horrible resistance.  I am a writer. I’m not afraid to call myself that now.

I also believe fear is the cause of many if not all problems. It is the root of negative assumptions and the destructive emotions of anger, jealousy and possessiveness. This is why I’m learning to open my heart and let negative energy flow through without becoming attached to it.

These are three reasons why I did not sell. This website has become part of who I am. At times writing was like swimming through molasses, other times like floating on a cloud. How can I sell that?

Are you living in fear? Have you explored your passion?

Lebron James And Our Consumer Society

Ok. I have to write about this Lebron James fiasco. As the world goes to complete shit, approximately 20 million human lemmings tuned in to see what his relocation decision was. Even people in my home town of Montreal who probably have never watched a full basketball game were blabbering about it, like they knew the guy personally and he was over for a drink and cigar the other night. Maybe we need an escape from out dreary fucked up lives, I dunno.

Lebron has already began to sell his new personal brand  with companies like Microsoft pushing Bing on the public and people dying to buy his sweater. What pure materialism idiocy.

In the end we will turn on the television and bask in Lebron James stupefying play and 30 gazillion dollar contract.   Then we will go back to beating the shit out of our kids and kicking the dog until Lebron comes back to pacify us.   All hail the American culture!

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