Self Improvement Articles. fMotivation aProductivity hHealth cSelf Improvement Skip to content m Articles This page indexes the most substantial and popular self improvement articles posted to PickTheBrain.com. Personal Productivity Motivation Philosophy Psychology Self Education Writing Search Sign Up. 20 Quotes For Getting Through Tough Times : All SWAGGA.com.
Douglas LaBier: 5 Steps That Reveal Your Lifes Purpose. Like many of us, you might feel that there's a true purpose to your life but you haven't yet found or discovered it, especially when trapped within a life that's unfulfilling or feels out of synch with your true purpose for being. Teachings of Eastern mystics say each of us have a particular purpose in life, though we might not know how to recognize it. Interestingly, some new research suggests ways to discover and pursue your true purpose. Moreover, having a purpose in life is found to help you protect yourself from mental decline -- not a bad byproduct.
Some are awakened to it from an event or moment of illumination that opens the way. A recent example: Adam Steltzner, the NASA scientist who headed the team that designed and carried out the successful landing of the Mars rover, Curiosity. In an NPR interview Steltzner spoke of having played in a rock band after high school rather than going to college. Most of us, though, have to work at discovering our purpose. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 40 Ways to Feel More Alive. “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.” ~Joseph Campbell As I write this, I am two hours away from my first weekly acting class in Los Angeles. I’ve been here for almost two years now, and though I loved Community Theater as a kid, I never so much as researched acting classes until a couple weeks back.
I frequently said I wanted to do it, along with painting classes, which I’m starting next week, but I always made excuses not to start either. I was too busy. I didn’t have enough money. I didn’t have the time. The list went on and on, but I realized the last two were the big ones for me. Also, I hesitate to give large amounts of time to hobbies I have no intention of pursuing professionally. I realized last month, however, that I want to prioritize more of the things that make me feel passionate and excited—and not just occasionally, but regularly. I don’t know if these classes are “leading” anywhere. 1. 2. How to find true friends (and love) in 45 minutes. David Rowan Editor of Wired magazine This article was featured in Times Magazine, 5 November. There's a shorter version in the Ideas Bank section on the current Wired magazine. Thanks to WPP's Stream for making my little experiment possible... Can you make someone become intimately close to you -- even fall in love with you -- in less than an hour?
Just ask Arthur Aron. Dr Aron -- known to friends as Art -- runs the Interpersonal Relationships Lab at Stony Brook University on the north shore of Long Island, east of New York City, and he has love on his mind. Back in 1997, Aron and colleagues published a paper in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin on "The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness". They arranged volunteers in pairs, and gave them a list of 36 questions that, one by one, they were both asked to answer openly over an hour "in a kind of sharing game".
But would the "fast friends" experiment also work with more worldly senior executives and entrepreneurs? 12 Rules for Being a Human Being. 63 Ways to Build Self-Confidence (Summarised) :: Enlightr. Top 10: Conversation Etiquette Mistakes. Photo: *clairity* We’re all capable of the occasional social blunder. Of course, some of us seem more prone to it than others, but even the savviest people aren’t impervious to such gaffes.
And no scenario is richer with these potential faux pas than the everyday conversation, in which you can say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, and occasionally spit on others when trying to pronounce nouns with German etymology. No worries. We’ve all had our moments with conversation etiquette mistakes. But just because these conversation etiquette mistakes happen across the board doesn’t mean they can’t be avoided. No.10 – Changing the topic to suit your own interests Everyone has their own conversation topics of choice — work, office gossip or early 20th century smelting techniques. No.9 – Checking your phone Technology has become a distraction for many and, of course, the phone is the worst offender.
No.8 – Not knowing your audience Know your audience. No.7 – One-upmanship No.5 – Cursing. 7 Ways to Overhaul Your Brain! While most exercise is focused on strengthening and improving your physical body and muscles, there is very little focus on keeping your brain sharp and healthy. This is interesting because the brain is obviously the most important organ in your body, not only controlling the muscles people spend hours working to build up, but also your memory, thought process, attitude, etc. Don’t get me wrong, abs are great, but the brain needs to be supplemented too. It is far more important to your overall well-being. Here are the best exercises/activities that you can do to keep your brain in tip-top condition: 1. The majority of people are stuck in ruts. 2. Eat: - Sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, mainly fatty fish and grass-fed animals. . - Enough food everyday!
Do Not Eat: - Too much cholesterol, high amounts are linked to brain diseases like Alzheimers. - Too much fat, sugar, etc. 3. R.E.M. sleep is critical for the for being able to retain information and maintaining learning ability. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 30 Challenges for 30 Days. Did you know that it takes 30 days to form a new habit? The first few days are similar as to how you would imagine the birth of a new river. Full of enthusiasm it gushes forth, only to be met by strong obstacles. The path is not clear yet, and your surroundings don’t agree. Old habits urge you to stay the same. But you need to stay determined. This starting phase is the hardest. Slowly, however, the path is cleared, resistance erodes a little day by day. So, take a moment to reflect on the question ‘Who do I want to be in 5 years?’
Check out this short TED talk first to get inspired: Now pick one or more challenges and stick with them! However, be cautioned, picking too many challenges at the same time can easily result in a failure of all of them. #1 Write a I-Like-This-About-You note/text/email each day for someone (Easy) This is the perfect way to let someone else know you care. . #2 Talk to one stranger each day (Hard) This is a great one to cure approaching anxiety. We recommend: 10 Ways To Be Less Awkward. As a lanky, gangly human being with rather large hands and feet — I’m the physical epitome of awkward. In addition, I’m often tentative, unsure of myself, indecisive and sporadically shy. This results in the occasional awkward moment when I’m in a social environment.
Over my years of experience, I’ve developed a few techniques that can reduce the uneasy vibes radiating from an awkward body. 1. Either don’t initiate any hugs or handshakes, or initiate all of them. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 13 Item Hit List That Will Make A Successful Artist. Success is each to his or her own, but let’s call it like we see it: when you survey the landscape of your creative world, your industry, your career or hobby–whatever field you’re in– there are several fundamentals to achieving success, regardless of the measure.
There are commonalities that are undeniable. So here’s a list of thirteen such things that you should be doing right now – let’s call it your hit list: 1. Get shit done. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Thanks. 10 Wise Choices to Skyrocket Your Happiness. “The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.” – Thich Nhat Hanh Who doesn’t want to be happy? Just take a look at any moment of your life, any choice you make. Isn’t your intention to be happy? By happiness, I don’t necessarily mean the pollyanna, silly-smile-on-your-face kind. Somehow true happiness eludes us, and here’s why. Happiness is absolutely within your reach. 1. Don’t blame others, turn yourself into a victim, or wait for someone to come and save you. 2. Be willing, open, courageous, and humble. 3. Nothing kills happiness more quickly than old hurts, resentments, and grudges. 4.
The cause of unhappiness is the playing out of conditioned habits that don’t serve you. 5. We unknowingly build our lives around distorted beliefs and expectations. 6. Happiness is found here, in the eternal now – not in the past or future. 7. Life becomes heavy and burdensome when we are ruled by difficult emotions. 8. 9. 10. Are you happy? 10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Ben Franklin, famously “Put no trust in the benefits to accrue from early rising, as set forth by the infatuated Franklin …” – Mark Twain By Leo Babauta Recently, reader Rob asked me about my habit of waking at 4:30 a.m. each day, and asked me to write about the health benefits of rising early, which I thought was an excellent question. Unfortunately, there are none, that I know of. However, there are a ton of other great benefits.
Now, let me first say that if you are a night owl, and that works for you, I think that’s great. There’s no reason to change, especially if you’re happy with it. Greet the day. How to Become an Early Riser Don’t make drastic changes. 15 Ways to Be Irresistibly Attractive.
Be true to your values. Be honest. Do your best. Do things that bring you closer to your dreams. Take care of yourself, your family, and your friends. Treat people with respect. In other words, invest love into your life. Do the right thing. – Never be afraid to do what you know in your heart is right, especially if the well being of another person’s feelings is at stake. Photo by: Lina Hayes Related 18 Ways You’re Making Your Life Harder Than It Has To Be Life is not complex. July 27, 2014 In "Happiness" 15 Ways to Live, and Not Merely Exist As Jack London once said, “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.”
March 19, 2012 In "Aspirations" 10 Signs it’s Time to Let Go Holding on is being brave, but letting go and moving on is often what makes us stronger and happier. April 2, 2012. Clean sweep assessment. Are you ready to clean up your life? The Clean Sweep Program is a checklist of 100 items which, when completed, give one complete personal freedom. These 100 items are grouped in 4 areas of life with 25 in each group: Physical Environment, Well-being, Money and Relationships. These 4 areas are the cornerstone for a strong and healthy life and the program helps a person to clean up, restore and polish virtually every aspect of his/her life. The program takes between 6 - 24 months to complete. Objective The participant's goal is to get a score of 100 out of 100. Promise The Clean Sweep Program promises three things will happen as you increase your scores: You will have more energy and vitality.
Instructions There are 4 steps to completing the Clean Sweep™ Program. Answer each question. Scoring: Add your totals from the four sections. Important Points: This program is part of establishing a Strong Personal Foundation. Waking Up Early - 15 Tips That Work. It has almost been one year since I posted about how to Wake up Early and Consistently. I thought now might be a good time to post a follow up, including what I have personally found to work. Let me first start by saying that waking up early has made a huge difference in my life. I used to be the complete opposite – late sleeper and late riser. These days, I wake up at 5:30am everyday. What I like most about being an early riser is getting that extra quiet time in the mornings to work at a few next actions even before the day officially begins.
Lately though, I’ve opted to go to work earlier, so that I can clock in my 8 hours, leave at a reasonable time and still have a few precious moments with my baby daughter before she heads off to bed. Here is a list of things that worked for me: 1. I’ve found this to be the single most important element in being an early riser. 2. It wasn’t enough to just be an early riser. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. In many ways, things are no different for us adults. 101 Revolutionary Ways to Be Healthy. Do the healthy thing, even when it's challenging, inconvenient or considered weird. Take pride in that. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's smart or good for you. Enlist fellow trend buckers and create a trend of your own. Use your healthy frustration about the unhealthy status quo to spark creativity and determination. Look for signs of progress (beyond pounds lost) and rejoice when you find them.
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56 Things I Wished I'd Known When I Was Younger. An Analytical Approach to Self Improvement - PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement. Slay the distraction vampires. SleepTiming & Wake up refreshed! Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don’t Really Need 6-8 Hours!
50 Life Secrets and Tips. Your Nuclear Dreams » 3 keys to sustaining your passion. 36 Ways To Be Irresistibly Attractive. Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything. 101 Conversation Starters People Love. Mind Tools Videos - Training Videos from Mind Tools. Bros and Hos: Relationship Foes? | Hooking Up Smart. Top 40 Useful Sites To Learn New Skills. How to Stop Procrastinating: 7 Timeless Tips. 16 Things I Wish They Had Taught Me in School. 100 Ways To Develop Your Mind. 32 Keys: About life. - StumbleUpon. The 48 Laws of Power. 19 Quotations.
Authentic and Eudaimonic. 100 Tips About Life, People, and Happiness. 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself. 50 Things Everyone Should Know. How to Become an Early Riser. Untitled.