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¿Cómo prosperar en tiempos de crisis?

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Sabemos que se vienen grandes cambios en la geopolítica y la economía mundial. La humanidad está viviendo una época de turbulencia sin precedentes, que muchos de hecho la comparan con las profecías bíblicas a la llegada del Anti-Cristo. Guerras, desastres climáticos, gobiernos totalitarios y sangrientos, la pérdida de la estructura moral y la ética en las sociedades y sobre todo, estamos experimentando una crisis profunda del sentido e identidad humanas.

¿Cómo es posible que la humanidad sea capaz de auto-destruirse así misma de esta manera? Se supone que somos la raza más inteligente del planeta- algunos arrogantes incluso piensan que somos la única inteligencia que existe en el universo- si fuese así, ¿cómo es posible que gestionemos tan horrorosamente mal nuestra vida en esta tierra? 

Para la humanidad más consciente, comienza a tener sentido que hay más en juego, y que este juego es más profundo y oscuro que la simple estupidez y avaricia humana. Hay energías negativas poderosas que están controlando el campo de juego. Tienen y controlan todas las piezas claves del tablero de la vida humana tridimensional.

Nosotros no somos más que simples marionetas bailando al son de esta batalla que se da en las sombras desde el inicio de nuestros tiempos: la batalla del bien contra el mal.

Una pregunta que tenemos que hacernos antes de querer rebelarnos ante este juego perverso es, ¿De qué lado jugamos? ¿Estoy a favor de la luz, de la verdad, de la belleza, la justicia, el amor, la fuerza y la creatividad? O ¿Estoy en el bando de la oscuridad, la envidia, la división, el miedo, la confusión y del caos?

Sin temor a equivocarme, creo que la mayoría de los humanos queremos pertenecer al primer bando. El problema es cuando no somos coherentes con lo que pensamos, sentimos y hacemos. Cuando no hay coherencia ni orden, entonces reina el caos. El caos es terreno fértil en donde nacen las mentiras, las manipulaciones y las divisiones en general.

Ser del bando de la luz significa decir (y aceptar) la verdad de uno mismo y actuar de forma coherente. La ética es el fundamento principal de cualquier sociedad funcional. La falta de ética y moral debilita el carácter y crea terreno fértil para el totalitarismo, donde reina la razón y la negación total de Dios como la fuerza y fuente única de la creación.

Estamos en tiempos difíciles, eso nos queda claro. Son justamente en estos momentos cuando tenemos que afilar los dientes y salir a defender lo que es nuestro. La humanidad sufre de múltiples ataques en todos los niveles de la existencia. Nuestras instituciones, religiones, creencias y tradiciones; absolutamente todo está sufriendo una batalla cultural. 

¿Es posible ganar la batalla y prosperar, a pesar de nuestro obscuro pronóstico? 

Como dice el dicho popular, “Dios les da las peores batallas a sus mejores guerreros”. Nosotros estamos aquí, en este tiempo especial en el mundo, por un propósito mayor y más profundo de lo que creemos. Tenemos la responsabilidad suprema de preservar lo más hermoso que se nos ha otorgado en este plano tridimensional: La vida y la preservación de nuestra especie.

Entonces, ¿Cómo asegurarnos de estar dando una buena batalla y salir victoriosos de esta guerra? A continuación, te doy 5 acciones que te pueden ayudar a mantenerte firme en esta batalla cultural:

  • Aléjate de las noticias “mainstream” y buscar fuentes de información alternativas

El único objetivo de los noticieros convencionales o “mainstream” es empujar una narrativa específica como instrumento de manipulación para fines ocultos de quienes los patrocinan. En lugar de ver el noticiero matutino de toda la vida, mejor busca fuentes alternativas como sitios de internet de expertos, libros, videos, artículos, y plataformas de información que ofrezcan diferentes opiniones y puntos de vista.

  • Busca cómo generar ingresos de forma independiente

La era del trabajo estable ha desaparecido o está en proceso de extinción. Nadie te asegura que ese puesto que tienes ahora te va a durar toda la vida hasta que te jubiles.  A medida que seguimos avanzando en la era digital, muchos de los trabajos de oficina y de manufactura de hoy van a desaparecer. Nuestra responsabilidad moral es buscar la  independencia total, y eso significa en términos materiales, ser financieramente libres. Vender tu tiempo por dinero a una empresa es una forma moderna de esclavitud.  Tiempo= Vida por lo cual, estás dando tu vida para cumplir los sueños de alguien más.

  • Busca decir la verdad en todo momento

        Se sabe que el diablo se alimenta de las mentiras. Decir la verdad es un acto revolucionario en una era en donde reina la opresión, la censura y los ataques contra la disidencia de la narrativa oficial de los gobiernos y medios de comunicación. Cada vez que mentimos ya sea por nuestro beneficio personal, conveniencia o miedo, estamos alimentando el sistema opresor. No es libre quien no puede expresarse con entera libertad. La verdadera batalla la lidiamos en nuestro interior. Engrandece tu YO SOY,  viviendo y expresando tu verdad.

  • Aprende a pensar críticamente

 En tiempos de redes sociales y noticias instantáneas, todo mundo parece tener una opinión sobre todo. En las redes sociales abundan los “expertos” en geopolítica, salud, historia, ciencia, mitología, sociología, religión y demás. Cada vez que ocurre un hecho de trascendencia mundial o que se vuelve viral, no se dejan esperar los cientos y miles  de comentarios, análisis, desacuerdos, peleas, conclusiones y demás de lo que creemos que fue lo que pasó, cómo pasó, cuáles fueron las causas y demás. 

Pero las opiniones no son conocimiento. El conocimiento sólo puede desarrollarse con el tiempo. Ahondar en un tema en específico por un determinado tiempo en donde vas formando conexiones de información y contexto, donde puedes cuestionar, analizar, probar y formular tus propios pensamientos. Vale la pena tomarse el tiempo para aprender a pensar. Cuestionarlo todo, buscar fuentes alternativas y formar nuestras propias conclusiones. El que es capaz de pensar críticamente no puede ser manipulable.

  • Alégrate de tu existencia

Esta es un arma mortal para las energías oscuras y negativas. Cuando eres alegre, cuando rindes honor y respeto a la vida, cuando disfrutas de la naturaleza, cuando amas, cuando haces cosas por los demás, cuando exploras tu creatividad, cuando te maravillas ante el cielo y cuando eres agradecido, las fuerzas negativas huyen de ti avergonzadas. 

Las energías negativas y opresoras quieren ver a la humanidad arrodillada, humillada, con miedo, alejada de la divinidad, vibrando en lo más bajo posible, para hacernos por fin esclavos perpetuos. 

Esta batalla la ganaremos siendo alegres, solidarios, amando, respetando y defendiendo con coraje la virtud, la verdad, lo bello y lo sublime que representa nuestra existencia.

Alégrate de tu existencia, y ganaremos la batalla.

Si quieres leer más sobre el tema, consulta mi nuevo libro A World of Illusions

¿Qué Es Lo Que Importa En La Vida?

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Es una pregunta muy subjetiva. Seguramente, algunos responderán que lo más importante es la familia, los hijos, la salud, o hacer lo que amas. 

Para otros será el dinero, ser reconocida, llamar la atención o simplemente el poder y la fama.

Aunque no lo creas, todas esas motivaciones, aunque parezcan completamente distintas, tienen el mismo trasfondo:  Conectar.

Los humanos lo que realmente queremos, es conectar con otros seres humanos. Después de todo, Aristóteles dijo alguna vez que somos en nuestra más pura naturaleza, animales sociales. 

El sentirse desconectado de la sociedad y del mundo genera grandes trastornos psicológicos. Esto es un hecho probado por un gran número de médicos y científicos que han hecho estudios a miles de personas en las últimas décadas. 

Algunos de los síntomas que las personas experimentan cuando se sienten “desconectadas” son:

  • Estrés crónico
  • Insomio
  • Pobres relaciones interpersonales- impresión de conocer a mucha gente pero sin tener “amigos verdaderos”
  • Impulsividad
  • Ansiedad
  • Problemas para enfocarse en hacer una tarea a la vez
  • Inflamaciones crónicas
  • Problemas de sobrepeso
  • Narcisismo
  • Sentimiento de soledad

Seguramente has sufrido uno o más de estos síntomas y desafortunadamente, tener múltiples síntomas se ha vuelto la regla más que la excepción.

Nuestro ritmo moderno de vida, en donde todo se exige al minuto, en donde la paciencia no existe, y en donde puedes saciarte de básicamente todo a manos llenas: Comer de todo y a todas horas, enterarte de lo último que pasa en el mundo a tan sólo unos clics, entretenerte al instante con los últimos videos de Tik tok, ordenar ropa, comida o hasta pareja en una App… en fin, puedes hacer todo hoy en día con tan sólo un teléfono móvil en la mano, cuando antes necesitabas realmente interactuar con muchas personas para poder lograr todo lo anterior.

La tecnología es una maravilla cuando se usa a favor de avanzar como sociedad. Pero le hemos dado el uso inadecuado y hemos terminado siendo víctimas de la tecnología, y producto- esclavos de los que controlan esas tecnologías.

También nos hemos desconectado de la naturaleza, y de nuestra sabiduría innata. Nuestros cerebros a través de los tiempos han sido interceptados por intereses comerciales que moldean nuestras decisiones de consumo y de vida y esto pasa sin que la mayoría se dé siquiera cuenta de ello.

La desconexión con el mundo y con los demás es lo que nos impide sentirnos sanos, felices, completos y en paz.

¿Qué tenemos que hacer para volver a conectar? 

La respuesta más simple a la que pude llegar es esta: Volver a lo básico.

Buena alimentación:

Aprender de nuevo que lo que comemos tiene una influencia enorme en el estado de salud físico y psicológico de las personas. Si comes nutritivo y bien, te sientes bien y te sientes más motivado para interactuar con los demás. Si te sientes mal, lo último que quieres es interactuar con otros. Por eso, es importante mantener una dieta sana, libre de carbohidratos ultra-procesados, de comida con gluten, azúcares y cosas sintéticas.

Siempre apuesta por comida orgánica, proteína con grasas saludables como la carne, aceite de oliva, quesos (con excepción de los ultra-procesados o azules), nueces, huevos, aguacates y verduras. Limita el consumo de fructosa (e.g. jugos y frutas enteras con alto contenido de fructosa como los mangos, plátanos, etc.) una fruta entera al día siempre va perfecto.

Dormir bien:

Ser estricto con tu tiempo de dormir. Dormir al menos siete horas y evitar desvelarse sin sentido. La mente y tu cuerpo necesitan regenerarse y durante el tiempo de sueño es donde más se regenera. 

Confiar en la inteligencia innata de tu cuerpo:

Tu cuerpo es parte de la inteligencia de la creación.

Tu cuerpo sabe perfectamente lo que necesita. Se auto-regula y se auto-regenera. Muchos piensan que los médicos que “operan” o “medican” hacen algo “milagroso”. Pero nada más lejos de la verdad. Los medicamentos y los doctores son simples instrumentos que intervienen cuando es necesario para dictaminar el curso de la “posible cura” tratando de atacar los síntomas y no la enfermedad. Pero es el cuerpo el que se auto-regenera. El consumo de medicamentos puede incluso ser contraproducente si altera la capacidad auto-regenerativa del cuerpo.

Mi consejo es: menos medicamentos, mejor alimentación, más ejercicio y dormir mejor.

El contacto con la naturaleza siempre, siempre, siempre será una de las gratificaciones más grandes de esta vida y no es algo especial, es simplemente porque la inmensidad del mundo es nuestro hogar desde siempre, y no paredes grises y mini cubículos con computadoras.

Usar menos las redes sociales y buscar más la compañía real:

El título se lee solo. Tener mil amigos en Facebook nunca se va a comparar con tener un amigo verdadero que realmente te escuche y esté ahí para ti en las buenas y en las malas.

Un “like” del Instagram no te va convertir en super estrella ni en super héroe. Pero la sonrisa de un hijo, el abrazo sincero de una amiga, o una conversación profunda con alguien cercano seguramente te hará sentir tan pleno que ni siquiera vas a sentir la necesidad de llamar la atención.

Conectar es simplemente volver a vivir como fuimos diseñados para hacerlo: en la inmensidad de los bosques, selvas, mares, desiertos… libres, con alimentos provenientes directamente de la tierra o los animales… interactuando constantemente frente a frente y no enclaustrados en mini pantallas con imágenes ilusorias mientras nuestro cuerpo y alma se degradan. 

Conectar de nuevo, eso es lo que le da sentido a todo.

In a World Built by Lies, Have the Courage to Speak your Truth

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Language is possibly one of the most powerful tools for survival in our human nature. It is only possible through language to live in communities, form entire civilizations and transcend the animal kingdom by being able to convert an idea into matter through the explicit use of our spoken language.

 We create our own world but we rarely think about the mechanisms about how precisely we are building that world for ourselves. How can we shape our own life?

The answer that came to my mind is simple: through language.

But language is so powerful, so magnificent that it can create wonderful things as much as it can completely destroy them.

By the use of language, you are crafting your life… word by word.

So, what happens when you use your language to distort reality? 

We know that we can say anything we want, and we shape our own reality by doing so.  That’s why lying is even considered something regular people do most of the time.

Everybody tells a lie, here and there right? It can be a white, non-offensive lie, or a big one; so big a grotesque nobody even can believe it is actually a lie.

As Joseph Goebbels, the sinister politician in the Nazi era used to say: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”.

Big lies can become collective realities, if the critical mass of people believes them and regard them as true.  A collective lie which is seen as reality can define the destiny of entire nations and the world at large.

Lies can be powerful allies when you want to hide from someone or something. Telling lies is a defence mechanism to avoid facing and dealing with the truth… with the pure and naked reality.

In that sense, it is logical to think that the more you lie, in order to get certain things in life (maybe power, money, recognition, acceptance… whatever it is) the farthest away you are from really knowing who you are.

You are lost in a thousand-mirror puzzle. One little lie has to be covered by a bigger lie, and the bigger lie by another very very big lie and if you are not clever and keep track of all the lies you will start to contradict yourself; you will lose the sense of reality. You will be disoriented and out of touch. Probably you need to invent a new lie to get out of that embarrassing situation- but it will be a weak foundation and will collapse again once you have to cover up the new lies associated.

What a strange world. Why do we ever have to rely on lies to live our lives?

Lying builds sand castles in unstable clouds, but telling the truth really keeps you firm on the ground.

Real and deep human interaction that is constructive only comes from a place of trust. And to be able to be trusted, you need to tell the truth. Here’s how you can start practising getting your true voice out:

·      When you talk, pay attention to your inner emotions. Do you feel nervous, or inadequate or does your voice sound weak? If that’s the case, you are talking from a place of fear, which is fertile ground for lying

·      Start to consciously recognize your own lies; every time that you caught yourself saying one, write it down and keep a log; are you capable of doing such exercise?

·      When you are caught saying a lie- ask yourself: what will be my expected benefit for having said that lie? What could be the consequence if I ever got caught? What result has more impact on my life and why?

·      If you want to discover who you really are, ask yourself: am I willing to pay the price of knowing who I really am? Even if that means being exposed to my own truth, my authentic thoughts and desires? Am I willing to defend myself by always striving to tell the truth?

People demand constant communication to keep their minds organized. Therefore, by communicating with the language of truth to others, you are not only helping your own mind come to terms with your true self but also, you are helping others to do so as well. Because as much as lies are contagious, truth is even more. People realise the spark in the eyes, the passion that emanates from the eloquent heart. 

The Benefits of Self-Authoring

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I write a journal with personal reflections since I’m 7.

Life was never easy, but to have a space where I could reflect and write about my whereabouts and my feelings certainly made things clearer to me.

Some people call it journaling, writing in a diary, that kind of stuff. Although self-authoring is quite different, in my opinion. When you have a journal, you can just write observations about everything- about yourself but also everything that surrounds you. Could be stories, reflections, experiences and the like. With self-authoring, you are going a step further. You open up to think -and- write- about who you think you are: You go to the depths of your being, as uncomfortable as it is. 

You are able to rip yourself layer by layer like an onion. With every depth you reach, the pain comes closer and closer. Most people give up by the second or third layer. We like to see ourselves as inherently good people and all we believe must be the truth. But is it really?

When a close friend reaches success and is doing fantastic and you feel jealous about it, what do you do with that jealousy? Do you confront it straight into the eyes, or do you hide it below the carpet, and pretend you feel happy for his or her success when deep inside you feel quite miserable?

The madness of this world is not easy to digest, because we don’t like to see the part we play in it. If we suffer a social crisis if the world is “mad” is because of the wrongdoing of others but not because of my own actions, right? Well, we are as guilty as charged in contributing to that madness. How so? By our own virtual signalling, by pretending to be morally superior and suppressing our darkness.

Allan Watts once said “The reason you want to be better is the reason why you aren’t”- this has a profound meaning. I think this phrase alone describes the tragedy of our civilization.

What does it mean to become better? Better than what? Why would a flower, a deer or a wave in the ocean pretend to become “better” than the other? Who or what defines what is actually better?

Self-authoring, which means, writing, reflecting and looking at yourself in the mirror with all of its untold truths- is what has kept my sanity all these years. To be able to write who I think I am in a raw sense of things- not pretending I am good, or right or wrong. Simply observing, documenting, reflecting. Yes, I feel jealousy. I feel scared. I feel sorrow and I feel lost. On paper, I cannot hide it to myself. I have to confront the judge. So, you feel miserable. Why is that so?

Yes, you feel jealous and resented that your best friend is doing much “better”. Why is that so? Is it helpful? Is it meaningful?

Confronting our own demons, and our own miseries are our main task in this human existence. Then and only then, we will be able to really see the light. You cannot recognize light unless you come from the darkness. That’s a way  to come in peace with ourselves, with others and with our destiny. 

 I believe in becoming more human, not a better human, simply more human. To keep our feet on the ground, our hearts wide open and embrace everything that comes with our human experience. 

Let’s Talk About Mental Health

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You might often hear that “No news is good news” but it isn’t the case when we talk about recognizing mental health disorders. Those tend to be silent witnesses. People that suffer from depression and anxiety do not recognize so quickly that something is wrong inside of them until it explodes and manifest as external acts of aggression, sadness and suicidal thoughts.

What can we do to become more aware of it? Can we do something about it?

It is one of the deepest mysteries of human nature: with our thinking faculties and our capabilities to become over-conscious about life together with the speed of events happening around us, it is becoming more and more difficult to grasp and take back our ability to control our minds and our emotions.

 I believe we have been losing our capability to become more resilient in difficult times. The progressive agendas in the era of hyper-industrialized and full-speed technological world is letting behind our human capacity to cope with difficult situations. It is simply too much for our brains to process and digest the vast amounts of information being received everyday by the little device we carry with us every single day.

The era of hyper-connectivity in all areas of our life is threatening our inner desire to be part of a small community. Slowly and dangerously, vast online network communities are replacing real personal connections. Some decades ago, it was unthinkable to have multiple contacts with vast amounts of people. Only our neighbours, school colleagues and family were the people we really had contact with. Now you are a click away from vast amounts of people in the social media world. But is this better? Is this an advancement towards a better and smarter civilization?

In many ways, it seems like it is. In the digital era, you can have everything available at your fingertips. On the other side, we train less our capability to be patient, to wait for proper and real human interaction. We become obsessed with superficial “likes” and attention, that lasts maybe a few seconds before the new feed shows you something new. 

I believe that the increasing levels of anxiety and depression are a direct consequence of the new digital world that is being pushed towards us with high speed and which is not our natural human way of living. Therefore, it is important to take a step back and reflect on how much this hyper-connectivity to the online world is harming your mental health.

I propose these simple but powerful steps to reflect and gain back some critical thinking about how to use the online world more consciously:

  • Recognize that you have an addiction to your mobile phone

It is a well-known fact that smartphone overuse is as addictive as any other drug. The apps we tend to use for social media interaction and other activities like shopping, gaming, etc. are designed to keep your attention as long as possible and as frequent as possible. Therefore, once you start to depend on the use of your smartphone for your daily activities, the higher the likelihood you will develop an addiction to it.

A well sound advice would be to go back to the old times when you just used your phone for making calls and use your laptop for everything else.  Delete the apps that you know cause distraction. Try to stay a day or two smartphone free. You will realize that is not the end of the world- you will actually feel more calm and more relaxed!

  • Make an effort to connect with your local community and meet your friends in person

Do you remember when you used to call a friend by phone and just talk for hours? Or go for a walk in the park, buy some ice cream and sit on a bench to observe people and have long conversations? Nothing the online world offers is more gratifying than that. A quick “like” or quick byline message gets lost in the enormous amount of info trash. 

Go out, meet your friends, have some drinks and have fun the old-style!

  • Do walks in the nature, swim in the sea or in a lake nearby

Direct contact with nature is a wonderful and natural anti-depressant. Just try it out- walk in a park barefoot and hug a tree. Close your eyes and see how this connection brings you a calming influence. Enough exposure to sunlight is a wonderful antidote against depression. 

  • Turn off the Wifi before going to sleep

Good sleep is key to maintaining a balanced and healthy mood. The increasing use of Wifi and the electromagnetic radiation soup to which we are exposed daily have negative consequences on our overall health, according to recent studies. Among the side effects of being exposed to EMF (Microwave electromagnetic frequencies) includes “oxidative stress, sperm/testicular damage, neuropsychiatric effects including EEG changes, apoptosis, cellular DNA damage, endocrine changes, and calcium overload”…

So, it is wise to avoid very long exposures to any place with strong wifi signals (be aware of 5G antennas!) and especially before going to sleep, turn off your wifi router. 

  • Talk about it and ask for help

I know it is very hard to talk to people when you feel down. If anything, we try to avoid people and feel like staying home watching tv at best. And sometimes that helps. But when you realize that you are feeling more and more down, it is time to reach out for help.

Talk to a counsellor, therapist, or a close friend. Dostoyevsky used to say “I like being alone, but I don’t like feeling lonely”. There is a difference between having time alone for reflection and peace of mind and thinking you are alone against the world. 

How to Tune Out Social Media and Tune Into What Gives Your Life Purpose 

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No one can deny that we’re living in a digital world. Day by day, we’re spending more and more of our time staring at screens: checking updates on social media on our smartphones, checking emails from work on our laptops, and watching videos from famous influencers on our tablets.

Without realizing it, we’ve allowed an increasing number of people to influence our perception of reality. You’ve probably already heard in your social circles that “if you don’t post it, it didn’t happen.” What gets posted on social media becomes a “proof of truth” of your whereabouts.

But what happened to the good ol’ times when you used to hang out in secret with friends or your partner, enjoying the thrill of being “just the two of you”? Nowadays, it seems like we can’t live without social acknowledgment from hundreds of others as we post our secret gatherings on social media.

Letting others define who you are has devasting consequences

The power we’re giving away to social platforms—and to letting other people define who we are—has devastating consequences, especially to young people who are still finding themselves.

Just look at the alarming and increasing rates of people experiencing depression worldwide. It’s obvious that we need to flatten this curve and figure out what’s triggering our social media addictions. We need to learn how to disconnect from our online lives so that we can finally dedicate time to ourselves and explore what’s truly meaningful.

So, you might be wondering: “How can I log out from social media and tune into my own life?”

Based on years of self-introspection and observing what’s worked for clients in my coaching practice, here are the top three steps that will help you the most:

1.    Recognize that you have an addiction.

The first step is to become aware that excessive use of social media is an addiction, much like an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and it must be treated as such.

As with any other addiction, it’s helpful to ask for help in the beginning. Ask a friend or close relative to help you curb your use of smartphones and other electronic devices. Consider deleting social media apps so they don’t distract you from your home or work life.

The rewarding social stimuli that you get every time you receive a notification on your phone or tablet releases dopamine in your brain, which makes it feel like a pleasant reward. But the unlimited supply of notifications from apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok sets you up to receive a big dopamine influx and, therefore, keeps reinforcing the behavior of checking your phone every time it sounds or vibrates.

A recent review by Harvard University clearly shows that this pattern creates dopamine-driven feedback loops, eventually turning us into addicts and down a path to increased depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. By recognizing your addiction, you can make this stop.

2.    Make a daily schedule for checking your phone—and stick to it.

I know this isn’t an easy suggestion. It requires willpower and discipline. But as with everything that can be addictive, you need to create a healthy balance that keeps you in control.

Plan specific times, or blocks of time, that you will dedicate to checking social media. Try to stick to this schedule as much as possible. If you don’t follow the schedule to the letter in the beginning, that’s OK, as long as you become consciously aware of it and make an effort to correct your behavior the next time.

With some discipline, you’ll enjoy the new freedom that comes from the practice of dominating your own time and schedule!

3.    Reconnect back to your craft.

There once was a time when life’s greatest gifts came from what you could do with your hands. There were no high-tech devices, no outsourcing services, and no one who performed jobs for you. People learned to craft what they needed for themselves. We harvested our own food. Cooked it. Designed and sewed our own clothes. We built our own homes. People used to take pride in what they could do with their bare hands. 

In modern times, we’ve lost our sense of craftsmanship and our love for what we could do with our hands, and we exchanged it for electronic devices and building an online persona.

Why not take time off from your screens and create more things with your hands? You’ll be surprised by how rewarding this is. Take pride in your ability to create and design something by yourself. Whether it’s a table, a house, a painting, or a book, craftmanship is the highest expression of human creativity.

Try it out. Tune out your social media devices and tune into real life. Meet real people in real time, make something with your hands, and fully enjoy these off-screen moments. In them, happiness is guaranteed.

*****

PAOLA KNECHT es una coach certificada en liderazgo, transformación y desarrollo personal,  autora de The Success Mindset: Take Back the Leadership of Your Mind y Un Mundo de Ilusiones. Puedes obtener más información en my-mindpower.com.

Focus: The Secret of Success

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I have asked myself over and over again, what is the common denominator of all those personalities that I admire, who have known how to follow their intuition and develop their talents in a way that transcends the normal, and they become extraordinary beings, who manage to transform entire societies, or even generations.

The realm in which these people have succeeded appears to be irrelevant. Whether they are prominent people in science and psychology such as the great thinkers of the ancient time of humanity (Galileo, Socrates, Aristotle …) as more recent scientific figures (Newton, Einstein, Kepler), successful entrepreneurs of the modern world, or people outstanding in sports or the arts; in reality, no matter what area I investigate, I always find similarities in the way these people managed to break through the barriers of the common and catapult themselves into the world of the extraordinary, of the divine.

It does not matter so much where do you come from; nor what intellectual abilities you have. In fact, talent alone does not lead to success either – it is the focus and discipline combined with the constant effort of performing tasks and activities over a period of time- that makes you reach more than you ever thought possible.

Talent without focus is like wanting to travel from one point to another, say, London to New York, without choosing a specific route and just following all possible directions. A millimeter deviation in direction may not mean much in an instant, but if applied consistently, it can take you to a completely different place than you planned

How to achieve focus and concentration on the important areas of our lives? It is a question that constantly haunts my head. After all, we live in a world full of distractions. Just when you get up every morning, a check to your mobile, or turning on the television, results in huge amounts of information reaching your head and flooding you completely.

Here ‘s how you can improve your focus powers:

1.  Connect your life purpose with a strong desire to make it happen

 Having focus and discipline seems like easy task, but in reality, it requires enormous will power. Beyond the will, I dare to say for sure that it requires unconditional love and an unwavering passion for what you do and what you want to achieve. It’s connecting that desire for purpose with your deepest love. In this way, it is not possible not to be able to focus, or to concentrate, on what is really important.

2.  Be aware of your thoughts 

What are you letting into your mind every single day? Do we unconsciously let others bombard us with their own opinions, dreams and demands? Take the conscious decision to pay attention to your thoughts and assess if those are helping you in keeping the right focus in your daily activities.

3.   Block large batches of time (minimum 2 hours) to work on a single thing

Most people prefer to schedule their day so that they spend at most an hour on each thing and then want to jump to the next. That usually doesn’t work when you want to do work that has a certain degree of complexity, like preparing a successful Marketing strategy, or developing Software code.

There is a famous term that justifies it: “residual attention”. When we are working on a project in a concentrated way, and suddenly something in your schedule distracts you, for example, the phone rings, or the reminder that you have the next meeting, when you stop and try to work on the next thing, your mind keep thinking about the previous problem or topic; so it takes a long time (approximately 20 minutes) to effectively transition from one topic to the next. That is why, if you fracture your schedule with different things to do each time, it becomes more difficult to focus on the task at hand and you end up doing things superficially.

4.  Delegate administrative activities to dedicate more time to deep and creative work

 The great physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman has mentioned on different occasions what works for him to stay productive in his discoveries and scientific investigations: «To do a good job in the field of physics, you need to have long periods of time available to work on the subject itself … you need a lot of concentration … if you have a job where you also have to do administrative work, then you will not have enough time. So I made up a myth about myself: I’m irresponsible. I am actively irresponsible. I tell everyone that I am not going to do anything. If someone invites me to boards or committees to be part of something I tell them: No, I am irresponsible”.

5. Do less but more valuable things 

When doing the activities that are important to you, make a commitment to concentrate fully on what you are doing and avoid losing too much time on things that are irrelevant. A good life is a deep life, which is focused and consistent with your vision and dreams. 

Do not fill out your day with things that do not serve your purpose. Be picky, and strict with your time and schedule. Learn to say no. You will be surprised how many things you can achieve and how far you can go, when you maintain your priorities straight!

 

How To Keep Going When Motivation Is Not Around The Corner

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Everybody has experienced those days: You wake up and feel low. You don´t understand why; just the night before, you were planning your next day and looking forward to it with anticipation. But then it came a bad night. Maybe you couldn´t sleep as good as you wanted; or simply woke up the next morning and felt down and unmotivated. You walk towards the window and you see its raining outside, big grey clouds dominating the sky.

You are supposed to keep working on that important piece of work; on that project. For us writers, you know what it is…. Write! But the feeling is universal. 

So, you go to the kitchen and have breakfast. Check the news. Check the social media… suddenly you end up in Tik Tok watching all kind of nonsense. Two hours passed by… WTF? Now it’s time to get serious and go back to work. How can we drag ourselves to sit in the chair and actually commit to work?

Maybe you were planning to hit the gym early morning, or go for a jog around the corner. All those great plans seem quite far away from how you feel now. You start seeing the image of yourself actually hitting the gym more distant and your imagery starts to get more vivid on the thoughts of turning on the TV, watch Netflix and eat nachos. 

Yes, I have been there. Many times. More than I would like to admit. 

But I also know that if I follow the second plan (TV with Nachos) it will make me feel much worse later in the day. I call it “The hangover of procrastination”.

The feeling of unsatisfaction for not doing what we were supposed to do is as bad as the hangover feeling after drinking 8 shots of cheap tequila. It is unbearable. But we are smart people, so we have found mechanisms to go around the hangover of procrastination… with…more of it.

Typical example: You promise to yourself the night before that you will go jogging tomorrow morning. Then you wake up the next day and it’s raining outside. Then you say to yourself: “Oh no, it’s raining. I cannot go jogging because I will get wet and then I will get sick. Better tomorrow if the sun is shining”. And if tomorrow rains again? You know what will happen next.

The same with going back to work on your project. In a good “sunny day”, when you are in good mood, well rested, and well fed, then you are eager to work on it and even strive at it. But what happens in a grey day, when nothing seems to have a meaning?

I think that what differentiate the ordinary people from the extraordinary one, is precisely  those people who show up with their responsibilities, no matter what; in the rain, in the snow, in sunny and grey days. Is the person that develops within him or herself the strength to overcome their feelings, pains and other obstacles and keep showing up every day.

So, to the question of what to do to keep going when you lack motivation, the answer is simple:

Do whatever you were planning to do. Show up. And do a double effort to strive, despite your down feeling.

You will realize that while doing it, the feeling of uneasiness and low energy disappears. You don’t give it any importance anymore, so you start to focus all your energy in the task at hand. 

Believe me, it works wonders.

If I feel like not wanting to write, I just go and sit and write. And as I start writing and I let myself go on the act, I lose the sense of time. My body and mind are focused on the task so I have no time to think that I am unmotivated. This is how you get to finish any work that is of value. Working constantly, diligently, daily, with no big interruptions. 

If everybody would just work when the time is right, the sun is shining and we feel at our top capacity, then probably we would still be living in caves hunting rabbits and making fire with two small wood sticks. 

The key is the following: The more unmotivated you feel, the more you have to go and do it.

Like David Goggins rightly says in his book “Can´t Hurt Me”: “The reason it’s important to push hardest when you want to quit the most is because it helps you callous your mind. It’s the same reason why you have to do your best work when you are the least motivated”.

So, if you were waiting for some divine sign that gives you the immediate motivation burst, then take this: Go back to work!

How To Deal With Writer’s Block?

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One of the scariest things about writing is when you sit in front of a blank page and you feel paralyzed. What am I supposed to write?

I stare at the blank page in front of my screen for a while. Isn’t it ironic, that when I am doing other things, like cleaning, cooking, or working in another thing, I get hundreds of ideas in my mind about what to write, but when it comes to the time to actually sit and write them, all those great ideas vanish away and leave me empty and hopeless?

I bet you have been in a similar situation. It’s frustrating, isn´t it? Seems like to experience this situation is a perpetual life sentence for a writer.

However, not everything is lost! Overtime, I have learnt to trick my blocked mind and actually get my writing done. 

Here are a few things that have helped me a lot. I hope they can help you too!

1.     Start to write a journal

When I need new ideas, or I don´t know how to continue in the middle of a writing project, I use the old method of the diary. I basically start to write everything that happened to me during the day. I sometimes even start by writing something like: “Dear, journal, I have no clue what I want to write”. It seems like after I wrote those words, they left my mind, so I get “free space” for new ideas to emerge and they manifest in my diary. Then I just keep writing until I feel better. Guaranteed, something of what you wrote will be the seed of the new idea you just needed to keep going with your writing project or to start a new one.

2.     Record your ideas the moment they come

If you are washing the dishes and suddenly a brilliant idea comes to you, go get your mobile and get it recorded! Try the voice memo app and get all your ideas recorded when they come to you! Later you can use a speech to text app to get them transcribed. In the beginning, I was reluctant to implement this idea. I preferred the old-fashioned way: A proper writer has to always write, right? So I was carrying a piece of paper and a pen “just in case” something comes up and I can write it. In a perfect world that would work, but not when you are a mama of two small kids and you need to clean a table surface full of spaghetti sauce with one hand while doing acrobatic movements to feed your little one, which refuses to eat, with the other. In a matter of seconds, I can go grab my phone, push a button and start talking.

3.     Just sit and observe. Then write what you observe

Sounds maybe a bit stupid, but it works. Just sit in front of the computer and if nothing comes, just start writing what you see. Maybe you have a nice painting in the front wall with a beautiful landscape; or if you look outside the window, you can see your neighbor taking out the trash, or going for a walk with the dog. Observe everything you see and start writing about it. Believe it or not, this practice has given me a lot of ideas in my writing process! At least, it helps you get rid of the “freeze” and you start to get more relaxed while writing. Your Muse likes to come and assist you precisely in those moments when you are more relaxed and at ease. This is the best time for her (or him) to whisper to your ear what he or she wishes to see!

4.     Take long walks in silence

This is one of my favorite tactics. If I just cannot get anything out of my head to write one single sentence, I leave it. I take a break and go for a walk outside. I love to walk in the forest or in a place where there is plenty of nature, if possible. Just to contemplate the beautiful oak trees, the shiny little buttercup flowers that emerge from the ground in spring time; the amazing shapes that the different sizes of the tree branches leave in the sky when you look upwards towards the light… for sure something you observe or experience in your walks will give you an inspiration to write about. Do not forget to take a voice memo device or a little notebook and pen with you!

5.     Take a nap

This is an old-known tactic, especially for artists, or people with highly intellectual jobs. Einstein, Edison and Newton were regular practitioners of this simple but highly efficient act. If you feel like you cannot spend a second more in front of the computer, or at the job at hand, just leave it for a moment and take a nap. A power nap of 20 minutes would be sufficient. Then you give time to your subconscious to keep working on the idea, while your conscious is asleep. If something makes “click” you will dream about it, or at last, when you wake up refreshed and ready, it will flow through you while you write. If it helped the greatest minds of the world, why wouldn’t it help you? It has certainly helped me. Try it out!

There are obviously many more things you can do to overcome the writer’s block, but those five I just shared with you are the most powerful ones I know.  If you have more tips and tricks, please do share them with me in the comment section below! I would love to hear about your ideas 🙂

In the meantime, happy writing!

On The Road To Transformation

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Many people believe transformation means chaos and uncertainty, but actually, the real transformation comes from a source of stillness.

On my usual jogging trail in my beloved forest, I couldn’t stop admiring the wonderful stream of autumn colors- the colors of transformation: The once summer bright green dominating the trees scenery being transformed into different shadows of yellow, orange and reddish… it happened so subtle but at the same time with such as speed that I wonder how could it transform itself so quietly before anyone ever noticing of it.

It made me reflect in our own transformational journey. Every day we have the opportunity to transform ourselves. Every fresh morning we have at our disposition a full day with unlimited opportunities. What do you decide to do on a certain day? Do you go on with your day with a planned agenda, dictating every hour of your life, or do you leave some room for silence and observation, for bringing some awareness of what is really happening on the now? 

We often say that change is the only constant in life, but, are we aware of what is changing? How does change affects you on the way you think, act and feel? Are you aware of the forces driving the change? 

Only by sitting back and observe is when we are really able to get awareness of the mechanisms of transformation. In autumn also starts the daylight transition in preparation for the winter: The days start to get shorter, the nights longer. The sun starts delaying its appearance and shines subtler, humbler. The trees start to experience the fall of leaves. Our bodies feel the need for more rest and less frenetic activity. Everything in the environment is calling us for slowing down and make time for reflection.

In our attempt to fill out our days with frenzy activity, we tend to ignore the signals from our environment. We keep waking up at the same time, we strive to do all our deeds with the same energy and determination. We push our bodies and our minds to keep striving, to keep going, and we miss the opportunity to sit back in stillness to steer our own transformation.

Today, I set you a challenge for change: what if you turn off the alarm clock and just wake up together with the sun at least once a week? what if instead of staying up so late watching a movie or looking at your mobile as usual, you go to sleep as soon as the moonlight is starting to appear in the horizon?  What if instead of filling your days with endless to-do lists, we let ourselves one day of quietness and enjoy fresh smell of zimt, pumpkin and wood?

I wonder what would happen, if we tune back to the peace of transformation that our beloved environment displays to us in such a wonderful and wise manner. Maybe we will shed light on our own transformation in so many new ways!