Empowering
-
My White Tantric Yoga with strangers experience
A few years ago when I was living in Barcelona I was in a low place in my life. Not bad place, I just was not contempt. I had lost my apartment, my stuff and everything in between. Basically from one day to another my life as I knew it had changed. I was renting a room in the city that was far from what I used to live in. I never made dinner, just bough something from a restaurant on my way home from work and I just was not positive.
One day at yoga class I met a girl who was just visiting Barcelona and she told me about White Tantric Yoga. It is like a workshop, where you preform these long yoga poses. I remember one of the “poses” we help for 45 minutes !!
It is all done in one very large group. If I am not wrong I think we must have been a couple of hundred people in that place in Barcelona. You have to wear all white and you have to cover the top of your head. It was one of the most bizarre things I have ever done.
The part that had the biggest effect on me ( besides entering this place and thinking I had mistakenly joint a cult and I would be stuck here for ever) was the very first exerciser. We all were asked to stand in a double giant circle facing each-other. The only thing we needed to do was to hover our hand over the person across from us and then when the bell rang, step to the left to do the same with the next person.
Its not a big deal but I dont think anyone has experienced the power, the effect and the intensity coming with starring for what felt like a long time into a strangers eyes. Never the less hundreds of strangers.
I never think about this my White Tantric Yoga experience anymore. It was many years ago and it is just something I did to try it out. End of story.
But today I came across a video on Youtube where they were asking strangers “What’s the most painful thing you’ve been told? The camera is filming these strangers up close and if you concentrate you can really see into their eyes. And you can almost feel the pain they are describing.
And this is just a stranger, not someone who is close to you. And I got the same intense and powerful feeling.
So maybe we all are One. Maybe the eyes are the way into the soul.Reflecting time on the Yoga mat.
This is at one of my favorite hotels I have even been to.
-
Inspiring mornings and trashy afternoons
I do this all the time – staring a new routine all over. Sometimes I finish them, often I dont.
I very much enjoy the idea to have a routine. A set of rituals ( without the voodoo sound to it ), especially in the morning – it is my favorite time out out of the 24 hours we get.
So, I started a new set of morning rituals for myself haha. The bits and pieces are not exactly new, just the hardcore commitment to them. I could not find any other word then hardcore – I’s sorry..
This is one of the blessings in disguise that comes from me commuting 4 hours per day. At least I get to listen to inspiring talks from interesting people. And also watch funny videos but that’s not important. It cant all be inspiring for F-sake, its 4 damn hours !! hahah
But this one thing I have actually been really great at. To use the morning commute time for inspiration, learning new things and things that makes me progress. And the afternoon commute I dedicate to trash TV and things that just makes me laugh.
Its all about the balance. Here is one of the videos I came across this morning on YouTube
Don’t judge the name of the video ,( I did ) just listed to the content. See if you get something out of it. Or if you think this kind of stuff is not inspiring neither in your mornings nor afternoons. -
21 day challenge on the group chat
Sitting here on my bed trying to catch up with the latest on our cousin chat on whatsapp. Think we are 13 people in there and as always there is a lot going on. All at the same time 🙂 God I love my family. Because of the time diffidence, Sydney/Europe I often miss the “live” conversation. I have not been on my phone for most of the day ( yes! very proud ) so catching up now is feels like running a race. So far I have one story of one of the little kids in our family in a hospital (not super serious but be needs a small surgery) so that made me sad. Then another story is filmed at my uncle’s house all funny. Then somebody filming a birthday. Puh…I am exhausted.So many emotions from one single read!
Our in the lounge Ambrose and his dad are watching the game of the year – State of Origin. I usually love watching big sport events but after the pasta bolognese and a glass of red wine I feel drowsy and feverish. So instead I am in bed catching up our group chat.
We all have decides to do a 21 day challenge The challenge this time is to meditate – everyone can decide their own time – but to do it morning and night for 21 days. I will start mine tonight. I decided to do 15 min at nights and 10 min in the mornings. Join if you guys want to jump on this challenge!?
What else has been exciting today? Besides hanging by the beach, walking on cliffs and short shopping for some gym clothes. We did go for a hike in the bush behind the house we stay in. That was very nice but it reminded me that I need to get in to better shape. ASAP.
Ok I better start my 15 min night meditation. Day 1 out of 21 is officially started.
______________________________________________ -
Willpower and decision fatigue explained and how we can use it to reach our goals
Lets dig right into this topic because I believe the Willpower and decision fatigue explained and how we can use it to reach our goals title woke up your interest right away if you are interested in this sort of stuff. I know I am!
Our willpower gets depleted with every decision we make. This is why successful people such as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg wears same outfit.
Conclusion:
Willpower might NOT be the best answer in order to achieve your goals.Solution:
- Plan everything the night before
– This will reduce your decision fatigue for the next day.
– e.i : put out the outfit to wear. Prepare breakfast. Plan when to go to grocery store and have a list on what to buy. Write down your What if then List. - Work on your goals first thing in the morning
– The amount of our “willpower” is at its highest in the mornings. Why? Because we haven’t reached Decision Fatigue yet.
so…..
make sure to tackle your goals first 30 min in the morning. - Pre-Commit
– If you feel accountable you are more likely to stick with the commitments you’ve made.
– e.i : Book courses with deadlines. Prepay memberships or courses you know will benefit you. Make plans to exercise with a friend. If you already promised someone to show up, you are less likely to back out. - Use the 5 Second Rule
– According to Mel Robbins whenever you have an instinct to act on something, you MUST physically move within 5 seconds. Otherwise your brain will talk you out of it.xx_______________________________________________
- Plan everything the night before
-
Programming your brain using the “If Then Planning”
Went looking for a new car and we both fell in love with this collectors item
Here is a very interesting thing i recently learned about our brain and why we often feel insecure, vulnerable etc whenever we are taking on a massive change.
Examples such as starting dating after you’ve been heartbroken or your partner passed away. Deciding to run a whole marathon when you’ve never before exercised. Or dieting for the first time after a lifetime of obesity.
The reason why the change making you feel insecure and vulnerable is this ; anything that requires you to change your behavior and facing where you are and where/who you want to be caused massive stress in us. And the reason for this is because we focus on the gap between these two “people”. The one you are now, and the one you want to become.
The stress them pops into our head, we feel overwhelmed as our brain starts to focus on the huge amount of work it requires from us to go from one end of the spectrum to the next.This what 2 things that can help according to my latest idol Mel Robbins :
• Narrow your focus. This means that instead of focusing on the big and overwhelming picture, you focus on what you can do minute by minute. Focus on what you can do in this moment that would help you get from where you are now, till where you want to be.
• Find and write down your Triggers. In case of wanting to diet but you find yourself eating badly. Identify what triggers makes you reach for the food. Is it whenever you are in front of the TV? When you are bored? When you are stressed? Or maybe whenever you have an argument with your partner?
• Next you use something called “If Then Planning”. Psychologist Robert Cialdini suggests this in the case of weight loss : “If/when, after my business lunches, the server asks if I’d like to have dessert, then I will order mint tea.”
Here is how you use this: take your list of Triggers and simply add an “If then planning”.
Here is an example: If I feel bored, then I will go on a walk around the block. Or If I’ll watch TV, then I will have a tea in front of me.
You see, you replace your triggers with already made suggestions for your brain. You wont as easily fall into the trap of autopilot. Instead you are re-training your brain to associate TV with tea, boredom with short walks.And over time this becomes a natural response, soon you do this automatically.
You can find more on this topic in Business Insider AustraliaGive these a try and see how you go. And of course, you can apply these methods in all areas of your life ; work, health, productivity. Good luck. xx
__________________________________________