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The Power of Positive Emotions

Charles — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:16:58 +0000

Assisting others to achieve their dreams has always been a core principle that has guided me in my life. It is my personal belief that when any of us have a touch point with someone that we can affect that person in one of three ways and leave them feeling: negative and provoking destructive emotions, indifferent or unaffected, or we can choose to inspire and awaken the positive, productive emotions.

I have exercised the discipline of the latter because my over thirty-eight years of experience has afforded me wisdom of a very important principle. It is a principle taught in every major religion and exercised all too infrequently and as a consequence it has led to the learned helplessness that a vast majority of adults suffer from preventing them from reaching for their dreams. This principle is that there is power in positive emotions. As one gains mastery over their emotions they learn to transform any circumstance into a positive; and in so doing, find success where others lose themselves in failure and a morass of negative emotions.

When one indulges in negative emotions they instantaneously change their blood chemistry, altering the actual morphology of their brain cells, solidifying and strengthening the negative biochemical responses to stressors. They also lose their ability to see the positive solutions to their unique challenges, and actually train their brain (the single most powerful tool God has graced us all with) to seek out more of the same stressors. To say that this dynamic is counterproductive to athlete and student development is a vast understatement. Over time this condition of failure causes very dangerous medical conditions like: hypertension, stress, phobic responses, arterial sclerosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, bone loss, loss of lean body mass, extreme weight gain or unhealthy weight loss, insomnia and a myriad of other health issues. It is a serious matter that is largely overlooked.

Conversely, positive emotions and the discipline of conditioning oneself to evoke them instantaneously changes blood chemistry in a potent way. The power of positive emotions alters the actual morphology of brain cells forming new neural connections which has been proven to increase productivity, problem solving and even the persons I.Q. instantly. Further, positive emotions strengthen the reaction to circumstances in a productive direction on a biochemical and emotional level, thus leaving the individual more capable and equipped. Over time positive emotions becomes a reflex response to circumstances and stressors leading to very powerful physiological responses: piece of mind and a feeling of well being (or that no matter what the circumstance all things will work out), a balanced blood chemistry, increased production of testosterone and growth hormone, increase in lead body mass, physical strength and stamina, deep and restful sleep and much more.

It is important to understand this dynamic in order to appreciate the fact that in order for me to assist others to fulfill their dreams I must first evoke the power of positive emotions they already possess, but in most cases do not exercise. It is a mental, emotional and spiritual state of being. It is a discipline that must be learned and mastered overtime. It is ‘the zone’ or place where genius is manifested in the individual and collectively a state of being that creates the greatest of human achievements… It all starts with a smile, a handshake, a positive greeting, a pat on the back or a comment that uplifts the spirit or brightens one’s day. This is why I pinch a child’s cheek, give my students a hug, compliment good behavior, praise the straight ‘A’, greet everyone with a smile and take a moment to uplift. Creating an atmosphere of positivity enhances everyone’s progress and empowers those who have courage to reach for their dreams.

Over the many years, I have done whatever I could to help, whether that is subsidizing tuition and personal training during difficult times, having special conferences with parents and teachers, public speaking for special events, or assisting extended family members of whom I have never met. Giving is a privilege that feeds the soul and it evokes transformational power of positive emotions. It is a core principle I exercise as often as possible.

Personal Growth Through Difficult Times

Charles — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:48:20 +0000

John was ten years old when his mother was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. That was the beginning of years of turmoil for her and everyone around her. Voices would talk to her incessantly, and she would believe their lies. It scared the children. Many times she would talk about the conversations as if god were talking to her. The voices would reveal to her the horrible acts committed by the children. In her mind the children would be punished in hell for those acts. Electroshock therapy was part of the treatment. It produced temporary results that were not always pleasant. Homelessness was a part of her life. There were court orders and a revolving door of seventy-two hour hospital holds. Treatment continues today, fifty-two years later. There was and, continues to be, a lot of pain. Each moment has made a stronger person out of John.

John’s adoption father was a good man. He was patient with his mother. He was not equipped to handle the stress thrown upon him at thirty-two years of age. The stress of taking care of a mentally ill person was a tremendous responsibility. He did not give up. He stayed in the marriage. He was forty-five when he died from coronary heart disease. John was twenty-one and never felt as low as that day. John became a man on that day.

John was forty-six when his oldest son received a two-year prison sentence in a felony plea bargain. It is unknown if there was guilt. There was no real evidence. A child was injured and the risk of a trial was too much to gamble. There were many six-hour drives to visit his son. Faithfully, the trip was made at least twice a month. There would be a few hours to play cards and visit. Those were good times. It’s been almost twenty years. Everyone became stronger.

It was around fifty years of age for John when it became apparent that his other son had a problem with alcohol. He would drink to the point of blackouts. He was very young, but realized he had a problem. It took many trips in and out of treatment before he hit bottom. That would come on a day when he was suicidal. He did not remember how he connected with his father on the phone, but Dad was there in what seemed a few moments. That was eight years ago. He has a family and has not had a drink since that day. He is still a young man. He has become a stronger, wiser person. Dad continues to grow as well.

At the age of sixty-one, John found his natural father. He was in a cemetery in Tennessee. John had spent many years searching. It turned out to be very difficult to trace the family. The birth father had been murdered when John was only sixteen. There was sadness for John. He never knew his natural father, and the event took place forty-five years earlier. Strange, but it made John into a better person.

There were many moments of happiness, but the road of life has a few bumps along the way for everyone. The bumps are the events that mold a man. It is much like a metal-smith beating an ugly piece of steel into something beautiful and useful. Growth occurs? as we become beautiful with each new bump along the road of life.

Meditation Techniques – Powerful Breathing Exercises

Charles — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:15:20 +0000

“Ordinary people breathe from their throats, extraordinary people breathe from their heels.” -Chuang Tzu

Breathing is a great way to learn focus and relaxation for the beginner at meditation, and many experts continue to use it as their primary form of meditation for their entire lives. The breathing exercises of meditation not only build incredible focus and deep relaxation, but the increased breathing will begin to bring radiant vitality back to your body as well.

Deep breathing exercises will help reduce risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Also, the lower part of the lungs are much more efficient at processing oxygen than the upper part.

Deep breathing encourages relaxation… which encourages deep breathing… which is a nice feedback loop to be in.

All of these specific breathing exercises are based off a classic breathing meditation called Buddhist Breath, or Baby’s Breath.

Before you start any of these, find a comfortable place where you can sit or stand upright without interruption

Deep breathing: Just as the name implies, begin to breathe a little bit deeper. Notice where you are breathing now (most adults breathe primarily with the chest), and begin to let the breath sink a little deeper. Put your hand on your navel and see if you can stay relaxed and allow every in breath to push your hand forward. Once you are comfortable with that, gradually move it a little bit lower. Place your hand halfway between your navel and your pubic bone. See if you can still remain deeply relaxed and push your hand forward with your belly every time you breathe in. Take your time.

Deeper breathing: This one can be a bit challenging. Once your breathing is nice and deep in your belly, you can take it another step. See if you can remain relaxed and lightly push your perineum downward with your inhale (your perineum is the area between your genitals and your anus). Relax. There is no rush.

Slow breathing: Now that you have established the depth of breath, see how much you can slow your breathing down (for our purposes here, a breath is one complete cycle: inhale and exhale). It become very useful to have a stopwatch or a digital clock that will show you how many seconds have passed. The average adult takes 17-20 breaths per minute. When you focus on it, you can easily slow this down. 10-12 breaths per minute is a good initial goal to shoot for. Once you are comfortable doing that, you can move down to 4-6 breaths per minute. The great masters are said to be able to breathe 1 time per minute, or even 1 time every two minutes. The best I have done so far is 2 breaths per minute. Be sure to keep your focus on relaxation and peacefulness as you slow down your breath. Have fun!

Being Optimistic Is Good For Your Health

Charles — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:47:20 +0000

A recent study published in the journal Circulation showed that a sunnier outlook on life is associated with lower risk of heart disease and mortality. The research, which tracked more than 97,000 women older than 50 for eight years, found that optimists were 9 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 14 percent less likely to die from any cause than their pessimistic counterparts. Those with a high degree of ‘cynical hostility’ were 16 percent more likely than all others to die during that same period. So is your glass half-full or half-empty?

If you are not sure where you stand on the optimist/pessimist continuum take the two week challenge and find out. For the next two weeks, jot down your thoughts and opinions and keep track of the number of positive verses negative feelings. Once you have your data you can determine where you fit in. If you are like the majority of us you will be amazed by how negative your thoughts and feelings are. Turning this around is going to take some conscious thought and a willingness to move closer to the optimist end of the scale.

Techniques for moving towards the sunnier side of the spectrum include sleeping more, making time for family and friends, and increasing your relaxation time by practicing meditation or yoga. Inserting these three recommendations into your lifestyle can make a huge difference. When we are well rested we are better equipped to deal with stress and to stay focused on the positives. Keeping a gratitude journal can also be way to remind you of your daily blessings. Surrounding yourself with upbeat, happy people can also really help your mood. By taking time to reflect and revisit your goals and objectives you will increase your ability to meet them and stay on track for better health both mentally and physically.

Meditation Has Many Proven Benefits

Charles — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 05:54:20 +0000

Meditation actually is one of the least expensive and healthiest ways to relieve stress, and brain studies have actually proved brain function is improved by this relatively simple and calming activity.
But in addition to reducing stress, meditation also has other benefits-which are all related to higher brain function, as well as how it effects unconscious function, such as digestion, blood pressure, and even infertility.

Meditation is particularly helpful to people who have high-stress lives-which seems to encompass almost everyone. Modern life is stressful. Men and women are struggling at work, to pay bills, to care for children, to deal with everyday anxiety. Instead of taking a drug to calm us down-one that will likely have other side effects-meditation is free, safe, and has benefits that scientists are still discovering. Some of these benefits include:
–Reducing blood pressure
–Enhances energy
–Creates a feeling of well-being. One university study proved that people who meditate have brain function that proves they are happier after meditation.
–Improves bodily functions such as helping with digestion, lowering blood pressure (which can reduce heart disease, and even help with fertility. This isn’t junk science. Medical studies have actually shown that the areas of the brain that concern these areas improve function.
–Improved concentration.
–Reduces depression

This type of intense relaxation gives our bodies the balance we need, and actually dissolved the stress that causes so many health problems. Some clinicians have found it helps people with addictions, such as cigarettes, alcohol and over eating. The psychological benefits are many. Because meditation calms us, people who meditate often find their personal relationships are improved, as well as their self-esteem and overall wellness.

Biologically, the medically proven benefits are enough for anyone to consider giving meditation a second look. People who take time to relax have a younger biological age than those who do not.

Maintaining a Positive Mood – Try to Find the Good in the Bad

Charles — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:46:23 +0000

Psychologists have named the “finding something good in a bad situation” a benefit-finding. There have been a lot of studies which have shown that, for example, some patients which had some really bad diseases, like breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease or rheumatoid arthritis are able to identify at least one benefit from the fact that they are ill.

For example:

*they usually appreciate a lot more of everything that life offers.

*they have the capacity to develop deeper relationships;

*they usually have a bigger sense of compassion;

*they can examine themselves better;

*these people have less tension, less anger and less anxiety;

*they are much more active;

*they have a better mood, they try to have a smile on their face;

*they act really nice with all the people around them.

We should admire these people and try to learn from their experiences. We should all understand that we do not need to experience something bad in order to become happier people.

But, when something bad happens to us, we need to understand that life offers us many surprises: some of them are good and some of them are bad: we have to see all these surprises as a part of our life, as things hat were supposed to happen. The best we can do is to try to learn something each time that something happens. We should always try to think that there are people who have a harder life, who have bigger problems. We have to be satisfied with what we have and try to keep the smile on our face.

5 Ingredients For Achieving Overall Wellness

Charles — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:09:03 +0000

Want total freedom? Abundance? Happiness? Overall wellness? There are 5 ingredients to manifesting this reality.

1. Water: The cells in our body depend on water. Moreover, 55 to 75% of the human body is made up of water so water needs to constantly be replenished as it is continuously lost through normal breathing, sweating, urinating and bowel movements. There are several benefits of drinking water, among them are that it detoxifies, moisturizes, increases metabolism, helps with nutrient absorption and transport, regulates body temperature and so much more. As such, the body needs a healthy dose of pure old fashioned, unsweetened, unflavored, natural water.

2. Healthy Eating Habits: Paying as much attention to what we put in the body as to what we put on the body is imperative to achieving wellness. In the words of Dr. Sunyatta Amen, a naturopathic physician, food can either be a medicine or a poison. Strive to utilize food as the former. The human body requires food for nourishment. However, the type of food required by the body includes those fresh, live foods that are nutrient-dense and rich in vitamins and minerals which are necessary just as water to nourish the cells and enable the organs to function properly. Thus, taking care to ensure that we are making healthy food choices is a must to achieve overall wellness.

3. Physical activity: The human body requires some form of physical activity. Exercise increases our energy and improves longevity. Exercise also promotes psychological well-being, helps with weight management and builds and maintains healthy, strong bones, muscles and joints. If that’s not enough, exercise has been linked to disease prevention for diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. There are tons of benefits of exercise which is what makes it a key ingredient for realizing wellness.

4. Meditation: Daily meditation has numerous rewards. Primarily, as with exercise, meditation promotes psychological well-being. It also reduces stress along with the risk of several stress-related illnesses. As well, meditation heightens your awareness of thought which improves your ability to realize inner peace. In fact, the primary purpose of meditation is to achieve a state of happiness and peace of mind. Meditation techniques can vary from focused breathing, walking and chanting to affirmations. Choose the technique that is most effective in enabling you to manifest (and most effortlessly so) pure positive thought, the final ingredient.

5. Pure Positive Thought: This is probably the most important ingredient yet mentioned. Pure positive thought is achieved by simply transforming negative thoughts into positive ones. It is about consistently assuming a psychological posture of appreciation. For instance, when faced with a challenging life event try redirecting your thoughts away from what you don’t want and toward what you do want and the deliciousness of attaining it. You will find that by doing this simple exercise you arrive at a better “feeling” space. A space that illuminates the beauty of this place and this life. You will thus achieve overall wellness.

Mind, Body and Health Benefits of Physical Fitness

Charles — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:59:31 +0000

Bad health and depression are the types of problems that affect almost everyone at some stage of their lives.

Both can be caused by many different reasons but they can also, for the most part, be avoided by keeping our physical fitness in top shape.

Exercising is well known for keeping our bodies fit but it can also keep our minds and spirit in good condition.

The mind, body and health benefits of physical fitness can be achieved by regularly exercising particularly outside as the sun can also work wonders on our health and mood.

Exercise can be therapeutic as well as boosting the circulation of the blood, releasing good feelings and helping low feelings to subside.

The benefits of physical fitness include surpassing the average level of health, protecting the immune system, stimulating the metabolism to ensure a loss of excess weight and providing an all round feeling of good health and vitality. Those who are physically fit often have more energy, are in better condition and ultimately feel a lot healthier and more confident than those who are lethargic and inactive.

The Benefit of Reaching the Peak of Physical Fitness

One of the most important benefits of reaching the peak of physical fitness is the positive effect it has on the health of the heat. Regular exercise can strengthen the heart, make it more efficient and provide added protection against heart disease while lowering blood pressure, blood fats and bad cholesterol.

There are many other benefits that arise from reaching top physical fitness but anything that improves the most vital organ in the body is undoubtedly the most significant achievement. Physical fitness through exercise results in strong muscles and flexibility, stronger bones and stress relief.

The mental health benefits of physical fitness are excellent as exercise is well known to release stress and anxiety from the body, improving the overall mood and emotional level of a person. It can aid sleep and many ailments can be improved when exercising such as PMS and tension headaches.

Even low levels of activity can help, especially for those who are embarrassed to visit the gym or work out in public. Every day activities such as gardening, walking, climbing stairs and even cleaning the house can be forms of exercise. Boring, repetitive exercise is not essential to reach physical fitness.

Dancing and ice skating are two fun ways to burn up calories, improve muscle tone and get further along on the route to top physical fitness. Even small changes can give a boost and lower the chances of disease or injury developing.

These are just some of the benefits that can result from reaching the peak of physical fitness.