Looking for a book that will open you to new perspectives and challenge you to think differently? Check out Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal. Stealing Fire takes the reader on a tour of some of the most cutting edge and, in some cases, controversial explorations occurring right now. These explorations seek access to rare states of consciousness to solve critical problems and operate at optimum levels through 4 "accelerating forces"... psychology, neurobiology, technology, and pharmacology. If you're interested in how people access "the flow", intuition, and powerful sub-consious information, this book is right up your alley!
Mind reeling...
When my mind is reeling out of control, what am I avoiding? Often times when our minds get hijacked by reeling thoughts there's something else going on… something that we know we need to deal with but it's scary or painful. The mind reeling lets us deflect to something else. The next time your mind is reeling take a pause and really think about the most important things in your life right now and shift your mind to taking action...
Published by Chandler Bolt
Is there a book in you? Do you think publishing seems totally unrealistic? Check out Published: The Proven Path From Blank Page To Published Author by Chandler Bolt. This book is a super easy read and includes all kinds of great information from coming up with an idea to finding editors to getting the book on Amazon. This book will show you that publishing a book is totally doable... by the end you'll be wondering what you're waiting for!...
Stop thinking?!
How often do I stop thinking? Do I allow my mind time to rest? Though it might sound counterproductive, sometimes stopping is the most productive thing we can do. Meditation is a fantastic way to let our minds rest… if you're not quite ready for meditation try taking a walk in nature, listening to calm music with no lyrics, driving without any sound (no radio, phone, etc.), drawing, or anything else that sets your mind free...
Step Out Into The Light by Matisyahu
Step Out Into The Light by Matisyahu just came out last week and is awesome… it reminds me that sometimes as we work and we reach and we search, we move farther away from what we're truly searching for… we need to stop hiding from ourselves and step out into the light...
Money...
The Open Organization: Igniting Passion and Performance by Jim Whitehurst
The Open Organization: Igniting Passion and Performance by Jim Whitehurst allows us to experience a new kind of organization... an organization that is focused on openness, transparency, diversity, servant leadership, autonomy, and ultimately creating a place where people can thrive and drive optimal results/value. Something I love about this book is that it goes beyond talking about how to structure the organization and theories of how people will respond... it gets into the nitty gritty of leadership within an open organization, which is critical to making an organization truly open. Jim Whitehurst's firsthand leadership experiences are valuable for anyone in any type of leadership position who's truly interested in servant leadership and creating an environment where people are passionate about what they do...
Creativity Daily!
What is my favorite creative activity? Is it part of my daily life? Adding creativity to daily life lifts our moods, helps us think more clearly, and allows us to practice thinking creatively. What's the benefit of thinking creatively?? Innovation, out of the box ideas, problem solving, seeing new patterns, designing new solutions... I could go on and on...
What Am I Avoiding?
When I think of the terms "I always" or "I never", what do I think of? What other absolutes do I use in my thinking or words (for example "my kids always _____", "my family never does _____")? Are these absolutes really accurate? Why? We often use absolutes to avoid making needed changes. Next time use "I choose" instead of an absolute term and observe how this feels. It's the start of a powerful and empowering mind shift...
Rollercoaster by Bleachers
If you read the lyrics of Rollercoaster by Bleachers literally, you'll probably wonder why I'm posting it here... When I hear Rollercoaster and watch the video it reminds me of things in my life that have swept me off my feet... things that seemed so amazing... things that were just out of reach but I could attain with just a little more effort. When these things (could be relationships, career status, expensive things, a certain weight... I could go on and on) became part of my life, many times they weren't what I thought they'd be... When I look back I'm amazed at the rollercoaster rides I took to figure this out!...
Helping Others...
Drive by David H. Pink
What motivates us? Drive by David H. Pink delves into the latest research and proposes answers that are counter to many of the rewards, incentives, and penalties that exist in our world. David H. Pink introduces a new way for individuals to approach the world and a new way for us to motivate others.. bottom line intrinsic rewards are the key... think purpose, flow, passions, impact. In addition to turning a topic that can get pretty thick into a really fun and easy read, David H. Pink devotes the last section of the book to really practical action steps that we can use to transform ourselves, our organizations, and how we teach our kids...
How is my living environment?
What things in my living environment bug me and stress me out? What am I going to do to change these things? Our living environments are so important and if there are things that bug us and stress us out it's important to make some changes! (Think the room with junk, the closet that's disorganized, the room that's painted a color I don't like…)...
The Most Important Step...
Idea Generation...
How do I spend my money?
How do I spend my money? Do I tend to spend more money on experiences or things? Much research has been done on the topic and the outcome is that people who spend money on experiences rather than things are happier. Sometimes people think of this in terms of big things like deciding to travel more and buying a less expensive car to cover the costs. However, small things count, like booking a massage instead of buying a new pair of shoes...
Africa Performed by Mike Masse (originally by Toto)
Do you remember Africa by Toto? It's an awesome song about choices. Though Toto's version is great, check out Mike Masse's acoustic version… the vocals are amazing! Also, note, Mike Masse does covers of lots of popular songs and in many cases makes the songs even better! You can find his performances by searching YouTube under his name.
If It's Not Broke... Change It!
Making Life More Fun!
Fare The Well by Brad Corrigan (aka Braddigan)
Sometimes we have to let go of somebody, something, or some vision and come back to it later, when it's meant to be a part of our lives. Fare The Well by Brad Corrigan (also recorded under the name Braddigan) is a beautiful song that reminds us to let go... "fare the well" to what we're letting go of, no matter how painful it is...