My Blog

Affirmations & Visualizations

5/5/2021

The idea of using affirmations and visualizations to speed up the goal achievement process is something I have encountered through reading and learning about the topic.

Much information I have absorbed recommends setting a specific, measurable goal and setting a date, on or before which it will be achieved.

The idea of affirming oneself with positive statements, in the present tense, on how one will be feeling after the goal has been completed, is often recommended to be either written, spoken, or both, once or twice a day -- usually at morning/night.

The process of visualizing the scenario of what having accomplished your goal will look, feel, taste, smell, etc. like -- tying in as many senses as possible -- has been proven to be influential in the goal achievement process. There are variations on the process of creating the visualization -- writing out the story, speaking it out loud, imagining it, or a combination of these elements. Regardless of the method enacted, doing this has been proven to have powerful effects.

When both affirmations and visualizations are combined, in conjunction with a specific, measurable goal, research has shown that synergistically positive results ensue in most cases. My understanding is that this is because these processes work together to access the subconscious mind and provide it with instructions. And it appears that the subconscious mind, when given clear instructions, is quite good at following directions.

Do you have any experience with this? If so, please leave a comment and let me know!

The Power of Self-Belief

4/29/2021

The power of self-belief.

Is unreal. Actually, it's real. It's SO real.

So real that it STRONGLY affects how we think, how we feel, and what we do!

Self-belief is a MAJOR driving force behind some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. And some of the world's most successful people.

That's because when we believe in ourselves, we radiate confidence. And that energy can be sensed and felt by others.

What are your thoughts on this?

Culture & Beliefs

4/22/2021

Culture is a set of shared beliefs and values. We learn them. Can we, UNLEARN them, too?

What's considered moral in one culture may be considered immoral in another.

The more cultures we learn about, the more we OPEN OUR MINDS.

Think of it like a menu -- if you never learn about another culture there's only one item on the menu for you to choose. But the more cultures you learn about, the more menu items that appear for you to choose from.

WE DECIDE what we want to believe.

And BELIEF, is POWERFUL.

Are your beliefs rooted in one culture, or many?

Hate -- Why & What We Can Do About It

4/14/2021

Hate. Hate is a strong word. A powerful word.

Yet we use it often.

"I hate this". "I hate that".

Yet do we really understand the implications of what we are saying? Do we really hate, or do we strongly dislike?

When the word "hate" is thrown around in reference to people -- THIS is one of the most troubling situations that can occur.

When we hate a person we express an intensely strong ill will, which can lead to violence.

But why do we hate?

Hate often stems from fear.

And we fear what we don't know.

So therefore education is key. Candid conversations with the "enemy" will teach us much. And we may find that we like them. Perhaps we'll even find that we love them.

What are your thoughts? Please share them!

Want Happiness & Pleasure?

4/7/2021

Then stop looking for it.

'Wait, what?' 'Are you serious Rob?'

The Paradox of Hedonism states that the more we pursue pleasure in our lives, for our own benefit, the more we inadvertently push it away. However, when we pursue other goals, we can achieve pleasure and happiness, albeit in a more indirect way.

I have found this to be true in my life. And not only in terms of seeking pleasure. I have found that when I try too hard to search for ANYTHING, it eludes me. And it is when I kick back and stop trying so hard that the REAL magic starts happening.

When we try too hard to do something, it oftentimes doesn't work out. Perhaps because we are trying to force something. Perhaps because we're not being authentic. Perhaps because our neediness is evident and repels. Perhaps because we are violating natural laws/principles.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you had any similar experiences? I'd love to know -- please share them below!

What is Culture Anyway?

4/1/2021

What is culture?

There are many types of culture -- national culture, corporate culture, etc. For the purposes of this post, I'll focus on national culture.

We can define culture as shared behavior with a common language that ties a group of people together, allowing them to communicate in order to get their needs (and desires) met.

When we grow up, we learn about one culture. "Our" culture. We are indoctrinated into it without our consent. It's all we know. Unless and until we make the decision to experience other cultures firsthand. And that is something I strongly recommend doing.

It wasn't until I lived in another country that I realized I had grown up naively thinking that the way things operate in the US is the same way things operate everywhere around the world. NOT. THE. CASE.

There isn't just ONE way of doing things. There are MANY. But we learn ONE. And it is up to us to choose if we will learn MANY.

Have you had an experience abroad where you gained a new perspective? Drop a comment and let me know -- I'd love to hear about it!

Taking A Pause

3/24/2021

Sometimes life gets stressful. We can feel overwhelmed. Overworked. And everything begins to bother us.

That's when we know it's time to take a pause.

Time to take a breather from our everyday work. Time to take some time for ourselves. Time to think introspectively about our situation. What is stressing us out and why. And how we can improve the situation.

For some this means a day off from work. For others, an immersion into nature. For others, a meditation retreat. And for some people, something entirely different.

Do something that you enjoy. Do something that relaxes you. Take some time away from what is consuming you. This has worked for me and I hope it can work for you too!

Leaving Your Comfort Zone

3/17/2021

Why should we step outside of our comfort zone?

Because just outside of it is where we experience EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH.

When we challenge ourselves, we advance in new and exciting ways. We can achieve more than we imagined possible. And we can use emotions such as fear and anxiety to PROPEL US FORWARD rather than allowing them to hold us back.

Was there a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone -- where were you and what was the result?

The Impact of the First Phrase Learned in a New Language

3/10/2021

The first phrase we learn in a language is usually memorable, and can have a potent and lasting impact on us -- it can arouse great interest, causing us to desire to learn more of the language.

Oftentimes people learn inappropriate or slang words first. One of the things that intrigued me most about Japanese was that this was NOT the case in my situation.

The first phrase I learned in Japanese (aside from words such as "hi", "bye", "thank you", etc.) was "taisho umakattayo" -- "master, how delicious!" This intrigued me, and I knew I wanted to learn more.

What was the first phrase that you learned in another language?

Degrees of Expression in Languages

3/3/2021

Many languages include words that allow the speaker or writer to communicate varying degrees of something. Let's look at this through the context of expressing feelings.

In English, our appreciation for someone can be expressed with words such as "like" and "love". Other modifying words such as "really" can be included to add emphasis.

In Spanish, when we communicate our feelings to someone, we can use a variety of words. Here are a few, along with their literal English translations, though the literal English translations don't always accurately represent the Spanish speaker's intended meaning:

"Gustar" -- to like
"Querer" -- to want
"Adorar" -- to adore
"Amar" -- to love

What are your thoughts on this topic?