Archives For Mental health

Staying Safe in Public

April 19, 2013 — 2 Comments

In light of the recent tragedy in Boston and similar events throughout the world, it’s obvious that only so much can be done to protect people, so what can you and I do to keep out of harms way? In particular, what can we do to ensure our safety at public events?

Let’s face it, all the security in the world will not stop some out-of-control nut-case from trying to inflict their particular brand of insanity on innocent people.

Government agencies and Law Enforcement are doing their best, and I applaud them for it, but no amount of security can guarantee our safety in a world where a radicals who commit acts of terror exist.

Staying SafeSo what can we, as individuals, do to protect ourselves and our families? How can we still enjoy going to public events without being afraid?

For starters, learn to pay attention to your own “internal guidance.”

Throughout my life I have always had the ability to sense trouble before it happened. It may have been developed as a defense mechanism, to survive the rowdy places I played in with my band and, later, frequented during my dark years. I’ve also been told that accomplished martial artists have learned to develop this “sixth sense.”

I do know that it’s something that’s in all of us and, as we learn to pay attention to those uncomfortable feelings we get in a situation and act on our intuition, we can avoid many potential dangers.

Utilize the power of prayer

I also know we can ask for, and receive, help from the Heavens but we need to ask. “Ask and you shall receive.” Matthew 7:7

One of the practices I use is, before I leave home, I say a little prayer and ask for and visualize a protective shield of Divine light to be placed around, me, my family, our home, and cars and to protect me wherever my travels take me.

It’s a matter of raising my attention toward a higher plane so that I am vibrationally and energetically in a higher, more positive, state.

I believe this explains why some people manage to survive horrible tragedies unscathed, while others are not so fortunate. If I am to take responsibility for my life and everything in it, and I do, then I must accept the fact that there are no accidents.

If you follow the principles of the law of attraction and other Universal laws, you’ll realize that you cannot attract into your experience anything you are not a vibrational match to.

Following this line of thought, it also reasons that, if you are in a high, positive vibrational state, you will not attract negative experiences.

This is one of the reasons I avoid the news as much as possible. I get my news online so I can choose what I see and pay attention to. I don’t need to be brainwashed with horrid images of people being killed, played back over and over by a news media interested in little more than ratings.

Following the events of September 11th, we were subjected to constant video of planes crashing into buildings. The result? School children were hiding under their desks in fear.

Note to news media: You need to hold yourself to a higher standard.

Something else I’ve always done and something that has kept me safe in some dangerous situations is, I trust my instincts. As I said above, we have an internal guidance system that alerts us of danger.

It’s that uncomfortable feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, just below your rib cage. Many people refer to it as their “gut instinct” or “gut feeling.”

According to the Chakras, the subtle energy centers in our body as taught in Hinduism and Buddhism, that region located just below the rib cage is the 3rd Chakra, is the center of our emotions and associated with the color yellow.

If you talk with people who have been mugged, you will hear how they felt something was wrong but for whatever reason, did not heed their internal message. Instead they remained in a dangerous situation.

For example, if you’re in an elevator and someone gets in who causes you to feel uncomfortable, for whatever reason, get out! Never remain in a situation that feels wrong or dangerous.

Trusting your emotional guidance, which by the way, operates thousands of times faster than your intellect, can warn you of impending danger ahead of time.

Teach your children

Teaching your children to trust their instincts is one of the best things you can do to help keep them safe. Young children in particular are already in touch with their feelings and know when something’s not right. You just need to teach them to honor that feeling and act accordingly.

Can I guarantee nothing bad will ever happen to you? Of course not but I know from my own experience that paying attention to our intuitive messages, staying positive in any situation, and saying a prayer for protection from above will help.

I can’t prevent the next tragedy from happening but I can keep my own energy and personal vibration high and pay attention to my emotional guidance. When I sense that there’s eminent danger I follow my instincts.

I pray that you consider adopting these and similar ideas for yourself and your loved ones and may God keep you safe.

One day human beings will learn to live in peace but until that day arrives, protecting your safety and that of your family is your own affair.

 

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Give yourself the gift of quiet

December 27, 2012 — Leave a comment

(Excerpt: 52 Ways to a Happier Life, Chap. 51)

The other day I was having coffee with a friend, enjoying a conversation about personal development books and such. When she mentioned the name of a well-known author, a man sitting at the next table chimed in. Before long we were in a three-way conversation on the subject.

Our new acquaintance went on about how much reading self-help and listening to audio programs had helped him. He explained how he had, at one time, a problem with his temper and how he was always stressed out. “When I started reading these books,” he revealed, “I began to relax more and changed my outlook on life.”

snow trees

He then explained how, even thought the books and audios were helping, when he started meditating he was able to achieve a sense of calmness he had never experienced.

As someone who has consistently practiced meditation of one form or another for over twenty years, I can attest to its values. Over the years I’ve found that when I give myself the gift of time to meditate or even just spend ten or fifteen minutes in quiet, especially first thing in the morning, my day goes more smoothly.

In my first book, Handbook to a Happier Life (New World Library), I wrote about some of the health benefits that include actually slowing the aging process. One study, in England, concluded that each year of regular meditating takes off approximately one year of aging. And it lowers blood pressure and slows our heart rate.

To me what really matters is that I take the time to do it. While I do not follow a particular system, since the goal of meditation is to reach an “Alpha” brain wave state, I do use specially made audios to lower my brain waves to more easily reach that state. These are the slower frequencies, in the 8-12 Hertz per second range, as opposed to the higher “Beta” signals that represent our normal, and sometimes stressed out, waking state.

If you were to look at my mp3 device, along with music and a wide variety of personal development and business seminars, you’d see several of these special, “brain entrainment,” audio programs which I rotate for my daily meditation practice. While I realize the mediation purists may disagree with my methods, I believe in using the technology that’s available to help “get me there.”

52 ways to a happier life

Excerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life. If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more like it to help you have a happier life you can order this book for yourself or someone you care about now, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

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You’re Never Alone

December 20, 2012 — 1 Comment

(Excerpt: 52 Ways to a Happier Life, Chap. 41)

I’ll never understand why we, as human beings, constantly think we’re controlling the universe; we’re not. I realize it is our ego, attempting to stay in control, even though we all know it never works that way. All spiritual and religious teaching in the past several thousand years, have taught that our role is essentially to ask for what we want, believe it is on its way, and act as if it is occurring by giving thanks for having received it.

Sleepy Hollow Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY

Sleepy Hollow Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY

That’s it! We don’t need to figure out how. As a matter of fact, trying to figure out how our dreams will manifest is the biggest block to our success.

I am always amazed at how easily I, and I’m fairly sure many of you, slip back into the habit of trying to figure things out on my own.

Even though we know there is Divine Guidance available to us and know we are not alone here on this spinning little planet in the middle of the universe and have learned, over and over through our experiences, that whenever we truly ask for help, whether it is through prayer, meditation, or some other spiritual practice, it has always been there.

I have had experience after experience, from being at the bottom and thinking my life was over, to needing help to solve a business challenge, to something as simple as finding my way when lost on a highway in a strange city.

Each time I sincerely asked for help, it was there. The phone would ring, I would see something on a sign or in a newspaper, or a friend would make a suggestion. Whatever the situation, there have been many times in my life when the help from above was clearly there for me.

The interesting thing is that the more one looks at these signs, as with everything we focus upon, the more they are there to be seen. I know this has happened to you, too.

One thing is for sure, the more I “let go and let God” the less stress I feel and the easier my life becomes. The more I trust and do my part, which is essentially to identify what I want, making my intentions and desires known, believing I will receive it and acting on my intuition, the more everything in my life “magically” falls into place.

I encourage you to give this a chance to work in your life, if you’re not already doing so. Develop a habit of giving your problems over to your Higher Power. Talk to God, Spirit, the Universal Force, Jesus, Angels, Buddha, Spirit Guides, Allah, or whatever it is you believe describes that Power that created everything in our universe.

 

52 ways to a happier lifeExcerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life. If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more like it to help you have a happier life you can order this book for yourself or someone you care about now, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

In 7 chapters, Do not RT, Jim's Jems, Mental health, Self-Help, Success
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Choosing to Be Happier

December 17, 2012 — Leave a comment

(Excerpt: 52 Ways to a Happier Life, Chap. 40)

Regardless of the situation, we always choose our thoughts. This is the key to being happier. Remember, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Our thoughts determine the pictures we create in our minds, which in turn control our emotions and determine how we feel.

choosing happinessWhat happens to us is not nearly as important as how we respond to what happens. This is why, in any give circumstance, some people are able to maintain their balance while others, experiencing the exact same thing, become out of control.

You are always in a position of choice over the thoughts you think and what you choose to focus your attention on.

It’s true there are always undesirable things happening in our world, however, unless it’s something you can control, dwelling on these things is a waste of your time. It’s like the people who stop to look at an accident. This does nothing to help anyone. If you can help, by all means, do so. If not, move on.

By choosing higher thoughts, moment-to-moment, you are taking charge of your mental state, which determines your overall happiness.

The way you can apply this in your daily life is, when faced with a situation that may cause you stress, ask yourself what other thought could you choose to think that would make you feel better than the thought you are presently thinking.

Do this, a little at a time, always asking, “What new thought could I now choose that will cause me to feel better?”

You can use this technique to shift how you feel in any circumstance, regardless of what is happening. By raising your personal vibration, as a result of choosing a higher thought, you will have raised the vibration of your feelings and emotions, which will, in turn, produce more of the results you want to achieve.

52 Ways to a Happier Life Holiday SpecialExcerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life. If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more like it to help you have a happier life you can order this book for yourself or someone you care about now, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

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Learning to Bounce Back is Crucial to Your Success

December 4, 2012 — Leave a comment

Life happens. It doesn’t matter how positive an attitude you have or how balanced and centered you are, there are going to be times when you are knocked down. Times when your carefully organized life is turned upside down and you get knocked on your rear end. Life happens.

You will no doubt experience serious illness in either yourself or someone close to you. You may be challenged with the loss of a loved one, a divorce or perhaps the loss of a job or any number of situations that will leave you feeling like you were kicked in the stomach.

sunrise photo

Let’s face it. These things will happen. They’re part of life and no matter how you try to explain them away with the idea that, “everything happens for a reason,” they hurt. A lot! They hurt at the very core of your being. The pain begins in your heart and radiates throughout your entire being. Repeating positive phrases does not make it stop hurting.

At times like these, you’re going to feel down, even depressed. You probably feel anger or some other manifestation of your pain. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s ok. It’s ok to feel hurt, sad, angry or whatever your true feelings are. You cannot deny pain any more than can deny fear. The only way through either of them is to give yourself permission to feel the feeling.

The question is not whether or not you will feel down. The question is for how long will you stay in this state?

The difference between people who get through life’s challenging moments, regardless of the seriousness, and those who are immobilized by the events is what I call the Bounce factor.

How quickly can you bounce back? Of course, the severity of the event will have a lot to do with the time it will take you to get past the pain and on with your life.

Take the example of two people being downsized from their high paying job, something that is becoming a natural occurrence. One, whom we’ll call John, is floored by the news of his dismissal. He expresses his pain by becoming angry at the company, his co-workers and the system in general. He spends his days telling anyone who’ll listen, about his “problem.” Usually from a bar stool.

As he sees it, his life is ruined and he’s blaming everyone for his troubles. People who react like John spend weeks, even months, wallowing in despair until, if they’re fortunate, someone close to them convinces them to seek professional help.

Mary, on the other hand, reacts much differently. Although she has gone through the same experience as John and has pretty much the same issues like living expenses, etc., she chooses to react differently.

After a brief period of feeling a loss of self-esteem, self-pity and anger, Mary decides to get back in the game.

She begins contacting her network of colleagues and co-workers, avails herself of the outplacement services her former employer offered everyone and starts actively looking for a new position. In a short time, Mary finds her “dream job” with an exciting new company.

While both people in our hypothetical example had the same experience and both went through a period of hurting, the time each allowed themselves to remain in that dis-empowering state was vastly different. While John remained “stuck” in his problem, Mary handled her loss and moved on with her life.

This is the key.

It’s not whether life occasionally puts you into a tailspin, it’s how long you remain there.

When something devastating happens to you, allow yourself some time to grieve your loss, however, don’t allow yourself to get stuck there. Take some action. Join a support group, talk about your feelings with a trusted friend or your spiritual advisor. If necessary, seek professional help.

In the case of a job loss, perhaps you want to take some time to re-evaluate your career goals. You may even consider a change in fields. When you’re ready, you can begin networking and making new contacts. Attend social or church events. Call people you know. Do something!

One of the most important things to remember in high stress situations is not to allow yourself to isolate. While spending some time alone is normal, even necessary, isolation can be dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Get out and be with people as soon as possible. As a friend recently reminded me, “life is for the living.” It’s important to get back to your life. In time, the pain will pass.

How do you deal with difficult situations in your life? Please post your comments and thoughts.

 

In Employee productivity, Mental health, Self-Help, Success ,
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