Category: Energy

Morning Habits, Jump-Start Your Brain For Success

December 13, 2019

Ever wondered why most successful people have morning habits? No, it’s not because they’re OCD or odd in any way. They develop habits for this one simple reason: to reduce friction in their lives so they can focus on what they do best. Makes sense, right?

“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” — John Dryden

Those who have tasted success, whether it’s big or small, will come to realise that time holds the most value in life — there is simply never enough time and there is always too much to think about. So, by adding, changing, or developing habits or routines will simplify our lives and save us time.

Here are a few questions to help you jump-start shaping your own ideal morning habits:

  • If I could plan my ideal morning, what would it look like?

Your First Minutes

About one year ago, I watched this YouTube video from Jim Kwik, Brain Coach, where he shared his morning habits on how he jump-start his brain for success, focus and productivity.

According to Kwik: “The first 60 minutes of your day can either set you up for maximum productivity and bring you closer to your long-term and short-term goals or cause you to lose another day to distractions and mental fog. Just like an athlete takes care of his body, we need to take good care of our brains to become who we aspire to be.”

And he’s right. What you do to start your day determines how the rest of your day will look like. Therefore, your morning habits are critical for lifetime success. Therefore, I started to change my morning habits bit by bit.

Do keep in mind that morning habits are different for everyone. For example, my morning habits usually take 120 minutes. Yes, that’s two hours. Knowing exactly how the first 120 minutes of my day looks like is powerful. It helps me feel in control, which in turn reduces anxiety and increases my productivity throughout the day.

Here are my top five morning habits to jump-start my brain towards success:

1. Remember Your Dreams

Often when you’re awake, you live your life through the everyday learning, facing challenges, and thinking about solutions and ideas in different aspects of your life. However, it’s not always the case that you find them in that exact moment of time.

So, when you’re asleep, your mind is still working on this search for solution and ideas. Did you know your dream could contain the very advice and insight you needed? Most of us don’t remember our dreams or don’t make the effort to remember them. When dreams are properly interpreted, they bring guidance to achieve what may seem impossible in the first place.

2. Brush Teeth With Your Non-Dominant Hand

This one is fun and challenging. Try to use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth. You will notice it is harder to be precise with your movements. When I first started to brush my teeth with my non-dominant (right) hand, it was hard to move my hand instead of my head.

Here is why it helps you jump-start your brain: Your brain is an organ that improves through mental stimulation, which adapts and rewires itself non-stop through the growth of new neurons.

Therefore, by using your non-dominant hand will support neural connections in your brain, and even grow new ones. Basically, it is similar to how physical exercise improves your body’s functioning and grows muscles.

3. Drink Up To Two Glasses Of Water

The recommended nightly sleep of six to eight hours is a long period to go without drinking water. Hydration is a must when it comes to daily productivity because your brain is made up of 73% water. So, staying hydrated is critical for maintaining optimal brain activity. Of course, it is a daylong process, but starting with a glass or two of water right away is a step in the right direction.

One of the biggest underestimated indicators of weariness or low energy is that you are dehydrated. Water helps in both body regulation and brain function. Also, it is closely related to balancing out our moods.

4. Hit The Gym

A recent study published in the journal Neurology: Clinical Practice suggests: “Exercise affects the brain in a variety of different ways, from preserving the brain’s nerve network that starts to decline with age, to boosting the function of neurons and improving blood flow to brain cells, as well as promoting the production of growth factors to help cells involved in higher level thinking tasks.”

Therefore, living an active lifestyle with regular physical activities greatly helps to keep every bit of tissues in your brain as young and active as those throughout the rest of your body. In fact, it seems to help slow or even reverse the brain’s physical degeneration over time.

5. Eat Healthy Brain Food Breakfast

Eating a healthy breakfast can jump-start your brain and boost your productivity and focus throughout the morning. Try combining these five “brain foods” in your morning meal to give yourself a mental edge.

  • Blueberries — These tiny berries are packed full of antioxidants that protect your brain from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, helping to improve cognition and memory.

You can be creative in how you combine these five brain foods. Whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast, even if you’re short on time. By skipping a healthy breakfast, you might save some time but at the cost of your creativity, as well as problem-solving ability. So, head to the kitchen before heading out the door in the morning. Your brain will thank you.

  • What is your current morning habit?

We are even

September 24, 2014

We are even

We are even

 

Lost in my sorrow, today I evoke you
And I can see you have been,
In my poor, miserable life,
Nothing but a good woman
Your hot-shot airs
Brought warmth to my nest
You were kind, acted according to your principles
And I know you have loved me
As you never loved anyone else
As you will never be able to love again

The appreciation game started
As you, poor lovely woman
Dodged poverty at the boarding house
Today you are a real big-shot
Life smiles and sings for you
You waste the money
Of those you easily fooled
Just like a knavish cat would play
With a wretched mouse

Today you have your mind full of unhappy illusions
Fools, friends and seducers have deceived you
The dance of magnates
With its crazy temptations,
Where social climber pretensions
Are realised and surrendered
Has settled deep inside your poor heart

There’s nothing I should thank you for
We are even now
I don’t care about what you’ve done
What you do now, or what you will do
I believe I have repaid all the favours
I received from you
But in case I unintentionally forgot some minor debt
If you wish, charge it
To one of those fools’ account

I hope that your achievements,
Poor, fleeting achievements,
Will become a long line of wealth and pleasure
I hope the big-shot who now maintains you
Has deep pockets
I hope you forsake your association with hustlers
And that other men will say “She’s a good woman”

And tomorrow, when you become decayed, old furniture
And you have no hope left in your poor heart
If you need a little help, if you would like advice
Remember this friend, who will put his life on the line
To help you in whichever way he can, when the time comes

 

Moment of Peace – Gregorian Masters of Chants

April 23, 2014

“Moment of Peace”

Moment of Peace – Lyrics

Mm Mm Mm Mm Mm
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah

In moment of piece
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah

Come now, come by our side
A place where you can hide
We are the sunshine
Rest your soul here
And you’ll find
We are the energy
We give the world to thee
Hold up your heart now
We will ease pain from your brow

When the world is in tatters
And destruction is near
You can come with us here

When the people are strangers
You’ll rest here with me
In a moment of peace

Light up the dark below,
See through the stars,
Reach to the earth’s flow
Drift in the joy of our hearts,
Unleash the energy,
Taste of the wine
Drink as a soul
That knows now, power divine

In a moment of peace

6 easy ways to feel more energized

January 19, 2014

Power up your mind—and body—with these easy tips.

By Mihran Kalaydjian, CHA
 
Image
 

Sure, it’s the New Year, so you want to have that get up and go sensation. But between frigid temperatures, early sunsets and most likely, a sugar  and carb-filled holiday, that’s not as easy as it sounds. Frank Lipman, MD, an integrative and functional medicine physician and founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, shares a few basic tips to incorporate into your daily routine to feel like a whole new you.

1. Eat a power breakfast. 

”In the morning, protein and fat are essential for energy, and a large, healthy breakfast of the right foods is exactly what your body needs,” explains Dr. Lipman. Instead of heavy grains, bread or pastries, try a morning smoothie with whey or pea protein. “It’s the perfect breakfast because it’s quick to prepare, easily digested and can be packed with the healthy fats, proteins, nutrients and phytonutrients you need to fuel your day,” he says. At home, create his DIY protein-based smoothies—Green Mojito and Blueberry Avocado are whey based, while Coconut Bliss and Chocolate Love have pea protein instead. Click here for the complete recipes.

2. Drink water. “Feeling tired is often a sign of dehydration,” explains Dr. Lipman. “Sometimes when we think we need a sugar rush or caffeine fix, our body is really asking for its most simple form of liquid nourishment—water.” Be sure to have a bottle filled with H20 with you at all times to hydrate throughout the day. “If you really want to take it to the next level, squeeze in some lemon,” says Dr. Lipman. “This will help your digestion, and a strong digestive system is key to keeping energy levels high.”

3. Eat (or drink!) your greens. “Dark leafy greens are one of the most energizing foods available—they’re full of vitmains, minerals and antioxidants,” says Dr. Lipman. For even quicker absorption and to get the benefits of a variety of nutrients, try a green smoothie that contains options such as kale, spinach, romaine, and celery (plus some lemon or ginger for flavor and even more energizing properties).

4. Turn up the music. Sound is one of the most unused ways to alter your mood. “To raise your energy level quickly, put on a song you love and if you can take a dance break, even better,” explains Dr. Lipman.”That’s because our brain’s pleasure centers are activated when we hear music.”

5. Detox your adrenals. 
”Adaptogens are a unique group of herbal ingredients used to improve the health of your adrenal system, the system that’s in charge of managing your body’s hormonal response to stress,” says Dr. Lipman. “They help enhance its ability to cope with anxiety and fight fatigue—slowly and gently, without jolts or crashes.” And they get their name because of their role in your overall health: “Adaptogens have a unique ability to adapt their function according to your body’s specific needs,” he says. “Though the effects may initially be subtle and take time to make themselves felt, they’re real and undeniable.” Try a daily supplement such as Metagenics Adreset, $34.50 for 30, metagenics.com.

6. Relax to totally recharge. Although you have heard the meditation and yoga connection to feel more relaxed a million times, it’s surprisingly also a method that can increase energy, too. “Restorative yoga is my favorite night-time cure for a high-stress day,” says Dr. Lipman. “As you’ll be supported in these poses, for instance, by a chair or a wall, you’ll enjoy the healing and calming effects of yoga without having to exert any energy so you actually retain energy in the process, too.” His go-to movements: B.K.S Iyengar’s Reclining Belt Pose. “It’s the best ‘chill pill’ that I have experienced—ten-to-fifteen minutes in this pose works wonders, and gently preparing the body for sleep,” he says. Another simple power-down pose to try: Legs up the Wall. “It feels so good after a day on your feet to just lie on your back with your legs perpendicular against the wall, close your eyes and breathe for five-to-ten minutes,” he says. Then once you recharge, you’ll be ready to take on the world yet again. Click here to see a step-by-step for these poses plus other energizing yoga moves.