Tips to Better Your Brain Performance

By: Bhakra Gani on 12:39 AM

It may be true that as you get older, your memory also deteriorates. But this does not mean that if you are younger, your brain is not capable of memory deterioration. Aging is just one cause of memory loss, but there are other factors. Thus, if you want to prevent this, you may want to read these tips to a better your brain performance.

1) More Relaxation Period, Better Thinking

If you want to protect your recent memories, you should stay away from stress. Stress can trigger the release of cortisol, a neuro drug which can interfere with the brain’s performance, especially with handling recent memories. Furthermore, with chronic stress, the part of the brain which handles recent memories may even shrink. If you want to prevent this from happening, you should learn to relax a little and release the tension from your body. You should never let stress overwhelm you.

2) Refrain From Cigarette Smoking

Cigarettes affect the flow of blood in your veins. Because of this, there may be a chance of reduced blood flow to your brain; and reduced blood flow means reduced oxygen. With lesser oxygen to consume, the brain may not function well as expected, hence the memory may be prejudiced.

3) Stay Away from Brain Toxins

As you may know, illegal drugs may cause harm to your brain’s functioning. However, you should also know that prescription drugs, if misused, may also have the same toxic effect to your brain. Thus, you should always follow the prescription given to you be your doctor, and never self-medicate. This may affect your brain’s normal performance. Prolonged use of drugs may cause memory loss.

4) Eat Healthy

Your brain functions according to the nutrients that it receives from the food that you eat. Thus, if you are deprived of certain nutrients, then it may have an adverse effect on the functioning of your brain. You most certainly would not want this to happen. Thus, as prevention, you should eat a healthy and balanced diet so that you will absorb all the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. Also, you should stay away from junk foods.

5) Exercise Your Brain

Find ways to use and improve your thinking skills. Some mentalists propose techniques which are designed to improve mental skills. We all have the potential to possess a good functioning memory, thus it should be something that we can all improve. All we have to do is to find ways and try techniques that can effectively help us develop our potentials.

Most people believe that by engaging themselves into educational activities, they are improving their mental faculties. This is true, and you can try this even at home. Simple activities like crossword puzzles can exercise your brain. This may help your brain functioning to get better, if not, to prevent it from deteriorating easily.

6) Shield Your Brain

There is no point of improving the brain if you cannot protect it physically. You should always protect your head from injuries because trauma may affect the functioning of your brain. Even simple injuries should be avoided, because repeated minor injuries, if accumulated, may cause damage to your brain. Thus, you should try simple prevention, like putting helmets when bicycling, in order for you to avoid situations that may damage your brain functioning.

If you want to be able to think better, your brain’s health is the key. Thus, you should keep it as healthy as possible and avoid all those factors which may expose you to mental deterioration.

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Motivation: Winning The Battle In Your Head

By: Bhakra Gani on 12:17 AM

Motivation is a funny, complex thing. The thing that motivates one person is always different from that of another even though they are working for the same thing. And while people can motivate other people, they can only do so to a certain degree. At the end of the day, you still have to work out a way to get yourself moving. But when everything looks bleak and all you want to do is to surrender, from where do you muster the will to go on?

Begin with winning the battle in your head.

The battle always starts in the head. One part of your brain tells you to move, work, and strive for what you are working for. The other part tells you that it is foolish. It is always easier to listen to the latter, because it is more convenient, less taxing, and easier to do. The former forces you to act and work. All things equal, people always choose the less inconvenient, easy way out. But this isn’t always the better choice. In fact, it is never a good choice.

What separates very effective people from those who are not is their ability to always make the right choices most of the time, even if these choices are the hardest to make. They know how the game works and they try to beat it every single time. Exhausting, yes, but it is also gratifying. There is always a sense of satisfaction in defeating your worst enemy – yourself.

But how do you win the battle that goes on inside your head?

Understand your thoughts and how they affect your emotions and your will power. Negative thoughts can easily kill your sense of purpose. It comes in many forms – lack of self-confidence, general negativity, lack of belief in others, procrastination and the list goes on. Each of these has the power to convince you to throw in the towel and accept that you can't carry on. Identifying each of your negative thoughts is the first step to winning yourself back from a defeatist attitude.

It is not simple feat, though. It takes time before one can shut out the voice in the head that says 'give up, give in'. And sometimes, even when you have already succeeded in neutralizing your negative thoughts, it is still easy to give up at the first sign of a speed bump. After all, it gives you time to rest from the unending struggle to achieve whatever it is you are pursuing, even for just a moment. But don’t buy that. That short period of rest can turn to days, weeks, months, years, ultimately paralyzing you from taking action and living a full life. That's the characteristic of discouragement. It offers you immediate gratification without securing anything in return.

Try to gain positive momentum every time, instead of succumbing back into a demoralized attitude. Every time, even if that means you have to start the battle in your head all over again.

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On Staying Motivated

By: Bhakra Gani on 12:16 AM

Life has a way of interfering us while we are going after our dreams. It distracts us from pursuing things that really matter and even convinces us that nothing really matters. It can attract us to adopt a defeatist attitude – lacking on enthusiasm and interest – ultimately sapping out our sense of purpose.

But there are ways to stay motivated, no matter how you feel about everything around you. These are not easy, far from that, but are nevertheless very helpful in keeping yourself fired with motivation.

Develop the attitude of interest. Find the thing you are most passionate about. The happiest people, they say, are those people who do the things they love the most. It is not coincidental that they are the most motivated people as well. After all, passion and motivation go hand in hand. They are closely intertwined to create a person who is full of zest about everything.

Nearly every successful people are very passionate about what they do. Why do you think Lance Armstrong, despite of having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, went on to win 7 consecutive Tour de France trophies? It is not only because he refused to give in to life's cruel joke, but because he is also very passionate about cycling. We are not saying that it has to take some forceful circumstances in our lives before we find the thing we are most passionate about. In most cases, this very thing is right at the tip of your nose. You just don’t want to see it, to accept it.

Find the thing that can spark and sustain your enthusiasm. Then channel all your energies towards that thing. This sparks motivation, productivity and satisfaction.

But what do you do when you are stuck with things that you are not truly passionate about? In times like this, when passion is lacking and your zeal is at its all time low, interest will suffice. Be interested in everything you do, no matter how boring, tedious or nonsensical it may seem. Find meaning in everything. Take the time to be engrossed, to be interested. Otherwise, your life will seem and feel like a living hell.

Having said that, always find reasons to be happy about the things you do, the goals you are pursuing, the dreams you are trying to realize, and the life you are trying to live. Never lose sight of happiness and never let it slip away.

Maintain an elevated level of energy. The mere act of smiling at yourself can recharge your energy. Having no energy almost always ensure that you won't feel as motivated as you need. Always take the time to recharge yourself – sleep, eat, breathe, relax, and rest. Do whatever it takes to always keep your energy high, if not sustained.

Act like it. Translate positive emotions into actions. If you are not feeling positive about anything, try to act like it. Sometimes, despite of lacking motivation, you can still feel motivated when you deliberately act with enthusiasm.

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Simple Rules of Motivation

By: Bhakra Gani on 11:53 PM

You can drag yourself up the same way you can drag yourself down. It is a choice you have to make every, single day. Whenever you are faced with this conflict of choices, bring with you these tiny nuggets of wisdom on motivation.

Never mind that you're not this or that.
It all begins with little excuses like 'I don’t feel good', 'I am not that smart', 'I don't have enough faith in myself'. Then you start believing in these things like they are written in stone, then these negative beliefs become a part of your system, a part of who you are.

Don’t give a second's worth of recognition on these negative self-talks. Whenever you hear that part of your brain tell you things that can pull you down, shut it out and listen to that less powerful, but oftentimes ignored voice that says 'you can!'.

Try to have a little faith - in yourself, in what you can do, and the things you believe in. It doesn't matter if you fail, everyone goes through that hurtful process. What matters is that every time you do, you bounce back, rebuild yourself, and give the world a better you.

Be very careful when choosing your side.
You can either talk yourself into doing the task or not, which means you can either be a part of success that one part of your head says you can be, or take part in the downfall the other side of your head tries to go to. Always take that side of your brain that believes in you, that cares about your well-being, and pushes you to be the person you are trying to be.

Try to win the debate with yourself every time. Remember that sometimes, the act of doing something is not really difficult. It's the few minutes of mental chatter leading up to doing the act.

Hold on to that something that matters to you.
There is nothing more meaningful in life than that something that we dearly hold on to. Some people call it their passion, others call it their cause. What do you call yours?

Cause, passion, or whatever it is that propels your inner drive to accomplish something is a very powerful source of motivation. It never runs dry. It flows so long as you hold on to that thing you care about. Sometimes, it is what makes people do the impossible in the face of difficulties. And it is that thing that gives them the courage to face and get through the biggest difficulties life throws at them.

Dream big.
Big dreams inspire. It makes people work harder, with even more passion. What would happen to people if they have nothing to shoot for? Nothing. If there are no Olympic medals and several hundred Olympians to compete against, the champions will never exist. If Mount Everest is not the highest mountain, there will be no mountaineers and hikers who struggle everyday to reach the peak.

If you don’t dream big, you would stay forever in that nook of the world where everything is mediocre, where sense of achievement is an abstract concept, and where success is all but inexistent.

Compete with yourself.
Competing with others is good, but oftentimes it is sure-fire way to demotivate yourself because you will start to compare yourself with others each and every time. Run your own, personal race. How many times have you heard the saying, 'you are your worst enemy'?

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Simple Ways to Effectively Control Anger

By: Bhakra Gani on 7:50 PM

Strong emotions like anger can affect your physical well being. Because of anger, you may experience chest pains, upset stomach, heart palpitations, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Because of these, you need to find ways to effectively control your anger.

There are ways to deal with anger and here are some of the effective ways:

Determine the source and cause of anger. A strong emotion has to be resolved first. Unresolved anger escalates, and bitterness will show in your interaction with other people. Diffuse anger and it will relieve the stress in your system.

To vent anger, try exercise. Go jogging or head to the gym. One quaint restaurant in the Philippines has a unique feature that provides an opportunity to vent anger. After a meal, customers are led at the back lot lined with walls, and on one side are stacks of inexpensive plates.

This area is for customers who wish to vent their anger by throwing the plates against the wall. They can throw as many plates to their heart’s content just to release negative feelings. Of course, they will have to pay for the plates; but the price they pay compared to the benefit they get is worth it.

Warning: Never vent your anger to outlets when you have health problems. Your blood pressure might rise up abnormally.

Talk to a friend. One of the best approaches to manage anger is to talk and confide to others. You may talk to a friend, counselor, or selected group with a common purpose to help each other. Talking to somebody about the feelings you have in your heart relieves tension. It is like unloading a heavy burden.

It is not necessary that an advice be given. Just lending a listening ear is enough. Advice may be given if it is sought. It opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives that you may not have thought of due to the anger you have within.

In a group therapy, other people can help you. In the process, you can also help them when it is their turn to talk, and it is your turn to listen and show concern. A listening ear helps dissipate the amber of anger. At the same time, it rekindles gentleness in the heart.

Learn to forgive. By far, the best way to let go of anger is to learn how to forgive. Forgiving may take a lot of effort. You may find it difficult to forget the hurt and anguish you went through. It takes a lot of convincing on your part, but it can be done. Forgiving releases you from the power other people have over you.

One technique you can try is the angry letter technique. Write a letter to the person who has caused you anguish and pain. Write in detail what he did and its effects on you. Feel the pain and anguish as you are doing the letter. In the end, write “I forgive you for all the pain you caused me. I wish you well.” Burn this letter and feel the release of negative emotions.

Seek guidance from the Almighty. Tell Him the hurt you have inside, as you would do to a friend. Ask fervently for guidance and you shall receive. Ideas will come to you on how to resolve your aches and this will prove that a Higher Power is helping you. Take comfort in thinking, “This, too, shall pass.”

If you care about your physical well being, learn to control your anger. Try these simple steps and enjoy a healthy life!

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Secrets of a Positive Attitude

By: Bhakra Gani on 5:24 PM

Are you constantly bombarded by thoughts of negativity? Plagued by feelings of insecurity? Do you see everything in a negative manner? The reason for this lies deep within your heart. You are what you mentally and spiritually eat. If a person drinks alchohol on a daily basis, odds are their body will be affected in some way. They may have liver issues, develop cancer or incur some other type of health problem directly related to the amount of alcohol they have consumed. In the same way, a person who constantly feeds themselves negative thoughts will simply turn into a negative person.

This is the time to go on a diet. A diet of positive attitude food. You have to literally stop feeding your mind negative things. Ask yourself is this thought negative or positive or negative? What do negative thoughts look like? Well, they start with can't rather than can, no as opposed to yes, will and not won't. The Bible which is the greatest self help book ever written, speaks about taking every thought captive. The problem in our society has become that our thoughts have taken us captive. We have begun to let our thoughts control us.

A great way to know what we are negative about is to ask those people who are closest to us. You can ask your spouse
or another person in your life who really knows you how they would rate your attitude on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being super positive and 1 super negative. Ask this person to be totally honest with you. You will benefit from their honesty even if it causes you pain. Ask this person what it is that you specifically say that they perceive as negative. Write down what they say and look at the actual words. Now is the time to be honest with yourself. Those words are a reflection of what is inside you. They are who you are. The great thing is that you can change. It is as simple as making a choice to do so. You must decide to replace the thoughts of negativity with thoughts of positivity. Decide what words you will change the negative words on your paper to. Once you have done this, make an effort to insert these new positive thoughts in your mind. You will begin to notice a positive change taking place in your life. Your family, friends and co-workers will all notice it as well. They may not know what is different about you. But they will know that you are not the same person that you were.

The items which are causing negativity in your life could very well be the news, movies, constantly replaying tragedy in your mind and the list could go on. These things should be eliminated if you want your new mental health regimen to be a success. The news is very negative and does not help someone who is trying to rid their mind of such thoughts. When you are feeding yourself thoughts of death from a war or gunshot or car accident visually the outcome will be negative. I do believe there is a time to grieve over the death of a loved one. However, if a person constantly replays this negative event in their minds it can lead to depression. The person who has passed away is not coming back and we must close that chapter in our lives and move on to the next chapter. This is a difficult task which can only be done by making a decision to proceed with our own life, no matter how hard this may be.

You can do it. You can and will have a positive attitude, if you simply take the steps outlined above. You do not have to be what you were in the past. You can be different in the future. The choice is yours. I know you will make a positive one.

Much continued positive attitude success,

The creator of "Positive Attitude Secrets"

By Bhakra Gani.

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How To Stay Calm When Life Isn't

By: Bhakra Gani on 10:48 PM

No matter what is happening in the world around us, it is never necessary to become caught in depression, fear or other negativity. We are not the victims of the world we see, but have the ability to mobilize ourselves and take charge of the way we respond. There are simple steps to take which when practiced easily turn our state of mind around – and effect the world outside as well.

It is very important to both learn and take these steps. Depression and fear can easily become addictive. The longer we stay in negative states of mind, the more difficult it can become to leave them ..Our world then grows smaller and we begin to develop catastrophic expectations. We lose touch with our own power to take charge, to choose actions and perceptions which counteract the negativity. However, it is the right and responsibility of every mature adult, to steer their lives in the direction of their own choosing. The tools offered both in this article and program make it easy to do. They all result in a process of Centering. The more we practice these steps, the stronger we grow, and the more we can see negativity for what it is, something that has no power other than that which we give it.

Centering
This practice of Centering is universal. Many forms of exercise, martial arts and meditation are ways of achieving centering and balance. They are ways of tapping into the fundamental strength and courage all individuals are endowed with. In Zen they say, “Open the treasure house within.” This reminds us that we are endowed with gifts which are far greater than we currently realize or employ.

In this article, some Centering practices will be offered. While these are simple, they are very powerful. When they are taken on and practiced daily, an individual calms down and changes will soon be seen.


Attention
We are what we think about.. Morita, a Japanese psychiatrist, the founder of Morita Therapy, states that all neurosis comes from frozen attention that has gotten stuck and fixed upon recurring negative thoughts. The more we give attention to that which is destructive, the more strength it has to rule our lives. This can be counteracted rather easily.

Take back your attention. Do not let it be absorbed by all that is presented to it. The power of focus is the power of life. Spend time each day developing focus and concentration. Withdraw yourself from the chaotic external world for a period of time each day, and pull your attention back within. Sit with a straight back, do not move and concentrate upon your breath. Let random thoughts come and go. Do not suppress them, but do not let them grab your attention away. At first you may be besieged by many surprising thoughts and feelings, but if you simply notice them and then return your attention to your breathing, these will soon die down.

Count your breath from one to ten, then all over again. Do this for at least ten to fifteen minutes without moving. By not moving we are stopping what is called the monkey mind, the mind, which jumps from one thing to the next, fears, demands, grabs and sabotages our lives. It is the monkey mind, which causes our sorrow and fear. But it is only a part of us, it cannot take over our lives, when we take our attention back. By doing this daily, we are strengthening new parts of ourselves, which can guide and lead us in a new direction, one of meaning, and well-being.

This wonderful time spent with oneself is a simple way to attain perspective, become able to see clearly and be rooted in the larger truth. This time becomes a fortification against many storms, which naturally besiege us. We develop a place within ourselves, which we can always return, for wisdom, strength and comfort. When we allow the external world to consume us, we are simply giving our natural treasures away.

Rather than struggle to analyze and undo our patterns, we work directly with our attention. The question before us always is: What am I focusing on this moment? Am I present to the breathing, or lost somewhere in a dream, dwelling upon the pains and wrongs I think have others have done me, or the terrible things that can happen someday?

Reality continually renews and confronts us with new tasks, challenges, opportunities and solutions, day after day. Are we in touch with this ever flowing reality? Are we asking ourselves what is available now, what gifts we are receiving and what we can give to others, or are we dwelling upon how wronged, threatened or deprived we've always been?

Gratitude
As we do this faithfully, the second step of Centering appears. At a certain moment we become aware that depression and gratitude cannot co-exist in the same person at the same time. When our focus and life are primarily self absorbed, revolving around self-centered dreams, what we need and what others are thinking of us, we live in a prison without bars. Underlying feelings of worthlessness emerge, producing additional depression, hostility and stress.

In Centering as we become aware and grateful our focus naturally changes to all that we are receiving, to what others need, what we can give, what has to be done. And then we do it. We take action. We do not hesitate. When our focus is placed upon simple daily actions, and upon doing "deeds of service", the monkey mind is dismantled and passing emotions do not take center stage.

As we Center we learn to do each action with full attention, (no matter how small or large). We do not dwell upon the outcome. Our joy and satisfaction comes from acting with a whole heart and mind. Results and consequences are secondary, and take care of themselves. When we are not absorbed by concern for outcomes, how much anxiety can we ever have?

The most powerful antidote to psychological suffering is an individual's sense of self worth. When we are taking actions that are meaningful to us, self-respect develops naturally. When our behavior arises out of a grateful mind, each individual inevitably finds a personal alignment between their daily actions and highest values. As they become more and more occupied with that which is valuable, and life giving, their resourcefulness increase as does their sense of worth. They can then handle any difficult situation and give what is needed to all. Living in this manner, life feels like a gift they are constantly receiving, and they become a gift to life as well.

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