DevYou

Today on the Psychology Today Enlightened Living blog, Michael J. Formica describes a Yogic breathing technique that can be help combat anxiety. He explains the basis for the technique and how to do it.

Pranayama is a highly complex discipline that has many different aspects and includes a variety of very specific practices. One of the most common, and useful, pranayama practices is called nadi shodhana (pr., nah-dee SHOW-d’nah) or alternate nostril breathing. According to Ayervedic medicine, this practice is intended to purify the pranic channels of the body. From a less esoteric viewpoint, nadi shodhana brings the body — and by association the mind — into a state of balance and neutrality by activating the same energetic pathways that in acupuncture are associated with balancing the hemispheres of the brain. On an even less esoteric note, Western medicine has long known that, while mouth breathing tells the body it is in a state of stress, nostril breathing tells the body it is in a state of homeostasis. This strategy of nostril breathing=homeostasis has been employed by elite athletes for decades.

Read the complete article (Psychology Today).

Hooray! I’ve been looking for ways to integrate exercise into my morning routine better, and I just ran across this great article on the Dumb Little Man blog called 2 Simple Ingredients That Will Boost your Morning Energy. The author (guest poster Dan Boyle) has an energetic writing style, and describes two fast exercises that can easily fit into even the busiest morning.

Realizing that money is tight and time is tighter, let’s discuss a quick workout that doesn’t cost a penny and can be knocked out in no time. Short and free, this routine will boost your morning energy level exponentially, especially if your current workout only consists of a shower.

I’m going to try his routine right now.

Read the full article on Dumb Little Man

As a fan of naps, I’m always delighted to see positive stories about napping! Here’s one from Psychology Today titled “Nap Your Way to the Top”:

The evidence is overwhelming: Napping on the job is great for you and great for your boss. A power nap of about 20 minutes has been proven to increase alertness and overall productivity in workers. Siestas also boost mood. “Remember when your mother told you to take a nap because you were cranky? She was right,” says William Anthony, who co-authored The Art of Napping at Work with his wife Camille.

Read the full article…

And happy napping!

Last September I wrote an article for Zen Habits called How to Use Mini-Meditations to Relax and Find Focus. In it, I describe a very simple meditation technique that takes less than a minute to do and yet has a wonderful affect on your mind and well-being.

I find it helpful to have specific times to practice this simple technique. Here’s a list of 10 great opportunities that pop up during our busy days. Enjoy!

1. Just after turning off the shower, before stepping out.
2. Just before starting the car.
3. Just after parking the car and turning off the engine.
4. While waiting for your computer to boot.
5. While washing your hands.
6. While washing the dishes.
7. Waiting for a red light to change. (Keep your eyes open!)
8. Just after waking up.
9. Just before getting into bed.
10. While waiting for your tea to steep.

“The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”

— Charles Du Bois

Many years ago, a friend of mine told me that she subscribes to a daily email called the Positive Quote of the Day. She said that some of her friends gently mocked her for subscribing to such a list, but she said that she found it helpful so she didn’t cave in to their social pressure. Intrigued, I subscribed myself to the list. Every day I receive a quotation by a famous person that reinforces positive thinking. The quote by Charles Du Bois above is an example.

I find the Du Bois quote particularly interesting and thought-provoking. I believe it’s possible to change one’s thoughts and behaviors and to thereby change one’s self for the better. That’s pretty obvious, I think, considering the name of this blog!

But there’s an interesting flip-side to changing oneself for the better — and Du Bois’ quote highlights it eloquently. Namely, to become a better person, we must sacrifice what we are now. We must at any moment be ready to make that sacrifice. This can be terribly difficult. We’ve been the self we are now for a long time. What a radical, frightening notion is sacrificing the familiar self of the present. Even if we know that we must do so to become a better person. Even if we know we’re suffering more as we are than we would as we might be.

I think this is a hidden second hurdle for people who are trying to develop into a better person. The first is believing change is possible. And the second is our tendency to cling to what we are today. Our reluctance. Our fear. When the opportunity to change is at hand, we must be each be ready and able to sacrifice what we are.