Empowerment

Empowerment or empowering yourself is an important goal and aspect in our life, and it is vital to spent some time pondering on it and finding ways that lead to empowerment.  It is not uncommon that we are being bombarded with dis-empowering messages throughout our days whether they come from an external source or your own self. There are many ways to ignite that fire inside of you and boost that confidence.

1. Imagination

The mind plays an important role in how we shape ourselves. Using your imagination to boost your confidence is a great way to shift your thoughts and emotions, from those that are self-defeating to self empowering. If you have for example and idol or a role model you would like to relate to imagining yourself having already achieved that might bring beneficial results. This will help you to learn those patterns, habits, and actions that promote self confidence. Acting ''as if'' might bring some wonderful results as well.

2. Make a list and keep a journal

Having plans and using your time in a more efficient way, allows you to have control and feel more in charge, instead of  feeling confused or scattered. The more goals and achievements you set for yourself the more your self confidence and self esteem will be elevated.

3. Exercise regularly

This is a no brainer. Commitment and persistence build results (and you muscles). Start small, build consistency, and you will notice quite a number of changes happening, that are not only limited to your physiology, but also your psychology. Exercise has been linked to numerous benefits, and it is highly recommended to incorporate it in your day to day activities.

4. Prioritize on others

A lot of times people focus too much on their own personal problems, and that is understandable. It does however magnify those issues and this way of thinking can lead to a dis-empowered state of being. Sometimes focusing on others and alleviating them from their own ailments and sufferings, can definitely change your perspective. Focusing on other people results in gaining better confidence, performance and an increased positive attitude. Of course focusing too much on others might create those ''doormat type of relationships''. Balance and clarity about your self and others are necessary components.

5. Listen to music

Music feels great and is one of the best tools that we have. Music is healing and it connects us with deeper aspects of ourselves. Uplifting, inspiring and motivational music are a must if you need that energy boost. The key here is to use music as an empowering tool, not to repeat songs that remind you of your heartbreaks and failures, or to get the attention and pity from other people. Remember it's a matter of feeling...if you repeat a track that is negative, makes your ears bleed, or uses coarse language....then what are you creating ? Do you change that tape in your mind, or is music emphasizing and empowering those emotions that make you drunk in your own misery ?

There are as always many ways to find your own routine and lead a life of empowerment. Use the tools, sharpen your skills, shift your values, and focus on the joy for yourself and others.

Tips to find Motivation when Depressed

It is true that depression is more common than people might want to believe. It is a feeling associated with your failures and uncertainties for the future. Usually it is a combination of negative feelings like sadness, loneliness anxiety, etc. It is indeed difficult and challenging to overcome and find ways solutions or ''cures'' to change that state. 

Finding something that motivates you is the first step. Additionally the way you approach depression is fundamentally important as well. I would like to provide you with some tips that might be useful.

1. Stop blaming Depression as Something Bad

This is a very important step and approach in my opinion. Usually people have been conditioned either by society or their upbringings to judge depression as something undesired and bad. Thoughts like "Depression makes me weak and stupid" often make the feeling of depression even worse. Therefore, acknowledging that depression is a phase or a stage in your life, and that it doesn't have to last forever might give you a brighter outlook for your future and perhaps even a more hopeful attitude.

2. Situations are not always linked with your depression

Sometimes people think that depression is linked with a bad situation, or outcome, however that is not necessarily true. Your judgment and your thoughts that create those emotions ABOUT the situation are the culprits. Because there are some instances where the situation does not change at all and depression is not present. One reason this might happen is because the individual's thoughts are distracted and not focused on the situation...in those moments the feeling related to depression are not experienced or present, they are even forgotten. Understanding this can give some clarity about those ''little stories'' that we create, and as soon as we connect and play them in our minds, depression starts to inhibit our being. They last depending on you.  

3. Do small and empowering changes at a time (Keep the bar LOW)

Empowering yourself and shifting those  depressive emotions doesn't require a ridiculous amount of effort, but it does require action and personal responsibility. The trick is to keep the bar low and create CONSISTENCY first in your day to day changes and goal, whether it is working out and creating a fitness routine or regimen, changing your diet, or spending time to develop your preferred skills, practicing gratitude etc. Start of with easy and achievable goals that you can get used to first....the more you do something the more motivated you'll become in the long run to do and achieve more, creating that snowball effect. 

4. Cherish and acknowledge the hard times depression creates 

This sounds contradictory to what most people try to achieve, however I have found some truth to it. Depression challenges your comfort zone and it gives you the opportunity to strengthen your courage. Cherishing the small changes that you achieve in your life and the courage necessary to do so, and the exhibition of it can definitely prove useful, because despite all the crap and conditions, you still move forward.

5. Minimize or Eliminate people who try keep you Down and Depressed

This is key. Finding a community, reading up success stories about other people with similar issues, and connecting with genuine people who empower you, are quite important decisions.

There are a number of ways to tackle depression, and much more can be said of course. Many of those are connected to your mental state of being, and what you choose to believe in and do.  

    

The importance of Research

Research is considered to be a systematic investigation and study of materials and sources to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Thus, it plays an important role in shaping people's understanding and perception of the world around them. It is a fundamentally important concept that a lot of people willingly or unwillingly use in their everyday lives, while surfing the internet or conversing with other people to reach a new conclusion. In a lot of cases it can make a significant impact on people's lives and society as a whole.

For example you might be interested to buy a new product and learn about it's price tag. Now of course depending on your situation, needs, economic status, etc you might find the same product cheaper or a similar one that fits your needs. From my point of view research allows to expand your knowledge and grows your awareness and understanding about the different choices you might have. Furthermore, research forces you in one way or another to improve your critical thinking, and perhaps be more authentic because there is a lot of misinformation in this ''sea of information'' we call the internet.

Research gives you the ability to question the things that you know, and to take a deeper look on some of the beliefs you have held for yourself and others. It brings you closer to what works and what holds true. It allows you to explore those horizons that you would never be able to experience, to give you the ''bigger picture''. Research= Innovation/Development if it's used in this way and with that intention. Additionally, it brings you closer to other like-minded people, since it facilitates discussions.   

There is of course a darker aspect to research : to use it as a tool for pushing your own drug or product for example despite it having flaws or being unreliable. Researchers might use more ''positive data'' in a statistical way and minimize the negative outcomes by manipulating certain control groups to fit their own outcomes. This might be especially present if a research company or group is backed up with lots of resources and money. It might not even be used at all...just to keep the game going, or by still developing a cure for certain diseases that might be already there, ridiculing or not supporting other approaches and ways that might help. It all depends on the ethics,morality and overall values.

In many cases research forces companies and sellers to be more honest with their customers, and focus on building up loyalty and trust, which are important for long term gains and relationships. It forces approaches, theories, models, to be updated by revisiting and reviewing that old data. Research also revives theories and approaches that might have been dead for decades.

As a concept it is a necessary skill to develop and it's vital to use in today's times. If anything it allows you to quench that thirst about a certain interest you might have that you always wondered about. Of course not all research is true but the method and idea behind it can lead you to it (truth) Important : Do it yourself, don't wait for others.

Motivation is the Alpha

Motivation is an immensely important aspect in our lives. All your results and actions depend on it. Where there is no will there is no way as they say. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to find effective ways to transfer it to other people and benefit from it's purpose as much as you can in your own personal life as well. It really is the reason to ''get things done'', and it's a sort of  the energy fuel behind your desires, needs, intentions and goals. It is what starts the engine of your car so to speak, that allows you to get more inspired.

There are many different ways to get motivated : watching a movie, or a video, or perhaps read or listen to inspirational quotes, that are of course ALIGNED with your own goals and desires...this is important. Motivation is the fire, the excitement and the feeling that allows you to keep going and face your daily challenges in the best way possible. An effective strategy that I found useful is to do a little bit of mind training. You can start playing the movie or the song in your mind and remember the feelings that made you more motivated and excited. This allows you to internalize those emotions and thoughts without being too dependent on external stimulation. One of the most important things is to have people around you that support your vision and your overall goals. These type of people give you the support and necessary courage to bring your goals into realization. They furthermore, act as reminders which is indeed important especially with all the distraction and perhaps ''noise'' that are present in our day to day activities. Another important thing to understand is that human beings are habitual creatures. We act and behave because of our own habits. For example make it a habit to spend your time on certain activities that boost your confidence, instead of spending your time mindlessly watching television or surfing through the net for example. All these wonderful tools and technologies are available now. Action is a necessity to change your habits

I have found that intrinsic rewards often last longer than extrinsic ones, since both of these types are related to motivation. This usually might happen because the intrinsic rewards are connected with your values. Whatever you connect to a deeper level...you keep going. the engine is still running, even if some of the odds are against you in your life circumstances. That it not to say that extrinsic rewards aren't important....they are. They allow you to find justification for your choices and give you the necessary feedback.

Motivation is the Alpha...the beginning...the why's and how's... the force that stirs and fans the fire. 

Religious Beliefs and Faith

A lot of people have asked me about my religious beliefs and my stance on religion in general. Religion for me is not something that you just read in a book, and take the word for it without questioning it at all. This is indoctrination to me. Indoctrination is not something I personally advocate or promote, because it is another type of manipulation. This creates clashes in a system or confrontations between the people who strive to find the deeper meaning in religion and those who promote a more controlled or dogmatic version of it.

The problem with most religions today is that many people believe that for example the Holy Bible or any other form of religious texts stem from God or a Divine Source. However, in my opinion religion is not something that is Divine at all in it's current form and state, whether it is the bible or the Koran or others. I think that most of the messages contained in them have been hugely corrupted, or maybe "filtered". I can even go as far as to say that some of them have not only been altered but also written by man. This holds true for most texts and in this case the Old Testament God, with it's human characteristics and role. He really acts a a father figure for human beings, is a lot like a parent who has certain expectations, and if they are unmet...then you suffer the consequences for all eternity. Furthermore, for me it feels more like a fearful relationship and not a loving one like the churches and these constitutions try to sell you. Another issue that some people might find is the whole idea of Monotheism (that there is only one true God). This inevitably creates conflict for the rest of the people who aren't related to that particular belief or tradition. Every major religion acts in the same way unfortunately.

There are even severe consequences for not conforming to a particular tradition and religion ( stoning them to death, hanging etc.) This to me marks the lowest point of intelligence anyone can have. In nature animals for example use their own instincts to survive and to deal with certain circumstances, because of their own natural connection with the environment and nature in general. However, with humans it goes beyond that, they fight for beliefs that might not even be true (from their own personal experience, there is no validity.).

Now of course there are people who do experience religious and spiritual messages on a deeper level, and that is perfectly fine. What about other people ? What if someone has a deep spiritual connection from a completely different religious background ? Therefore the problem is that you try to impose your beliefs to other people. against their own will, because some people think they hold the truth and everyone else is tricked by the devil or whatnot. There are currently 7-8 billion people and for example, 3 billion believe in one particular religion. Are you telling me that the other 5 billion are ''lost'' or that they are following a ''wrong'' religion ? By whose authority ? I think that it would be immensely beneficial for us to start questioning the knowledge and information we have been passed down, and focus on what we have in common and what values are important for us to cherish.

Examining religion from a historical point of view might also be beneficial to shed some light of what extreme form beliefs can take. Throughout the course of history, religion has been used to persecute and commit numerous atrocities all in the name of a church or a deity. This shows that religion is another form of politics, agendas and dogma, and unfortunately people are afraid to challenge or ridicule those who have a different opinion about this topic. That might be because of a natural consequence of a system operating through laws that promote a certain structure of beliefs, instead of allowing people to follow their own dreams, desires and intuitions.

Now, do I believe that there is no spirituality ? No, there is spirituality that is present in many things, however I usually make a distinction between religion and spirituality, because religion does not advocate spirituality, but a set of rules and conditions. Spirituality is another form of maturity and wisdom. These are the defining aspects of spirituality. Other qualities include love, compassion, kindness, respect, honor etc, and in what circumstances an individual expresses those traits or qualities. The most important quality is TRUTH from my own understanding. We yearn for truth even if it sometimes hurts (because of our perceptions and expectations) Of course if we take connecting with god and the universe or having a communication with the divine as another form of spirituality, then what do you gain from that communication ?

Questioning the validity that the religious texts have been written by god or his messengers is furthermore challenging and almost impossible to validate. As an example (jokingly) just because someone tells you Santa Claus exists doesn't make it automatically true. It might be true for you, because you believe in it.

Even from a moral perspective the concept of religion is not really that necessary. Commandments like ''Thou Shall not Kill'' or "Thou shall not Steal" are not necessary in a society where people have committed and agreed to follow those rules. You don't need God to tell you what we have collectively agreed upon, and most of these rules in the Bible are extremely outdated and not even applicable in our modern times. Interestingly enough you have beings and characters like Jesus Christ trying to fix and give a more positive version of God's will, the same God that people thing is perfect. Messages and inspirational quotes and teachings related to love, compassion, harmony, are literally almost non existent in the Old Testament. These qualities and messages are of course very very important...but are they being understood on a deeper level ? I don't think so.

Faith on the other hand is utter positivism towards a goal, outcome, higher power. It can be related to a religion, but it is definitely not limited to that. Faith is Trust and trust is faith, they go hand-in-hand. Faith can be blind however, and unwise. It is not always wise from my own understanding to have faith in something that you truly don't believe in, or have no emotional connection to it. If the emotion is missing and the inner experience is void, then faith is wasted. Therefore, faith extends beyond the clutches of religion to your community, relatives, and friends.

Overall, I think that religion is a massive topic on it's own and there are a lot of debates about them. It is important to see how they are being used and if they are being questioned at all (or even IF you are allowed to). The content of your character and intentions are what matter the most, not labels or memorizing verses from books that might be completely irrelevant in our own period. 
  

Good Bye 2017, Hello 2018

2017 has been a challenging year all-in-all for many people (me included). Many events took place like the election of Donald Trump as the New President, Korea's Nuclear Tests, and of course other really unfortunate one's like the Las Vegas shooting. Even natural disasters of a high magnitude like the earthquake in Central Mexico and Iraq/Iran, hurricanes Irma and Maria have claimed the lives of a number of people from friends and relatives to whole families, and of course caused widespread property destruction.

Therefore, showing overall gratitude is a challenge on it's own given the harsh experiences and situations, even for the small things that the ''more fortunate'' have in their everyday lives. If you think that life has been unfair to you well... think again. There are much more challenging situations that other people are experiencing in their day to to day lives. In the hope of a better 2018, I would like you to think of the things that you cherish. Whether it is a family member, having a roof over your head, food to eat in your fridge, your health, your current economic status... you name it. Try to be grateful of having the conveniences other people don't even dream of. It is my firm belief that even in the midst of chaos, that people can ''shift'' and choose a higher choice, a better choice for yourself and others around you.

So I hope that 2018 will be a year of  positive and empowering development, good wealth, and of course health which is the most important aspect in our lives. Gratitude is the Attitude Happy 2018.