“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” - Van Wilder When we travel it's easy to get wrapped up in all of the "What if's" of what could go wrong on our journey. What if we get robbed? What if we miss our train? … Continue reading Worrying is Like a Rocking Chair
Japanese Forest Bathing – Benefits of time in nature
Whenever I’m feeling “off” I make it a point to go out and get a heavy dose of nature in my system. I do this when I’m feeling stressed, uncreative, have some type of block, or generally feel unmotivated to work. I do it when I’m having a problem with a friend or family member. … Continue reading Japanese Forest Bathing – Benefits of time in nature
Why you should give more hugs
When you give a hug to someone, have you ever paid attention to the way that you FEEL while giving it? Have you ever tried to notice if you’re tense, uptight, resistant in some way? Not fully relaxed? I know I was when I first started paying attention to this. In Brazil, people are big … Continue reading Why you should give more hugs
I’m a different person in a different language
The other day I had a moment where I thought to myself “I’m a better version of myself in Portuguese”. In English I talk too much. I have a strong tendency to go on rants. When you get me going, it’s hard to get me to shut the hell up and listen. In Portuguese however, … Continue reading I’m a different person in a different language
How to become a better listener
I’m a horrible listener. Like truly horrible. If you’ve ever had a conversation with me, you’ve probably noticed what I like to call “Squirrel Syndrome”. You said something that had the effect of a dog seeing a squirrel and then running off to chase it. That’s what happens in my mind when someone gives me … Continue reading How to become a better listener
Quality of Breath = Quality of Mind
Over the last few years of mediation the single most important thing that I have discovered is that the quality of your breathing is a reflection of the quality of your mind. Breath is the gateway to my awareness of both the thoughts going through my head and the sensations of my body. The deeper … Continue reading Quality of Breath = Quality of Mind
Daily Experiments in Mental Discipline
How learning a new language helped cultivate discipline in other areas of my life... Teaching myself to learn Portuguese has been a great lesson in mental discipline, and the levels of intensity with which we can try to learn something new. Self admittedly, I’ve been pretty lazy about it. Or better yet, I should say … Continue reading Daily Experiments in Mental Discipline
Why I started writing and editing on different days
Writing and editing are fundamentally different processes and use different parts of the brain. For this reason, I always do them separately. When I am in writing mode I like to let it flow. I hold nothing back. I pay no attention to grammar or sentence structure or paragraph size, I just take whatever is … Continue reading Why I started writing and editing on different days
How I learned to become a better decision maker
I am someone who allows my emotions and intuition to dictate my decisions, rather than letting the data decide for me. This is something that has backfired more times than I can count. While operating off of intuition can yield great results, it’s not always reliable. Emotions can get in the way of seeing the … Continue reading How I learned to become a better decision maker