lipsticksamurai

[lipsticksamurai]

Courage Changes Your Behavior

When you want to increase productivity, the key word is focus. We have to manage distractions to focus on what’s truly important. We are most productive in the first two to three hours of the day, so it is good to plan to do the most important tasks in the morning.

“Nothing will work unless you do.

- MAYA ANGELOU

Rule your mind, or it will rule you.

- HORACE

Courage Changes Your Mind

Worrying doesn't solve problems. Think about it as a default setting of our minds when we don’t pay attention. You can stop worrying just by refocusing your mind: remind yourself to look at positive aspects of your situation and life in general. To beat fear, it is important to find an “anchor thought"; something positive that we can expect to experience after overcoming the fear.

Courage Changes Everything

Confidence in ourselves is built through acts of everyday courage. It is created by the small things that we do every day that build trust in ourselves. Too often we downplay the importance of small things that in reality are not small at all. Nothing is easy until we practice it.

[lipsticksamurai]

Adopting new views 

One of the interesting parts of the Great Depressions from history is not just how the economy collapsed, but how quickly and dramatically people’s views changed when it did.

People suffering from immediate, unexpected adversity are likely to adopt views they previously thought absurd. It’s not until your life is in full chaos (with your hopes and dreams your dreams unsure) that people begin taking ideas they’d never consider before seriously.

Reversion to the mean

It occurs when people persuasive enough to make something grow don’t have the type of personality that allows them to stop before pushing too far (see all the dictators in history).

Reversion to the mean is one of the most common stories in history. Part of the reason it happens is because the same personality traits that push people to the top also increase the odds of pushing them over the edge.

[lipsticksamurai]

People suffering from immediate, unexpected adversity are likely to adopt views they previously thought absurd.

[lipsticksamurai]

Check out The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Original Game Soundtrack by Jeremy Soule on Pandora

I'm listening to "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Original Game Soundtrack" by Jeremy Soule on Pandora.

[lipsticksamurai]

“We are made to create. We feel useful when we create. We release our ‘stuckness’ when we create. We reinvent our lives, tell new stories, and rebuild communities when we create. We reclaim our esteem, our muse, and our hope when we create.”

- Pamela Slim

Creative work takes time

It can take years to perfect a piece of art, or build something unique. 

Cultivate patience. And learn to enjoy the process. It’s part of the discovery.

Geniuses are self-learners

They are autodidacts and have an inner motivation to solve problems that fascinate them. They preferred figuring things out, rather than waiting to be taught.

They also choose their subjects, materials, rhythm and time.

[lipsticksamurai]

1. Rule

Don't do business with people who don't share the same core values that you have.

2. Rule

Alway prioritize your health and fitness over anything else.

3. Rule

Don't hang out with people who gossip and spread rumors.

4. Rule

Never tolerate dishonesty and disrespect.

5. Rule

Do not hang out with losers and toxic people.

6. Rule

Highest form of currency is not money but time, so value your time.

7. Rule

Protect your time and energy from toxic people.

8. Rule

Don't loan money to people, instead teach them how to make money.

9. Rule

Do not be interested in conversations that do not produce any desired results.

10. Rule

Do not become friends with people who do not mind their own business.

11. Rule

Do not hang out with people who are not kind and generous with their money.

[lipsticksamurai]

“the present moment is all you ever have.”

- ECKHART TOLLE

The Power of Being

Access your inner self and experience the unity of "Being" through stillness of mind. No religion owns this idea, it's an open concept that encompasses the "eternal, ever-present One Life." Being lies at the heart of your essence and can be felt when you are fully present, living in the Now.

Key Concepts:

• Stillness of mind

• Unity of "Being"

• Open concept

• "One Life"

• Living in the Now

Disconnecting thoughts from reality

The constant thoughts in your mind can prevent you from truly experiencing the moment. Thinking does not mean being.

Engaging in tasks like planning, worrying, judging, and explaining creates tension and makes it seem like you are separate from everything else. This mental activity can lead to a false sense of loneliness and separation from the world. It's crucial to become aware of this to fully connect with reality and the present moment. 🧘‍♂️

[lipsticksamurai]

Self-Motivation: Feeling In Control By Making Decisions

Motivation is a skill that can be learned. People can get better at self-motivation if they practice the right way. The trick is realizing that a condition for motivation to develop is believing we have authority over our actions and surroundings.

To motivate ourselves, we must feel like we are in control. One way to prove to ourselves that we are in control is by making decisions.

Internal Vs External Locus Of Control

• Internal locus of control translates into our belief that we can influence our destiny through the choices we make; it has been linked with academic success, higher self-motivation and social maturity, lower incidences of stress and depression, and a longer life span. This is a skill that can be learned.

• Having an external locus means believing that our life is primarily influenced by events outside our control; it is correlated with higher levels of stress because an individual perceives the situation as beyond his or her coping abilities.

Choices That Influence Our Motivation

The choices that are most powerful in generating motivation convince us we’re in control and endow our actions with larger meaning.

An internal locus of control emerges when we develop a mental habit of transforming chores into meaningful choices, when we assert that we have authority over our lives.

Understand Team Effectiveness: Google's Project Aristotle

Google spent 2 years and enormous amounts of resources studying over 180 teams to figure out the answer to their question: What makes a team effective?

Their findings - five key norms: Teams need to believe that their work is important. Teams need to feel their work is personally meaningful. Teams need clear goals and defined roles. Team members need to know they can depend on one another. But, most important, teams need psychological safety.

Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is a "shared belief, held by members of a team, that a group is a safe place for taking risks. It is a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up.”(Amy Edmondson, 1999)

This characterizes a working environment filled with trust and mutual respect in which people are comfortable being themselves.

Cognitive Tunneling

Cognitive tunneling can cause people to become overly focused on whatever is directly in front of their eyes or become preoccupied with immediate tasks. It’s what keeps someone glued to their smartphone as the kids wail or pedestrians swerve around them on the sidewalk.

Once in a cognitive tunnel, we lose our ability to direct our focus. Instead, we latch on to the easiest and most obvious stimulus, often at the cost of common sense.

Reactive Thinking: How We Allocate Our Attention

Reactive thinking is how we build habits, and it’s why to-do lists and calendar alerts are so helpful: Rather than needing to decide what to do next, we can take advantage of our reactive instincts and automatically proceed.

But the downside of reactive thinking is that habits and reactions can become so automatic they overpower our judgment. Once our motivation is outsourced, we simply react.

Our Need For Cognitive Closure

The need for cognitive closure, in many settings, can be a great strength. An instinct to make a judgment and then stick with it stops the needless second-guessing and prolonged debate. It feels productive. It feels like progress.

But there are risks associated with a high need for closure: when people begin craving the emotional satisfaction that comes from making a decision, they are more likely to make hasty decisions and less likely to reconsider an unwise choice.

The Goal-Setting Flow Chart

Here is an example of a flowchart to use when setting a goal:

WHAT IS YOUR STRETCH GOAL?

To run a marathon

WHAT IS A SPECIFIC SUB-GOAL?

Run seven miles without stopping

HOW WILL YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?

Twice around the park, no walking

IS THIS ACHIEVABLE?

Yes, if I run three miles a week.

IS THIS REALISTIC?

Yes, if I wake up early on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE?

Run three miles this week, four miles next week, five miles…

[lipsticksamurai]

4hour body

Billionaire's Life Secret

Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, was once asked in an interview, "How do you become more productive?"

The interviewer wondered what a billionaire’s answer would be.

He broke the silence: "Work out."

Working out gave him at least four additional hours of productive time daily.

MED

Before you jump into the workout routine, understand The Minimum Effective Dose (MED). MED delivers the most dramatic results in the least amount of time.

Anything beyond the MED is wasteful. For example:

• To boil water, the MED is 100°C. Higher temperatures will not make it "more boiled," only consuming more resources.

• For a muscle group, activating your growth muscle might require just 80 seconds of tension using 50 pounds once every seven days.

More is not better.

Body Redesign

If you want a body transformation, there are two fundamental MEDs to keep in mind:

• To remove stored fat: Do the least necessary to trigger a fat-loss cascade of specific hormones.

• To add muscle: Do the least necessary to trigger local (specific muscles) and systemic (hormonal) growth mechanisms.

What small steps are to achieve these two objectives?

Five Diet Rules

Now that you understand the basic theories let's start to follow the diet rules.

• Rule #1: Avoid white carbohydrates.

• Rule #2: Eat the same few meals repeatedly.

• Rule #3: Don’t drink calories.

• Rule #4: Don’t eat fruits.

• Rule #5: Take one day off per week.

Rule #1: Avoid White Carbohydrates

These foods are prohibited:

All bread, rice (including brown), cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading.

You'll be safe if you avoid eating the above foods and anything else white.

Exception: You are good to consume those above foods within 30 minutes of finishing resistance training.

Rule #2: Eat The Same Meals

The most successful dieters eat the same few meals over and over again. A thousand products are in grocery stores, but only a handful won’t make you fat.

Mix and match from the following list:

• Proteins: Egg whites, chicken breast or thigh, beef.

• Legumes: Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, red beans, asparagus, peas, broccoli, green beans.

Eat as much as you like of the above food items, but keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them.

Rule #4: Don’t Eat Fruits

Humans don’t need fruit six days a week, and they certainly don’t need it year-round.

Can fruit juice screw up fat loss? Yes, very much.

Fruit juice increases albumin that binds to testosterone.

The only exceptions to the no-fruit rule are tomatoes and avocados (but no more than one cup or meal per day).

Rule #5: Take One Day Off Per Week

The author recommends Saturdays as your Dieters Gone Wild (DGW) days.

You are allowed to eat whatever you want on Saturdays.

There are no limits or boundaries during this day.

Should you do it? Yes, of course.

Damage Control

Damage control means eating a lot but still minimizing fat gain.

Apply these three principles:

• Principle #1: Minimize the release of insulin. How? Ensure that your first meal of the day is high in protein and insoluble fibre. The protein will decrease your appetite for the remainder of the binge and prevent total self-destruction.

• Principle #2: Increase the speed of gastric emptying. Gastric emptying = Food exits the stomach. How? Consume caffeine and yerba mate tea.

• Principle #3: During the binge, engage in muscular contractions (air squats, wall presses, and chest pull with an elastic band).

[lipsticksamurai]

"There is no sure path to success, but the surest path to failure is trying to please everyone."

- Timothy Ferriss

The Rules that Change the rules

• Retirement Is Worst-Case-Scenario - It's like your life insurance, not your life goal.

• Work only when you are most effective.

• Less Is Not Laziness.

• The Timing Is Never Right. Start it NOW!

• Ask for Forgiveness, Not Permission.

• Emphasize Strengths, Don’t Fix Weaknesses.

• Things in Excess Become Their Opposite.

• Money Alone Is Not the Solution.

• Relative Income Is More Important Than Absolute Income.

• Distress Is Bad, Eustress Is Good.

4 Step Process to Reinvent Yourself

Remember DEAL - 

• D is for Definition: Define what are your worst fears and what you want to do in life.

• E is for Elimination. Kills the obsolete notion of time management once and for all. 

• A is for Automation. Puts cash flow on autopilot using geographic arbitrage, outsourcing, and rules of nondecision. Automate your income.

• L is for Liberation. This section delivers the third and final ingredient for luxury lifestyle design: mobility.

"Most people fail not because they lack the skill or aptitude to reach their goal but because they simply don't believe they can reach it."

- Timothy Ferriss

Fear-Setting and Escaping Paralysis

Write down the answers in a sheet of paper-

• What is the worst thing that can happen to you?

• How likely that would actually happen?

• How could you get things back under control?

• What will be the outcomes? temporary and permanent.

• What you have done wrong?

• What are you putting off out of fear? What we most fear doing is what we most need to do.

• What is it costing you—financially, emotionally, and physically—to postpone action?

Understand Your Fear. What are you waiting for? If you can only answer “timing” then you’re afraid, just like the rest of the world. Measure the cost of inaction and realize the unlikelihood and repairability of most missteps. 

Resetting The SYSTEM

Advanced Goal Setting - Dreamlining-

• What would you do if there were no way you could fail?

• What does “being” entail doing?

• What are the four dreams that would change it all?

• Determine the cost of these dreams and calculate your Target Monthly Income (TMI)

• Determine three steps for each of the four dreams in just for the 6-month and take the first step now.

“If you cannot find meaning in your life, it is your responsibility as a human being to create it.”

- Timothy Ferriss

Pareto's Law (80/20 Rule)

Pareto’s Law (80/20 Rule): 80% of the outputs result from 20% of the inputs.

Use 80/20 in work -

• If you had a heart attack and had to work two hours per day, what would you do?

• If you had a second heart attack and had to work two hours per week, what would you do?

• If you had a gun to your head and had to stop doing 4/5 of different time-consuming activities, what would you remove?

• What are the top 3 activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I’ve been productive?

• Who are the people who produce the most of your enjoyment and propel you forward, and which cause most of your depression, anger, and second-guessing?

• If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?

Parkinson's Law

Parkinson’s Law: tasks will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for their completion.

Set a deadline for each and every task or project.

Selective Ignorance

To be selectively ignorant, learn to ignore or redirect all information and interruptions that are irrelevant, unimportant, or unactionable.

The Low-Information Diet:

• Go on an immediate one-week media fast.

• Only consume information for something immediate and important. 

• Practice the art of non finishing. (Boring or unproductive things)

“Information is useless if not applied to something important. Or if you will forget it before you have a chance to apply it.”

- Timothy Ferriss

Interrupting Interruptions

How to Fix Interruptions

• Check email twice per day. Create an email autoresponse so people respect your new rule.

• Screen incoming and limit outgoing phone calls.

• Use two numbers: one office line (non-urgent) and one cellular (urgent).

• Don’t let people chitchat. 

• Avoid all meetings that do not have clear objectives. Meetings should only be held to make decisions about a predefined situation.

• Have an end time for your meeting (aim for 30 minutes).

• Don’t permit casual visitors. Use headphones, even if you aren’t listening to anything.

• Work smarter by batching tasks like email.

• Empower others to act without interrupting you.

• Force people to define their requests before spending time with them.

Outsourcing

Get a remote personal assistant to learn how to give orders. It is small-scale training wheels for the most critical of NR skills: remote management and communication.

Never automate something that can be eliminated, and never delegate something that can be automated or streamlined.

Only delegate time-consuming and well-defined tasks.

Income Automation

The 3 recommended options for automation:

• Resell. The easiest route but also the least profitable. It is the fastest to set up but the fastest to die off due to price competition with other resellers.

• License. Two options: invent and let someone else do the rest or manufacture and sell someone else’s idea

• Create. Information products are low-cost, fast to manufacture, and time-consuming for competitors to duplicate.

Disappearing Act

The approach for working from home for your office work - 

• Use a pre-planned project or emergency and take two weeks out of the office.

• Propose how you can work remotely.

• Make those two weeks the most productive at work.

• Show your boss the quantifiable results upon returning. Suggest two or three days at home per week as a trial for two weeks. Make them ultra-productive.

• Suggest only one day in the office per week. Make those days the least productive of the week

• Suggest complete mobility.

Adding Life After Subtracting Work

The two fundamental components to enjoy life:

• Continual Learning. Transport skills that you practice domestically to other countries, like sports. Instant social life and camaraderie. Or pick skills that you can practice there, like learning a language or reading books.

• Service. Doing something that improves life besides your own.

The Not-To-Do List

• Do not answer calls from unknown phone numbers

• Do not email first thing in the morning or last thing at night

• Do not agree to meetings or calls with no clear agenda or end time

• Do not let people ramble

• Do not check email constantly—“batch” and check at set times only

• Do not over-communicate with low-profit, high-maintenance customers

• Do not work more to fix overwhelmingness—prioritize

• Do not carry a cell phone 24/7

• Do not expect work to fill a void that non-work relationships and activities should

The 6 Basic Rules of the Choice-Minimal Lifestyle

• Set rules for yourself so you can automate as much decision-making as possible.

• Don’t provoke deliberation before you can take action

• Don’t postpone decisions just to avoid uncomfortable conversations.

• Learn to make nonfatal or reversible decisions as quickly as possible.

• Don’t strive for variation—and thus increase option consideration—when it’s not needed.

• Regret is past-tense decision-making. Eliminate complaining to minimize regret.

[lipsticksamurai]

Show You Care: The Power of Quality Connections

Building strong relationships is crucial for a happy life. Make time for your loved ones!

👥 Connect Often:

• Regularly spend time with friends and loved ones

• Make an effort to create meaningful memories together

• Show appreciation for the special people in your life

💕 Nurturing Connections:

• Listen with empathy and offer support when needed

• Communicate openly and honestly

• Celebrate each other's successes and milestones

Proactive Relationship Nurturing 💕

Relationships need to be cultivated and tended. Otherwise, connections with others wither.

A good place to begin is to reflect on the quality of your current relationships and how frequently you interact with the people who are important to you. In good quality relationships, attention, care and support are reciprocal, so reflect on how others are showing up for you and you for them.

• Acknowledge the importance of nurturing relationships

• Reflect on the quality and frequency of your interactions

• Show reciprocity by supporting and caring for each other

Zen master John Tarrant calls attention

“the most basic form of love.”

- JHON TARRANT

Elements of Good Relationship

• Security and Safety – Do you have someone you can rely on and turn to during a challenge?

• Growth and Learning – Who inspires you to pursue your goals?

• Emotional Closeness – Is there one person you confide in the most?

• Shared Experience and Identity Affirmation – Do you have siblings or old friends with whom you've shared identity-forming life experiences?

• Romantic Intimacy – Do you feel satisfied with the degree of intimacy and sexual connection in your life?

• Help and Assistance – Who helps you solve practical problems?

• Relaxation and Fun – Think about the people you enjoy being with.

Strengthening Your Relationship: The Pillars of Happiness

If you want to improve your relationship, listen to this Harvard study director's advice:

• Love: Vaillant believes that love is one of the keys to happiness.

• Coping Strategies: He also suggests finding healthy ways to cope with life, without pushing love away.

By incorporating these two pillars into your relationship, you can create a stronger and happier bond with your partner. 💑

“Our emotions need not be our masters; what we think, and how we approach each event in our lives, matters.”

- ROBERT

Use the WISER Model to Respond Better to Emotionally Challenging

• Watch – Take a moment to observe the situation closely and consider all aspects of it. Have you missed anything important?

• Interpret – Identify what's at stake and strive to gain greater insight into why you're feeling strong emotions. Have you made any false assumptions?

• Select – Carefully identify and weigh your options, reflecting on what you hope to accomplish and the best way of doing so.

• Engage – Respond, executing your chosen strategy with skill.

• Reflect – Learn from the incident, reflecting on what went well and what you could do differently next time.

[lipsticksamurai]

Thoughts Aren't Reality

Nguyen reminds us that our thoughts aren’t always facts. They are often just mental noise. Learning to distinguish between reality and thought is key to mental clarity.

[lipsticksamurai]

Keep the focus on problem-solving

• If the problem is something you have some control over, consider how you can prevent the problem or challenge yourself to identify five potential solutions.

• If it's something you have no control over--like a natural disaster--think about the strategies you can use to cope with it. Focus on the things you can control, like your attitude and effort.

Challenge your thoughts

Remember that your emotions will interfere with your ability to look at situations objectively. 

Take a step back and look at the evidence. What evidence do you have that your thought is true? What evidence do you have that your thought isn't true?

Schedule time for reflection

Incorporate 20 minutes of "thinking time" into your daily schedule. During that time period let yourself worry, ruminate, or mull over whatever you want. When your time is up, move onto something else. 

When you start overthinking things outside of your scheduled thinking time, simply remind yourself that you'll need to wait until your "thinking time" to address those issues in your mind.

Change the channel

Telling yourself to stop thinking about something will backfire.

Change the channel in your brain by changing your activity. Exercise, engage in conversation on a completely different subject, or work on a project that distracts you.

[lipsticksamurai]

When we see the Earth from space, we see ourselves as a whole. We see the unity, and not the divisions. It is such a simple image with a compelling message; one planet, one human race.

- STEPHEN HAWKING

So Why Isn’t Our Sun Currently Not Collapsing?

• Stars supports itself against its own gravity through the creation of thermal pressure.

• Inside every star, a huge amount of energy is being generated through nuclear reactions (fusion) which convert hydrogen into helium.

• Eventually, a star will run out of nuclear fuel. When this happens, most stars draw all surrounding matter inward and contract to an infinitely dense, infinitely small point or singularity – this is the black hole.

What Are Black Holes ?

• ….. was a star so massive that it had collapsed in on itself.

• It’s so massive that not even light can escape its gravity, which is why it’s almost perfectly black.

• It’s gravitational pull is so powerful, it warps and distorts not only light but also time.

• Black holes are formed when stars collapse by its own gravity.

Even Light Cannot Escape A Black Hole – But Something Can !! 🤯

• Hawking discovered that black holes release particles at a steady rate ( Hawking Radiation).

• His theory argues that space is filled with particles and antiparticles. They’re in a constant process of bonding, separating and then annihilating one another.

• The complex interaction of these pairs with black holes – particularly when partners are separated by the event horizon – causes black holes to lose mass, shrink and eventually disappear.

[lipsticksamurai]

Passion

Everyone is kind to someone they meet for the first time,

The question is how long their kindness lasts.

Don't be fooled just because someone is nice to you at first.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Life

Knowledge wants to talk.

Wisdom wants to listen.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Relationships

Do you know why that conversation is so boring?

Because we are trapped in politeness, unable to speak from the heart.

Any conversation can become interesting and lively as soon as we start speaking with real honesty.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Rest

Do memories cause you pain?

Practice being in the present moment.

Turn your attention to the here and now.

Notice that your thoughts subside when you focus on the present.

As your thoughts quiet so, too, the memories.

Because memories are, in essence, thoughts.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Mindfullness

Do not try to control those around you.

When you cannot control even your own mind,

What makes you think you can control others?

- HAEMIN SUNIM

What is the use of someone carrying a designer handbag when her behaviour lacks the same refinement?

- HAEMIN SUNIM

We do things for the one we love,

But sometimes just being there expresses even deeper love.

Give the gift of your full presence.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

If we know how to be content,

We can relax our endless striving and welcome serenity.

If we know how to be content,

We can enjoy the time we have with the person next to us.

If we know how to be content,

We can make peace with our past and let go of our baggage.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Some people are generous and kind to those outside their circle while neglecting the needs of those within it.

It is a mistake to take family and close colleagues for granted.

When those closest to you feel ignored and betrayed, everything you have built can collapse in an instant.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

Does the person you hate deserve to be carried around in your heart?

Keep in your heart only those who love you.

If you carry around with you people you hate, it causes only angst and depression.

- HAEMIN SUNIM

[lipsticksamurai]

Defusion Techniques

Defusion involves separating yourself from your thoughts. Instead of getting caught up in them, you observe them as just words or images, reducing their impact.

“You are not your thoughts. You are the observer of your thoughts.”

Concept of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is about being present in the moment without judgment. It helps you focus on what’s happening now, rather than being lost in worries about the past or future.

“Mindfulness allows us to experience life directly, without the filter of our thoughts.”

Role of Values in Life

Living according to your values is key to a fulfilling life. Harris encourages identifying what truly matters to you and using these values to guide your actions.

“Values are your heart’s deepest desires for the way you want to live your life.”

Committed Action

Committed action involves taking steps, however small, towards living a life aligned with your values, even when it’s difficult. This approach leads to a more meaningful existence.

“Small steps taken consistently lead to big changes over time.”

The Struggle Switch

The “struggle switch” is our tendency to resist negative feelings. When it’s on, we fight our emotions, which only makes them stronger. Turning it off means accepting emotions as they are.

“Turn off the struggle switch, and you’ll find peace, even in the midst of discomfort.”

Power of Self-compassion

Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a friend. It helps you cope with setbacks and encourages growth without harsh self-criticism.

“Self-compassion is the antidote to self-judgment and a key to emotional resilience.”

Embracing the Present Moment

Focusing on the present moment, rather than being lost in thoughts about the past or future, allows you to experience life more fully and reduces unnecessary suffering.

“The present moment is the only place where life truly happens.”

Psychological Flexibility

Psychological flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to live according to your values, even in the face of adversity. It’s a central theme in ACT.

“Flexibility in your thinking and behavior allows you to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.”

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is the foundation of the book’s approach. It encourages accepting negative emotions rather than fighting them, and committing to actions aligned with your values.

“It’s not about getting rid of difficult feelings; it’s about living a rich, full life in spite of them.”

Pitfalls of Positive Thinking

Harris warns against the trap of forced positive thinking, which can lead to ignoring real problems. Instead, he advocates for a balanced approach that acknowledges all emotions.

“Positive thinking can become toxic when it denies the reality of our experience.”

Path to True Happiness

True happiness, according to Harris, is not about constant pleasure but about living a life that’s meaningful and aligned with your values. It’s about embracing the full range of human experience.

“Happiness is not about feeling good all the time; it’s about living a rich, meaningful life.”

1. Recognize the Myth of Happiness: Understand that constant happiness is unattainable.

2. Avoid the Happiness Trap: Embrace all emotions, not just positive ones.

3. Practice Acceptance: Allow negative emotions to exist without resistance.

4. Use Defusion Techniques: Separate yourself from your thoughts.

5. Cultivate Mindfulness: Stay present in the moment without judgment.

6. Align with Your Values: Live a life guided by what truly matters to you.

7. Take Committed Action: Move towards your values with consistent effort.

8. Turn Off the Struggle Switch: Accept emotions rather than fighting

- CONCLUSION I

9. Expand Your Awareness: Make room for feelings without being overwhelmed.

10. Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding.

11. Stay Present: Focus on the here and now.

12. Develop Psychological Flexibility: Adapt to challenges while staying true to your values.

13. Avoid Forced Positivity: Accept all emotions as part of the human experience.

14. Seek True Happiness: Focus on living a meaningful life, not just a pleasurable one.

15. Embrace the Full Range of Life: Understand that happiness includes all of life’s experiences.

- CONCLUSION II

The feeling of love comes and goes on a whim; you can't control it. But the action of love is something you can do, regardless of how you are feeling.

- RUSS HARRIS

2.

a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.

"they internalize their parents' rules and values"

Similar:

principles

moral principles

ethics

moral code

morals

moral values

standards

moral standards

code of behavior

rules of conduct

standards of behavior

[lipsticksamurai]

Create a life that feels good on the inside, not just one that looks good on the outside.

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

I am never in control of what happens around me, but i am always in control of what happens within me. 

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

There is nothing more important than this moment.

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

You can join me, when you are in alignment with me 

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

If your INTENTION is powerful, your action will be powerful. If your action is powerful, your results will be powerful.

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but rather your thoughts about the situation

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES

Eliminate everything that doesn’t help you evolve.

- SPIRITUAL QUOTES