How to let go & work towards freedom

Letting go can be challenging. We have so many good memories that we want to hold onto, objects that hold sentimental value, or even bad experiences that we struggle to part with. However, often holding onto things can hold us back in life. It can distort or preoccupy our thinking. The article below discusses some tips that you can implement in order to help clear your mind.

“To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be. When we let be with compassion, things come and go on their own.”

— Jack Kornfield

Holding on to pain doesn’t fix anything. Replaying the past over and over again doesn’t change it, and wishing things were different doesn’t make it so. In some cases, especially when it comes to the past, all you can do is accept whatever it is you’re holding on to and then let it go. That’s how everything changes. You have to let go of what is hurting you, even if it feels almost impossible. Deciding to hold on to the past will hold you back from creating a strong sense of self — a self that isn’t defined by your past, but rather by who you want to be. Oddly enough, painful feelings can be comfortable, especially if they’re all you know. Some people have trouble letting go of their pain or other unpleasant emotions about their past because they think those feelings are part of their identity. In some ways, they may not know who they are without their pain. This makes it impossible for them to let go.

If you find it hard to let go of the past, a bad relationship, grudges, etc., these 12 tips could help:

1. Understand that the relationships you thought you’d have are going to be different than the ones you actually have.

We must accept the person we are in this moment and the way other people are, too. As time goes on, we continue to learn that things don’t always go as planned — actually, they pretty much never do. And that’s okay: If you become aware of yourself and your part of your relationships, they will improve; however, you may also have to accept facts about certain people in your life. Practice gratitude, appreciation, and trust in the process.

2. Don’t be invested in the outcome when it comes to dealing with people, because it often leads to disappointment.

Expectations have a way of keeping us stuck because they lead us to fear certain outcomes. There are no guarantees in life, and there’s nothing we can really do to get the outcomes we desire when dealing with others. When our expectations or needs aren’t met, we need to respond rationally and appropriately. Sometimes this means setting respectful boundaries; other times, it means letting go.

3. Don’t live in chains when you have the key. We live with self-limiting beliefs that we let define who we are.

We think, "I could never do that!" or "I could never make that happen!" If you truly believe that, you’ll never accomplish your goals. Open up your mind, and believe in yourself. There will be many people who tell you that you can’t do it. It’s up to you to prove them wrong.

4. Let go of the idea that you can control others’ actions. We really only have control over ourselves and how we act.

You can’t change another person, so don’t waste your time and energy trying. I think this is the biggest factor that pushes people to hold onto unhelpful behaviours, like the need to please. We think, “If only I do everything for everyone, they’ll never get mad at me.” Wrong!

5. Only worry about what you think of yourself.

Free yourself from being controlled by what other people think. Start to prioritise how you feel about yourself. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” You can’t live by your values if you’re living for the approval of others.

6. Leave room for mistakes.

Did you make a mistake or say something stupid? It’s okay! Use the experience to learn and make a joke. It doesn’t make you stupid to say something wrong or silly: it makes you human, and sometimes even funny.

7. Accept the things you cannot change.

Stop wishing things could be the way they once were. Bring yourself into the present moment. This is where life happens. You can’t change the past; you can only make decisions today to help how your future turns out.

8. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

This will allow you to relax and enjoy life's journey. I laugh with myself and at myself all the time.

9. Do what scares you.

Fear holds us back from doing a lot of things because it closes our minds to possibilities for our future and locks us into our comfort zone. Most fears fill us with doubt and “what ifs” that imprison us. The more you do to get out of your comfort zone, the more fear will subside. In life, do what scares you, and you’ll grow and succeed!

10. Express what works for you.

Find your voice, and share with others what you’re thinking and feeling in a rational way. If you continue to communicate with others what works for you and doesn’t work for you, you’ll no longer bottle up your emotions. Expressing yourself is an important part of feeling good about yourself and your relationships.

11. Allow yourself to feel negative emotions.

Whether you lost a loved one through death or a break-up, honour your loss. Trying to ignore your negative emotions will extend your suffering. Loss is difficult to experience, and it’s okay to allow yourself to hurt and be sad. Let yourself feel, and go through the grief process so that you can move forward.

12. Learn forgiveness.

Resentment and unwillingness to forgive will keep you locked in the past and prevent you from moving forward with your life. Remember: When you forgive, you aren’t doing it for the other person; you’re doing it for yourself. If for no other reason than that, forgive and let go.

Carl Jung said, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” There’s a lesson in that for all of us: Try to let go of whatever it is that’s holding you back from experiencing yourself. You’ll probably realise that you are not what other people say you are. You are not your pain, your past, or your emotions. It’s the negative ideas about ourselves and our hurtful self-talk that get in the way of who we really want to be. Being able to let go requires a strong sense of self, which gives you the ability to learn and grow from your experiences.’

Article author: Ilene Strauss
Original source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/your-emotional-meter/201708/important-tips-how-let-go-and-free-yourself

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Tips to strengthen your immune system

Our immune systems do a remarkable job of protecting us from illness. However, we can’t expect them to perform at their best if we are not taking care of ourselves and our body is then having to work over-time. The article below outlines some areas we can consider working on, in order to ensure our immune systems are strong and ready for action.

Your immune system is your first port of call in the fight to stave off infection and disease. Keeping it in good condition is important both for individuals and the public at large to stay happy and healthy.

To help, we’ve put together a list of top tips on how you can keep your immune system fighting fresh.

First-hand hygiene

Soap and water can be hugely helpful in stopping transmission of the infection. Some viruses have a lipid (or fatty) layer on the outside, so simple hand washing breaks them down and stops them spreading. 

We’ve also learned that a person’s underlying level of health is relevant to how well the body copes with infection. Lifestyle changes can do nothing to stop you from becoming unwell – that mostly comes down to hand hygiene or social distancing techniques – but they can help to strengthen your body and mind.

The strength of the immune system varies not only from person to person but also from day to day – its ability to fight off disease fluctuates depending on many factors. 

Reduce stress

The headlines we’re bombarded with every day could easily have an impact on the nation’s mental health. In this time of stress, it’s useful to remember the impact stress hormones have on weakening the immune system.

In short supply, the stress hormone cortisol can boost immunity by limiting inflammation. But, once it crosses a certain threshold, too much cortisol in the blood opens the door for more inflammation. 

Stress can also negatively impact the production of lymphocytes — the white blood cells that are the body’s first line of defence against infection — putting you at potential risk of viral disease. Consider limiting your daily screen time and take breaks when you feel burned out. Relaxation techniques like meditation and gentle exercise might also help.

The importance of exercise

Regular exercise promotes cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and offers protection against diseases. 

Exercise also improves blood circulation, allowing immune system cells to move through the body more freely and do their job more effectively.

Eat a balanced diet

The immune system is the body’s natural defence system, and (like any army) its soldiers need sustenance. Make sure you eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables in order to receive the right proportion of micronutrients.

Nutrition, and the advice of nutritionists, is useful in understanding the best way to respond to patterns of illness. Monash University’s ‘Food as Medicine’ course, designed especially for healthcare professionals, gives an introduction to current evidence surrounding the impact of nutrition on the development and treatment of chronic low-grade inflammation, and potential subsequent disease development.

Don’t smoke

Smoking tobacco has several negative effects on immune system health, such as:

• Greater susceptibility to infections such as pneumonia and influenza.

• More severe and longer-lasting illnesses.

• Lower levels of protective antioxidants (such as vitamin C), in the blood.

Try to sleep

Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep or good quality sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus.

When we sleep, the body releases proteins called cytokines, while sleep deprivation decreases their production. Cytokines are paramount during times of infection or inflammation.’

Source: FutureLearn

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Ayurvedic practices to enhance your health & digestion

Overall health and well-being is so much more than just the absence of disease or illness. It should include the state of our mental health, our senses, and what we are actively doing to nurture and care for our bodies to prevent negative disruptions - illness or otherwise. Ayurveda takes a very holistic approach to wellness, the article below discusses in more detail what we can do to support a healthy and happy life..

‘The healing tradition of Ayurveda teaches that health and wellbeing depends upon our ability to digest everything we take in from the environment. This includes not only tangible substances like food and drink, but also our experiences, emotions, and the impressions we take in via our sensory portals, namely our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin.

Agni is the Sanskrit term for the “digestive fire” that breaks down the food and other things we ingest from the environment, assimilating what is useful, and eliminating the rest.

When our digestive ability, or agni, is strong, we create healthy tissues, eliminate waste products efficiently, and produce a subtle essence called ojas. Ojas, which is a Sanskrit word that means strength, can be envisioned as the innermost vital essence. According to Ayurveda, ojas is the basis for clarity of perception, physical strength, and immunity. On the other hand, if our agni is weakened through improper eating, lack of activity, negative emotional energy or unhealthy daily routine, our digestion will be hampered and we produce toxins that get stored in the body. According to Ayurveda, this toxic residue, known as ama, is the root cause of disease.

Uncovering the Root Causes of Digestive Issues

Whether we are coping with weight issues or uncomfortable GI symptoms such as bloating, gas, or indigestion, often the underlying root problem is weak agni, or poor digestion. Unfortunately, in Western medicine, we aren’t trained to ask the key question “How strong is my digestive fire?” Instead, we concentrate solely on the foods going in. When a patient goes to a health care provider trained in conventional allopathic medicine, the treatment options for digestive issues are typically medications, which serve to control symptoms, but do not treat the underlying cause.

Even when a provider’s approach includes testing and the elimination of offending foods, this is still only addressing part of the problem. While this treatment addresses the agent (or food) being ingested, it doesn’t look at why it is not being digested properly. Although eliminating foods that are bothersome can often alleviate symptoms, it is often difficult for patients to continually avoid those foods. It can often begin to disrupt their quality of life. The Ayurvedic concept of agni allows us to expand the conversation into answering the most important questions: “Why did the body begin to improperly digest, or not tolerate, this food?” and “How can we both eliminate the offending agent and concurrently increase agni or digestive power?” This approach opens up the possibility of re-introducing the food at a future time, allowing the person to fully experience foods again.

Getting Practical

Ayurveda recommends a variety of practical techniques for keeping our digestive fire strong. Incorporating these practices into your daily life can strengthen agni and, in turn, facilitate weight loss, improve the metabolism of food, and minimise uncomfortable GI symptoms.

Here are six powerful ways to strengthen your agni:

1. Meditate on a regular basis. Studies are increasingly confirming the genetic changes that occur with regular meditation, which can help restore the body’s homeostasis, including the processes controlling digestion. To achieve maximum benefit, meditate for 20 to 30 minutes, twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening. To get started with meditation or to deepen your meditation practice, please visit the Chopra Center’s Meditation Resource Library.

2. Do some form of daily movement. Whether it is a little yoga every morning, or a daily walk, a recent study published in Diabetes Care showed that a short 15-minute walk after each meal helped to control sugar spikes after eating. These short post-meal walks were more effective than taking a longer, 45-minute walk once daily.

3. Don’t overeat. When we eat more food than our stomach can accommodate, we cannot properly break it down. We also tend to produce more acid, thus causing reflux and indigestion. In addition, the amount of digestive enzymes produced may not be able to completely break down the volume of food ingested, which leads to more gas formation, discomfort, or bloating. Ayurveda recommends that we leave one-third to one-quarter of our stomach empty to allow space for our body to easily digest our meal.

   Here is a simple way to gauge an ideal portion of food for a meal based on your body size: Cup your hands together with your fingertips touching, forming the shape of a bowl. The recommended amount of food for a meal is the equivalent of two of these handfuls of food. Of course, you can eat less than two handfuls if your appetite is smaller.

4. Sip on ginger tea throughout the day, and with meals. Ginger is known in Ayurveda as the “universal remedy” due to its many benefits for the body, and it has been used for more than 2,000 years to treat digestive issues. Ginger can relax the smooth muscle of the intestines, thereby relieving symptoms of gas and cramping.

   A recent study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that ginger stimulates digestion by speeding up the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine, and helps eliminates digestive discomfort after eating. In addition, ginger can stimulate saliva, bile, and gastric enzymes to aid in digestion of the food that has been ingested. The researchers concluded that these beneficial effects are a result of phenolic compounds, primarily gingerol and shogaol, and various other volatile oils that are present in ginger.

   Ginger Tea Recipe: Ginger tea is refreshing and easy to make. Just add one teaspoon of grated or sliced fresh ginger root to a cup of hot water. You can prepare a larger batch and keep it with you in a thermos bottle to sip throughout the day.

5. Eat your largest meal at lunchtime. Our bodies are most able to digest food at midday, when we are active. As studies have found, our digestive system secretes the highest concentration of “digestive juices” around noon, making this the best time to eat our largest meal. In the evening, our bodies are slowing down and preparing for sleep. If we eat our biggest meal at dinner, when our digestive fire is weaker, we will feel heavy and bloated and will be more likely to have difficulty falling asleep.

6. Focus on releasing negative emotions. You’ve no doubt noticed that your emotions influence your digestion. You may get heartburn when you’re under stress, lose your appetite when you feel sad, or become nauseated or even throw up before a big exam or presentation. A growing body of research is finding that the stress associated with unprocessed negative emotions can inhibit the natural digestive process and lead to chronic digestive issues.

   As we now know, a complex, independent nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS) lines the gastrointestinal tract. Dubbed “the second brain” by Dr. Michael Gershon, a researcher and physician at Columbia University Medical Center, the ENS contains many of the major neurotransmitters that are found in the brain, including serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine, and nitric oxide. In fact, about 95 percent of the serotonin contained in the body at any given time is in the ENS.

   This second brain controls our digestion and can work both independently and in conjunction with the brain in our head. Without getting bogged down in the details of this intricate system, we can briefly state that there is an intimate relationship between our brain and our gut, and our digestion responds to the thoughts and emotions. When we experience a situation that we interpret as stressful, signals from the brain can alter nerve function between the stomach and oesophagus, resulting in heartburn. With extreme stress, the brain sends signals to the gut immune cells that release chemicals leading to inflammation. This inflammation can then lead to malabsorption, and even food sensitivities if the stress becomes chronic. By learning how to manage stress and release emotional turbulence, we help our digestive tract to work naturally and efficiently.

Proper digestion, with a strong agni, plays a central role in our physical and emotional wellbeing. As Ayurveda recognises, we are not what we eat, but “we are what we digest.” By making choices that strengthen our digestive ability, we form the foundation for good health and vitality.’

Article Source: https://www.deepakchopra.com/articles/six-ayurvedic-practices-to-improve-your-digestion/
Article author: Deepak Chopra

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How to enhance your space with Feng Shui

A clear and calm mind can be strongly influenced by our living space. If you are wanting to work on yourself, release things, or invite a sense of freedom into your life, read the article below on feng shui in the home. You may find that even small changes can make a big difference to your day -to-day life.

What is feng shui?

Feng shui is the Chinese practice that focuses on balancing and harmonising the energies in your home, office, and life to reflect your emotional self. Aligning the energy of your environment with your own is easier than you think, take it step by step and it is believed that this will unlock the flow of energy to help you lead a more balanced life.

The feng shui elements

Create balance and vibrancy in your life by consciously channelling the energies of the five feng shui elements.

1. Water

2. Metal

3. Fire

4. Wood

5. Earth

Bagau

Bagau (also called ba-gua or pakua) is the feng shui energy map, it helps you identify areas in your home and how they are connected to specific areas of your life, but also is a guide on the appropriate shapes and colours for each room. The Chinese translation is “8 areas” which it is believed amount to one’s health and happiness.

The eight areas of the feng shui bagau are:

• Health & Family

• Wealth & Abundance

• Fame & Reputation

• Love & Marriage

• Creativity & Children

• Helpful People & Blessings

• Career & Path in Life

• Spiritual Growth & Cultivation

The rules of feng shui for home placement

• Slopes can create negative chi, so avoid homes on a slope of 45 degrees or more.

• Avoid building near power stations as they generate energy and can create energy chaos resulting in negative chi.

• A home with views over a cemetery is considered bad energy as a cemetery is a place of death.

• Don't buy or build a home close to a junk-dumping site as the clutter can have a negative effect on chi.

• The layout of the street in relationship to your home can either carry positive or negative chi to you.

How to use feng shui in your home

When it comes to your home the “feng shui trinity” – your bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen – has the utmost importance for your health and wellbeing.

1. The entry to your home should be inviting and clear of clutter. Feng shui experts concur that your whole house should be clutter-free and contain only the essentials. This will help declutter your mind and allow you to focus.

2. Keep the garden well maintained and tidy.

3. Create “chi” in your backyard by using curves – straight lines are rarely present in nature.

4. Put away coats and shoes in your entry hallway so that energy can circulate.

5. Airflow is key to creating positive energy in the home. Open your windows often and use an air purifier to keep your home fresh.

6. Bring wealth into your home by placing a plant and a light either side of the front door.

7. For uplifting positive energy, place a mirror above a table with fresh flowers.

8. Choose your art carefully, as images carry strong energy. Choose images that are happy and beautiful. Avoid using images that feature lonely or solo people or items.

9. Keep your space clear of clutter. It will keep the energy in your home light and harmonious.

10. Allow as much natural light into your home as possible. During the day use candles and lamps to illuminate dark spaces which represent areas of neglect in certain aspects of your life.

11. Create clutter-free benchtops. Like most other spaces, clutter is a no-go in the kitchen. Use simple storage solutions to help save space so you will have larger workspaces to utilise.

12. Herb gardens add a sense of calm and beauty to a kitchen.

13. It is bad feng shui to have the bathroom and kitchen doors facing each other. When two doors are opposite each other it is said that the energies flow faster in and out – the same goes for your front and back door.

14. Your sofa, coffee table, and entertainment units should not be disproportionally large in your living room. All of the furniture should work in harmony. When it comes to the arrangement there is no right or wrong answer, but your sofa should be pushed up against a wall.

15. A mix of shapes in your living room is important. Opt for a circular coffee table with a rectangular lounge and add in other round, oval and square items to help balance out the room.

16. To encourage the flow of wealth, place a lamp in the corner of your room diagonally opposite the room’s entry.

17. In public (yang) spaces, bring energy to the room through the calculated use of colour. Deep blue and eggplant are energising colours and red is invigorating.

18. To optimise energy in the dining room place a large mirror reflecting the table as it is said to bring good fortune and abundance. Although make sure you hang it high enough so guests aren’t looking at themselves.

19. Don’t let your dining table become a place of neglect as they often become the household “dumping ground.” Clear the clutter and create an appealing environment you don’t forget about.

20. People don’t like sitting with their backs to open doorways and windows, position your dining table so people have their back to a wall. This will help them feel safe and comfortable.

21. You should always keep something on the dining table – fruit is a great choice. Apples help develop friendship, pears attract positive energy, peaches represent good health, and oranges symbolise richness and prosperity.

22. Crystals are a huge part of feng shui which is why chandeliers make a great addition. The reflective metals in the chandeliers will help the space feel calmer.

23. When it comes to the bedroom layout, place your bed against a solid wall where you can view your main door.

24. Importantly, avoid placing mirrors opposite the bed, as arguments will be amplified.

25. Try and avoid having electricals running behind your bed, look for a battery-operated alarm clock – keeping your phone out of your bedroom is a non-negotiable!

26. If you have a painting above your bed, hang it high and choose something that will elevate your mood. Think calm colours and soft shapes.

27. Keep all bedroom doors closed at night, including wardrobe doors.

28. Avoid clutter and storage under the bed, as you'll absorb the energy whilst sleeping.

29. Clear your bedroom of the TV, computer or exercise equipment. These items introduce the energy of work and stress into a space that should be relaxing and harmonious.

30. Make your space warm and inviting with soft and cosy textures. Add symmetry with table lamps and matching bedside tables to create a bookended effect, then your bed will feel like a room within a room.

31. Don’t use red in your room – it is very yang and can affect your quality of sleep, or ability to actually get to sleep.

32. Don’t place plants in your bedroom unless it’s a large space, and keep them as far away from the bed as possible.

33. Keep your bathroom clean. We’re not saying you need to squeegee your bathroom from top to bottom each day, but keeping it clutter-free will help. Select the bare necessities, look for earth-friendly products and keep it orderly and neat.

34. When it comes to bathrooms, the colour white and other light colours are great choices as they are fresh and body-friendly. The colour white also helps cut through confusion, slowness and delays which helps purify and cleanse. Avoid the colours blue and black (water element colours) and images of water as these will strengthen the energy you want to control.

35. To avoid draining wealth energy in the bathroom, keep toilet lids down and keep the door shut. Plants can help improve the feng shui.

36. Always position your desk or working spaces with a view rather than a solid wall. This hinders creativity.

37. Improve the quality of air in the home or office by introducing plants, foliage, and flora. Plants will improve concentration and increase positive energy, concentration, and innovative thinking while reducing stress.

38. Crystals will break electrical waves transmitted by computers, software, phones, and technical devices. Neutralise negative energy by positioning them next to water throughout the office or the home.

39. Colour plays an important role when it comes to feng shui: gold promotes prosperity, silver represents security, and red is for wealth. Attract desired outcomes by introducing suitable colours into your space.  

40. Retain the essence of abundance by placing a small water fountain near the main entry door.’

Author: Lottie Dalziel
Original source: https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-feng-shui

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Tidying your to-do list for mental clarity

Marie Kondo is well known for her life changing methods of tidying and reducing the amount of clutter we have. Whilst decluttering tangible items can have a significant impact on our well-being and modd, so to can decluttering intangible items, such as a to-do list. The article below walks you through the process of managing your to-do list, following the Marie Kondo method. From this, we can hopefully live with more metal clarity and less weight on our minds. Check it out!

Your to-do list should spark joy, not dread.

Your to-do list is an extension of your mind. It’s the spare room where you keep tomorrow’s work tucked away so you can focus on what’s in front of you today.

But just like a spare room, if you don’t regularly tidy up your list, things get cluttered. Instead of being a reliable source of to-dos, it becomes a task in itself to sort through the mess and figure out what to work on next. A tidy task list does more than just improve productivity — it benefits your mental clarity, decision-making, and even your mood.

Taking a cue from Marie Kondo’s excellent The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you can declutter your task list in the same way she tidies physical belongings: by establishing a few simple, organisational habits.

1. Before you start, visualise your destination

How can you know which tasks are worth doing if you don’t know where you want to go? How will you find the motivation to keep your to-do list clutter-free if you don’t know why you’re decluttering in the first place?

Before touching any clutter, Marie first asks her clients to envision the life they want to achieve by tidying up.

Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space.

Or in our case, a clutter-free to-do list. Before you even start looking at your tasks, write down what having a neatly organised and prioritised to-do list would mean for your life. Maybe you want to run a successful business, get in shape, be more present with your family, have closer relationships with friends, or lead a more adventurous life.

Find a medium that lets you truly envision the details. You can describe it in words, mind map it, draw it out, create a Pinterest board, collect Youtube videos, or brainstorm in whatever form suits you.

But don’t stop there. “to prevent rebound you need to move ahead properly, step by step, as you launch into this once-in-a-lifetime event,” Marie says. “Your next step is to identify why you want to live like that.”

Why do you want to get in shape? The answer might be “to have more energy and feel more confident.”  Why do you want to have more energy and feel more confident? Maybe the answer is “to be more fully yourself and stop worrying about what other people think of you.” Ask yourself “why” 3-5 times for every item in your vision. Marie explains the importance of this step to prevent a relapse into messiness:

As you continue to explore the reasons behind your ideal lifestyle, you will come to a simple realisation. The whole point in both discarding and keeping things is to be happy. It may seem obvious, but it is important to experience this realisation for yourself and let it sink into your heart. Before you start tidying, look at the lifestyle you aspire to and ask yourself, “Why do I want to tidy?”

Keep your “why” top-of-mind as you tidy and after by creating a task in your To-do list that represents your final vision. If you have an accompanying document or image, link to it from your task or attach it to your task comments. This is your True North that will help you determine whether a task is worth doing. If you’ve written out an all-encompassing vision, break it down into several goals for each area of your life, and create a task for each.

Use your final goal to keep your tasks aimed in the right direction.

You may want to give your task a recurring due date to review the vision you set out for yourself at the start of each day.

Once you’re clear on why you’re tidying, you’re ready to start tackling the hard decisions of what to keep on your to-do list and what to let go of.

2. Finish discarding first

Think of your task list like a physical space: when it’s crammed with random stuff, it becomes too hard to find the things that you actually need.

Right now, your to-do list may be stuffed with half-baked ideas, empty projects, and tasks you forgot to check off:

Discard first, organise second.

Following Marie’s system, it’s time to do a task inventory.

It’s not just Marie. David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, believes that organising our life is actually a search for mental space: GTD is “more of a space management system.”

Do a complete task inventory

When Marie Kondo arrives at a house to tidy it up, she begins by kneeling on the floor in the centre of the living room to show respect for all of its belongings. From there, she helps her client begin the journey, considering each and every item in turn.

Take the same approach (kneeling optional) and do a full inventory of all the tasks and projects in your To do list. Depending how cluttered your to-do list is, you may want to dedicate a full day or even a weekend to this endeavour. As Marie says, “Tidy a little bit each day and you’ll be tidying forever.”

Remember, this exercise isn’t just about decluttering your to-do list — it’s about cutting away the nonessential so that the only tasks you have left are the ones that bring you closer to the life you want to live. Marie’s famous standard is “does it spark joy?” If the answer is yes, keep it. If not, get rid of it.

For your to-do list, we recommend a slightly different criterion:

As you do your inventory, ask yourself: Does this task bring me closer to the life I want to live?

If the answer is yes, keep it. It not, delete it from your task list.

You’re going to run into tasks that you want to delete, but let’s face it, grunt work is necessary for any significant achievement. Try reframing the tasks that don’t excite you. While “run every day” may feel like a chore, “try to run a 10-minute mile today” may be a more specific and motivating challenge.

Re-frame tasks in ways that make you remember why you want to do them in the first place.

Even Marie concedes that there are items you have to keep even if they don’t spark joy — like important documents.  For work like taking out the trash or doing your taxes, create a separate project called “responsibilities” and pare it down to the things that, while they don’t bring you joy, you just have to do anyway.

This is a good exercise to check in on and see how much of your to-do list are things you get to do vs things you have to do.

Let things go

You may have a tough time letting go of long-standing tasks on your list. Maybe you always envisioned yourself finishing that home renovation project yourself. Or maybe you don’t want to let go of your novel that hasn’t made it past the first chapter (or page). It can feel like giving up on the version of yourself you wanted to be when you added that task or project in the first place.

Marie explains that even unfinished tasks served a purpose. You’ve clarified what you actually care about and why:

Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover. Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those.

Letting go of old tasks and projects teaches you how to create space for what’s important to you now. As you go through your old tasks, acknowledge that there was a purpose when you added it, but it’s no longer relevant to the life you’re striving for today.

Don’t be afraid to delete tasks that are no longer relevant to the life you want to live.

If you just can’t bring yourself to hit delete on a task and banish it from your life forever, you have the option to save it in a temporary project in to-do list. (Marie would strongly disapprove: “Storage is nothing but a cosmetic solution. You must begin by discarding!” But you should do what works best for you.)

If you’re intent on saving tasks, create a project named “Maybe later” and hide it from view by archiving it. You can always come back and unarchive it later.

3. Give every task a place

Ok, you’ve got the right tasks — now it’s time to sort and organise. Similar to Marie’s rule that every physical item should have its place, every task on your to-do list should have its project. Group your tasks together in ways that are intuitive to you.

For instance, if your goal is to get in shape, you could begin with the “fitness” category and create a project with that name. Find every task related to your goal and move those tasks to the project.

Think of each project as a “room” in the life you want to build.

Repeat this for every category until your to-do list is organised into projects. For tasks that don’t fit into any of the categories you’ve identified as important, ask yourself if it still belongs on your to-do list.

Keep your projects visible

At this point, it’s tempting to start creating a bunch of sub-projects that you can hide from view (like seasonal storage), but Marie advises her clients to keep everything visible all year round. Just as seeing every physical object you own keeps you from accumulating too much stuff, seeing every project you’ve committed to can be a helpful reminder to stay focused on what’s important and not let new tasks and projects clutter up your list.

Sequence your tasks

A great way to stay in the flow of a project is to finish one task and immediately move on to the next. Take the time to sequence your tasks in a logical order before you get to work.

Rearrange tasks by dragging the handlebar to the left of each task (Web, Mac, Windows) or tapping, holding, and dragging (iOS, Android) to the right place on the list. You can do the same thing daily while planning your Today view so that all your tasks due today are in the right order.

Drag and drop your tasks into an order that makes sense for you.

Add priorities

There are some tasks that are more essential to your goal than others. Set task priorities to keep track of which is which. Here’s an example of how to evaluate a task’s priority level:

P1 — Must finish.

P2 — Nice to have.

P3 — Finish if there is time available.

P4 — Unnecessary. These may have snuck in through your task inventory. Delete them now.

Use priority levels to automatically order tasks from most to least important.

Give each task a due date

Finally, set a date to complete each task. A handy tip is to make an estimate for how long a task will take to complete, and then double it. It’s be better to overestimate and finish early than to underestimate and finish late. Give each task a due date and schedule repeating tasks with a recurring due date.

Make sure your to-do list “sparks joy”

Aesthetics affect our mindset. When Marie does her inventory, she shows up dressed to the nines. She has carefully picked out every part of her appearance to suit the needs of the day. She takes the same approach to the space she’s reviewing:

“Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love. Isn’t that image spellbinding? For someone who loves books, what greater happiness could there be?”

Give you to-do list a style that will to put you in a positive mindset whenever you check in. To borrow Marie’s signature phrase, make your digital task space “spark joy.” Here are a few tips:

• Write clear, specific, and motivating project and task titles. For example, instead of naming your task “go for a jog”, try “take a morning jog through the forest” or “explore a new running route today”

• Add text formatting and emojis to give them life: “take a morning jog through the forest”

• Use a colour theme that matches your style or mood

• Arrange your projects in an intuitive way

• Continually let go of the projects and tasks that don’t excite you

Your to-do list is ready for action.

4. Change your mindset, then your habits

You’ve revamped your task list to be cleaner, simpler, and more aligned with your goals. But don’t expect the work to be finished overnight.

At this point, Marie has noticed that many people, lose faith — “I’m just a messy person!” But that’s not the case. Being tidy is an acquired mindset, she says.

With your to-do list, this translates to asking that essential question for every new task coming into your list: Does it lead to your vision? If not, discard it on the spot. If the answer is yes, add it to the proper spot on your lists.

Of course, unhelpful tasks are bound to sneak in from time to time. Weed them out with a weekly review so you start each week with a clearly prioritised to-do list. Discard tasks that don’t bring you closer to your goals. Organise the spare tasks that have ended up in your inbox into the right projects. Have certain tasks or projects fallen out of line with your goal? Discard those, too.

Finally, check in on your big picture goals every few months. It’s natural for priorities to shift as you grow and learn more about what tasks and projects truly motivate you.

If your goals change, update your “life vision” task to document and do a mini-inventory to re-tidy your list. Over time, the goals that stand the test of time will be valuable to you, and now you’ll have the tools to achieve them in an organised way.

We spend a lot of time in digital spaces. Luckily, we can take a page from Marie Kondo’s ideas about physical space to keep our digital environment — and by extension, our minds and lives — tidy. It’s not just a productivity boost; in a world of constant interruptions and information overload, healthy organisational habits will help you stay balanced and carve out time for the things that bring you joy, all the while making progress towards what matters to you most.

Article author: Neil Vidyarthi
Article source: https://blog.doist.com/life-changing-magic-tidying-todoist/

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What is Kundalini Yoga

Kindalini yoga works strongly with energy and attemtpting to unblock areas that we may be energetically stuck. With so many different styles of yoga available, each offering a different experience, kundalini is worth a try. Read the article below to learn more about the kundalini practice..

This ancient healing practice awakens and connects you to the divine energy within yourself, so you can achieve a life full of lightness, joy, and boundless love.

Throughout our lifetimes, we’ll all face triumphs, wins, hardships, and challenges. Kundalini guides us in reacting to the ups and downs from a more neutral headspace. This ancient healing practice was the first yoga ever created, and its technologies have been scientifically proven to activate specific parts of your brain that increase awareness and generate more balanced control. Through breath, specific movements, and timing, this practice works to increase the nervous system on a cellular level and increase your energetic awareness.

What does kundalini mean?

In Sanskrit, kundalini means “coiled snake.” In early Eastern religion, it was believed that divine energy was created at the base of the spine. It’s energy we are born with, and Kundalini works to “uncoil the snake” and connect us to this divine energy within.

In its early creation, Kundalini was a study of the science of energy and spiritual philosophy, and in ancient times, royalty would sit with Kundalini Masters to hear the ancient scientific teachings of Kundalini and spiritual visions. Yogi Bhajan, originally named Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, is credited with bringing Kundalini to our Western culture.

Why do practitioners of Kundalini Yoga wear white?

Yogi Bhajan believed that colours have an effect on consciousness. The colour white was thought to expand your aura by an extra foot, not only providing more protection from the harmful energy surrounding you, but projecting positive energy out into the world, as well. “We ask you to wear white so that you will reflect what is outside and go within yourself—that’s what white clothes can do for you,” he said in 1975.

Those who practice Kundalini Yoga also often wear white turbans or other head coverings. While optional, head covering are thought to focus your energy at the third eye or Ajna Chakra and create a sense of calm, as well as symbolise your devotion to the practice.

How can Kundalini Yoga help us?

We use Kundalini as a tool to achieve a life full of lightness, joy, and boundless love. Through Kundalini Yoga, you will begin to not only become aware of the geometry of your body, but also see how this practice affects the energy, emotion, and motion in your body, quickly and efficiently.

We all have “locks” in our body where energy is stuck and we are no longer in flow with our mind–body connection, the universe, and our highest potential. Kundalini Yoga pulls the energy at the base of your spine up, all the way through the roof of your crown and outward so that energy can flow and create balance in your energy centres and chakras.

Together, we’ll walk you through some of the technical parts of this yoga practice, including the breathwork, mantras, kriyas, meditations, and mudras, so you can understand what each of them are and their individual benefits.

At first, the chanting, breathwork, and some of the postures might feel weird. Yet in order to get the most from this spiritual practice, it is very important to commit to your practice, show up consistently, and come with an open mind.

5 aspects of a Kundalini Yoga practice

How to do the Breath of Fire

The most common breath used in Kundalini Yoga is Long Deep Breathing, where you breathe slow and deep in and out through the nose by expanding the stomach out on the inhale and contracting the stomach in on the exhale.

Every meditation and kriya has a specific breath and posture to help generate or release specific energy. One of the most common and loved breathwork practices in Kundalini Yoga is Breath of Fire. Breath of fire is practiced by breathing rapidly equal parts in and out through the nose by pumping your stomach to create oxygen in your blood and charge your electromagnetic field. Breathwork is a beautiful tool to have when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. We use Long Deep Breathing with our left hand over our heart and right over our stomach to instantly soothe our anxieties.

Mantras

Mantras aren’t as intimidating and woo-woo as they sound! The use of chants and sound, or mantras, have the power to signal a chemical reaction in the brain and body, positively affecting your mood. The moods we feel—like happiness, joy, and sadness—all vibrate at a specific frequency. By chanting a mantra, we are channelling the positive power of them, whether it’s peace, abundance, or prosperity.

Chanting a mantra attracts your body to vibrate at that frequency, elevating your mood to higher vibrations, creating a more abundant and high-vibe state of mind. You don’t always have to be sitting in meditation to use mantras; you can also use mantras in your sleep or when you’re driving—the energy of the sacred tones and sounds will fill your space and attract that energy into reality.

Kriyas

When you put breath, posture, and sounds all together, you have a kriya—or a set of exercises. Kriya means “action,” and it is through a specific set of actions and commitment where manifestation can begin to take place. Kriyas work on all levels of your mind, body, and spirit, creating an overall healthy and abundant life full of vitality.

Mudras

Mudras are hand positions that lock and direct energy into different parts of our brains. Thousands of years ago, yogis mapped out the hands and how they are connected to different parts of the brain and body through specific hand placement. We always use a finger to finger placement and press down to activate the energy.

The most common mudra in Kundalini yoga is the gyan mudra that uses the thumb and index fingers to stimulate knowledge. In order to accomplish this mudra, you must firmly press the thumb and index finger together, which activates the points of the fingers. The index finger is associated with Jupiter, which represents expansion. In this mudra, you experience receptivity and calmness. We use this passive yet powerful form unless there is another active form specified.

Another favourite and effective mudra is one that opens up blocks of communication, which can help in everything to a first date to a nerve-wracking business meeting. Press the pad of the thumb onto the nail of the Mercury (pinky) finger for one minute. This allows you to develop the inner confidence to communicate all you need. After this, lightly touch your thumb to your pinky finger, channelling your communication energy to align with your ego.

Kundalini meditations

Meditations in Kundalini Yoga have releasing and healing results. During meditation, you can feel entirely awakened, heightened, and moved by the energy you’re releasing or creating. The meditations in Kundalini yoga are practiced at specific lengths to achieve different results. A 3-minute meditation affects the electromagnetic field and circulation of blood in the body, while an 11-minute meditation begins to alter the nervous and glandular systems of the body. A 31-minute meditation affects all cells, rhythms of the body, and clears out the subconscious mind.

The following is a simple and easy meditation you can practice on your own to get a feel for how Kundalini can affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. This meditation gives you a boost of energy, making it a great practice for when you wake up in the morning or during the middle of the day if you’re feeling drained and depleted. This meditation can bring in new, vibrant energy and can rejuvenate your focus, coordination, and spirit. If you’re feeling tired, do this meditation and then take a simple Savasana (Corpse Pose)).

A step-by-step Kundalini meditation:

1. Sit comfortably with legs crossed and your spine straight. Place your palms together in prayer pose at the centre of the chest with the fingers pointing up.

2. With eyes closed, you’ll focus your gaze at the brow point where your third eye or 6th chakra is located, which is the point between your eyebrows and up a bit.

3. Your breath will be divided into four equal parts as you inhale.

4. After you breathe in four equal parts, you will hold the breath and exhale, breaking the outgoing breath again into four equal parts and then hold out for a few seconds.

5. On each inhale and exhale, pull your navel point toward your spine. Each breath cycles takes about 7–8 seconds.

This meditation is best practiced for 3–5 minutes. We love to add the mantra Sa Ta Na Ma to this meditation, and we encourage you to play this mantra if your mind is anxious or your thoughts are distracting you. Sa Ta Na Ma means “Infinity, Life, Death, and Rebirth.” This mantra will help you focus your mind and ultimately connects you to your highest and most true self.’

Authors: Brittany Deanda and Tara Schulenberg
Article source: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/a-beginners-guide-to-kundalini-yoga/

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