Reset your mind and body

   The idea of a reset is often desired, yet a seldom experienced or practiced occurance. We reset our devices, and maintain our vehicles to ensure long lasting high quality performance. Developing a practice for our mind and body to have a reset is something I have found beneficial in so many ways. Returning to stillness and homeostasis, making space for healing and a restorative process for our over worked mind and body. Doing this once a week has been one of my favorite routines that I find essential for progress.

   How to implement this practice 

   Making this a weekly routine starts with setting aside time for this, aka making time for this. I think for most people Sunday night seems to be a great way to introduce this. Starting with maybe 1-2 hours although longer times are better if you are able to. At first it will be difficult to unwind, but practice is the journey to rest. Ideally making this a full day practice of rest as well as activity that promotes rewiring your thoughts.

   The mind, rest

   The goal is to clear all distractions, think of all your thoughts and concerns written down on a chalkboard and picture yourself erasing it. Find a spot, shut off your phone and get comfortable with the feeling of 'ah,'. Embrace the sense of stillness and rest. The only thing you have to do is breath. Notice just that, every inhale you feel new life being brought in. Every exhale is a detoxification and knowing your body is capable of healing. Then start to bring your attention to the space between each breath, which is a place of complete stillness. This is rest, and I can assure you that it is a practice that gets more rewarding as you do it. Being in a good spot is very helpful for this, and could be going to your back yard, local park, or just a favorite chair.

   The most common obstacle and reason we don't just already do this is that we cant seem to shut off our mind. This is why I say learning to rest is a practice, and it takes time. Resting is a discipline, and discipline is the path to freedom. It's almost funny that we can still be on the first breath, even the inhale and already our mind is attatched to a thought of worry. Just notice thoughts like clouds, just there. You observe them. Something I used when starting was viewing each thought like a train passing, and it got to notice I can make a choice to be in stillness or chase this train, jump on and see where it goes. The first option is my goal, just let it go by with the thought of I am not leaving this place of rest, while feeling the space between breath as a refuge.

  The Body, active rest

   Active rest is movement that is enjoyable and for most that is not strenuous. This could be a very wide range of things to each person. Taking a walk, doing yoga, hitting golf balls, playing with a pet, or even dancing for some. Think of it as personal recess time. Going to a play ground every once in awhile and getting on a swing is highly recommended. Feeling movement and enjoying it, being just in that moment of simple play both the mind and body are rested and connected. By practice we make our body more familiar with the sense of ease we can have in movement. Our mind is present in the activity and not in yesterday or tomorrow. This enhances our ability to be in the present moment and to savor the sense of rest as well as play.

   Rest as a discipline 

    These are two words you don't see together often , however you most likely don't see yourself getting moments of play and simplicity of watching clouds on a regular basis either. Start by making this a once a week routine, and eventually it will be part of your daily routine, and as you practice you will find rest in strenuous exercise because you have a reference of ease to connect with. You will find your mind is no longer hopping all the trains of thought that lead to worry and stress wasting time and taxing your energy.

      Our actions are a practice of behavior and what is practiced becomes our first instinct, or nature. The body at rest will have a better immune system and ability to be called apon for high performance as a result. The mind will know a place of stillness and refuge is available at any moment. What we practice we will eventually master. We decide what it is, or we don't pay attention and it goes on with no wise investment.

 

   


 

Personal energy management

  Personal energy crisis

  Having enough energy is a result of proper fuel, rest, and managing our energy consumption. If it was that simple hardly any one would be having this personal energy crisis right? Simplicity practiced will find that the balance of those 3 things are how to have energy to progress in physical and mental performance. I have worked in the health and fitness industry for well over a decade and I hear this on repeat.

   I have done two previous post about rest and a nightly routine for quality sleep. Today will be looking at energy management.

  Managing our energy 
   
   This is first done by observing where you spend your energy. For some work is the most, some their work outs, or involvement of family life. Notice if you enjoy your work outs they don't drain you, they add to energy created.  If we find a reason to enjoy where we are we won't be wasting energy wishing we were some where else, or angry burning energy with only suffering as a result.

  We sadly waste alot of time on mindless entertainment and constant drama about some one else's business. We are no longer surprised by murder and acts of violence as we have invited it into our homes by watching it. This leads us to take the living being person from the story and just think of another headline. Social media is the best example of being a attached to a status or image rather than a person. Stopping things that take our energy with no return is wisely using our energy.

   Allowing greed,anger, hate, stress and anxious thinking to run out mind is another way we waste energy.  It's like picking up and holding hot coals. Makes no sense. Observe that those thoughts are there, but don't embrace them. No good result comes from spending time with any of these things.

  Inviting good energy is something we can do. That can be acts of kindness, meditation, prayer, body energy work, engaging in a creative process. I  always say the gratitude is the one of the best things to do with time. You can invite great energy any time by doing this.

  Being in a clean space certainly effects energy.  How relaxed in a clean space you are in comparison to a bathroom off the New Jersey turnpike,  I believe shows two entirely different experiences. Driving in traffic will feel better when your vehicle is clean, and adding gratitude for your morning commute will change how you function through out the day.

  Over time you will find where to no longer invest, and how to better. I think the best way to experience an immediate impact is just being outside and exposed to all the elements of nature that provide energy for every living being. You can collect that energy for personal use. This is the most over looked and totally free energy source.

  We can waste energy, spend energy, or invest energy. Think of energy the same as our time. Now is the only certain time, now is giving space for that energy. How are we investing this limited time experience of life?

Night routines for quality sleep

 
    Developing a night routine

   A nightly routine may never get the same hype as a morning routine, just as the cool down isn't as exciting as a warm up. Starting a night routine is the an important  aspect of having a productive life.
 
   First let's take a look at the word routine, being a set of actions, tasks, or activity with a specific goal oriented agenda. In this case it is quality sleep. A sleep routine will be very individual and may take time to find your most effective results, so we will look at a few time tested suggestions. The goal is to first implement a designated time to get your body ready for sleep. To start off, consider what time you want to be asleep and back it up about 60 mins to start.

   Setting the atmosphere 

   Where you sleep obviously can enhance your sleep or create a challenge regardless of a routine.  For the sake of this article we will assume your sleep area is a bedroom.
One thing that is helpful is to declutter your sleep area. Color is very influential, and I think it is worthwhile and essential to set the area for optimal results.  Blues, greens, pale yellow and silver/ grey have been shown to be most effective in promoting rest. Giving your bedroom a make over if needed. A wise investment.

   Routine suggestions

1. Closing time. Think of this when you start your tasks. Turn off lights, turn off TV, laptop.  You are setting the stage for a cool down. You may turn down the a/c or use a fan to drop temperature.  I will use ice packs some times to lower my body temperature. This is when I will get into pajamas of some sort and enjoy transition to rest in comfort.

2. Yoga, stretching, mind body awareness.  The body that is relaxed gets the best rest. This can be doing thi chi, yoga, isometric holds and slow deep stretched, ect. Standing meditation can be a good help, or practing different breathing patterns or exercises. Establishing the mind and body connection helps for better quality sleep. You can also have a cup of tea with some sleep aid.

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3.  Personal hygiene and water. A broad description to include hot and cold water ideas. This could be a hot bath for some, long hot shower, or an ice cold shower, face immersion in ice water, etc. I do always kick off my night with this, brushing my teeth. I use Epsom salt with menthol to wash my face in cold water. Some times a flash cold shower. The flush of freshly oxygenated blood after is such a cleansing experience, and is what makes enduring cold water worth it for me.

4. Meditation/ prayer/ stillness. Purposely set aside time to be grateful for the day, for health, shelter, food, and water. Sitting or laying still notice your body is rested. Send energy/ prayers/ Love to others. All living beings are equally deserving of love and compassion. Give no room for anger, stress, hate. It's like making people leave your house. They may be waiting for you in the morning, but they aren't spending the night in your home. My mantra at home is "Just love". Tell yourself you are going to enter a state of deep sleep and know that ever cell is being restored.

5. Calming the senses. Low lighting to none, lavender oil, ocean wave nature sounds with fan on to feel breeze. Bring the senses to a calm and relaxed state. A great time for visualization and the ability to bring your mind to another place. A mountain top, a beach, a cabin in the woods while listening to a blizzard will let you deal with higher tempatures. That is my minimalist approach to saving money on electric bill. However, being aware of our senses and feeling safe and rested is the best way to enter sleep. I basically think of a what would be a great place to wake up and see, or that I would feel so rested.

    Action plan

  Write down the time you want to be asleep,  and the time you will start night routine. Then below things that you will decide to implement and experience. Different nature sounds, calming scents, soaking feet in Epsom salt, guided meditation, yoga, and endless possibilities of rest that await you.

  Start tonight. Sampling out resting techniques is a great start to new life of making time for comfort and getting optimal rest. Your physical and mental performance will immediately benefit and then you enter the journey of wisdom from proper rest. You will be faster, stronger and full of creativity and sharp thinking. A warrior uses wisdom in spending energy. The days of reckless habits and being tired are done.

  You can actively work on decluttering the bedroom and removing bright colored things. This may be an extended  process for some, but the end result is a calm and relaxed setting for quality sleep. You will find more as you go, enjoy the journey to a better quality of every day life.



 



 
 

 

Rest is essential for progess

   How we relate to rest. 

  The word rest in America is almost like a four letter word to those who are constantly chasing success at some level. Many people live by the saying, "I'll rest when I'm dead". This non-stop lifestyle often results in a decreased quality of life on a daily basis. We feel being busy is getting things done, yet it can be that we are wasting time in an exhausted state while longing for a break. Applying rest as a task seems counter productive, yet it is the missing essential practice to achieving greatness in any area of life.

   What is rest? 

     A restorative process for the body and mind that is crucial to vitality, as well as optimal mental and physical activity. No one needs to convince us that the body needs sleep. However getting the minimal amount of it on a regular basis will show up as minimal energy. I think of it as a full recharge like a battery. Only then will prime performance be experienced.

   The body 
   The body does alot of work when we give it the sleep we need. From removing toxins to cell rejuvenation,immune system function,  hormone synthesis, and muscle growth, etc. Our heart rate drops as well as our temperature setting the stage for calm and renew.  When we don't allow this to take place we fatigue every cell in our body. Proper rest sets the stage for optimal physical condition, and can be this difference in achieving the high status of performance for athletes. Millions of dollars are made in countless energy supplements that tax your body. Sleep is free, and the best defense against fatigue. Simplicity will always provide what you need.

    The brain
    The brain also does a complex amount of resoration when we sleep.  Removing waste, supporting memory storage,  learning capacity,  hormone function, and influences mood, appetite and libido.  Over a period of time sleep deprivation will result in inability to process information, store it, and slow down our response time in thinking as well as motor skills. This robs us of our critical thinking, capacity for creativity, and decision making to name a few. Surely being more attentive on a daily basis allows us to enjoy more, because we can think clearly. The mind that is rested can function and continue to amaze us. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Sleep awaits the weary mind. Setting the stage for progress can be achieved by sleep.

   Making sleep a priority 
   
   If you are some one that desires to lead a successful life it is certain that you have a relationship with discipline.  You make time for things you find crucial to improvement, this is definitely a relaxing task. Think of rest as the foundation of all you build. It creates stillness and strength.  Treat your body better than your smart phone, charge up.