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In my job as a professional speaker, part of what I do is
supply people with information to improve the quality of
their lives. By reading a lot, I’ve come across information
that is quite easy to implement, but can have profound effects.
Below, I’ve listed 9 of my favorite ideas to share
with you. Feel free to pass these ideas on to others, or
use them in your own life. My books, “Shortcuts
to Success,” and “Shortcuts
to Bliss” have
over 100 other simple, powerful ideas such as these.
1. LIVE 10 YEARS LONGER IN JUST ONE
MINUTE A DAY OF EFFORT:
Recent studies show that the simple act of flossing your
teeth before bed (or rinsing your mouth with Listerine),
along with taking an 81 mg aspirin pill, a good multi-vitamin,
a 1000mg Omega-3 supplement and a 60mg pill of CoQ10 will
lead you to live, on average, 10 years longer. Flossing/
Listerine seems to lessen the harmful bacteria in the mouth
that can lead to heart disease, and the suggested supplements
lessen the chances of dying of a heart disease—which
is how 60% of Americans die. To find out more about how different
health habits affect how long you’re likely to live,
go to www.realage.com. To buy supplements at 70% off retail,
go to www.doctorstrust.com.
2. GET MORE DONE IN LESS TIME AND SAVE 2 HOURS A DAY:
To
have more time, try writing
down, at the beginning of the week, the specific TV shows
you plan to watch. People who did this saved, on average,
2 hours a day (by not watching shows they really didn’t
care for). To get more done in less time, studies at Harvard
Business School show the question, “What is the specific
result or outcome I really want to achieve in this situation?” was
the single best tool for easily increasing productivity.
Normally, people focus on items on their “to do” list,
and get easily diverted and distracted from achieving what
they really want. By asking this question as you make up
your “to do” list, and by asking it throughout
your day, you are likely to stay focussed in a beneficial
manner and increase your productivity by 10 to 25%.
3. LEARN THE SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL
MARRIAGE:
Researchers
have concluded they can
accurately predict which marriages will be a failure, and
which will be successful. Their method? If they see that
a couple exchanges more negative comments (such as putdowns
and criticism) more often than positive comments, they know
that each person will rate the marriage as “unsuccessful.” On
the other hand, if positive comments outnumber negative comments,
each partner is almost assured to rate their marriage as “good,” or “great.” Try
it and see what this info can do for your marriage or relationship!
4. REDUCE STRESS HORMONE LEVELS FOR 5 HOURS IN ONE MINUTE:
Scientists as the Institute of HeartMath have developed a
method of reducing stress hormone levels for 5 hours that
takes just one minute to do. The method is simple: Close
your eyes and take a very deep breath. Hold it for 10 seconds,
and while you do, think of a person or animal that you have
great affection for. (Animals and young kids work especially
well). As you exhale, imagine sending your exhale out your
heart to this person or animal you love. Picture them giving
you a look that reminds you how much you care for them. Feel
the gratitude you have for them being in your life, and feel
your hearts connected. If you want, you can imagine hugging
or holding them, and telling them how much you appreciate
them. After a minute, slowly open your eyes and notice how
much more relaxed and better you feel. By reducing stress
in this way, you’ll feel better, sleep better, and
get sick less often.
5. ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS THROUGH A TIME TESTED PROCESS:
Innumerable
studies have demonstrated that people who write down their
goals achieve their goals more quickly than people who don’t.
In addition, people who write down their goals, on average,
end up being significantly healthier, wealthier, and more
happy than people who don’t. The key to achieving your
goals seems to be to write down on a piece of paper the exact
date by which you want to achieve something, a specific plan
for how you plan to go about it, and a statement as to why
it’s so important to you. Then, read your “goal
statements” every month or so, and take small, but
consistent steps to implement your plan. Having someone who
you are accountable to for progress is especially helpful
to stay motivated and on target.
6. ADD 25 HEALTHY YEARS TO YOUR LIFE IN ONLY 10 SECONDS A DAY!?
It sounds incredible, but that’s what scientists are seeing with a new supplement called “Resveratrol.” Recent articles in Newsweek and Men’s Health have scientists claiming that Resveratrol prolongs the life of rats and chimps by one third, and seems to “reverse aging” so that old rats and chimps are healthy until they die at a very old age. Long term studies on humans haven’t been done, but everyone says this supplement is safe and, at the very least, very, very good for you. It’s derived from red grapes. My doctor said it’s the most amazing thing he’s ever seen, and takes it himself. Resveratrol can be expensive, so I recommend you buy it at the web site: www.gonsi.com (I have no financial connection to them). Buy the 100 mg bottle (60 pills) for $15.99, and take one or two capsules a day. When you live to be healthy and happy until 105, you’ll be glad you started taking this stuff!
7. DRAMATICALLY INCREASE YOUR HAPPINESS LEVEL IN 2 MINUTES A DAY:
The science of happiness is quickly moving forward. Many methods for increasing happiness have been tested on large populations, and the following method works better than any other ever studied according to a recent article in Time magazine. At night, simply write down in a journal 3 good things that happened to you during the day, and why they happened. For example, you might write, “I had a nice talk and a nice feeling of connection with Sally at lunch. Why? It happened because I am making an effort to meet new friends, and I saw an opportunity to invite her to lunch, and I took it.” Then you’d write down two more good things, each time briefly stating how the “good thing” could be traced back to something you did, said, or thought. This method has been shown to increase one’s happiness level as much as a 25% increase in pay at work. Don’t let its simplicity fool you—it really works.
8. ACHIEVE LIFE BALANCE AND AVOID JOB BURNOUT:
Most people focus on what is working well in their life, and avoid what is not doing so good. Over time, this leads to an out of balance life and future problems—since all aspects of one’s life are interrelated. For example, if your job is going well but you avoid taking care of your health, eventually you’ll have a problem. To avoid such problems and increase your overall well-being, rate how the various aspects of your life are going on a 1 to 10 scale (with 10 being the best possible). Then, notice what area scores the lowest, and make a conscious effort to improve that area before it bites you in the butt. Try quickly rating the following areas right now: 1) your job 2) your health 3) your intimate relationship 4) your family and friends 5) leisure time pursuits 6) spirituality/sense of meaning 7) your finances 8) your overall happiness level. Make an effort to improve the area that scored the lowest.
9. ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS FASTER AND WITH LESS EFFORT:
Everyone I’ve ever known who is super successful in life and/or their chosen field has a coach to which they are accountable. Whatever you want to achieve—such as losing weight, making more money, having great relationships, etc., find someone who can help you get there quickly and effectively. This could be a friend, a book by an expert, a mate, or a hired Executive Coach. The best coaches are ones that hold you accountable, as well as teach you effective strategies for making weekly progress on your most important goals. If you want, you can hire me as a coach for a one-hour session over the phone ($90). If money is tight, I can highly recommend a colleague, Eva Joubert, who only charges $50 an hour over the phone. With a good coach, you should see progress in a single session, and unlike counseling, you shouldn’t need a coach for very long. Eva is extremely effective at what she does, and she gives this discount only to my clients. I recommend you try a session with Eva or me, OR find someone else who can be of help in holding you accountable to your most important dreams! Eva’s phone number is: (530) 292-3237. My phone number is (530) 292-3072. Feel free to call either of us. We’d be happy to answer any of your questions.
Jonathan Robinson is a psychotherapist, best-selling author
of 9 books, and a professional speaker. He is available
for consulting and coaching services, as well as his well
known keynote talks and seminars. He can be reached at: (530)
292-3072, iamjonr@aol.com or at his web site: www.howtotools.com
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