Category Archives: Productivity

Productivity, Self-improvement

Becoming the Very Best Version of Yourself – Critical Thinking

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I am continuing with the series about how to become a better YOU. This time, I am touching upon critical thinking.

Thinking critically is a matter of attention. It is a way to be able to utilize your mental awareness and realize that a thinking process is in progress.

Begin by practicing awareness every time you choose to think about a particular topic.

Realizing that your mind is thinking is the first step.

Basic critical thinking is composed of these six basic skills:

  1. Interpretation: “Do you know what I mean?” asked Ruben, one of the participants who attended the Leadership through Safety Awareness Workshop I presented at my company last week. As I was looking into his eyes, I could see he was still confused about his new role.After talking for a few minutes, we were able to dissipate his concerns and doubts. I realized that the information I presented triggered some self-doubts in him that distracted him and made him too uncomfortable to communicate the true meaning of the information he had learned to others.We worked together for about five minutes and at the end, he was able to tune into his interpretation skills beyond self-judgment and focus only on mental awareness.To think critically means to directly analyze and or evaluate information beyond any sense of self-judgment. It enables you to have the ability to think outside the box and to drop any sense of judgment towards oneself. Always try to be present when you are thinking.
  2. Analysis: This refers to the ability to “read between the lines.” It is to possess the capacity to connect the pieces of information given and determine their true meaning.
  3. Inference: The ability to understand and recognize the elements needed to determine an accurate conclusion. Interpretation and inference work hand in hand, and you can use this simple skill to become more precise in your interaction with others.
  4. Evaluation: Ask yourself this question: How credible are my expressions of my experience? How factual are my opinions? Do I exaggerate to make my inputs more impressive?Evaluate your interactions with others with impartiality. You are not looking for deficiencies to bring yourself down; it is quite the opposite, you are looking for clues for where to make corrections that will help you become a more interesting person, the type of person whose sense of self-evaluation is based on growth and well-being.
  5. Explanation: It is important to know that not everyone has or needs the level of information you have. To become a better communicator requires attention. It requires patience and self-awareness.On our journey to become the very best version of ourselves, we want to have the courage to face ourselves and ask: Do I communicate well? Am I correctly and frequently saying what I mean?Learn through practice to identify your level of communication with others. Ultimately, remember that one of the best tools to communicate is to become a better listener.
  6. Self-Regulation: Thinking critically is a matter of attention and self-regulation is an ally. Self-regulation is the skill that allows you to have an awareness of your thinking process.It is the skill that helps you develop greater abilities to connect the proper elements of information to obtain the desired results. Sometimes we allow our self-interest to play a factor in what we decide to understand.It is very dangerous because it can make our progress more difficult. Critical thinking is an extension of communication and to self-regulate our personal biases is crucial for a successful interaction with others.

Getting unstuck is a life process, therefore make life simple again. Allow for the opportunity to free yourself from self-limiting beliefs through the practice of critical thinking when it comes to interaction with yourself and others.

What can we do to make life simple again? Think about it.

Productivity, Self-improvement

Becoming the Very Best Version of Yourself

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Seven Easy Keys

Leaders must understand their goals and resolve to enter a state of discipline based on their desire to lead consciously.

Years ago, as I entered the world of self-improvement, I never knew how to handle the amount of new information. It was a huge source of incoming energy in the form of eye-opening discovery. It was as if all of a sudden I was given a huge bundle of information that I needed to absorb and digest in just a few weeks. I used to drive my car while listening to the wisdom of people such as Seneca the Stoic, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tony Robbins and even lectures by Paramahansa Yogananda.

My radio stations became centers of lectures and interviews. I had CDs with absolutely no music other than the music at the beginning of their material presentation. I used to read many books, all kinds, (I still do) and I dedicated my time to assimilating all this new information. Those were indeed pretty exciting times for me.

Technology has changed and the way we receive information is tremendously different these days. More than ever we possess the freedom to do the most exhaustive research on our smartphones. It is a whole new world, a new world of infinite possibilities and opportunities to do, say and act in any way possible.

Humanity is evolving and changing very fast, and it is time to commit to work on ourselves, to understand that we must be greater than our fears, limiting beliefs, false ideas, and self-imposed barriers. It is time to become the very best version of ourselves.

I will divide this into seven different posts so we can make it more digestible while respecting everyone’s time. I will be posting on a weekly basis and providing other interesting material for your reading pleasure.

  1. Become a Better Listener
  2. Improve Your Critical Thinking Techniques
  3. Sharpen Your Communication Skills
  4. Practice Patience
  5. Control of Mind and Emotions
  6. Develop Healthier Sleeping Patterns
  7. (SPA )Study, Plan, and Act Everyday

Key Number One: Better Listener

Next time you spend time with a friend or with someone you love or even with the stranger on the train who tries to start up a conversation with you by mentioning the weather. Pay attention! Be present by creating a direct contact. Develop sensitivity and understand that every person needs attention when it comes to communicating.

Better listeners are considered to have a gift, the gift of patience (the fourth step). If you are an individual who thinks you don’t have a lot of patience or much time to waste, you can still practice good listening. Set aside time and communicate to the other person that you will be paying undivided attention to them for five minutes or so and that you are willing to discuss their issue within the allotted time.

The idea is to be completely present and to listen carefully Many people are just looking to be heard. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is your undivided attention through a period of uninterrupted time. Abstain from giving advice right away and instead, discuss the issue in a collaborative way where the person wanting to communicate can listen to himself or herself and perhaps obtain their own answer.

Listening consciously is challenging but not impossible if you start practicing one minute at a time. Ultimately, it is better, to be honest, and tell the other person you can’t listen to them right now than to listen half- heartedly. This way you will show them more consideration and respect.

In an article published in the LA Times, author Robert Lee Hotz reported – “Understanding whether differences in mental capacity or intellectual ability can be attributed to gender has long confounded scientists, parents, equal rights activists and educators.”

To be sure, men’s and women’s brains are more alike than not, but they are not the same–in size, sense or sensibilities – disregard gender, don’t justify your sense of attention because of that. Be human, that is it.

Ultimately, leaders must listen actively; listening goes well beyond being quiet and giving someone your full attention. Listening requires you to be aware of body language, facial expressions, mood, and natural behavioral tendencies.

In the science of yoga, care is critical for the development of meditation, also known as Dharana. According to Eastern psychology, it is possible to attain a further state of attention wherein all other mental movement stops. At this point, the mind ‘becomes one’ with the essential nature of the object of concentration, (listening).

knowledge, Productivity, Self-improvement, self-support, success

When Doubts Pretend To Keep You Safe

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“What do you want? What do you want?” he repeated to himself. “What do I want? To live and not to suffer,” he answered. And again he listened with such concentrated attention that even his pain did not distract him. “To live? How?” asked his inner voice. “Why, to live as I used to—well and pleasantly.” “As you lived before, well and pleasantly?” the voice repeated. And in imagination, he began to recall the best moments of his pleasant life.”
― Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich

What do you want? It is an original question. It carries a significant level of responsibility and requires an intrinsical state of clarity when it comes to responding to its daring power.

We all have our dreams and goals, some of us dream of writing a book, of moving to Hawaii, some of us dream of hiking the Himalayas, or even living by the ocean while enjoying the success of our foreign profitable business.

These are all very motivating dreams, and in fact, they can all be attainable.

What is that powerful force that stops you from accomplishing them? DOUBT.

When Leonardo DaVinci past away, his last words were: “I have offended mankind because my work did not reach the quality that it should have” – Unbelievable! Don’t you think?

Mr. DaVinci himself had doubts as well. The difference between DaVinci’s mind and the minds of the ones who doubt is that he never stopped creating. He probably enjoyed his work immensely and cultivated passion in it.

There is a difference between finding your passion and cultivating one. A lot of people have difficulties finding their “true” calling, and sadly most of them never find it and continue living a life of frustrated dreams.

The main reason for this is because passion can never be found, it can only be created and cultivated based on individual qualities. Qualities that every single one of us possesses.

The only distance that separates our passion from our dreams and goals is the distance of doubt. Unfortunately, for most of the people, doubt is easier to be brought up to the surface of their minds than their dreams and goals.

A very disturbing fact of doubt is that it pretends to keep you safe. Although psychologically feeling safe is a good thing, it might not be productive in the creation of a better reality for yourself.

It is a fact that man is the only animal that “knows that he knows” and that is what makes him human and also vulnerable to adverse influence which is typically picked up during childhood.

Doubts don’t keep you safe; instead, they keep you fooled and steal your potential of becoming a much better and successful human being.

Awareness is the perfect weapon to catch your mind when it is telling you lies about what and who you are and to stop the inherent potential to succeed that you already possess in your brain and mind.

Be alert and next time you are listening to the thoughts in your mind and feeling that they are not in cooperation with your desired state, act immediately and do the very best to move towards a better mental space .

A very simple way to counteract the effect of negative thinking is by asking yourself where is this thought coming from? Where did I learn that this is true? Did I experience the memory of this view?

Most likely, all these thoughts and views will be a bunch of self-defeating beliefs that somehow got deep into your subconscious and made you believe that they are valid even if you never experienced them.

What are your goals and dreams? Can you make them happen?

knowledge, Productivity, Self-improvement, Self-love, self-support, success

How to become a better leader through the practice of yoga – 4 Simple things you can practice

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This is a solo video transcript I recently posted on Vimeo and YouTube

The first step in the “renewing of the mind” is desire.

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Becoming a leader is a combination of skills, and one of them is confidence.

Confidence comes with self-awareness; it is a skill that develops with time, patience and most importantly with practice.

Transformational Yoga is the perfect way to develop the necessary skills to step TO the plate and lead with confidence and determination.

The concept of self-awareness or knowing oneself is central to both yoga and leadership education.

As a leader, you need to establish a deeper relationship with your true Self and yoga has the methodology and tools to help you accomplish that.

The yoga of knowledge is perhaps the most important aspect of this practice. It is a skill in action and fundamental to self-development for it can take you directly to self-realization.

As a leader, you need to understand that THE number ONE step to take, is to believe in yourself.

To believe IN your power to create, guide, share and lead.

There is nothing more transformational than becoming your best ally and your best leader.

Let’s talk about 4 Simple Things you can practice

Awareness – The power of awareness comes in the realization of your environment, YOUR LIFE circumstance, and ultimately your reality. In other words, it is the knowing that something such as a condition, situation or problem, exists.

All transformation begins with an intense, burning desire to be transformed.

The first step in the “renewing of the mind” is desire.

You must want to be different before you can begin to change yourself.

Then you must make your future dream a present fact, and for that my friend, you need a lot of awareness.

It is because of this perception that you will be able to go IN and experience yourself entirely.

Once you become aware, THAT”S IT ! excuses are no longer feasible.

When you deny the facts about yourself, you start to live and breathe self-defeat. You don’t want that, do you?

Begin by practicing Self-analysis. It is a stepping stone to becoming aware of your power, strengths and also weaknesses. Self-analysis help you recognize your bad habits, and at the same time all the incredible opportunities that present to yourself.

Practice self-awareness every day, and with time you will be aware of everything.

Meditation – The topic of meditation IS big and sometimes complicated to understand. I want to make this very brief and focus on the facts.

Number one, meditation cannot be taught as if you are learning how to ride a bike or drive a car.

Meditation is just a different state of awareness, a state where you, the meditator can become one with your inner peace, dropping or disconnecting with the never ending process of thinking.

As a leader, practicing meditation can prepare you for your day. It can set the parameters to have a productive life based on focusing what is right and in support of your well-being so you can be available for others.

I recommend practicing meditation every morning as soon as you wake up. Preferably, between the hours of 4 am, and 6 am.

As soon you wake up, and avoiding distractions, sit quietly and become a vessel of solitude, and peace.

There are many techniques that you can research about, however; I recommend a very simple way which I call the way of the breath.

Allow yourself to ride the waves of the breath; in and out. They will teach you patience, confidence, and determination.

Be a meditator and don’t practice it, just be it. By being IT, you will bring the space needed in your mind to experience the knowing of what meditation is and what meditation does.

A leader must have clarity of mind, and through meditation, you will receive it.

Breathing – In the science of yoga, the breath is brought to add value to the emotional, mental and spiritual evolution.

The breath as the dichotomy of life and death can be extremely powerful in your practice of awareness.

It can help you be centered and grounded when it comes to making important decisions, both at the personal and professional levels.

The breath is called Pranazvasa in the language of the yogis. It is fundamental to the connection of mind and body. It can either make you powerful or weak.

Every morning, preferably after your meditation routine. Practice breathing consciously for about 3 to 5 minutes.

During the day, inhale deeply and gently when you feel that you are becoming off center.

The process of exhalation is also important as it will help you relax your nervous system, allowing your mind to rest and your brain to relax and rejuvenate.

Currently, I am in the process of creating an Academy of breath, where I will be sharing with you different breathing techniques based on the science of Pranayama.

We will be discussing the importance of holding the breath, longer exhalations and their significance in the movement of body and mind.

Talking about Movement – The movement of the body is also crucial for your state of health. As a leader, you need to be the example of discipline. Develop a habit of moving your body for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes.

Asana or poses in yoga were designed to create stamina, flexibility, detoxification and extreme endurance.

Practice light stretches in the morning if necessary, but if you want you can also develop your routine, and practice some asanas such as shoulder stands, forward bends and back bends ALL while consciously breathing. If you want, you can explore some inversions as well.

Having a lean and flexible body can add tremendous value to your life, and elevate your SELF-ESTEEM making you a more attractive example of commitment and discipline.

These are simple steps that you can add to your daily habits of self-support. Give yourself permission and start today.

Yoga CAN and WILL increase the value to your life, BUT you must become a disciplined person.

Being a leader established in yoga will empower others to take action.

Remember, the best compensation to do things is the ability to do more.

Thank you and don’t forget: Align Your Life with What Your Really Value

Until next time

Peace !

Productivity, Self-improvement, Self-love

Add Value – Simplicty is the Key

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In business, the creation of value is the primary aim. By creating value for customers; managers can help sell products and services, all while creating value for shareholders. This approach is pretty logical and clear.

In life, however; we sometimes don’t know how to contribute and add value to our lives for the simple fact that is a little complicated and confusing to determine what we want for ourselves. (sometimes)

I once noticed how a young child was coloring a drawing on a scrap paper and right after she finished it, she gave it to her father.

The father, looked at it and smiled back at the young girl and picked her up in his arms and kissed her.

The expression of the girl’s eyes was priceless. She added value to her father’s life by doing something so simple as drawing on a piece of scrap paper.

It is all about Inertia

In life, everything is determined by universal laws and one of them is the law of inertia.

The First Newton Law states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force.

An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

This is the law of inertia, and it means that there is a natural tendency of objects to keep on doing what they’re doing.

All objects resist changes in their state of motion. In the absence of an unbalanced force, an object on the move will maintain this state of motion

Most of the time we remain static and desiring to have the strength to overcome our bad habits. These are the natural tendencies to keep doing what we are doing unless an opposite force pushes us to begin moving.

These forces are usually in the form of pain. When the emotional pain is greater than the negative habit, then we tend to move.

To continue moving, we don’t need any other forces; we are in the movement already.

According to the law of inertia, we will continue in motion until another force typically of opposite direction comes to stop us. However, if you want to continue with your personal progress, don’t allow any opposing forces to counteract your momentum – just keep moving. (doing)

Simplicity is the Key

Simple things are the secret. If you want to lose weight, walk a little more and eat a little less. If you want to excel in your job, do a bit more and stay 15 minutes later in your office.

If you want to accomplish any personal goal, understand that progress will never come by force, it has to be an organic process.

Personal growth comes from creating simple things, so simple that your current habits will not feel affected. You have to become a strategist and plan your progress intelligently.

Become a smarter individual, and secretly sabotage your bad behaviors and habits by introducing new and very simple new ones.

You will be adding value to your existence, and therefore you will contribute by inspiring others.

Be better not by chance but by change.

Productivity, Self-improvement

Why I Decided to Study the Science of Yoga

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There are many ways to approach life, some of us take life as it comes, some take life way too serious and get obsessed with the intricacies of their daily routines.

Also; at the same time, we are all exposed to disciplines designed to create better results in many different levels in life.

Some of them are very ancient; some are very modern and exciting; others, like yoga; are very profound, sometimes even confusing and therefore misunderstood.

What is this yoga thing?

According to Sports Marketing Survey, established in 1984 by Ian Peacock; the latest statistics shows that the number of US yoga practitioners has increased to more than 36 million, up from 20.4 million in 2012.

The cost of yoga classes, clothing, equipment, and accessories is up to $16 billion, up from $10 billion over the past four years.

The statistics show that in the US yoga is a great business rather than a science of self-knowledge, discovery of human potential and mental evolution.

This number is alarming and will continue to grow, and perhaps it will take some years for the real message of yoga to raise.

Meanwhile, I choose to keep learning through experiential methods while studying the yogic information provided from reliable sources.

Yoga is life; it is your life, my life, and the life of every single sentient being. It is holy.

I decided to study this science because it helps me focus on the actual meaning of my spiritual world and that is enough for me to stay aware of my evolution as a human being, as a practitioner, as a student, and as a professional.

It helps me stay concentrated in what is important, which is the act of giving, creating and supporting. It keeps me searching inside me and not inside many yoga studios. I decided to dive in deep into the world of yogic scriptures to explore something different, more profound than 60-minute classes, which I have both attended and hosted in many occassions.

If you practice consciously, systematically and in a scientific way, one can obtain beautiful results in a short period.

Although it is always a good alternative to fix the body as a unit of energy, the combination of yoga with medicine will not provide the individual with the primary goal of yoga.

Medicine in conjunction with yoga will not make you realize your potential, it will make you feel physically good only, I am afraid this holistic practice will end up being corrupted by the western medical approach.

The real meaning of this practice resides in the full aspect of going beyond comfort and applications that only confuse the population.

Yoga is the science of consciousness, and it is the study of truth. It is the constant coming back to one self because there is nothing out there for us other than confusion.

There is a path known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga; it is beautiful but not practiced thoroughly and much less in the west.

Next time you take a yoga class, make sure you understand that what you are experiencing is only  is just a tiny part of its complex world.

Meanwhile, I rather focus on yoga studies than yoga studios.

knowledge, Productivity, Self-improvement, self-support, success

Can Mindfulness Boost Your Bottom Line? 3 Ways to Successfully Apply It In Your Job

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It is 2:30 PM and the CEO is talking about the bottom line of the company. He is a great man, very reasonable and smart. Every month, all people in the team join this presentation and meet to learn about the health of the company. In this particular day, I am also present in the meeting and all I can think of is the status of my bottom line as a human being and the fact that I have to find the time to write this post.

I was happy to see that the company is doing extremely well and that people seem to be content with their responsibilities and overall benefits.

One thing I noticed is that ALL of them appear to be extremely anxious and perhaps overstressed. I noticed that although all seem to smile and even make jokes, their energy level is low and their comments tend to carry a very subtle yet loud voice that says: “I am very stressed out and I don’t know how to manage my stress.”

As I was observing everyone in the meeting, I remembered that about three weeks ago I attended a conference about mindfulness and the direct relation to stress. I have the privilege to meet David Gelles, the author of Mindful Work. Although we talked briefly, our 15 minutes conversation was compelling enough for me to commit to 5 minutes of daily mindfulness practice, particularly at work.

During the meeting, each manager was talking about his or her department. I decided to make a quick and drastic decision. Instead of talking about the results of the new implementations in the safety division of the company; I decided I was going to talk about the meaning of mindfulness.

Also, I decided to briefly explain how we can all benefit and raise our bottom line by immediately practicing basic exercises and allowing the practice to build on its own. In summary, I gave them three primary ways to do it.

1. Be Happy: We don’t have to wait for a particular event or culmination or reaching a goal or event. There is a way to enjoy the journey by experiencing happiness through progress. Yes, Progress makes Happiness. Allow yourself to be aware of your tiny moments of progress and indulge yourself in the incredible sensation of fulfillment it brings to our experience. Feel it, and be aware of the relaxation of your face and muscles around your neck when you accomplish your small goals. Takes a little practice but with consistency, you will develop the right amount of mindfulness, and it will be easier to expand it to other areas of life.

2. The Superhero Stand: This is fun. Next time you feel you are getting bit up but the demands of your life and job; take a moment to stop and stand with legs spread apart, arms on hips, elbows bent. This superhero stance projects power. Notice how immediately your energy begins to raise. While holding this pose, begin to inhale as deep as you can and exhale as long as you can. Do this for about 3 minutes. Studies show that practicing this stand alters your levels of testosterone and makes you feel energized, decisive and powerful. What a treat for mindfulness!

3. Take breaks: Notice how refresh you will fell when you make the decision to stop everything and bring full attention to yourself. By making the decision of taking a mini vacation, you will feel renewed and more centered and focused and ready to enter back into high production more. Noticing this change is an exercise of pure mindfulness.

Allowing yourself opportunities for inner growth, spiritual expansion and through the incredible power of free will, next time you exercise your right to make a change aimed to benefit your beautiful self, you will indeed boost your bottom line, not only mental but emotional and physical.

Consider joining a mindfulness meditation class and experience a different level of awareness.

What do you do to cope with your stress?