7 Essential Habits for Peace

7 Essential Habits for Peace

by: Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Embrace Compassion and Leave Conflict Behind

“It’s only when you make the process your goal that the big dream can follow.” – Oprah

We all want to contribute to global peace, but it can feel disheartening when we see discord in the news, in politics, and even in our own relationships. But you can take a different perspective by setting the more accessible goal of creating peace within yourself – which then expands like a ripple to your relationships, your community, and ultimately the world. Wisdom traditions teach that the source of violence, war, discontent, rebellion, and unrest lies inside each of us. When you become a unit of peace consciousness, you have added in a unique way to bringing the world to a state of peace.

Develop your peace consciousness with these seven essential habits for peace.

Habit #1—Being Calm and Centered

Peace is the natural state of the mind at its deepest level. Non-peace begins in small ways, when you are worried, restless, distracted, uneasy, or dissatisfied. Begin being mindful of those signals from your inner world. When you feel them, take a moment to return to your calm space. Either meditating or simply sitting in a quiet space with your eyes closed and taking easy, deep breaths, works very well. This is about learning how to act upon early signals that peace isn’t there inside.

Habit #2—Non-Participation

To be a unit of peace consciousness, don’t participate in the opposite attitude, which magnifies the reasons to be unpeaceful. Do your best to avoid conversations that include gossip, blame, backbiting, and discussions of how terrible the world is. You don’t have to be a Pollyanna, acting as if everything is already perfect. Simply focus on not participating when you can feel that a situation is turning toward anger, resentment, envy, and hostility in any form.

 Habit #3—Taking No Side

Peace consciousness wants peace to be equally shared by everyone. This isn’t possible if you take sides, judge against others, or indulge in us-versus-them thinking. Be aware of everyone’s right to have peace. When you find yourself reacting with a knee-jerk response against a certain person, group, faith, ethnicity, or belief system, remind yourself that you can hold a different viewpoint while still wishing peace for all concerned.

Habit #4—The Intention of Peace

Peace consciousness becomes more powerful as it deepens. One way to deepen your awareness is to put an intention out to the universe, which really means connecting with your higher self. Any time you witness or confront a situation that needs a peaceful resolution, ask inside that the way to peace be opened for everyone. Sit quietly with this intention for a few moments, letting your heart go out to those not at peace.

Habit #5—Commune in Peace

When people of peace get together, they magnify their consciousness. Start finding ways to commune with others who wants peace. This can be through sitting with a child and absorbing his or her innocence, or discussing the topic of peace with a sympathetic person. You might consider joining a group that is working at any level of peace, such as preventing violence or helping troubled teens. Feel the warmth of sharing your peace with others.

Habit #6—Selfless Service

Peace consciousness wants to be of service. It does little good to be at peace passively in isolation. Allow someone else to feel the peace you have found by being of service. Let yourself experience the kindness, good will, and compassion you can bring to a troubled situation. Your service can be as modest as visiting the elderly or as active as joining a community outreach project. Your aim is to give and receive at the level of peace that benefits both people at the same time.

 Habit #7—The Soul’s Peace

At the deepest level, there is infinite peace, undisturbed by the play of opposites and the clash of darkness versus light. From the soul’s perspective, there is only pure Being. Each day, take time to meditate on your true nature as unbounded love, compassion, reverence for life, and unity with the divine presence. See the light expanding from your heart in all directions. Let simply being here be enough.

Realize deeply that you are an indispensable part of the journey to enlightenment that lies ahead for everyone who steps on to the path.

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Wellness Wednesday 11/16

From now until New Year’s Day, your schedule will likely be filled with family obligations, traveling and festive outings with all sorts of tempting treats. It’s no surprise that many of us see our waistlines expand during the holiday season. Even the most disciplined people can find it difficult to stick to their health and fitness routines.

But this year can be different.

To help keep us on track, I’ve enlisted the aid of several colleagues – leading experts in health, sports medicine, behavioral psychology, fitness and nutrition – for some much-needed advice. Here are their secrets to staying fit during the season of overindulgence:

1. Keep moving.

“In addition to staying active, try to avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time, such as when watching football games or eating. Remember: Too much sitting is hazardous to your health. Research shows that getting up for just five minutes every 30 to 60 minutes and performing light activity (say, pacing around the house or performing simple squat exercises) reduces the risk of diabetes and other heart disease risk factors.”

2. Be the man or woman with a plan. And hydrate.

“The holidays can be a real land mine in terms of disrupting your best exercise and weight-control intentions. Start each day with a game plan, just like a great coach going into a big game. First, track your food intake and activity level. Doing so makes you aware of the amount of calories in certain foods. Even if you decide to eat higher-calorie options, you will probably eat smaller portions and make other adjustments to stay within your daily caloric goals.

 “Also, stay hydrated. Your brain can sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. A large glass of water before a meal (and especially before considering seconds) can help lessen the amount of food you consume. Drink six to eight glasses of water per day, and be sure to have two big glasses of water before the big, calorie-rich meals.”

 

3. Make lists, exercise early and sleep.

“The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year, but I recognize that it has the potential to be hard on my health. To alleviate the potential negative impacts of the season, I recommend making sure workouts are in the morning so you don’t get distracted later in the day by parties, events or other holiday hoopla. I also recommendgetting plenty of rest and maintaining lists to stay organized and stress-free.”

 

4. Expect the unexpected.

“We are glass half-full people, so we hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst. We always have an emergency bag of healthy food that requires no refrigeration and can be readily eaten as is – a health umbrella of sorts. While the rain may indeed fall on the just and the unjust, it does not fall on the prepared.”

 

5. Be creative and get rid of ‘all or nothing’ mindsets.

“The holidays are hectic, but do your best to avoid the ‘all or nothing’ mentality when it comes to healthful eating and physical activity. In reality, there is more than just one way to live healthfully and be active.

 “During the holidays, get a bit creative with exercise and opt for fun ways that make physical activity a family affair. From exploring new group fitness classes to buildingphysical activity into holiday traditions – like taking a family walk around the neighborhood before opening Christmas presents – think outside the box when it comes to ways to have quality time with family and friends while also prioritizing your health.”

 

6. Plan – and remember there is always time and opportunity for a workout.

“Plan your workouts for the week and note them in your schedule to assure they are a part of your day. Also, remember that some exercise is better than none. Rather than skipping the gym altogether, make time for a quick workout. If my schedule keeps me from the gym, I find at least 15 minutes to do body-weight exercises or kettlebell swings in the evening. It may not be my normal weightlifting workout, but I do sweat and feel a lot better when I’m done.”

 

7. Indulge for a night, not a season.

“It’s easy to overindulge when the season of parties and leftovers – so many leftovers – is upon us. Avoid allowing ‘treats’ to become staples by not letting them linger in the house after the celebration has ended. When the party is over, it is time to dump the junk!”

– Sherry Pagoto, associate professor in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

8. Remember it’s a single day.

“Enjoy the holiday. If you worry about eating too much on this single day, the reality is that one day won’t make or break your health plan. Unfortunately, most people start a pattern of daily ‘treats’ in some form or another or skip exercise due to visiting relatives. That routine then somehow continues from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. Enjoy the holiday, but don’t let it go from a day of indulgence to a month of indulgence that leads to unwanted habits that continue beyond the holiday season.”

 

My Workout Playlist Today…..

Eminem-Love the Way You Lie
Mary Jane Girls-All Night Long
Dreamgirl- Jaquees
Hotline Bling-Drake
Dirty Laundry-Nickelback
Empire-Drake

Workout Wednesday…

Wellness Wednesday 11/9

20-Minute Home Cardio Workout

With the holidays just around the corner, traveling, parties, shopping, and other seasonal outings may start to take over your schedule, leaving little time for the gym. This does not mean your rockstar body (which you worked so hard for all year long) is going to vanish right before your eyes. Your prevention plan: Change up your routine so you can get in a full-body workout in half the time—no gym needed.

This at-home cardio workout is an efficient way to burn off extra calories and keep your metabolism stoked through the holiday season. It also works wonders for your attitude and mindset. Instead of feeling guilty after splurging on the pumpkin bread, knowing that you’ve kept up with your workouts will help you feel satisfied and strong.

Try this cardio workout in the morning and you’ll be energized and empowered throughout your day.

 

My Workout Playlist Today

Hit or Nah-Rayven Justice
Firework-Katy Perry
Blase-Ty Dolla
Ninjas in Paris-Jay n Kanye
Big Rings-Drake
Too Good and Needed Me Remix- Drake n Rihanna

Workout Wednesday….

Wellness Wednesday 11/02

As we move into fall, the shorter, colder days can make it easy to become demotivated about your workout regime, but the change in season can also be a great time to try something new. Relaxnews rounds up three sports that will help mix up your workout and keep your fitness plan going through fall and beyond.

Hot yoga

If you hit up the park for an outdoor yoga class over summer, then keep your yoga flow going this fall by heading inside for a hot yoga class. Not only will hot yoga enable you to work out indoors, but the heated room will also keep you warm as the temperature starts to drop outside. Hot yoga provides the body with a great cardiovascular workout, according to Jennifer Aniston’s yoga teacher Mandy Ingber, with the high temperature an effective way of bringing the heart rate up. However, remember to hydrate before, during, and after class, advises Ingber.

Spinning

Outdoor cycling is great for warm summer days, but it isn’t as fun if you get caught in the rain. If you’re a cycling fan though, why not try an indoor spinning class? You won’t be able to explore the outdoors, but a class environment can bring its own benefits, with motivation from an expert trainer, a team atmosphere, and a chance to make new friends. Spinning also brings with it incredible health benefits, including burning up to 675 calories in 30 minutes, with the sprint cycling techniques used in classes also challenging the muscles in the legs and bum, and boosting cardiovascular activity for rapid results.

Trail running

You do have to head outdoors for trail running, but this is one sport that is worth getting caught in the rain for. First of all, summer can simply be too hot for running, making the cooler fall temperatures the perfect time to be outside. Trail running breaks the monotony of road running and has more health benefits than treadmill running, thanks to the more challenging terrain and the rugged ups and downs. Getting started is easy, with National Cross Country Running champion, fitness coach and trail runner Lesley Paterson advising wannabe runners to “just find a local park or trail, and just run!” If you are completely new to running, says Paterson, alternate between walking and running for one minute until you can run continuously without stopping, even if you try to run for just five minutes at first. As you build up fitness and strength, you may be able to run for an hour or even longer.

My Workout Playlist Today

24K Magic – Bruno Mars

Bossy-Kelis
Blow The Whistle-Too Short
He Dont-Byrson Tiller
My Way-Fetty Wap
Wenesday Weekend-Bj the Chicago Kid

Workout Wednesday…

 

 

“My Life, My Vibe” November 2016

It’s going to be an awesome month!!!

Hello My Blog Family,

Well here we are again the holiday season is slowly quickly approaching us (which is hard to believe) and you know what that means…busy…busy…busy. As I am looking at my own vision and moving forward with my brand, I thank you all for your comments, promo requests, listening to my radio station and so much more. I stepped out on faith with this but my goal is to empower our community and help you live your best life. The past few months I have really been challenged with new business opportunities and my 9-5 job responsibilities…corporate still taking control. So as I mentioned with the holiday approaching I am going to try to do my best to include you in everything that’s going on with The Evolution! LLC behind the scenes.

However, it is always glad to know you are still using the site as a resource for your busy lifestyle (I see you checkin in). We would love to hear what you all have coming up. I’m looking forward to sharing some more exciting news with you in the upcoming months. Feel free to catch up on some of our previous posts, I will continue to update when I can and share news on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram…Be sure to keep following and stay tuned. If there is something you heard, run a business or just want to share your thoughts feel free to send them to me and don’t forget to tell a friend!

20 Things To Do This Fall

If you’re as big a fan of fall as we are, then chances are good that you have a whole slew of seasonal to-dos to tackle. But in case you could use a little bit of inspiration, we polled our team to come up with the top 20 activities we can’t wait to enjoy now through Dec. 21. Got a few items to add to our list? Leave them in the comments, and let’s vow to dive head first into this beautiful time of year together!

1. Host a pumpkin beer-tasting party.
2. Go apple picking with your family.
3. Take a hike and catch a glimpse of the leaves changing.
4. Properly clean all of your coats and sweaters.
5. Perfect your apple pie recipe.
6. Donate new coats and gloves to a homeless shelter.
7. Learn how to make a pumpkin spice latte at home with organic ingredients.
8. Pick up a book from the library and vow to finish reading it before the first day of winter!
9. Host an at-home bonfire in the backyard.
10. Create an indoor herb garden.
11. Practice Thanksgiving recipes now so that you ‘wow’ your family come Nov. 24.
12. Add seasonal mums to your front porch or stoop!
13. Get a head start on the holiday season and start a shopping list.
14. Go to a football game—local or national!
15. Splurge on a cozy fall candle.
16. VOTE!
17. Start a daily gratitude journal.
18. Attend an annual fall festival in your (or a nearby) town.
19. Host a fall movie night (Think: “Hocus Pocus,” “Good Will Hunting,” “When Harry Met Sally”).
20. Print this list and turn it into a scavenger hunt, crossing things off as you do them!

…..

We look forward to being of continued service to you and I hope you will enjoy the benefits of our new co-op networking community. Please let us know what you are doing in your business and community, your feedback is very important to us! ’til our next chit-chat,

xoxo

“C”

 “Join The Movement”

Crystal Dixon CEO/Event Director Evolution Events, LLC

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