This Mental Health Awareness Month, one researcher explains why “unplugging” from your smartphone could improve your psychological well-being.
Melissa Huey, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at New York Institute of Technology, studied the impact of smartphones in the college classroom and discovered that the devices were damaging students’ mental health.
Huey and a colleague conducted a six-week study to see how college students’ mindfulness, anxiety, and course comprehension were affected when smartphones were removed from the classroom vs. when they were physically present.
In two classes, students handed in their smartphones at the beginning of the lecture. In two other classes, which served as a control group, students kept their phones and used them with no limitations. At the end of the six-week study, students self-reported scores on course comprehension, mindfulness, and anxiety levels.
“Students who handed in their smartphones reported much higher comprehension and mindfulness scores. In addition, they reported lower levels of anxiety,” Huey notes. “However, the opposite was true for those who kept their phones. These students reported lower comprehension and mindfulness scores and higher anxiety levels.”
Huey’s findings, which were published in the journal Innovative Higher Education, make a strong case for taking smartphone breaks.
This is not the first time that she has explored how technology affects mental health in younger individuals. In 2021, Huey authored an International Business Times op-ed contending that smartphones and social media were eroding Gen Z’s critical thinking abilities. The following year, she commented on a study that found TikTok’s algorithm offered teens psychologically damaging content that promoted self-harm and eating disorders.
In the digital age, an increased desire for constant online connection has created safety hazards for drivers on the road. It’s especially top of mind during the month of April, which is Distracted Driver Awareness Month, but Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) researcher, Charlie Klauer says that technology can also be part of the solution.
According to VTTI, the top distractions are inattention due to fatigue and texting, particularly by inexperienced drivers . Klauer, a research scientist and leader within the Division of Vehicle, Driver, & System Safety, says the emergence of modern technology has certainly had an impact on our driver experience and safety. Klauer explains that while technology is a distraction, it can also be a part of the solution through tools such as car play, in which drivers can answer a call hands-free.
“As human factors researchers, it is imperative that we improve the design of the in-vehicle interfaces to allow drivers to interact with cellular technologies in the safest way possible,” says Klauer. “Any interactions that reduce eyes off the forward roadway and physical manipulation of the phone will improve safety.”
Although texting while driving is illegal and a primary offense in Virginia and many other states, it remains a key challenge in driving safety. Klauer explains that these laws are crucial and must be enforced.
“While passing hands-free laws is certainly an important step, it will also require that these laws are enforced by police officers, that fines and violations are significant enough to warrant behavior change, and technological solutions exist to allow drivers to remain connected while remaining as safe as possible,” says Klauer.
Texting while driving isn’t the only distraction people face. “Other examples include eating, reaching for objects, interacting with an infotainment system, etcetera,” says Klauer.
Klauer has also researched the effect that age has on distraction on risks. Her findings show that younger groups are at higher risk.
“Our younger age groups are far more affected by secondary task engagement. These younger age groups certainly include teenage drivers (ages 16-20) but also young adults,” says Klauer. “Recent research has shown that drivers between 21-29 also have very high crash rates associated with many secondary tasks, especially when using wireless devices.”
Klauer says following safety recommendations is vital to keeping both you and other drivers on the road safe.
Read more from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute about distracted driving here.
About Klauer
Charlie Klauer is a research scientist and leader of the Training Systems Group in the Division of Vehicle, Driver, & System Safety at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. She is also an associate professor in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department in the College of Engineering and researches Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics. Klauer has been working in transportation research since 1996.
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Transformation coach and nutrition expert Charles D’Angelo will fire you up, and help you develop an empowered mindset that leads to a healthier life. Pulling tips from decades of his inspirational talks and books, Think and Grow Thin and Inner Guru, this high-energy and informative webinar will help you learn how to get the best out of yourself in.
Key Takeaways:
Moving on from the past
Setting goals
Making daily healthy choices to improve your future self
Finding a mentor to help your health journey
Empower yourself to take control of your life’s trajectory
Charles is a sought-after personal coach and public speaker. He frequently provides keynotes for events and appears as a guest on TV, radio and Internet programs. He is the author of two bestselling books: Think and Grow Thin (2011) and Inner Guru (2017). He’s been endorsed by many notable individuals including President Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, Larry King, Richard Simmons, Angela Bassett and Dr. Mark Hyman as well as notable Missouri locals including Senator Claire McCaskill, David Steward, Chairman and Founder of World Wide Technology, and Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri with his greatest inspiration – his wife, Crystal – and their two cats, Leo and Theo.
In an age of quiet quitting, some leaders are turning inwards. They are discovering how to make the most of where they are in the journey that leads to where they want to be, both in their careers and in life.
It’s all part of mindfulness, a quality that is given credence by Harvard Business Review, Google, Richard Branson and others.
DONNA SIRIANNI: Cultivating mindfulness helps us ‘bring our best selves to leadership, the workplace and our families.’ Courtesy of Donna Sirianni
Cultivating mindfulness helps us “bring our best selves to leadership, the workplace and families,” said Donna Sirianni, the founder and CEO of Moving Forward Strategies, which offers personal development and leadership training through one-on-one and group training, including a monthly Living Leadership series in Melville for executives.
What is mindfulness, exactly? Psychology Today defines it as “the quality of being really present in one’s momentary experience, accepting the moment as it is, rather than doing what we usually do, which is getting caught up in our thoughts and feelings.”
Those who practice mindfulness demonstrate “resilience, the capacity for collaboration and the ability to lead in complex conditions,” according to Harvard Business Review.
On Long Island, some leaders are so enthusiastic about mindfulness and its benefits, they are helping others realize the potential within.
Like many of us, they’ve navigated a world of challenges. They see through obstacles and how to get around them. They understand balancing life and work steering through toxic work cultures. They embrace the path to new ideas, new approaches, quieting their inner critic and any doubts about how well concepts may land.
ROB FISHMAN: ‘If we learned a lesson, that’s growth to success.’ Courtesy of Rob Fishman
Human beings have as many as 60,000 thoughts a day, according to research by Stanford University’s Professor Fred Luskin. But when those thoughts are self-limiting, “It creates for many people an unhealthier mindset,” said Rob Fishman, owner and partner of Sandler, a Hauppauge-based sales training and performance improvement organization. For human beings, their go-to thoughts are often negative, he said.
Achieving mindfulness can be a journey in itself, and many credit meditation and journaling – something some don’t naturally take the time to do. Yet we may be meditating without even realizing it. Consider, for example, the practice of counting reps while working out.
“You’re calming your mind, and focused on ‘What number am I at?”’ said Jessica Rivera, a business and mindset coach, who aims to start her day with meditation.
Others, like Rivera, build meditation into their day.
EVAN FREED designs retreats so clients can ‘slow down’ and bond with family. Photo by Judy Walker
“I intentionally put in moments of meditation,” said Evan Freed, a Port Washington-based serial entrepreneur, whose latest venture, The Family Journey, provides what he describes as “transformational retreats” for families that help them bond.
Personal coaches can also lead the path to mindfulness. And the more it’s practiced, the greater the rewards, experts say.
Fishman works with clients to find a mindset that is more supportive and change self-limiting beliefs that can be game-changers in business. Here, mindful preparation can go a long way, especially before a big meeting. Fishman advises reviewing your objectives. What questions might you ask? What will they ask you – and how will you respond? How are you feeling about the meeting: Confident? Happy? Worry? Frustrated?
“Acknowledge those feelings,” he said. “Don’t sweep them under the rug.” Go over the questions again and take action. Look at what’s in your control and what’s not. Even if the outcome is not the one hoped for, “If we learned a lesson, that’s growth to success,” Fishman said.
Freed turns to mindfulness in growing his four businesses. Now, as he builds The Family Journey, Freed conducts a series of calls with clients, using the takeaways he’s gotten from his own coaches, listening carefully to clients to understand what it is they want to attain in their time away from work when they are together as a family.
The respites are something his clients are valuing, he said. Entrepreneurs “have burned out so many times. They’re so embedded in the cycle of go-go-go,” said Freed, who practices deep meditation.
To help his clients reconnect on vacation, Freed designed retreats “to slow down. I find cultures that do that.” Costa Rica and Spain, he said, are two of those locations that are away from the heavily tourist areas. On private and group trips, Freed puts together trips that feature meditation, yoga, a camp where children meet others from around the world, and experiences with the local community. All of this leads to a purposeful way to unwind, something he speaks with clients about when they return so that they can hold on to the peace of mind they found while away.
Rivera recognized that mindfulness was working for her back in her corporate days, prior to becoming a coach. She began to realize that it took her less time to bounce back from any on-the-job aggravation. “That was a big success – being able to move back into calmness,” she said.
That was important, she said, because “decisions based on frustration or anger or ego are typically not the right decisions – you need to step back,” she said.
Mindfulness has helped her rethink strategies in difficult conversations. She put thought into the message she wants to convey and how she wants people to feel when they walk away. Sometimes, she said, an idea or a suggestion “didn’t land,” but in the process, she was able to convey her true intentions. “Even if they didn’t want to hear the message, we got closer, and they trusted me enough to tell me what they didn’t like” about an idea, or where it went wrong.
At her seminars, Sirianni distributes journals so attendees can do a deep dive into the session’s focus. In learning to let go of stress, for example, she instructs attendees to write about pressures. Then they work off that list.
The attendees share the common goal of attaining personal growth and development in an environment that is supportive, she said. In that climate, feel open to the process.
“Visualize what you can control and what you can’t control,” she tells them.
Where there are negative thoughts, she urges attendees to “reframe,” helping them find their way to a better place. In a visualization, for example, she guides them to close their eyes and conjure up the person conveying the negative thought, first in color, then in black and white. Then shrinking. Then in a funny voice. And so on. By the time the attendees open their eyes, that negativity, ideally, holds much less power.
For those considering journaling, Fishman recommends taking pen to paper and starting with an affirmation. You can use old-fashioned pen and paper or perhaps a digital tablet that you can write on, he said.
There are apps for meditation, or you can simply count or observe a moment in the sun, or the rain, or wherever you happen to be.
Experts say there is no right or wrong way to meditate.
“Don’t judge yourself on how you practice, Rivera said. “Give yourself grace.”
Dr. Elisha Goldstein, PhD, offers a self-forgiveness practice to help shift our old stories and habit of self-blame. He suggests that if we adopt a “learning mindset,” growth can occur from the inevitable mistakes we all make in life.
Self-blame is a human dilemma. We may blame ourselves for shouting at our kids or not protecting our siblings from abusive parents when we were young, or hating ourselves for something we wish we hadn’t said. But blame creates a destructive amount of continual stress that holds us back from learning from our mistakes and also uncovering a real happiness.
So, assuming many of us agree that forgiving ourselves and learning from past mistakes is important for our health and well-being, the next question is how do we actually go about forgiving ourselves?
Know that you are not the first or the last
One of the first things to do is understand that you are not the first person who has made this mistake; it has likely been made thousands if not millions of times before you by other people. I am not condoning the action, but simply letting you know that you are not alone and that many people have made this mistake in the face of common human challenges. One of the common things we do as humans is taking things personally to a fault. When we come to understand that no one is immune from being unskillful, we can begin to take it a little less personally. This helps us in the process of forgiveness.
Understand that it’s in the past
Another thing to remind yourself of is that this act you may have committed is now in the past, it is not present, and you are not currently doing it. Notice when the mind trap of blaming yourself for past events arises, see if you can acknowledge its presence and the remind yourself that you did make mistake, but that was the past and you are going to learn from it. This practice of blaming does not support you or others in any way at all. Allow the process of forgiveness of this past event to surface and begin to see it as something that you can learn and grow from moving forward. This will free you up to be more skillful in the present.
What we might do is say “In the past, I had done or been xyz, and now I am (connect with positive intention.” For example, “in the past I had an affair, today I am a loving and committed husband/wife and the love I feel for my children sustains me.”
Adopt a learning mindset
We are always going to make mistakes in this life. Everyone does. But the key mindset that turns this on it’s head and catalyzes growth and happiness is the learning mindset.
This is a single thread that weaves throughout Uncovering Happiness and also the newest release MBSR Every Day: Daily Practices from the Heart of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
Every single experience in life contains information to help us get better and better with our intentions in life.
So forgive yourself for the past, but investigate how you made this error or if it was even an error on your part at all. If it was ask yourself, “What might I do differently next time?” Then invite yourself to begin again.
This is a practice I call Forgive, Investigate and Invite.
We can begin to let go of our grievance stories of the past and begin to build new ones with more conscious intention on how we want things to be moving forward. This will be a process and will take patience, determination, and persistence as the old stories and habits of self blame will keep creeping back into the mind leading us back toward our old unforgiving ways that don’t serve us. See if you can notice when this happens and then invite yourself now to begin the process of self-forgiveness again.
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Adapted with permission from Elisha Goldstein’s Blog.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It’s Dec. 20 and I’m sitting in my too-cold sunroom in St. Petersburg, Florida. The temperature outside is 61 degrees. I know. We Floridians have it rough. The time is 5:30 a.m.
This is a habit of mine to get up every morning by 5:30 and I’ve been doing it for so long, my eyes pop open without any need for alarm clocks — even on the weekends. I love the mornings. I love hot coffee and I love the opportunity to get still for a moment before the sun rises and my day begins.
Many of us have trouble meditating. The mind just doesn’t want to shut up. Thinking, thinking, thinking. We think we can think ourselves out of trouble. We stew about things that are irritating us. Many of us live in a drama every day. We have anxiety in our chests and a feeling of frustration we’re constantly trying to shake off.
Life becomes something we’re “getting through.” We survive, we persevere and we hope for happier days ahead. We’re waiting. Waiting for retirement. Waiting for things to slow down.
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” -Mark Twain
Sitting still in quiet darkness with only your breath allows you to tune into the present moment. Listening to your breath with your eyes closed in total aloneness, you’ll find that there is pure peace in that. A sensation of calm will wash over you like a warm blanket.
But watch — here come the negative thoughts. They’ll start to creep in. Thought flow will enter. The mind is tricky; it wants in. You’ll need to be strict with your mind. This is the time that you set aside for yourself. Just like when you’re starting to work out, there will be resistance. There will be a feeling of “I can’t do this.”
Stick with it because it’s a practice; results won’t happen overnight. Show up every day and give 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever you can. Over time, the benefits of your practice to stay in the present moment will start to show up in your life. For business owners, staying in the present moment is a superpower. It’s where creativity lives; it’s where passion lives; it’s where true happiness is.
Organizes your mind
By giving your mind a break, you’re cleaning house. Decluttering. You’re creating a space between your busy, overthinking mind and what really is important.
After meditation, grab your journal and map out your day. Think about how you want your day to go. Step into it with a plan and don’t sacrifice your health. Put it first. Remember, you can’t think greater than how you feel. Do the things to feel your best self first.
Reminding yourself that the present moment is exactly where you need to be allows for deeper connections with people. When you’re really present, people can feel it. When you walk into the office, you’ll have an air of positivity about you. When someone needs you and you give them your undivided attention, they’ll remember it.
If something unsettling does pop up, give it your full attention and then let it go. It’s gone. Onto the next thing.
Breathe and reset. If it really throws you for a loop, take 10 minutes for yourself again and remember the truth. It only lives in your mind now. The event passed. Let it go.
Preserves your energy
It takes a lot of energy to feel negative emotions. You can actually feel it physically. The head feels heavy. The shoulders and back and jaw feel stiff. Teeth grinding (bruxism) affects millions of people. You know why? We hold stress in our jaw. We’re not loose.
Staying in the present moment preserves our energy and even cultivates energy. When you’re not worried and you’re instead happy to be where you are, positive energy flows through you. You’ll be able to get to the things you’ve been meaning to and even have energy left over to have some fun.
When you’re in the present moment, peace washes over you. You’re not looking for what’s next. You’re happy with what is.
You’re not worried about what happened in the past and you’re not worried about what’s going to happen in the future. You’re just here. Appreciation and gratefulness blossom inside of you.
As a business owner, you may be saying, “But I have to plan and push forward. My drive is what gets us to the next level. It keeps us growing.”
The drive doesn’t need to go away. It’s healthy to map out your goals and work toward those goals. But remember, what you’re looking for is not there — it’s here in the present moment. If you’re a human being on this earth, you want peace, health and happiness.
You may want riches, too, but don’t sacrifice your health to get there. That’s the old way. We’re learning so much about the mind, body and human behavior. If you study people that are successful in all areas of their life, you’ll quickly see a pattern: presence; appreciation; a desire to learn and grow; and a deep connectedness to nature and what is in the heart of oneself. I wish you all much success in 2023.
Newswise — Regular deep meditation, practised for several years, may help to regulate the gut microbiome and potentially lower the risks of physical and mental ill health, finds a small comparative study published in the open access journal General Psychiatry.
The gut microbes found in a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks differed substantially from those of their secular neighbours, and have been linked to a lower risk of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease.
Research shows that the gut microbiome can affect mood and behaviour through the gut–brain axis. This includes the body’s immune response, hormonal signalling, stress response and the vagus nerve—the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees an array of crucial bodily functions.
The significance of the group and specimen design is that these deep-thinking Tibetan monks can serve as representatives of some deeper meditations. Although the number of samples is small, they are rare because of their geographical location.
Meditation is increasingly being used to help treat mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, traumatic stress, and eating disorders as well as chronic pain. But it’s not clear if it might also be able to alter the composition of the gut microbiome, say the researchers.
In a bid to find out, the researchers analysed the stool and blood samples of 37 Tibetan Buddhist monks from three temples and 19 secular residents in the neighbouring areas.
Tibetan Buddhist meditation originates from the ancient Indian medical system known as Ayurveda, and is a form of psychological training, say the researchers. The monks in this study had been practising it for at least 2 hours a day for between 3 and 30 years.
None of the participants had used agents that can alter the volume and diversity of gut microbes: antibiotics; probiotics; prebiotics; or antifungal drugs in the preceding 3 months.
Both groups were matched for age, blood pressure, heart rate, and diet.
Stool sample analysis revealed significant differences in the diversity and volume of microbes between the monks and their neighbours.
Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes species were dominant in both groups, as would be expected. But Bacteroidetes were significantly enriched in the monks’ stool samples (29% vs 4%), which also contained abundant Prevotella (42% vs 6%) and a high volume of Megamonas and Faecalibacterium.
“Collectively, several bacteria enriched in the meditation group [have been] associated with the alleviation of mental illness, suggesting that meditation can influence certain bacteria that may have a role in mental health,” write the researchers.
These include Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, Megamonas and Faecalibacterium species, the previously published research suggests.
The researchers then applied an advanced analytical technique to predict which chemical processes the microbes might be influencing. This indicated that several protective anti-inflammatory pathways, in addition to metabolism—the conversion of food into energy—were enhanced in the meditation people.
Finally, blood sample analysis showed that levels of agents associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, including total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, were significantly lower in the monks than in their secular neighbours by their functional analysis with the gut microbes.
Although a comparative study, it is observational and the numbers of participants were small, all male, and lived at high altitude, making it difficult to draw any firm or generalisable conclusions. And the potential health implications could only be inferred from previously published research.
But based on their findings, the researchers suggest that the role of meditation in helping to prevent or treat psychosomatic illness definitely merits further research.
And they conclude: “These results suggest that long-term deep meditation may have a beneficial effect on gut microbiota, enabling the body to maintain an optimal state of health.”
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As the owner of several digital marketing companies, I’ve found that mindfulness has played a crucial role in my success over the years. Not only has it helped me to stay focused and productive, but it has also allowed me to approach challenges and difficult situations with a clear and calm mind.
Mindfulness helps us to stay focused and present in the moment. As entrepreneurs, we often have a lot of tasks and responsibilities vying for our attention, whether it’s two dozen tabs open in our browser or six consecutive Zoom meetings on a Tuesday afternoon. It can be easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of what’s most important. Mindfulness allows us to quiet our racing thoughts and stay focused on the task at hand, which can greatly improve our productivity and effectiveness.
I think all entrepreneurs can benefit from this important aspect of self-improvement, and in this article, I’ll outline some of the key benefits and importance of mindfulness for entrepreneurs like myself.
Mindfulness is a mental state of being fully present and aware of one’s thoughts, feelings and surroundings. It is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment, without judging oneself or one’s experiences. Mindfulness is often associated with meditation and other forms of contemplative practice, but I try to go beyond meditation by incorporating it into daily activities such as eating, walking and even working.
For me, the goal of mindfulness is to help me develop a greater sense of clarity, focus and peace of mind. But the benefits at work, I find, are the strongest. If I’m present and less distracted at work, I can do more in 3 or 4 hours than I often do all day when I’m in a less mindful and more restless state.
Achieving mindfulness at work
One specific way that mindfulness can improve focus and concentration is through the practice of mindfulness meditation. This involves sitting in a comfortable position with a straight back, closing my eyes and focusing on my breath. When my mind starts to wander, which it inevitably will, I simply acknowledge the thought and then return my focus to my breath. This practice trains my mind to be more present and focused on my work, which has amplified my productivity dramatically over my career.
Sometimes, even just sitting in my office chair and counting 10 deep, mindful breaths is enough to put me in a more mindful state.
Benefit 1: Improved concentration and productivity
Mindfulness can improve focus by helping identify and let go of distracting thoughts and emotions. For example, if you are working on a project, and your mind keeps wandering to other tasks or worries, mindfulness can help you become aware of these distractions and let them go, allowing you to refocus on the task at hand
For example, writing a 500-word piece of copy might take me an hour or two, depending on the subject matter. However, after a 10-minute meditation session, I’m able to concentrate for long enough to write the same amount of copy in 30 minutes. Ultimately, I save time, and I’m more productive.
High levels of stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on an entrepreneur’s physical and mental health, leading to health issues and decreased well-being.
One way I reduce stress and anxiety is by prioritizing self-care. This can include taking regular breaks, engaging in physical activity, getting enough sleep, and, of course, practicing mindful relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing. It is also important to create a work-life balance and set boundaries between work and personal time, which mindfulness meditation and distraction-free living can help you achieve.
Benefit 3: Enhanced creativity and innovation
Mindfulness is the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment, without judgment. This can help to increase focus and concentration, which are important for creativity and innovation. When we are mindful, we are more likely to notice things that we might otherwise overlook, and this can spark new ideas and creative solutions to problems.
Additionally, mindfulness can help to reduce stress and increase feelings of well-being, which can make us more open to new ideas and more receptive to the creative process. For me, mindfulness creates the conditions that are conducive to creativity and innovation.
Benefit 4: Improved relationships and business communication
When leading a company, mindfulness can help improve business relationships and communication through greater focus, clarity and empathy. When we are mindful, we are better able to listen actively and fully engage with others, which can foster better understanding and collaboration.
Mindfulness can also help reduce stress and improve overall mental and emotional well-being, which can enhance our ability to communicate effectively and build positive relationships with colleagues. A more mindful frame of being also helps us to be more self-aware and in control of our own thoughts and actions, which can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts from arising.
This is what has made mindfulness such a valuable tool for improving my communication and building stronger, more positive business relationships in my entrepreneurial life.
Next time you’re at your work desk, try minimizing your web browser, relaxing your eyes and counting a few deep breaths. Notice the things around you. Acknowledge your thoughts as merely thoughts, and discard them if they aren’t useful for achieving your present goals. Take a walk outdoors, and observe your surroundings in the same way.
This, for me, is the core component of mindfulness as an entrepreneur. And, if you’re anything like me, you’ll find that your business results will be greatly amplified as a result of the improved focus, communication and useful relaxation that mindfulness brings.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Hallmark symbols of business building and entrepreneurship are constructed on a series of rules, parameters and functions that rely on established experiences over time.
What if I told you there is a world without limits built on a set of constructs, not rules? You would undoubtedly think a world with an endless horizon line might be less than calming.
If you’re a famed thought leader (emphasis on thought) like Deepak Chopra, you cross the chasm without concern for what lies beneath your feet. The real-life Indiana Jones crossing a bridge on utter faith, Chopra and his partner Poonacha Machaiah are welcoming all of us into our own homes through their conscious Web3 platform, Seva.Love (meaning service and love in action).
Let’s take the horizon line back two decades before Machaiah became the CEO of the Chopra Foundation and before Chopra himself became an author of over 90 books translated into almost 50 languages.
Chopra and Machaiah met through a common friend and famed filmmaker of Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Shekhar Kapur. It was at this meeting that the technology background of Machaiah and Chopra converged.
“I met Deepak and quickly asked him about his vision. So many people pined to understand the vision of this icon. He responded by saying that he planned on reaching a billion people for a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. My reply was, sign me up!” shares Machaiah.
Chopra wasn’t pitching Machaiah in the classic sense of business building, but he had ignited a path for the College of William and Mary grad that had been kindling under the surface for some time. “That conversation started our journey into wellbeing together. I wake up every day and ask myself, “Poonacha, what are you going to do to ensure a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world?”
Machaiah’s computer science and engineering background has proved complimentary to the globally renowned leader of the meditation revolution. He had been a part of the Motorola team that innovated cellphone technology, so new adventures were a part of his DNA. “Deepak focuses on our joint efforts through the lens of wellbeing and consciousness, and I look at our work through technology and the ability it [technology] has to democratize access for people.”
Chopra and Machaiah believe that the world is at a nexus point in history and the world of Web3, or as they like to say, the multiverse has the potential to change the course of personal and professional experiences.
Seva.Love has bundled together an initial consumer offering that aims to reach people outside of the standard Web3 fare. A combination of apps and metaverse meditation experiences are punctuated by the Chopraverse opening the digital door to Chopra’s “House of Enlightenment,” a Roblox offering under the Choprakids umbrella, and a curated library of educational resources created by the Chopra Foundation.
The app gabl (Give. Ask. Borrow. Love.) is emblematic of leadership that understands business is about walking, not running. The app integrates documented experiences of good deeds in the physical world through social technology, seeding user behavior reflective of the Seva.Love world.
Machaiah sees an opportunity to lean into the metaverse as a therapeutic. Chopra and his endlessly engaging partner, Machaiah, might be the best tandem to think beyond Web3 gaming conventions. They were at the forefront of online meditation offerings beating out Calm and Headspace. Having Oprah as a collaborator on the 21-day meditation challenge with Chopra and the foundation didn’t hurt either.
“Imagine integrating an experience that helps you to breathe, to meditate. That is an experience that can lead to kindness. I believe the metaverse is going to be the place where digital therapeutics will come to play. And that’s the reason why Deepak and I are so excited about Seva.Love.”
The story of Seva.Love is just evolving, and Chopra’s roots might explain his excitement for this stage of the endeavor.
“My mother was one of the most interesting storytellers,” says Chopra. “When my little brother and I were young, she would entertain us with stories. But, she would stop halfway through her story. She would leave a cliffhanger for each of us to finish the next morning. We had to share our own conclusions and include all aspects, including the villain, the good and bad guys.”
The unknown excites the global icon, citing those initial storytelling sessions as trigger points for his imagination. Chopra and Machaiah appear to have written a script that includes a vivid set of imaginative experiences where we all get to play in the scene. A welcomed opportunity for personal and professional experiences to take center stage.
Coming home from a long day at the office has been forever and creatively depicted by Hollywood authors as an activity of respite in the face of the trials and tribulations of the cold, dark, unforgiving world of the adult experience. The front door closes, sealing off the subject from the unrelenting pressures of life.
That physical door transforms through Chopra’s guidance and Machaiah’s tech wherewithal into a portal void of locks and peepholes to reveal a world governed by self-control, a sense of belonging and without outside edicts.
The neighborhood is open. Chopra and Machaiah have laid out the welcome mat. Now, they believe, the time has come to hand over the keys to a new generation of digital users ready to take off, where life and one’s place converge to create wonderfully new and immersive adventures.
The keys are yours, and Deepak Chopra and Poonacha Machaiah beam at being your hosts.
Newswise — Some people can’t wait for the end of the season of yuletide peace so they can have a little actual peace.
Forty-four percent of women and 31% of men in the U.S. say their stress levels actually increase during the holidays, according to data from the American Psychological Association. And only 4% of women and 12% of men say life calms down during what TV commercials would have you believe is a time of serenity.
For many, all the shopping, snow shoveling, food, family, travel, traffic, parties and partridges in pear trees add up to one big holiday ball of pressure. But Dr. Ramnarine Boodoo, a child psychiatrist at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, suggests adding one more gift to your list this year. Make this one just for you – mindfulness meditation.
During the past couple of decades, both words have become well worn in self help circles, but they might still sound a little strange to some ears. You might be thinking robes, incense and monks twisting themselves into pretzels. But you don’t have to be a guru to meditate, Boodoo said.
“All you really need to practice meditation,” he said, “is to be a human being.”
Try this
Find a quiet place. “You can listen to music,” Boodoo said, “but you don’t really need anything.”
Sit down or lie down. Get comfortable.
Close your eyes.
Pay attention to your breathing. Feel the cool air go in and warm air go out. Pay attention to the sensations in your belly. “Don’t try to manipulate them,” Boodoo said. Just be aware of them.
If you’re like most people, your thoughts will run. Probably, they’ll keep orbiting around whatever you’re stressed about. That’s OK, Boodoo says. Just gently call them back to your breathing and the sensations to which you’re paying attention.
Do this for as long as you want, but a few minutes is probably best to start with. More time is often better as you progress.
Open your eyes and go about your day.
OK, so what’s the point?
It’s not as spooky as it sounds.
“What all meditation has in common is that it deals with paying attention in a certain way,” Boodoo said. “As you pay attention to something in a certain way, it starts to exclude extraneous things that don’t matter a whole lot.”
Mindfulness meditation in particular, Boodoo says, is all about paying attention to a specific thing. In this case, your breath.
Say it’s a typical December day. You’re running 150 miles an hour, you need to get a gift for your grandmother, you’ve got work, caroling practice and the list goes on. Your brain keeps ticking off tasks in an endless loop. “All these things clutter up our stream of consciousness,” Boodoo said.
If each list item carries stress along with it, people can develop anxiety as it builds. Mindfulness meditation breaks the cycle. By focusing on something other than your problems, their importance diminishes. You are teaching your brain that it’s OK to let go of some of these thoughts, if only for a few minutes.
Does it really work?
A 2020 National Institutes of Health (NIH) review of 14 studies including more than 1,100 participants showed that practicing mindfulness among people with health conditions like cancer, diabetes and hypertension led to significant reduction in blood pressure. Other studies connect mindfulness meditation to relief from chronic pain; reduction in stress, anxiety and depression; and recovery from sleep problems and substance abuse disorders.
None of that means you should drop your treatment plans and focus entirely on meditation as a cure-all. In fact, another NIH review found that 8% of study participants reported negative effects from some forms of meditation, so proceed with caution.
But even with that caveat, the benefits are worth exploring. “It may help improve your quality of life,” Boodoo said.
So, all I have to do is lie there one time, breathe, and my life will suddenly be better?
Well, not exactly.
If you’re looking for a little holiday stress relief, then yes, you could do worse than a few minutes of meditation to calm your mind. But regular practice holds greater benefits, Boodoo said.
“Part of what we’re doing when we’re meditating is taking ourselves outside of that cycle of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain,” he said. “And we’re starting to focus on what’s really going on here. Why are we doing this?”
Adherents say regular practice increases clarity and sparks reprioritization. You ask yourself important questions that can reach into spiritual and existential planes – your place in the universe.
“You might start asking more important questions,” Boodoo said. “Like what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of existence?”
For many, meditation helps improve focus on what’s important and put what’s unimportant in its proper place. Boodoo says it might even help you in your quest to find meaning in what you’re so stressed about celebrating – the real reason for the season.
And what could be a better holiday gift than that?
Related content:
The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Were you like me when you started on your journey as an entrepreneur? You’d get to around mid-November and find yourself frustrated because all momentum seemed to grind to a halt. Your suppliers take longer to deliver. Your clients don’t return your calls or emails for weeks, and there hangs in the air a feeling that nothing is going on (apart from present shopping, of course).
The Christmas season slowdown has begun!
This infuriated me as a young man trying to make his way into the business world. Why does everybody just down tools and give up for the year?!
There’s a general sense that December is a write-off as people slow down and look to the new year. But what is that about? Why do we have this collective agreement, and what can we do about it as frustrated “go-getters”?
The first thing to recognize is that this is a collective agreement — even Christmas is just that. We see it as the time of the year when we take a break during the cold. Ultimately though, the reason why we all engage in traditional behaviors around this time is purely that we’ve all agreed to.
Participate in traditions & the conventions of society
There are clear reasons why we do agree to these things. We understand, for example, that there will be consequences to breaking the law, but it’s still just an agreement.
We are all free agents within our realm. If you want to get home, strip off and cover yourself in hot sauce…you can. I wouldn’t advise it, but you can.
But in that (admittedly ridiculous) example, by not doing so, you’re still abiding by the collective agreement that your family would probably deem you to be a danger to yourself and others and also that it would be physically unpleasant.
Our business practices are the same way. We generally agree that there are specific ways of conducting oneself when onboarding a new client, for example, or when conducting meetings. Contractual obligations are another very literal agreement that we enter into with an understanding of the consequences should either party not fulfill their obligations.
So why would the Christmas season slow down be any different?
It does seem like something people assume to be a naturally occurring phenomenon. Like rock formations or aurora borealis. “Well, we’re all getting into the Christmas slowdown at work now. It’s just what happens, isn’t it?”
But it’s not! It’s only a thing because we think it is.
The truth is that you don’t have to abide by it if you don’t want to. It’s a relatively harmless agreement, after all. Instead of being frustrated like I used to be, though, think of ways that you can mitigate the impact on your business by shifting how you operate.
Use December to take care of all those tasks that get put off during the rest of the year. Work on your preparedness for the upcoming year by reaching out to clients and asking them for feedback, for example. Or you could make those updates to the website you’ve been grumbling about since 2020.
More than just housekeeping tasks, though, you could also use the time to work on yourself!
If you’re finding the stress of running a business is getting to you, now is the time to interrogate that and find out what you can do about it. Start working mindfulness practices into your daily routine. Learn to listen to what your mind and body are telling you.
If you’re at that precarious stage of business ownership, where you’re trying to focus on growth but also having to do the work, now is the time to sit down and determine how you will correct that. Get a roadmap together for next year that you can (and crucially: will) follow.
It’s easy to see the Christmas holidays as a wind down to a final destination, but there is something on the other side! And it would be best if you prepared for it. Come out of the “new year’s gate” swinging, and you’ll steal a march on your competition. Moreover, your existing and prospective clients will see that energy and what a piece of it!
The ultimate truth about the Christmas season slowing down is that you don’t have to participate. Others can sign up for that collective agreement if they want to, but you can use it to your advantage simply by reframing the situation.
Newswise — At work, mindfulness, ’present-moment awareness’, benefits not only the individual but the whole work community, comes up in Laura Urrila’s doctoral dissertation in human resource management. When an individual participates in mindfulness training, the implications spill over to the wider work community.
– Leaders who practise mindfulness are more present, give others space, seek to understand others’ perspectives and emotional states, and act for the common good, says Laura Urrila, who will publicly defend her dissertation at the University of Vaasa on Friday 9 December.
In Urrila’s doctoral research, leaders participated in an eight-week-long mindfulness programme. The participants found simple mindfulness practices and learnings, such as conscious breathing, calming visualization and a compassionate attitude, helpful in their daily work which involved constant interaction with team members.
– It is interesting that many leaders and supervisors immediately wanted to share their learning and introduce mindfulness practices to their team members both in one-on-one and team meetings, even though they had no prior experience with the topic or how it could be applied in daily leadership work, Urrila points out.
Leaders are interested in mindfulness
In recent years, mindfulness has become popular in working life, especially among leaders and leadership development professionals. Leadership —leading people— is all about motivating others and taking an interest in the needs of others.
Urrila sought to investigate if mindfulness could help leaders tap into their orientation to others and support leaders in their role of leading others. The interviewees described their desire to ensure their team members’ well-being and development. At the same time, they found the leadership work to be challenging in many ways; Often, supervisors are burdened by heavy workloads, difficult workplace relationships, and problems with the functioning of the team.
– While there seems to be a will, the workable strategies and tools to engage in good leadership may be missing, Urrila summarises.
The ability to be present is good leadership – Awareness is a skill that can be practised
Urrila’s research confirms that the ability to be present and aware is a part of good leadership and that it can be practised. Leadership development is not easy because it happens over time as part of adult maturation and involves the willingness to engage in self-reflection. Developing oneself first may be required, as “you cannot give from an empty cup”.
Urrila’s research uncovers that mindfulness practice develops a leader’s self-awareness and supports the ability to take care of, and develop, oneself. According to Urrila, a positive personal experience of mindfulness training and practice is the key driver that motivates leaders to apply mindfulness in their work. The research highlights the perspective that the most effective form of leadership development is a combination of a formal programme and continuous self-development.
Laura Urrila examined the experiences of leaders who participated in a mindfulness training programme, taking a qualitative longitudinal intervention approach. The data for analysis were collected from 62 leaders. Materials comprise 62 written pre-intervention assessments and 62 post-intervention interviews. The dissertation consists of three papers which contribute to the literature on mindfulness and leadership by increasing the understanding of how mindfulness learning may support leaders in social relations and in their role of leading others. The findings are particularly useful for HR managers and development professionals in evaluating and selecting leader development interventions.
Dissertation
Urrila, Laura (2022). Be(com)ing other-oriented – The value of mindfulness for leaders and leadership development. Acta Wasaensia 499. Dissertation. University of Vaasa.
The public examination of M.Sc., MA Laura Urrila’s doctoral dissertation “Be(com)ing other-oriented: The value of mindfulness for leaders and leadership development” will be held in auditorium Kurténat the University of Vaasa at noon on Friday 9 December. Professor (emer.) Iiris Aaltio (University of Jyväskylä) will act as the opponent and Professor Liisa Mäkelä as custos. The defence will be held in Finnish.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
I bet you’re sick of being told that: “you can manifest anything your heart desires…if you just buy this twelve-step program!” There are many people out there who prey upon our common misconceptions about manifesting and the law of attraction.
It’s big business!
Life Coaching has been the second-largest growth industry in the US for twelve consecutive years and is estimated to be worth around $2 billion!
It is no wonder that people will do anything to “bottle” this information and sell it to a market. How do you know what you’re being sold is the truth, though? It’s very easy to palm off any shortfall as a result of something you did wrong.
Here, then, are three common misconceptions about manifesting and the law of attraction. By bringing these to your awareness, you’ll have a better idea of whether or not a particular practice, program or modality is right for you.
Whenever I see someone tell a tale of how they wrote themselves a check and stuck it on the fridge, only for them to receive a million dollars sometime later (Jim Carrey, I’m looking at you), it gets my back up.
Not that this isn’t possible, but it paints a picture of this being the only necessary action. Worse yet, some claim that meditation or prayer is all that is required. “Focus on what you want. Hold it in your mind’s eye, and it will appear for you!!”
No! These are all beneficial practices — please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, but only so far as they better inform your actions.
Without taking any action — nothing is going to show up for you. Per definition: when something manifests itself, it simply makes itself known to the physical world. This could be climate change, an electoral outcome or a million dollars landing in your account.
The point is that these things already existed, and the moment they became a physical reality is what we call “manifesting.” Action is still very much required.
This is a huge reason why so many of these programs “fail” to work for the vast majority of people who buy them. It’s not that they don’t work, but they only work for the creator of the program and anyone else who just so happens to be already aligned with it.
Very few actually take the time to recognize that we are all individuals and tailor themselves accordingly.
If you come across any such program that doesn’t start by trying to get you to analyze who you are and what you’re about: don’t bother. You’ll most likely hit a brick wall and give up under the misconception that it must be your fault for “not getting it.”
3. Manifesting and the law of attraction are purely esoteric and mystical practices
This is nonsense. There is a lot of scientific data, research and theory to back up our ability to manifest or attract consciously chosen outcomes in our life.
Even anecdotally, if you cast your mind back to something you set your mind to, however mundane it may seem, you already know how it works. It could be as simple as thinking you want a cup of coffee. All the actions required to manifest that coffee in your hands are simple, but you still have to go through them.
The same is true of becoming a millionaire. The steps might be more complicated (or not), but the process is the same.
In the case of manifesting a million bucks: the problem most folks have is that they’ve never done it. You’ve made coffee before; that’s why when you get up from your desk and embark upon the ‘journey’ to barista town, none of it overwhelms you.
You’ve made coffee before — more times than you can count. So manifesting yet another flat white causes no anxiety whatsoever.
However, things get tricky when it comes to generating sums of money that are outside of the usual purview. You’ve never done it before, and you know that most haven’t either. You’re in uncharted territory, and your subconscious ‘lizard brain’ does not like it!
It’s a subject for another day, but suffice it to say: your subconscious has one job to do, keeping you safe. Though prehistoric, it doesn’t understand logic or language and operates on the assumption that change equals danger. It is this that the unscrupulous prey upon.
They know full well that you’ve never made a million dollars or found the love of your life. If you had, you wouldn’t need their course after all. They can exploit this to get themselves and their programs off the hook by essentially insinuating that you “just didn’t get it.”
Don’t be fooled.
Instead, recognize just how mundane the law of attraction is and how much of an everyday occurrence manifesting is. You can create a dream life as assuredly as making that cup of coffee.
Newswise — During the commotion of the holidays, it’s easy to forget to carve out a few moments for yourself. Sometimes, we forget the toll that work and family demands can have on our mind and body. This Monday, disconnect from stress with some quick self-care tactics for a happier you.
It doesn’t matter if you’re at home with kids or working all day, stress happens to everyone. It’s natural to keep trying to fit in ‘just one more task. It’s also normal to feel that others are depending on you too much to take a break for yourself.
If you operate with the needle on “E” – empty – for too long, it’s actually counterproductive. Running out of gas helps no one, least of all, you. Instead, take time to fill up with a trove of self-care tactics that will last you a lifetime.
Here are some quick self-care tips you can do right now:
Go for a walk– Feel the air, a change in temperature or the warmth of the sun. Look at the clouds.
Take a breather anytime, any place– Take a pause with some deep breaths. Fill your belly with a good, deep inhale. Hold it for a beat, then exhale slowly and fully. Do this repeatedly for a minute or so, until you feel a sense of calm.
Yoga moment– At your desk or in your living room, do some relaxing moves. Try chair yoga or do a quick sun salutation. If you can’t do the whole sequence stand up, reach your arms up to the sun and look at your hands, swan dive with arms out at your sides, then touch your toes – or get as close as you can! Do this a few times, until you feel your body unwind.
Water works – Take a warm bath. This is also a way to take a digital break from your phone and/or computer.
Call a friend – Catch up and share the latest. This will boost your happiness and it’s a natural way to destress.
Sleep – Here’s the prescription: Go to bed early, read, relax, do some bed yoga, sleep soundly, and wake up refreshed! It’s the perfect medicine for longevity, health, and balance.
Indulge in health and wellness this Monday with self-care! You will have the perfect destress formula: a longer, happier, and healthier life. For more tips to take care of you, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Nov. 18, 2022 – On a recent Thursday afternoon, Connie Clotworthy greets a roomful of energetic fourth graders at Valor Academy Elementary School in Arleta, CA, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
She starts by leading them in a mindfulness exercise, reminding the 19 students they have to give their brain a break “on purpose.” In a calm voice, she says, “for 30 seconds we are going to close our eyes.” She tells them to just breathe in, breathe out. Nothing else. They all do that.
After the 30 seconds, she asks: “Who was able to only breathe in, breathe out? Who had a million other thoughts?” That draws laughs and some raised hands, both in response to the success question and the bit about “a million other thoughts.”
Then, Clotworthy brings out her teaching assistants: A stuffed bulldog named Billy and a stuffed owl named Hoots.
She talks about “big emotions.” Holding up Billy, she says: “When you get angry, you’ve let our dog start barking and biting,” waving the stuffed dog around. “And how do we calm down our dog? Breathe. Who helps? Hoots.”
But Hoots can only help after Billy calms down, she reminds them. “Do you think Hoots will come out if Billy is barking and screaming?” The kids know the answer to that, shaking their heads “No” in unison.
The session ends with a 5-minute meditation and “body scan,” a guided exercise of noticing body sensations without judgment, done with eyes closed.
Clotworthy is executive director and founder of Worthy Beyond Purpose, a Los Angeles nonprofit launched in 2018. She leads the once-a-week, 30-minute mindfulness and meditation program at Valor Academy Elementary and at five other area schools.
After the session, she says proudly, the kids know that Billy represents the amygdala, the brain region associated with emotional processing, and Hoots is the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s control center involved in emotion regulation.
Clotworthy and other practitioners like her are increasingly taking to classrooms to use mindfulness and meditation to try to help ease pervasive mental health issues from pandemic trauma, isolation, school closures, school shootings, and other issues constantly plaguing students of all ages. Study after study has found many negative mental health effects of COVID-19 safety measures on children and adolescents.
While the terms mindfulness and meditation are often interchanged, experts say that mindfulness is the quality of “being in the present moment, without judgment,” while meditation describes a more formal practice of quieting the body and mind.
Mindfulness is not religious, Clotworthy says, but a way to “stay in the present.” The word, put most simply, “just means paying attention. We teach kids to be in the present.”
Besides helping students deal with stressors, it can be good for society, as the Dalai Lama promised in his famous quote: “If every 8-year-old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”
School Mindfulness Programs
Some school mindfulness programs, like Clotworthy’s, are small nonprofit efforts. Others tap into existing national commercial programs.
For instance, Headspace, the mindfulness and meditation app, recently partnered with Vivi, a classroom communication platform for kindergarten through 12th grade. Teachers can play Headspace content through Vivi, says Simon Holland, co-founder of Vivi, to access mindfulness and meditation content designed for children and teens.
Rosamaria Segura is director of Insight LA’s Insight in Action program, which provides mindfulness and meditation practices to areas that would otherwise be unable to afford them. The program is offered to students at three schools and to teachers and parents at six others.
“We offer it at no cost,” she says. Sometimes it is a 6-week program, other times a year. Community members fund it with donations.
Students served are “recent arrivals, Spanish-speaking,” Segura says, and “there is a lot of anxiety and trauma, from their journey. We train students to stay in the present,” with the mindfulness exercises.
“Last year, we had a mindfulness garden, outdoors, with elementary students,” she says. The students would enter the garden and choose a sticker to match their mood. At the beginning, most chose stickers reflecting worry or anxiety. “At the end of the session, the stickers would move up to the joyful, relaxed state. It was incredibly dramatic to see.”
What the Research Suggests
Mediation and mindfulness for adults have long had a list of known benefits, such as stress reduction and mood improvement. Recently, a well-publicized study found a program called mindfulness-based stress reduction rivals a prescription medication in how well it treats anxiety disorders.
Recent research also has found benefits for children and teens, although some experts argue that enthusiasm is outpacing the evidence and that the studies need to be more scientific.
Among the recent studies:
Eight teachers who led 124 students in a pre- and early elementary low-income school in mindfulness practices for 10-15 minutes a day (3 or more days a week for 6 weeks) found students calmer and more relaxed at the end of the program.
In an analysis of mindfulness programs for children and teens, researchers claimed most evaluations are not scientific enough, lacking randomization or control groups. In a review of 33 studies and nearly 3,700 children and teens, researchers found positive effects of the practice for mindfulness, attention, depression, anxiety and stress, and negative behaviors, but the effects were small. The positive effects were limited to mindfulness, depression, and anxiety and stress when the researchers only looked at the studies with active control groups.
Does It Work at School?
Some results from the school programs are anecdotal, some survey-based.
At Valor Academy Elementary, a public charter school in the LA Unified School District, the differences in behavior are noticeable, says Talar Samuelian, assistant principal of culture. She launched the program there in late 2021 with her third and fourth graders, concerned about their behavior after the pandemic brought remote learning.
“We had a lot of students with behavioral challenges and self-regulation issues,” she says. “The third graders had missed out on all of [in-person] first and second grade. There was catty behavior among the girls, and the boys were very handsy out in the yards. They had missed out on [developing] a lot of play skills.”
This year, the students are much calmer, she says. Among the benefits, she believes, are that “it helps with increasing the sense of belonging.”
One thing surprised Samuelian. She had assumed some of the third and fourth graders would be “too cool” to take part and push back. “Not one did,” she says. “They were all transfixed; they are all into it.”
At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Clotworthy surveyed 400 students who had taken part in her program at four schools. Her findings: “91% of the students can correctly identify and describe the functions of the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex,” up from 10% before the sessions began.
“We begin with these teachings so kids will know where their emotions live, how to identify them, and how to stay ahead of the outbursts,” she says.
A vast majority of the kids – 88% – say they have new ways to handle these big emotions, such as breathing techniques. And 85% say they know to listen to the body and feel the emotion coming before it erupts. Nearly 60% told Clotworthy they get in trouble less since starting her classes. Teachers told her that kids have a longer attention span in classes and more emotional maturity.
Headspace’s own research found that 30 days of Headspace led to a 32% decrease in stress, while 8 weeks of use led to a 19% decrease in anxiety symptoms and improved focus by 14%.
Indira Esparza Galeana teaches at the Preuss School on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The charter middle and high school is for low-income students who strive to become first in their families to graduate from college. The daughter of immigrants, she graduated from the school, returned to teach there, and now works as a member of the Vivi Educator Council, an unpaid position, to roll out the VIvi partnership.
Galeana’s testing the Vivi-Headspace program in one of her Advanced Placement 12th grade government classes and one ninth grade ethnic studies class. Feedback has been positive, she says. Students are receptive to learning to meditate; one says it was relaxing and another says it made him think a lot. “I think that’s just showing they have a lot on their minds right now.”
An Educator’s View
“Mindfulness is a normal human state,” says Patricia (Tish) Jennings, PhD, a professor of education at the University of Virginia. “Young children tend to be very mindful,” naturally capable of focusing on the present moment.
Jennings is internationally recognized as a leader in mindfulness in education and has taught mindful awareness practices to children and adults for more than 40 years.
“I started doing this with kids in my Montessori class in 1981,” she says. At the time, “I didn’t call it mindfulness or meditation. I would say, ‘We are learning to calm down, to focus our attention.’”
Basically, Jennings says, what’s known is the practice really helps kids to self-regulate. “It does help them pay attention, and it does help them calm down. Self-awareness and self-management are really important.”
She led a team that developed a mindfulness-based professional development program for improving teacher well-being and student engagement and has written or edited books on mindfulness in schools.
Students Take to Mindfulness
As the mindfulness and meditation session at Valor Academy wraps up, Clotworthy asks the students for some thoughts on mindfulness and meditation, including how it helps them.
Kylie Garcia, a 9-year-old with dark brown eyes and hair, who had listened intently during the session and took part fully, says: “I like meditation because my body felt calm when meditating.” She compares it to a recess break.
Jaden Martinez, also 9, says he views mindfulness somewhat like subtraction. When you just breathe during mindfulness, he says, it can help you get rid of all those random thoughts – subtract them, basically – and just be in the moment.
Clotworthy says some students say they have taught the techniques to their parents.
At Valor Elementary, mindfulness class is on Thursdays; one girl offered: “I wake up and realize it is mindfulness day and I’m excited to come to school.”
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It’s a question every leader should ask themselves: Is it possible to truly master ourselves and grow if we can’t control our impulses?
There’s this quote I read a long time ago by author and psychologist Daniel Goleman that says “Emotional self-control — delaying gratification and stifling impulsiveness — underlies accomplishment of every sort.”
I agree wholeheartedly, but of course, this is no easy feat. During a heated debate, for instance, we often let our gut reactions dictate how we respond. But it’s the opposite of what we should do, especially as leaders. Still, keeping our impulses under control tends to be a huge problem in the business world; and yet it’s the exact thing we need to develop to ensure success.
Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman insists that we can change our ways. Impulse control, according to his research, isn’t only plausible, it’s an ability we can develop. I’d like to share four expert-backed strategies that have personally helped me hone this skill and might help you, too.
1. Delay gratification by even a few minutes
I admit this is a hard one. The urge to constantly check our phones or grab an unhealthy snack can be so strong. But we don’t have to take drastic measures like going on a full technology detox or completely revamping our diets to make changes. The point is to be conscious about delaying those impulses even for a few minutes.
Huberman refers to this as training your “no-go function”— a way of learning to inhibit our impulses. He proposes trying to aim for 20 of these no-go moments each day. “Something as trivial as having the urge to scroll through social media but refusing to pick up your phone can begin to train your ‘no-go circuit.’”
Delaying your craving for that bite of chocolate or sugary drink by just a little can help you start flexing your self-control muscles.
When I first founded my startup, Jotform, 16 years ago — I was over-eager and ambitious. I was also a self-proclaimed perfectionist and this didn’t help with attempting to keep my impulses in check. But over time, as the pressure of growing my business became more intense, I made one of the best decisions for myself and my professional career: beginning a regular practice of mindfulness.
Instead of checking my phone first thing in the morning, I’d start journaling and then take more walks in nature to clear my mind. All of this helped to not only calm my anxieties (which generally lead to impulsiveness), but it also did something else: It helped me take time to reflect. I later progressed in my mindfulness journey by learning new breathing techniques and practicing guided meditations.
Huberman also recommends this technique as a way of training our brains. “You think, ‘Uh, I don’t want to do it, but I’m going to force myself to sit still even though I want to get up.’ That’s a no-go,” he explains.
3. Know your triggers and plan ahead
The truth is, we all have a list of things we know will make us impulsive. Going out to a fast food restaurant when we’re trying to eat healthier, for example, can be self-sabotaging. Or spending time with certain people who we know tend to touch our buttons can be a different kind of trigger. I’m not saying to avoid these scenarios altogether — but to plan for them.
If you’re meeting up with a friend for lunch, try to check out the menu beforehand so you already know what you’ll select when you get there. Or if you know you’ll be interacting with a difficult person, plan on taking deep breaths before responding or even taking a bathroom break to avoid saying something you might regret.
In her story for Inc, Jessica Stillman writes that “It’s amazing how often we fail to live up to our potential not because of fear or stupidity but because of lack of self-control.”
Getting our impulses under control won’t happen overnight. I’ve spent years trying out the above strategies and trying to keep improving upon them. The above practices have also encouraged me to create policies at work to help create an atmosphere that reinforces using mindfulness and keeping our work/life balance in check. For example, I tell my employees to delete Slack from their phones and not answer emails during their weekends. It’s a way of promoting healthier habits that help us with self-control.
As leaders, it’s important that our growth and development also lead to making a difference in our professional lives as well as those among our team.
But keep in mind to be patient with yourself. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day — nor can we expect to kick our scrolling habits all that easily. But by taking small steps regularly to delay gratification, take up mindfulness and plan, we can make significant progress in the long term.
What I want to hit home as well is that it’s all too easy to be harsh on ourselves when trying to make any kind of behavioral changes. They require concerted effort and purposeful intention. More importantly, as Huberman wisely notes “Impulse control isn’t a fixed talent. It’s an ability you can train.”
We do have a say in the matter as long as we have the willingness.
Meditation Library Offers a Moment for Your Health, a Space for Belonging, and the Chance to Learn to Meditate Without Judgment
Press Release –
Nov 3, 2022
TENAFLY, N.J., November 3, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Pause Breathe Reflect™ – the lifestyle brand on a mission to prompt mindfulness, community, and stress reduction – today, in honor of National Gratitude Month, unveils The Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation app with 30 Days of Gratitude. Designed to invite users to slow down, quiet their minds, and meditate without judgment, the app is the culmination of Pause Breathe Reflect™ founder Michael O’Brien’s 21-year mindfulness journey.
Meditation Teacher Michael O’Brien first discovered mindfulness and meditation in 2001 while recovering from a near-death cycling accident. Frustrated with his healing progress, he knew he had to heal his mind to heal his body. The next day, Michael began his mindfulness practice with his first Pause Breathe Reflect moment. Over time he got healthier and kept a consistent mindfulness practice that helped him navigate a stressful executive career and the pressure of modern family life and living. His positive experience with mindfulness inspired him to become a qualified mindfulness-based stress reduction teacher and share the value of slowing down and taking a moment to Pause Breathe Reflect.
The Pause Breathe Reflect Sangha Meditation and Relaxation app, available in the App Store beginning today, offers a breadth of one-minute to ten-minute daily practices to turn to when users need to catch their breath and take a moment for their health. Consumers will find meditations to support them when dealing with work stress, anxiety, grief, and lighter moments like during a bathroom break, before playing pickleball, and when asked again, “What’s for dinner?”
In addition to the on-demand meditation library, the Pause Breathe Reflect™ app will also offer live meditations multiple times per week – an effort to combat increased feelings of loneliness amongst most Americans (source) and foster feelings of community and belonging. Beta users have called the app “the best way to relax and ease my stress” and noted “my days are full, and many days are challenging and unpredictable. I love knowing I can rely on Pause Breathe Reflect to center me and also put the day into perspective and fill me with a bit of calm.”
Michael helps companies build inclusive cultures and inspired team members as Chief Shift Officer at Peloton Executive Coaching when he’s not supporting others in their mindful living journey. He is also a passionate cyclist, having completed a ride across America this summer profiled by Bicycling Magazine.
It doesn’t seem that long ago when I wrote a slew of articles to support the many under high levels of stress, worry and preoccupation during the pandemic. A common thread connecting my readers, clients and many people around me was uncertainty and loss of control. We sharpened our resilience and in many cases had to dig deep to learn what self-care during crisis looks like.
A recent Kaiser survey survey showed that 90% of the public believes there is a mental health crisis. Primary concerns are mental health issues with teens and children, and anxiety or depression in adults. Sources of stress include finances as well as politics and current events. According to the survey above, one-third of U.S. adults say they have “always” or “often” felt anxious in the past year, and another third saying they felt anxious “sometimes.”
In my therapy practice and personal life, I’ve seen chronic concerns about the existential threats of extreme political divide, war, uptick in incidents involving hate and uncertainty about the direction of Covid. We barely have had enough time to apply the salve on our prior wounds before our stress baselines started ticking up again. It seems that if so many people are experiencing some level of anxiety, it’s time to not only look at what’s driving that, but what to do about it.
Let’s take another deep breath.
What does your emotional health toolbox look like? Perhaps you had one and it’s put back on a shelf in the garage of your mind. Or maybe you have one but it’s a little slim on tools. Regardless, I’d like to offer things you might want to consider having in that toolbox during these ongoing unusual times. It’s totally up to you what you choose to take and what you leave. What is effective for one, may not be effective for another. But all of the tools below are research supported ways to build resilience, self regulate and develop more positive feelings.
1- Breathe. Your breath is an excellent anchor to the present and oxygen is an antidote to the stress hormone, cortisol. When you notice yourself feeling overwhelmed or worried, take 5 slow and deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
2- Be mindful. With anxiety tending to live in the future, a good skill to help stay calm is the ability to bring yourself to the moment. This can be practiced by doing something as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your belly as it rises and falls for a few breaths. For those of you who also spend a bit of time in front of the computer, I like this very relaxing guided meditation, Daily Calm: 10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation.
2- Take in the good. An offshoot of learning to be in the moment, the ability to notice and internalize the things that are good around you is a practice that can help calm the mind and invite hopefulness in challenging times. I love this quote by Rick Hanson, PhD, in the piece, What Do You Do When the Bottom Falls Out:
Outside you, there is the kindness in others, the beauty of a single leaf, the stars that still shine no matter what hides them. Right now as you read, all over the world children are laughing in delight, families are sitting down to a meal, babies are being born, and loving arms are holding people who are dying. Inside you, there is your compassion, sincere efforts, sweet memories, capabilities – and much more. Take heart with others, sharing worries, support, and friendship.
3- Identify your self-care plan. Everyone has their own experience of what feels nurturing. Be clear on what yours are and make time to do them. For some it’s exercise. Others enjoy soaking in a bath. Whatever you consider “self-care,” do it, especially if you feel challenged by your mental health. Creating predictability with rituals can help soothe a trauma response.
4- Hand on the heart. This is an exercise and powerful tool to restore a sense of calm and equilibrium in your body and brain.It can prevent a stress response or even calm a panic attack. See Mitigate the Stress Response with a Hand on Your Heart by Linda Graham, MFT about what it is, why it works and how to do it.
5- Take a media break. Maybe you need a break from the news. The “bad news” can feel unrelenting, especially if it is sought out too frequently. Can you check one time a day? Or perhaps skip a day? Create some space between the upsetting situation and you. This includes social media as most people by now are aware of the toxic potential for misinformation and attempts to manipulate emotions. If the topic of your distress exists in this funnel, it’s not worth it.
6- Seek support. Chances are good that there are others around you who have similar concerns and will be able to validate your experience. Who of your family or friends are good listeners? Let others in on your anxiety, depression or other mental health issue coming up. Monitor any shame around how you “should” be feeling. According to the Kaiser survey, many who are struggling with their mental health keep it to themselves.
Here are some of the comments from the survey:
In Their Own Words: What is the main reason why you don’t feel comfortable talking to your relatives and friends about your mental health?
“I don’t want anyone to know any thing about me. I am not a good sharer. I do not share my feelings.” – 47 year-old Black woman in Illinois
“I do not feel like they understand mental health issues and treat it like it should not be a big deal.” – 31 year-old White man in Tennessee
“There is a stigma and [I] don’t think people would really understand or be there.” – 29 year-old Hispanic woman in California
“Because it’s not considered manly. I’ve gotten funny looks and debilitating jokes when expressing my concerns in the past.” – 41 year-old Hispanic man in Texas
“Everyone is dealing with their own problems. Feels like an added burden on them.” – 34 year old woman in New York
“I don’t want to worry my friends or family with my own personal struggles.” – 37 year-old White man in Texas
“I’m not a very open person. I like to hide my feelings. I fear being judged. & I fear putting my problems onto people I love.” – 24 year old White woman in Florida
7- Help where you can. If you feel driven to do something in support of whatever issue or larger problem you are preoccupied about, seek out those opportunities if they exist. Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive feelings by releasing dopamine. For some people, just “doing something” to address the perceived problem can help them feel less out of control.
If you’ve been notice underlying tension or unease in yourself, you aren’t alone. Many are feeling more reflective and pondering what many of these larger societal challenges ultimately mean. I purposely did not name specific existential threats as mine or the ones I’ve heard people discuss might not be the same as yours. This piece is for anyone needing to get a handle on their chronic distress related to these times, from wherever you sit within them.
If your concerns are beginning to impact you more deeply from a mental health perspective, it’s important to take this seriously. Begin by getting out your toolbox to try a few things. If you need a little more help, consider a therapist to help guide and support you through.
It doesn’t seem that long ago when I wrote a slew of articles to support the many under chronically high levels of stress, worry and preoccupation during the pandemic. A common thread connecting my audience, clients and many people around me was uncertainty. No matter how people experienced it, the collective response involved some level of fear and loss of control. As humans can do, we sharpened our resilience and in many cases dug into what self-care during crisis looks like.
A recent Kaiser survey survey showed that 90% of the public believes there is a mental health crisis. Primary concerns are mental health issues with teens and children, and anxiety or depression in adults. One-third of U.S. adults said they have “always” or “often” felt anxious in the past year, and another third said they felt anxious “sometimes.” Sources of stress for adults in particular include finances as well as politics and current events.
In my therapy practice and personal life, I’ve seen concerns about the existential threats of extreme political divide, war, uptick in incidents involving hate and uncertainty about the direction of Covid. We barely have had enough time to apply the salve on our prior wounds before stress baselines started ticking up again. It seems that if so many people are experiencing some level of anxiety, we need to not only understand what’s driving that, but what to do about it.
Let’s take another deep breath.
What does your emotional health toolbox look like? Perhaps you had one and it’s back on a shelf in the garage of your mind. Or maybe you have one but it’s a little scant on tools. I have some offerings for you to consider having in that toolbox during these ongoing unusual times. It’s up to you what you choose to take and what you leave as what is effective for one, may not be effective for another. Regardless, all of the tools below have been shown to foster resilience, improve emotional regulation skills and develop more positive feelings.
1- Breathe. Your breath is an excellent anchor to the present and oxygen is an antidote to the stress hormone, cortisol. When you notice yourself feeling overwhelmed or worried, take 5 slow and deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
2- Be mindful. Because anxiety tends to live in the future, a good skill to keep your inner calm is the ability to bring yourself to the moment. This can be practiced by doing something as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your belly as it rises and falls for a few breaths. For those of you who also spend a bit of time in front of the computer, I like this very relaxing guided meditation, Daily Calm: 10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation.
3- Take in the good. An offshoot of learning to be in the moment, the ability to notice the things that are good around you, is a practice that can help your mind find peace and invite hopefulness in challenging times. I love this quote by Rick Hanson, PhD, in the piece, What Do You Do When the Bottom Falls Out:
Outside you, there is the kindness in others, the beauty of a single leaf, the stars that still shine no matter what hides them. Right now as you read, all over the world children are laughing in delight, families are sitting down to a meal, babies are being born, and loving arms are holding people who are dying. Inside you, there is your compassion, sincere efforts, sweet memories, capabilities – and much more. Take heart with others, sharing worries, support, and friendship.
4- Take a media break. Maybe you need a break from the news. The “bad news” can feel unrelenting, especially if it is sought out too frequently. Can you check one time a day? Or perhaps skip a day? Create some space between the upsetting situation and you. This includes social media as most people by now are aware of the toxic potential for misinformation and attempts to manipulate emotions. If the topic of your distress exists in this funnel, give yourself a pause from this as well.
5- Revisit your self-care plan. Everyone has their own experience of what feels nurturing. For some it’s exercise. Others enjoy soaking in a bath. Fatigue can impact your emotional state so ensure that some kind of rest happens. Rest is not just physical but can be mental and sensory. I love this infograph, based on the TedX talk by Saundra Dalton-Smith, sketchnote by Anuj Magazine. Whatever you consider “self-care,” do it, especially if feel your mental health being grated on. Also, creating predictability with rituals can help soothe a trauma response.
6- Hand on the heart. This is an exercise and powerful tool to restore a sense of calm and equilibrium in your body and brain.It can prevent a stress response or even calm a panic attack. See Mitigate the Stress Response with a Hand on Your Heart by Linda Graham, MFT about what it is, why it works and how to do it.
7- Seek support. Chances are good that there are others around you who have similar concerns and will be able to validate your experience. Who of your family or friends are good listeners? Let others in on your anxiety, depression or other mental health issue, if it’s coming up. Monitor any shame around how you “should” be feeling. According to the Kaiser survey, many who are struggling with their mental health keep it to themselves.
Here are some comments from the survey:
What is the main reason why you don’t feel comfortable talking to your relatives and friends about your mental health?
“I don’t want anyone to know any thing about me. I am not a good sharer. I do not share my feelings.” – 47 year-old Black woman in Illinois
“I do not feel like they understand mental health issues and treat it like it should not be a big deal.” – 31 year-old White man in Tennessee
“There is a stigma and [I] don’t think people would really understand or be there.” – 29 year-old Hispanic woman in California
“Because it’s not considered manly. I’ve gotten funny looks and debilitating jokes when expressing my concerns in the past.” – 41 year-old Hispanic man in Texas
“Everyone is dealing with their own problems. Feels like an added burden on them.” – 34 year old woman in New York
“I don’t want to worry my friends or family with my own personal struggles.” – 37 year-old White man in Texas
“I’m not a very open person. I like to hide my feelings. I fear being judged. & I fear putting my problems onto people I love.” – 24 year old White woman in Florida
8- Help where you can. If you feel driven to do something in support of whatever issue you are preoccupied with, seek out those opportunities if they exist. Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive feelings by releasing dopamine. For some people, just “doing something” to address the perceived problem can help them feel less out of control.
If you’ve noticed underlying tension or unease in yourself lately, you’re not alone. Many are feeling more processing and pondering what many of these larger societal challenges ultimately mean.
If your concerns are beginning to impact you more deeply from a mental health perspective, it’s important to take this seriously. Begin by getting out your toolbox to try a few things to alleviate your unease. But if you need a little more help, consider a therapist to help guide and support you through.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Entrepreneurs often say that we’re too busy for self-care. The truth is, that’s why entrepreneurs and busy people need it all the more. No matter how packed your day is, there’s always time for self-care. Before you sign up for that meditation class though, hold on! Learn what self-care really is and about its various misconceptions.
Catherine Falls Commercial | Getty Images
First, how do you start incorporating self-care into your life? It’s easier than you think.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean disconnecting from the world. It means being true to what you need and paying attention to how you feel, even in the simplest matters. Self-care helps you become more authentic and anchored in everything you do, but it looks different for everyone. For some, it means taking a candle lit bath. For others, it means taking a moment for yourself when you take out the garbage.
When trying to build self-care habits, start small and explore what self-care looks like for you. Here are three ways how:
1. Ask Yourself How You Feel
We’re all used to friends or coworkers asking us, “How’s it going” or “Hey, how are you?” Typically, our answer is fueled by a desire to not fully engage. “I’m good. I’m fine,” and then we move on. On the rare occasions when we ask ourselves, “how are you doing?” we answer ourselves in the same way. But what if you took the time, first thing in the morning to evaluate how you truly feel
Acknowledging something is the first step toward creating a shift. If you wake up feeling good, that sets the tone for having a good day. If you wake up feeling less than awesome, acknowledge those feelings. Then, you can do what you need to, to take care of yourself and not let the rest of your day be ruined. When our feelings go unchecked we risk perpetuating a cycle of ignoring our needs and feelings or, potentially perpetuating it for someone else.
2. Start Simple
We often think of self-care routines as an entire day or afternoon at a spa. Although that can be very relaxing, it requires a big time commitment.
Instead, think of simple things you can do every day that light you up and fill your cup — like sipping your morning coffee, taking a walk, journaling, listening to your favorite album, or reading your favorite book. These are all ways to practice self-care and create space for activities that infuse you with energy instead of depleting your energy.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Most entrepreneurs accept the need to work hard and work smart but many struggle to understand why self-care is valuable. They’ve heard that self-care practices, like meditation and mindfulness, can increase productivity and that stress damages their health, but they also misunderstand what self-care actually looks like. That’s why I love practicing mindfulness.
There are two very important things to remember about mindfulness. First, be authentic — mindfulness is less about what you do and more about whether or not you feel at home with yourself. Second, you can’t do everything, and that’s okay. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be multifaceted. Don’t wear too many hats and do so many jobs that you deteriorate your mental or physical wellness.
Quick Tips for Small Self-Care Victories
Self-care looks different for different people and integrating it into your life depends on your lifestyle and personality. Some people prefer being regimented and having a scheduled daily routine. Others create downtime during the weekends. The important thing is to set aside regular time just for taking care of yourself and giving yourself a break.
You don’t have to start with a full meditation practice. Just take a few deep breaths or a few minutes and go on a walk. Stop working for five minutes, and have a coffee break. Say “no” when you’re already spread too thin, even when it’s a good opportunity because sometimes saying “no” to someone else is saying ‘yes’ to yourself.
Don’t overcomplicate it. The simplest self-care is to create opportunities to step away from work and your computer.
Here are some ideas:
Remind yourself to move your body throughout the day by setting an alarm every 90 minutes. When the alarm goes off, get up and move!
Take a few minutes and read a book.
Sleep well. Don’t be a sleep hero. Living on a few hours of sleep is not sustainable. Even historic geniuses slept seven to eight hours a night.
Loving Reminder: Don’t revamp your entire life. If your self-care routine is too extreme, you won’t do it.
Give yourself a break. You’re already doing so much!
Rivera recognized that mindfulness was working for her back in her corporate days, prior to becoming a coach. She began to realize that it took her less time to bounce back from any on-the-job aggravation. “That was a big success – being able to move back into calmness,” she said.
