Mind. FULL!ness to Mindfulness

“Our life is what our thoughts make it.” – Marcus Aurelius

Actions:

• Go on a media fast for one week. Choose how many minutes you will allow yourself each day and what is included in the fast, like Facebook (Consider using an app like Quality Time to track).
• You might find it easiest to uninstall the apps (don’t worry they can be reinstalled later).
• Write down your commitment in the comments below and in a notebook or piece of paper. Keep it handy.

Actions:

• Write down what are the biggest 2-3 things that are preventing you from sleeping well e.g. different times each night, too much on your mind. Writing it down will help "de-stigmatise" it.

• Create or refine your sleep routine that you follow at least 5 nights a week.

Consider the following:

• Blue light filter hack (F.Lux, Twighlight etc.)
• Keeping a notebook to write down the thoughts "flying" around your mind, for example your concerns, what you have to do the next day etc.
• Covering any other light in your room with tape, particularly blue light
• Ensuring your room is cool, perhaps even consider a short burst of cold water in the shower
• Hanging from your arms (been shown to decompress the spine)
• Set a regular bed time (Try do this at least 5 times a week)
• Set a time to switch off your electronics (if you don’t have another alarm, perhaps put your phone in flight mode as a second best option to switching it off).
• Stretching, foam roller or something else to release tension
• Reading a non-work related book
• Have a caffeine and sugar curfew (Highly dependent on the individual, but a rule of thumb is 2pm for caffeine and 6pm for sugar)
• An exercise curfew
• Other?

• Whatever you commit to do, do it. So don’t commit to something that will cause the whole routine to fail.
• Write down some of the key points from your routine in a notebook or on a piece paper.

Actions:

• Start a gratitude practice and commit to do it for at least 5 days over the next week.
• Pick a time to do it and set a reminder (as part of your night time or morning routine are probably best, perhaps even split the exercise?)
• Write down 3-10 gratitudes each day

Actions:

• Start thinking in terms of a life of service
• Pick three random acts of kindness to perform over the next couple of days. The purpose of this exercise is to get out of the “me” focused mentally encouraged in much of today’s culture.

Sanjay was working from home today, so had simply left Sam a note. It read:

“I appreciate how seriously and thoroughly you have done these exercises. I trust they have had an impact on you to help reframe your mind. Growth often sneaks up on us, so it goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Today I want you to reflect back on your previous week and think about what worked well and not so well. Think about what you could improve on and any “AHA” moments you had.”

So Sam grabbed his journal and begin to make some notes, he liked to work in tables, so he put the days in first column and then each day as a heading:

Actions:

• Catch up on any missed exercises
• Reflect back on your previous week and think about what worked well and not so well. Think about what you could improve on and any “AHA” moments. Remember it has been shown to be far more impactful if you write them down, as it connects to a different part of the brain.
• Add any AHA moments you think would benefit other people in the comments below

Action:

• Pick a colour to actively notice all day today
• Add in the comments what colour you chose

Resource: Ralph Potts - Vagabonding

Action:

This is one of our favourite exercises. Stop at 3-5 times during the day and hear your inner voice asking “Where am I?” - Then take a moment to recognise where you are and go through your 5 senses. What do you see, smell, hear, taste, feel? - For feel check in with your emotions as well. Set yourself a reminder if need be.

Actions:

Make a conscious effort to notice when you are getting frustrated and delight in it as an opportunity to practice:

• Take a few 3- 4 deep breathes to calm yourself, consider using the following counts -> 4 inhale; 7 hold; 7 exhale; 4 hold.
• Then relax your breathing to its more natural rhythm.
• Observe how you are feeling there is no right or wrong.
• Gently remind yourself that it is a privilege to be in your position.
• Reframe the frustration Then perhaps for 5-10 breaths on each inhale hear “Slow” and each exhale “Down”. Or try “Let” and “Go”.
• Enjoy the free time you have been gifted!

Action:

• Listen to Sanjay’s guidance while you enjoying some raisins or other fruit or nuts.
• Make an effort to be more mindful of some of your experiences during the day.

Actions:

Start your own Private University, consider what works (Books, podcasts, audiobooks) for you and what fits with your schedule, but most importantly prioritise the time.

Private University Resources

• Podcasts - Success leaves clues, you should model yourself on the best, the people you aspire to. With podcasts you have access to people never imaginable. Answers to questions you hadn't even thought of. The world is in better condition than our conversations lead us to believe. Statistically there has never been a better time to be alive.
  • Resource Apps: Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts
  • Resource List - Some of our favourites to kick you off:
    • School of Greatness
    • Tim Ferriss Show
    • Happier with Gretchen Rubin
    • The Art of Manliness - Not just for men

Some books to kick you off. -

"The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries." – René Descartes

• Lewis Howes – School of Greatness
• Peter Diamandis – Abundance
• Darren Hardy – Compound Effect
• Benjamin Hoff – Tao of Pooh

“The mind is everything what you think you become.” – Marcus Aurelius

Actions:

• Start a regular visualisation practice, take 1-5mins to practice visualising. Commit to doing it for the next week.
• Start with the rainbow exercise until you are comfortable visualising
• Then begin to visualise your future from the longer term (3-5 years) to the medium term (6 months - 3 years) to the short term (today-6 months). Be specific, let your subconscious know where you want it to take you.

Actions:

• Find a quiet spot and time to complete this powerful exercise
• Perform the funeral exercise focusing on the details. The weather, the flowers, any smells? What you would want the three people to stand and say about you. See it as a celebration.

It can be an uncomfortable exercise to do, but will help motivate any changes you want to see you in your life.

Actions:

Start working on 1-2 of the following:

• Create a short morning affirmation that can prime you for a day of success. Say it each day with vigour and enthusiasm.
• Develop a grounding routine for when you need to focus and operate at your peak. Include a physical trigger and consider visualising the event ahead being successful. This is great for those important meetings and presentations.
• Celebrate successes in your life, try do at least 1-2 today.

“You can’t force me into a corner, because where I am, there are no corners” – Sanjaya Joshi

Completed in a simple 2 min exercise:

1. Hand of heart, breath in to it, feel the power, the connection
2. 3 gratitude’s (Any, but perhaps 1) Life 2) An event 3) A moment of serendipity)
3. Think about the moment. <- Now what.