Calm Yourself with Love

I've written posts warning how stress is a big killer. It's a risky game of poker we play with our health, if we try to bluff ourselves into thinking we have a control on the ever increasingly stress levels in our lives. We shouldn't play dice with our well-being; we need to release ourselves from the shackles of stress and open ourselves to love.

Just because you feel fate doesn't deal you the right cards, it doesn't mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential. The journey you undertake in life needs to be a liberating experience, which has the ability to transform your mind and body to create lasting happiness, health and abundance in way that you never thought possible.

This isn't an insurmountable task. Having been through it myself, I can tell you with confidence that this journey will be much easier, much simpler and much more enjoyable than any you've ever taken before to try and change your life for the better. And in just a few weeks, it will pass by with a speed that only happens when you know things are going right. (Have you ever felt time flying by quickly in this way?)

Imagine yourself for a moment 90 days from today, looking at yourself in your bathroom mirror with a sense of excitement and joy about your life that is so strong, it vibrates throughout your body.

See yourself in the mirror as you take a calming breath and realise that although you are the same you can feel that something has changed.

The first part of this journey will in fact be the easiest one - the simple act of reading this entire post and enjoying the simple, yet eye-opening truths outlined here.

Make sure to read the entire page right away, because it is crucial for understanding the free life-changing journey you're going to experience. Not a penny is going to be spent on this; my payment will be all the lives that will be changed for the better, to create a better world. If that doesn't benefit me, what will?

As you read my post today, you'll discover three life-changing things that everybody ought to know about the human brain (I was shocked and amazed when I first learned these things, and I think you will be too.)

Do we have fundamental limitations?

Let me start off by saying that you may experience some of this information as being completely new to you, and some of it as familiar, yet as you read further you'll see that even the things you thought to be familiar will have a different and deeper meaning when you finish reading about all three, when you'll be able to see how they relate to each other, and what that means for you.

And I promise, although these things are about the brain, they are simple to understand and will have a profound, life-changing effect on you.

The first thing that everybody ought to know about their brain, like the second one, involves what experts believe is a fundamental limitation in how our brains work.

Every day you're brain is forced to sort through thousands of bits of information per second. And as far as the brain is concerned there is one thing that comes above all else - survival.

That's why the first filter that most of this information goes through what is known as your amygdala. The amygdala is responsible for our most basic survival mechanism of fight or flight. This process is our early warning system that tells us if anything in our environment is a threat to survival.

A person's mental state can play a critical role in how long they survive, and not everyone responds to life-threatening scenarios in the same way. In disastrous situations, survival depends on personalities. Some might catastrophise and lose hope, while others are more hopeful and more resourceful, suggesting that hope is probably a big key to this.

Now for our ancient ancestors the amygdala was especially useful. After all, if a lion was hiding in the grass up ahead, you wanted to know about it so you could react! The stressors in ancient days were very real threats to survival, so this part of the brain was extremely important. But in today's world, we experience the fight-or-flight response many times a day and it is rarely in reaction to a threat to our physical survival.

Take a quick moment to think about the biggest cause of stress you have right now. Can you think of it? What do you think about to make you feel the stress? Think about that now. See if you can feel it in your body right now as you think about it.

So, ask yourself this: If you were able to feel the stress, was it caused by something external or did you cause that just with your internal thoughts? If you were able to connect with the stress, you saw that the cause was clearly internal. And if you didn't, don't worry as I'm sure that given more time you could have connected with the stress.

Read about the power of thoughts.

So here's what the experts say is the fundamental limitation in how our brains work: The first part of our brain, this primal amygdala that was built for survival, is also keeping us locked into emotions like stress, fear, anxiety and overwhelm in our modern day lives because of what we're unconsciously creating internally without even realizing it!

There is however a solution that new research, much to the shock of the researchers themselves, has been found to work faster than anything else in allowing you to rewire your brain and side-step this fundamental limitation, if you know how to use it.

Click here to rewire your mindset for success!

The second thing that everybody ought to know about how the brain works is this: just the simple act of reading what I'm about to reveal has been known to relieve an enormous amount of pressure off of people, and it may do the same for you.

When you think about the most pressing issue in your life right now, whether that be finances, a particular relationship, your weight, physical pain or just overwhelming negative emotions (take a second to feel what that is for you) do you put any blame on yourself?

If you're like most people you probably do. Most people tend to put an enormous amount of blame on themselves, both for their current situations and for previous things that have happened in their life that they feel guilty about. Are there things from your past that you feel guilty about where you put blame on yourself?

Before you go beating yourself up though, here's the important thing to remember: You didn't choose the majority of the unconscious limiting beliefs, recurring negative emotions and patterns of self sabotage that you likely live with today.

Most of these patterns, which are the basis of how you function unconsciously every day were formed between the ages of 0 and 6 years old.

And there's a reason why this is important to remember, because during that time period you weren't consciously engaging in forming these patterns and beliefs, you were in a sense just downloading them from your experiences, primarily from your parents and others around you at the time.

So most of the patterns, emotions and beliefs that run you unconsciously today, that have run most of your adult experiences, which you likely blame yourself for, you didn't actually choose to have. Up until now, you've essentially been blaming yourself for things that you didn't choose that are not your fault!

Take this in for a moment while you take a deep breath, and feel what it's like to release this pressure of blame from your body as you realise it wasn't your fault. Even if you're not ready to go there fully, allow yourself to relax and open up to this possibility.

What experts have labelled as this second fundamental limitation of our brain, of not getting to actually choose much of what runs us unconsciously in our current experience, is extremely important for understanding the third thing that most people ought to know about the brain. And without knowing this third thing the first two things are essentially useless so make sure to keep reading and remember, this is the first step on your 90 day journey. At the end of this period you'll get to feel and see the changes in yourself to realise it was all worth it.

You can go back to your childhood

Remember how with the first two things I mentioned I said that experts believe that our brains have two fundamental limitations in that they a) get stuck in stress, anxiety, fear, overwhelm and negative emotions caused internally because of the amygdala and they b) get caught in cycles of self blame because of beliefs, patterns and negative emotions that we developed as tiny children - without choice! (These affect EVERY area of life by the way, especially our health and the way we attract relationships.)

Focus on breath to lessen anxiety.

Well the third thing everyone ought to know, deals with the fastest way for you to re-wire your brain and nervous system to overcome these two powerful limitations experts say we all have, so that you can fully experience happiness, health, wealth and the ultimate freedom that comes with it (or finally resolve whatever the most pressing issue is in your life).

And unfortunately, from my own experience, I know that up to this point other ways have failed to give you effective results because they haven't been able to quickly and effectively change your brain, but you'll learn how to with this technique, especially with my secret technique that I'll get to shortly. I'll even share the ground-breaking new research with you in a moment that has proved the success of my 90 day schedule to heal the mind.

The third thing that everybody ought to know about how the brain works is that it can be re-wired quicker than anything ever has been able to before through the body by changing your mindset which was formed when you were young. My simple speed multiplier tip is that through meditation we first get our brain down to a suitable wave state (as it was when you were young) to then be able to reach the subconscious and reset it with our own positive affirmations and goals for the future.

Click here for more on meditation.

What makes this process much faster is the science of realising you need to change your brain's wave state to make it much more receptive to your affirmations (more stronger than hypnosis) and in 90 days you will have erased years of negativity and recorded your own positive mindset into your brain! The fire within you will burn down the bridges to your past. The one thing I know about the past is that its gone. You can't change it, but you can change how it affects you.

What this means is that you'll finally be able to re-wire your brain and resolve your most pressing issue (do you still remember what that is for you?).

The stress test that will shock you

As I mentioned above, let me share with you a scientific study on the effects of rewiring the mindset on the body and mind, after measuring cortisol levels before and after meditation.

Cortisol is an important hormone in the body, secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in the following functions and more: Proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance, immune function and inflammatory response. Normally, it's present in the body at higher levels in the morning, and at its lowest at night. Although stress isn't the only reason that cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream, it has been termed "the stress hormone" because it's also secreted in higher levels during the body's fight or flight response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body.

Small increases of cortisol have some positive effects, namely a quick burst of energy for survival reasons, heightened memory functions, a burst of increased immunity, lower sensitivity to pain, and helps maintain homoeostasis (internal balance) in the body. While cortisol is an important and helpful part of the body's response to stress, it's important that the body's relaxation response is activated so the body's functions can return to normal following a stressful event.

Unfortunately, in our current high-stress culture, the body's stress response is activated so often that the body doesn't always have a chance to return to normal, resulting in a state of chronic stress. Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream (like those associated with chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects, such as:

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycaemia
• Decreased bone density
• Decrease in muscle tissue
• Higher blood pressure
• Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and other health consequences
• Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems.

In research studies, when cortisol levels were measured before and after meditation, a drop in cortisol levels was recorded. As mentioned, cortisol was measured because it is known as the "stress hormone" of the body. As stress goes up, cortisol levels go up. In the study, participants were divided into 3 groups: the 1st group received an hour of meditation; the 2nd group received an hour of psychotherapy ("talk" therapy); the 3rd group (known as the control group) received no treatment.

When the researchers were measuring the cortisol levels of the meditation group after treatment, the levels had dropped so significantly in such a short period of time that they thought there must be something wrong with their equipment. They kept recalibrating their equipment and retesting until they finally came to the conclusion that there was in fact nothing wrong with their equipment but rather that the meditation worked - resulting in a 24% decrease in cortisol levels; the 2nd and 3rd groups showed no change in cortisol levels.

Read about natural stress-busters.

The reality is that psychotherapy can relieve stress, but over a long period of time. The immediate benefits of psychotherapy don't register in your body, where excessive amounts of the "stress hormone" cortisol still run rampant, putting your health at risk. To keep cortisol levels healthy and under control, the body's relaxation response should be activated after the fight or flight response occurs. You can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques, and you can make lifestyle changes in order to keep your body from reacting to stress in the first place.

Ultimately, meditation balances activity between the sympathetic and parasympathetic regions of your brain, producing "a neutral emotional state," the gold standard of health and wellness. Think about it. Take a moment to reflect. Close your eyes and do some mindful breathing, only for a minute. Focus on the breath and forget everything else. You will notice an immediate effect.

3 secret cues to feel peaceful inside

Experts have provided simple and secret techniques they say we can use to feel peaceful inside. They are "secret" because we can utilise them without anyone else knowing what we're up to, and because these inner cues seem to have been lost in our culture. Experts believe we are so caught up in the momentum of a modern hectic schedule that we've lost our natural ability to find inner calm.

You're not alone if you have more to do than you have hours in the day. There are just so many demands on our energy and attention these days. If you're constantly busy, overwhelmed by digital stimulation, and stressed out by the pressure to keep up, welcome to the high-speed information age.

Today, we interact more in virtual reality and less in person. We are constantly bombarded with visual and auditory information and advertising. It's a huge challenge to monitor all our digital devices, stay on top of our "to do" lists, and have any semblance of sanity when it's all said and done - and it's never all said and done.

Because of all this mental input, we are less in touch with our bodies, feelings, and inner sensations. We also have less down-time, less personal space, and less access to quiet places. It's no wonder that chronic stress is our number one health concern. We have lost our balance and our ability to relax deeply.

Yet, there's hope. What if, in the midst of all this, you could find an oasis of inner calm? What if you could relax right here, right now, inside your own body? What if it was just a matter of following some simple inner prompts? Our body and brain have a natural relaxation response that you can learn to activate at will, any time, anywhere.

So, let's explore how you can regain your peaceful centre no matter what is going on around you by looking at three inner cues which experts recommend free you from being caught up in the frenzy, and connect you to a deeper peace that is always available when you know how to find it. You can remember them as:

1. Space
2. Stillness
3. Silence

It's thought that if you awaken these three inner sensations in your body, you'll have three reliable cues that can take you to a place of deep relaxation no matter what is happening. Not only will these help you instantly feel better, they will even help you be more productive and efficient, while enjoying what you're doing more. To experience inner space, stillness, and silence, practise these simple suggestions:

1. Begin with inner space. You can practise this now by becoming aware of the feeling of the soles of your feet on the ground. Go ahead and try that. Feel the soles of your feet on the ground. Then shift your attention to feeling the palms of your hands. And then shift to feeling the top of your head. Finally, see if it's possible to feel your body as a whole from the inside. Can you feel the entire space inside your skin?

   Take a few, slow, deep breaths. Imagine and feel as if your whole body fills up as you inhale and your whole body empties out as you exhale. Take a few, slow, deep breaths in this way. Now, do you have a feeling of your inner space, the space inside your skin?

2. Second, focus on the feeling of stillness. Be as still as you can be and feel your whole inner space - perfectly still. Stay with that stillness feeling for a few moments.
3. Third, imagine that you are listening to a silence underneath all sounds. Imagine that there is silence broadcasting deep inside your body and you are tuning into it. Don't try to figure this out, just see if you can sense it. You may find that your mind gets real quiet for a moment as you do this. Listen to the silence underneath all sounds.

You may find you little calmer, a bit more peaceful and relaxed than before this little practice. Can you imagine how your life might be different if you make it a habit to take short breaks to practice these three cues throughout the day? At first, these three cues may seem a bit "out there" and you may or may not get onto them fully right away. But that is only to be expected. We have allowed some of our inner senses to atrophy in our hyper-active culture.

If you can take even a few moments to feel your feet on the ground and take a few, slow, deep breaths, that's a move in the right direction. The more you take these "little breathers" or "mini-meditations", the more moments of peace you'll bring into your life. Soon deep relaxation will become a reliable background experience that you can go to whenever you need.

Let me expand on why this is such a huge finding and what it means for you: When cortisol levels go up your stomach's output of digestive enzymes decreases and blood is diverted away from your digestive track, leaving you less able to digest food and absorb nutrients and more likely to gain weight. With continually elevated cortisol levels you're more vulnerable to pain like from chronic illness, arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, and more.

In an elevated cortisol state your brain's creative centre is deemed "non-essential" and shuts down. Down goes your problem solving skills, your creative skills and your intuition. And the vicious cycle continues from there.

• You feel increasingly irritable, isolated and impatient, so your relationships suffer.
• Stress affects your sleep, so your metabolism slows even more.
• Your body secretes even more cortisol, wreaking more havoc on your digestion (leading to even more weight gain).
• Your blood pressure increases, lowering your immune response.
• After releasing too much cortisol for too long, your body goes into "adrenal fatigue".
• You feel depleted, exhausted, and depressed. You no longer have the energy to adhere to any exercise routine, like healthy eating, meditation, and yoga.
• Migraines, insomnia, stress-related hair loss, chronic pain, and any number of other issues become a regular part of your life.
• Battling low energy, you can hardly focus at work, and elsewhere. Your relationships suffer.
• Your depression deepens. You, and your body are stressed out.

So can you see why the cortisol study is important and what it means for you and your physical and emotional health? Meditation releases the extra cortisol in your body and allows you to stay in balance. This leads to more energy, clarity of thought, weight loss, and improved emotional balance among other things. Which all leads to you being happier, healthier, and more fulfilled in all areas of your life.

Meditation is also part of my 90 day mind healing programme - a free resource that allows you to restore the balance that we all so desperately need in our modern, fast paced times.

Yours in love,