If my short term goals don't seem to lead towards my long term goals, or if what I am doing now doesn't fit in with my goals, then I need to rethink. I keep the yellow pad with my long term goals on it on my desk and review it …

Remember, you're not trying to eliminate your tasks, but to develop the willingness to simply reduce the number of tasks that await you. Numerous research studies have consistently shown that well over 90 percent of all people who committed suicide or attempted it were suffering from some form of mental …

During this stage you become aware of what is happening but seem unable to do anything about it. This is the awareness stage: for example, realizing the ways in which you make yourself feel anxious by seeing everything in all-or-nothing terms but not being able to stop. You now have …

Stop allowing things to get in your way. Stop allowing people and things to make your job harder. Do what's necessary to make absolutely sure the path to your goals and getting your act together is clear and free of distraction. Then, keep it that way. We're spending time on …

This sensual love building trigger is one of the most powerful exercises of all because it allows you to form a deep emotional connection-- simply by communicating how you feel with one, simple question. "What can I do for you?" It may be that your partner wants to cuddle on …

When you engage in these activities, your brain associates your bed with wakefulness. Just as regular, relaxing bedtime routines can help your brain and body know when it's time for sleep, your bed itself is another important trigger. By helping your brain associate your bed with sleep, the transition into …

What happened to me reinforced another important lesson that I had forgotten (I don't always learn on the first try): Always check with healthcare professionals before starting any new diet, cleansing, or exercise program. Wow, what a sobering experience that was for me. My cardiologist also suggested that I look …

Distraction is about more than your devices. Separate proximate causes from the root cause. All motivation is a desire to escape discomfort. If a behavior was previously effective at providing relief, we're likely to continue using it as a tool to escape discomfort. Anything that stops discomfort is potentially addictive …

Back then there was no SBIRT, screening for problem drinking and drug use, especially in adolescents, so that early intervention might be possible. Back then there was no MAT, medication-assisted treatment; he would have been a candidate for long-acting naltrexone (Vivitrol) had it existed. He had the support of his …

You may rise above the mud far enough to breathe a bit more easily if you practice vipassana meditation with diligence. Vipassana meditation is the road to nibbana. And from the reports of those who have toiled their way to that lofty goal, it is well worth every effort involved …

Depression infects the clarity of your mind like a virus attacks the body. It weakens your defenses, cripples your resolve, and leaves you vulnerable to corrosive thoughts. It's no wonder that people who've survived a suicide attempt marvel at their own distorted thinking. Thank god I didn't go through with …

As I said earlier, you could say with confidence that you were not a thief: That was a concrete distinction, no problem, no confusion, you have objective, credible data to rely on. But now, when labeled as "hopeless" or "loser" or "ugly," someone is attacking your worth. Who are you …

You have no need to look down at others and feel "better" than them. You have no need to think certain people don't deserve to be treated the way you'd like to be treated. You have no need to EVER disrespect anyone - even if they're disrespecting you. It's the same …

And if it's not interesting, don't put yourself down - tell a story that illustrates the diversity of your job. Every position can be described this way if you know how to go about it. Ask Educated Questions - Get in there and ask questions about the people you meet, but make …

Of course, there are exceptions, but as Burton Malkiel notes, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that the performance of professionally managed portfolios, as a group, is any better than a randomly selected group of stocks.27 What about those few individuals who have attained considerable fame for predicting …

At that moment, I understood the reason behind the trials and tribulations I had endured in my past. I began to understand the divine reason for my life's journey: Its purpose was to make a difference in the world. Just knowing this valuable information closed those mental prison doors behind …

In fact, one procrastinator said he felt as if he were wearing a large "kick me" sign on his back. Let's imagine for a moment that you were a visitor from another planet who came down to Earth with orders to observe the behavior of Earthlings who habitually refuse to …

Thirty-nine states, including my own state of New York, have adopted PDMPs. The data collected can help states to fashion targeted education programs as well as to identify and intervene with doctors whose prescribing patterns suggest that they are "pill mills," conveying to too many patients, collectively, massive doses of …

Epitomizing this shift, in 1903, Dr. George Pettey, an addiction specialist, vocalized a growing opinion about the depravity of addiction, calling it "another curse." A series of federal regulations, beginning with the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, were bellwethers for the changing national outlook on drugs and drug …

When you have a plan in place, you will be able to survive and thrive in spite of the added tension. Many people turn to unhealthy behaviors to cope with or escape their stress, such as drinking too much alcohol, self-medicating on drugs, and overeating. But when you change the …

Remember that procrastinators are great at finding excuses. Learn to face your overwhelming emotions. Avoid being a perfectionist. Take the pressure off yourself by developing patience from within. Now, let's move forward by learning how to deal with just one task at a time. In the early stages of treatment …

Total concentration on the ever-changing breath brings us squarely into the present moment. The same principle can be used in the midst of movement. You can coordinate the activity in which you are involved with your breathing. This lends a flowing rhythm to your movement, and it smoothes out many …

So they decided to cut the tail of Mike's horse short. That worked for a while, but then they saw that the poor horse couldn''t brush the flies away and the tail grew back in pretty soon anyway. So they decided to measure the heights of the horses. And sure …

A short amount of time on the internet will reveal how much of our bodies are continually dying, only to be replaced with new parts for just about everything. For instance, red blood cells only last four months, and white cells a year. Skin cells, two to three weeks. You …

The truth is that all humans are "hardwired" to feel unhappy when there is pain. Pain signals literally travel to the parts of the brain that handle emotions: the limbic system and the frontal lobe. This is part of the survival system, because pain is there to alert you to …

There are many ways to fake psychic powers. Since the readings were done by phone, and members of a reputable radio station chose the calls, let's assume that the psychic did not have prior information on the callers. What else could account for her accuracy? The callers definitely felt she …

He can even schedule, "8:30 pm -9:30 PM - goofing-off", if he wants. But now, whatever he does, he's doing it on purpose, with intention, and his evening is more likely to turn out satisfying to him. He still has to deal with distractions that would pull him away …

In that situation, I'm like a scared cat getting dipped in ice water - I'm not having that shit. But wrong in the sense that he failed to recognize my stubbornness would take me extremely far if I pointed it in the right direction and stayed consistently persistent. Calvin Coolidge said …

A variant, also ineffective, is having uniformed policemen come to schools and warn students about the laws against drug use and the misery of prison. They may feel good for the moment, especially for educators desperate to help, but these warnings also don't work. Rattling on about consequences is akin …

Here's how to make forgiveness a part of your recovery: Make a clear choice. If you've harbored resentment and a desire for revenge against someone for a long time, your mind will resist your attempts to reverse direction and forgive. To signal that you are serious about getting free, create …

This means you will set aside a certain period to interact with absolutely no technology. This might be a full day, a weekend, or a week. For many people, this kind of detox will be difficult; for other people, it sounds downright impossible. But it's not only possible; it is …

As one former employee said of Slack, "They really did try to be a psychologically safe company. It's just that not everyone was equally skilled at maneuvering some of those nuances." Creating the kind of company where people feel comfortable raising concerns without the fear of getting fired takes work …

Is she busy working with disaster victims? No. But let us examine her motivation. Why is she doing this? The meditator's intention is to purge her own mind of anger, prejudice, and ill will, and she is actively engaged in the process of getting rid of greed, tension, and insensitivity …

Each month the bill is due, create a new line and fill in the information. Every time you get paid, after paying yourself 20%, develop the habit of opening Mint.com, your spreadsheet, or your other method of tracking bills and pay what you owe. This habit reinforces the bills …

Go out one day this week and only pay attention to the cues people use in conversation. Try to determine if someone is an audible, visual, or kinaesthetic thinker. Practice mirroring the posture and actions of a friend and ask them afterwards if it was obvious. Work toward a comfortable …

Help your friends strengthen their own marriages. Plan couples' activities together and speak positively about friends' partners. If you want life to go your way, you need to over-plan, over-prepare, and forget what anyone says about it. Have more goals and hit more targets than everyone else. Have goals in …

I said I was going to do this, and I am going to do it. Or am I just being stubborn? I don't know. I just don't know." Don't get stuck in this trap. It is just another hindrance. Another of the mind's little smoke screens to keep you from …

Examples might be to become a better listener, to reduce anxiety, to reduce depression, and so on. Remind yourself of these reasons from time to time, particularly when you feel that you are struggling with your practice. While grand philosophical or metaphysical purposes are not necessary to mindfulness practice, and …

They're, naturally, reserving their energy by remaining calm. Plus, when you're always relaxed, you're a more likable and approachable person. You're more trustworthy. You're the one people seek out when they need something important done because they know you're not going to freak out and mess it up. Regularly practice …

Experienced clinicians know not to give up hope even though it can be hard to predict when recovery will really kick in; people with addiction, and their families, need to know this as well to stay the course, to persist and be there when a person wants to try again …