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Welcome to the newsletter!
You are unique, aren't you? That's why some self improvement techniques will work better for you than others. And that's why this newsletter will give you so many good tools - so you can find the ones that are best for you.
There are three basic ways to change yourself for the better:
1. Awareness or understanding. This is the first step in change, but sometimes, awareness can bring changes all by itself. For example, if you feel stressed, you can do a mindfulness exercise, and once you see clearly what's going on just below the surface in your mind, it resolves itself in seconds, and your anxiety is gone. I'll explain this simple technique in a future issue.
You drop something that is burning your hand, right? No need to analyze the consequences of holding on. If you could "see" or "feel" the consequences of bad habits or thinking patterns just as clearly, you could drop those almost as quickly. That's why I'll cover self awareness and "deep understanding" in future issues.
2. Creating habits. Want to be more creative? Create habits of mind that will make you automatically more creative for the rest of your life. Want to lose weight, be more considerate, more productive, more at peace, or more intelligent? Good habits can eventually make all these things virtually effortless - if you do the work up front to develop them.
3. Using Special Tools. Neurolinguistic programming, brain wave entrainment, deep breathing, and more. This is the fun stuff, because you can often see quick results, with little effort.
Try this one for example: Try doing math in your head in two ways. First, while slouching, looking at the floor, and letting your mouth hang open. Then while sitting up straight, breathing deeply through your nose, and keeping your mouth closed. You'll find it much easier the second way. There are many such simple techniques to change your mental functioning, and even your emotional state.
Would you like instant relaxation? How about popping in a CD, putting on the headphones, and easily entering a deep meditative state? I use one of these daily, and they really work. I'll be telling you all about my favorite techniques and technologies in upcoming issues.
Goals or Direction?
Now that you know what the newsletter is about, I have a question for you. What do you want to accomplish? If you only have a general sense of wanting to "be a better person," that's okay. As you learn more about what's possible, though, it will help if you clarify your goals.
But here's a little secret: Making specific goals too soon can backfire. A personal example: When I used to write down specific financial goals I accomplished them, but I made myself miserable in the process. I found that I'm happier when I take a clear "direction," and then let any more detailed goals formulate themselves in time.
Setting goals and writing them down is a powerful way to make progress, but it's up to you to decide when specific goals are appropriate.
Next issue:
The easiest ways to make your life better.
Until then,
Steve
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