Arnold666

Not true. Of course depends on the dosage but do the wim hof for an hour then jump in ice water for 10 minutes. After you warm up It's exactly like a nice dose of mdma. i will say it's better. Last longer, feels better and you have a clear mind. Same with fasting. Do 3 to 5 day fast, eat, rest, do the shamanic breathing for at least half an hour after meditate for an hour and you will get a good dose of mdma with 2cb combination. My favorite. And if you eat healthy, meditate at least two hours, force mindfulness throughout the day like a hawk, take it eazy and don't learn or go out socializing so you will make the monkey mind going, you can keep up that high and that awerness for even a few days.

Check out this: https://m.soundcloud.com/lochkelly

Deep diaphragmatic breath, walking meditation-always noting when get lost in thoughts and as you can see and you are aware what is in front of you, try to be equally aware what is in the background. Feel your back and tune up your ears. Notice, nothing is happening, no imput from behind and suddenly some noise appears. Notice how it arises and passes. As soon as you became aware of it, it's gone. Where did it appear, how, be specific Try to get more data from it. Has a taste? What feeling, color, sensations how big or small. You can have so much fun by being conscious. It's a never ending Disney park ride.

From the Gospel of Thomas: 1. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death." 2. Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]" 3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty.". this is a good one: His disciples said to him, "When will the rest for the dead take place, and when will the new world come?" He said to them, "What you are looking forward to has come, but you don't know it." His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" "It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it." Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there." 108. Jesus said, "Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him." Jesus was a buddhist, haha !

"Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him;

You will also swing in moods. Fast. One moment you'll euforic, next you're annoyed with your spouse that she kisses you too much. You can see the way emotions arise and passes, you enter in and out of states of consciousness like that. It's really fun to see how you pass through so many different metafisical realities, if you don't identify with the body and the hunger. If you do, it will be hell for you and people around you. Anyway, if it's your first time just make your objective to survive and not get into fights with your partner, friends or family, you will get better at it in time and then you can start your scientific endeavors witnessing your emotional shit storms.

So Dark can get the night of the soul

How to make a woman squirt

@Mikael89Read about Dean Radin and his research.

Robert L. MOORE, a jungian psychologist. Search on YouTube or better, buy his book The King within

@Joseph Maynor Yepp. Seems like every time I formulate a proposition it will imediately be deconstructed and be pointed out the things that seemed that i left out. Like everytime i try to help somebody i have to formulate a text that is bulletproof with every other counter point, taking every possibility in mind and already irefute it before somebody else will, like a dam without no leaks. Like when i try to give a tip i should write a whole book to the rest of the readers and future comenters who will storm like dragons rapidly pointing out what i didn't take in consideration. I don't understand how people think how tools need to be applied. People really expect an advice that is universal ? It's always specific and limited. Oh no, I got one. Here is my comment on this specific and every other issue: Everything. All. Infinity. There you have it. An advise that encompass it all. I'm just a shadow here on the forum. Just read, take what it's useful and leave the rest. As @Yonkon said, it is pontless. At least online, face to face, live is a different matter.

@Yonkon Amen.

Get an app, something that tracks your progress, gives you achievement, reminders and motivate you. This one is called Medativo and it's the best by far for me.

@Leo Gura Leo #1 rule of all growth and personal development is taking 100% responsibility for your situation. Peterson #1 rule to live live is to pick up that cross, accept its terrible weight, "so stop whine, complain, bitch, moan, blame, and be so negative" Hoist it onto your shoulders and struggle impossibly upward toward the Kingdom of God on the hill. So take 100% responsibility of your life. Leo #2 rule: Stop listening to Jordan cuz it's cancer to the mind.

I know what are you saying bro, once I aweken to the fact that it is only I. Oneness sounded good till for two days I was in the position of the observer, seemed like I didn't moved, never had but everything was going and happening through me and it was only I and just me. Never have been anyone else and the mind of course went to the negative side of it. We are all alone. I'm God without another. Just me. Like in a game playing with bots. The loneliness that arised than almost killed me. I wanted to end it all. But you have to remember that's not full awekening. It's not enlightenment just small glimpses. It will pass. When it will arise the counterpart of it, that is the you are also everything and everybody, the mind will love that oh so badly. But we have to go beyond that too

I guess there is only 50 or so. Try some of them out, tell me what are your thoughts on them and help me get to 100 !

Name: Forgiveness Meditation Purpose/Effects Forgiving others and ourselves is an important healing practice. We can often be unaware of how much we are affected by the burden, negative thoughts, and difficult memories we carry from not forgiving others. While forgiveness can be difficult it has been linked to improved physical and mental health. Benefits include decreased stress levels, blood pressure, and symptoms of chronic pain, depression and anxiety. Method Summary While you are sitting in meditation, ask for forgiveness first from others, then yourself, and finally forgive others. Long Version Begin by sitting in a comfortable position and settling your attention on your breath. Step 1) Asking forgiveness from others When you are ready, recall someone you have hurt in some way and feel into whatever emotions, such as pain, guilt, or remorse, you may have for what happened. Allow yourself to compassionately be with these feelings and reflect on the causes of your actions. This is not to vindicate yourself but instead help understand the fear, confusion or hurt that may have caused your actions. When you are ready, offer your genuine apologies and ask this person for forgiveness. Perhaps saying, “I am sorry for whatever hurt I have caused you knowingly or unknowingly, I ask for your forgiveness.” Feel into what sensations, images and feelings arise. Step 2) Forgiveness of self Now, recall any ways that you have hurt or mistreated yourself in the past. Become aware of how it feels when you acknowledge the pain you may have caused yourself and gently and compassionately be with it. See if you can forgive yourself for the ways you may have caused harm, perhaps saying: “For the ways I have knowingly or unknowingly harmed myself, I forgive myself.” Be aware of any emotions that may arise as you say these words and hold yourself with deep compassion. Step 3) Forgiving others Next, bring to mind someone who has harmed or wronged you in the past. Acknowledge what feelings are present and allow yourself to feel the sorrow or hurt from their actions. Contemplate the possible causes for their actions. Again, this is not to excuse their behavior but to cultivate greater compassion and understanding. Feel any heaviness from carrying this burden of hurt and grudge towards this person. To whatever degree you are ready, offer that person your forgiveness. Perhaps say: For the harm and hurt you have caused me, intentionally or unintentionally, I forgive you.” Don’t feel bad if you are not ready to forgive. Even opening to the possibility of forgiving someone can be healing. If you have trouble with forgiving someone, you can try to imagine them as a young child who is perhaps confused and frightened. Repeat these steps if it feels right and allow yourself to feel the lightness or relief that can arise from forgiveness. History Forgiveness practices can be found throughout the world in both religious and secular contexts. The method here was adapted from guided forgiveness meditations by Buddhist teachers Jack Kornfield and James Baraz. For more information about Jack Kornfield and James Baraz visit their websites: http://www.jackkornfield.org/ http://www.jamesbaraz.com/ Cautions Forgiveness meditation can sometimes be challenging and painful. Please be kind to yourself if you do not feel forgiving. Forgiveness takes time and we are only inclining the heart towards forgiveness in this practice and not forcing anything. Also, it is critical to remember self-compassion when recalling past grievances towards yourself and others and remind yourself that all humans are imperfect.

Name Writing for Self-Compassion Purpose/Effects A lack of self-compassion is common in our highly competitive society. By learning to treat ourselves with kindness and compassion we can increase our contentment, emotional well-being, resilience, and courage. This exercise is designed to help cultivate and promote self-compassion through writing. Method Summary First, write about an aspect of yourself that you judge and dislike. Next, write a letter to yourself from the perspective of a good friend and then read it aloud while practicing taking in the good. Long Version Step One Choose an aspect of yourself or life that you dislike and criticize. It can be something that makes you feel ashamed, unworthy, inadequate, or self-conscious. Examples may include appearance, career, relationships, health, etc. Write in detail about how this perceived inadequacy makes you feel. What thoughts, images, emotions, or stories arise when you think about it? Step Two Now, recall or imagine a friend or family member who is unconditionally loving, accepting, and supportive. Imagine that this person knows everything about you, including your background, genes, upbringing, and who you really are as a person. Imagine they know all if the various factors and events that have lead up to your life right now. Now write a letter to yourself from that friend about how they view and explain your perceived shortcoming. Write from a place of deep kindness, understanding and non-judgmental acceptance. Keep in mind that all beings are imperfect, and want to be happy and free from suffering. Step Three After you finish writing, read the letter aloud to yourself and pay attention to how it makes you feel. Later read the letter again, practicing taking in the good and experiencing how it feels in your body, heart, and mind. Feel the love, compassion, and acceptance that exist within you. History This method was adapted from Kristen Neff’s self-compassion exercise called Exploring Self-Compassion Through Writing. Additional exercises can be found on her website www.self-compassion.org Cautions Don’t be discouraged if you do not immediately feel compassion for yourself after writing this letter. Self-compassion takes time to develop and you are taking steps to cultivate it by doing this exercise.

Name Working with a Nightmare (in the "Dream Tending" style) Purpose/Effects According to Jungian psychologist and master of dreamwork Stephen Aizenstat, nightmares represent one of the most unused natural resources for psychological healing. Disturbing dreams that contain monsters, aliens, killers, life-threatening catastrophes, and so on represent invitations from the deep unconscious to connect with our deep Self. The Self is a natural, wild, untamed thing, that does not conform to the needs of our safe little egoic constructions. Despite our efforts to repress and deny our own "soul" (another word for the deep Self, albeit one with strong religious connotations), it is in fact the organic, generative, natural core of our being. Thus we cannot get away from it, and the struggle to do so can only result in our lives become flat, stale, dull, and impoverished. Working with a nightmare is an incredibly powerful way to reconnect with the "juice" of life. It can ignite creativity, dispell depression, relieve anxiety, and reawaken us to the beauty and depth of each moment. Method Summary Deeply explore a nightmare image. Long Version For this exercise you need paper and a pen. Bring to mind a nightmare you recently had, or a nightmarish image from any dream. A nightmarish image can be terrifying, but it could also be disgusting, sick, alien, bizarre, or in some other way disturbing. Write down everything you can about this dream image. See it in your mind’s eye. Describe it in great detail. If the image is too terrifying to confront directly, then first connect with a dream image that you find comforting and protective. Keep this guide/protector image with you while you work with the nightmare image. The nightmare image may grow bigger, get scarier, or somehow attempt to intimidate you. Alternately, it may disappear from your imagination, as it tries to hide itself. It is important that the image understand that you are not trying to kill or annihilate it. Speak to it directly, saying that you simply want to see it, and that you will not hurt it in any way. Simply tolerating the presence of such an image is a big accomplishment. If this is as far as you can go for now, that is fine. If you can go further, attempt to investigate the sensory qualities of the image as specifically as possible. Get into the details, with as much curiosity as possible. If it is a huge taratula, what is the texture of its spider fur like? What color are the feet of the image, and is there any dust or dirt on its “toes”? If it is not an animal or creature, but instead is some kind of natural phenomenon, like a tsunami, do the same thing with its characteristics. What does it smell like? What does it sound like? Once you get very clear about the sensory features of the nightmare image, attempt to draw it, write about it, dance it, sing a song about it, or otherwise make some creative expression about the image. Repeat this process with the same image many times. Notice how the image begins to change over the weeks, months, and years. After a while, you may be quite surprised at what the image becomes! History This exercise is a paraphrase of many similar exercises developed by Stephen Aizenstat in his DreamTending work. Cautions Working with a nightmare image can sometimes be quite difficult or intense. If you want to go deeply into this, it is recommended that you do so with the help of a therapist. Notes It is very important that you do not attempt to "interpret" the image in any way. DreamTending sees interpretation as the attempt of the small, rational ego to control and dominate (and otherwise oppress) the contents of the deep unconscious. Consider the nightmare image to be an actual entity, with its own life, its own purposes, and its own reasons for doing things. It is not necessarily "just part of you," and it does not necessarily exist only to help you. Let go of ideas like these, which only tend to deaden, neuter, and domesticate the wildness of the deep Self. Instead, encounter a dream image with all the care, caution, alertness, and wonder you might have for an encounter with a wild animal.

Name Building good will/transforming ill will Purpose/Effects Ill will, negativity, aggression, even hate...these things seem like unavoidable consequences of modern life. These emotions self-perpetuate; "hate breeds hate." Transforming negative will into positive will not only makes you happier; it empowers you to promote positive change in the world around you. Building good will doesn't make you a pushover or a sissy. Instead, it gives you the strength to change your life and others' lives. Method Summary Through a collection of techniques and gentle reminders, you can change ill will into good will. Long Version Avoid situations that promote anger and negativity. This could be as easy as making sure you get enough sleep and aren’t running on an empty stomach or as complex as cutting a toxic, negative person out of your life (at least for a time). Don’t argue. Take slow, deep breaths and walk away from a heated situation. Yelling and screaming rarely resolve conflict. Keep an eye on your “trigger.” Figure out what provokes you to get your claws out and examine it mindfully. You will usually find that the trigger is as much you as anything. Don’t allow yourself to justify overreaction. Practice understanding. Contemporary society has disconnected us, so that we all feel like the most important person in the room, leading everyone to step on one another’s feet and to feel extremely insulted by said stepping. Despite this, most people are generally good intentioned and do not seek to insult or harm us. Remember this, and find the good in the situation. Cultivate the good in you. Feed your compassion and lovingkindness and nourish your calm. These resources will only grow as you do so. Be generous. Instead of feeling affronted when others seem to take from you, give freely. This may mean walking away from situations where somebody seems to have taken minor advantage of you. Remember, small things aren’t worth big anger. Self-examine. Investigate minor bouts of ill will in your life, their causes and ramifications. Under this microscope, they often look smaller than they had appeared in the heat of the moment. Remember that your own anger and negativity hurts you more than anyone else. It is an affliction to be overcome. llow your anger and negativity to pass through you. Fighting it will amplify it. Examine it and let it go. Life is (sometimes) suffering. Accept that pain and misfortune are part of living on this planet. Be realistic. It’s true: “You can’t always get what you want.” Don’t get frustrated chasing false hopes. The world is not perfect nor can it be perfected. Let go of your personal perception of the ideal world and replace it with the reminder that we are good-enough human beings in a good-enough world. Give your ego a break. When “I” am wounded, “I” get upset. Remember that there’s a whole world greater than you. You are important, but you are not more important than anyone else. Meditate, pray, and use whatever techniques cultivate good will in your life. Meet ill will with good will. Hate cannot dispel hate. Recall all the beautiful souls who prove this lesson–Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, the Dalai Lama. We have much to learn from them. Cultivate positive emotion. Allow yourself to be happy, content, and calm. A positive state of mind promotes good will outside the mind. Communicate. Speak up for yourself and for others, while remembering that even your biggest opponent has his or her own truth. Consider the thoughts of others, and talk about problems instead of arguing about them. Have faith in karma. It’s not your job to punish others. Those who deserve punishment tend to find it. Don’t try to change people with anger. Cultivating ill will toward someone will almost never be the path to their eventual renewal. Especially don’t cultivate anger toward those to whom you can’t express it. It’s an exercise in futility that only leaves you feeling helpless. Practice forgiveness. Forgiving others, even for grievous wrongs, is the most important step in your path to healing. History Most of the world's religions offer teachings on changing ill will into good will. Whether it's the Christian "treat others as you would like to be treated" (wouldn't we all like to be forgiven for our transgressions and talked to with respect, understanding, and compassion?) or the Buddhist urging away from extreme emotions, the idea that anger is best when it can be turned into lovingkindness is a universal. Notes In order to reduce the amount of ill will we unknowingly send into the world, we must begin by Realizing Intention. Examining our intentions for hateful undertones can help free us from the vicious cycle of ill will.

The beautiful soul named Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

Name Transforming Anxiety Purpose/Effects Anxiety may seem like a consequence of busy modern life, but it first evolved as a response to threats our ancestors experienced in the wild. If we examine the six stereotypical reactions we have to anxious situations, we can see their evolutionary origins and then transform these natural responses into productive ways of dealing with stressful circumstances. These six responses are fight, flight, freeze, appease, tend, and befriend. By mastering them, making them our tools, and using them to our advantage, we can conquer our anxiety. Method Summary Figure out your natural anxiety response and transform it into something positive. Long Version Fight: The fight response is fairly obvious; it’s what gets us into scuffles. If anxious situations make you feel aggressive and feisty, you may be able to channel your energy into vocalizing your complaints (speaking up for what’s right); just saying no; negotiating boundaries, conditions, and ground rules to avoid altercation; and doing battle with the anxiety-provoking beliefs and worries inside yourself. The fighter has to engage the situation to overcome his or her anxiety. Flight: Flight makes us want to run away from our problems. If anxious situations make you want to run in the opposite direction, you’re a fleer. That doesn’t make you a coward; you can and should leave situations if they’re not working and can’t be fixed; look elsewhere for better situations rather than suffering in the one you’re in; step back and disengage, especially when a situation starts to look hopeless. The fleer can also completely abandon and run away from anxious thoughts inside him or herself. Freeze: Freezing is stopping all movement (mental or physical) until a problem goes away. If anxious situations tend to paralyze you, you may do best by calling time-outs; observing negative situations quietly; buying yourself or others time by waiting; being patient and restrained and letting things come and change naturally; and creating space for new, better possibilities. The freezer’s patience and measured personality helps him or her to make it out of a stressful situation with minimal added stress. Appease: The appease response makes us supplicate; when we bow to our “betters.” If you tend to take the blame yourself when in an anxious situation, you’re an appeaser. You may find your anxiety lessened when you take maximum personal responsibility without overdoing it; when you offer genuine apologies; when you makes agreements and promises toward the future and amends for the past; when you give gifts, and when you acknowledge the grievances and anxieties of others and work to solve them. Tend: The tend response invites us to nurture in order to balance out our stress. If anxious situations make you want to curl up and be taken care of, you would do well to build up your personal resources for dealing with situations: taking meditative time for yourself, relaxing, and building alliances and to take care of yourself, making sure that you work on your own anxiety-inducing tendencies gently while allowing your kindness and caring for others work on their own anxious tendencies. Befriend: Befriending is the tendency to defuse anxious situations with levity and charm. If anxious situations make you want to crack jokes and find common ground with others, you’re a befriender. The befriender can use his or her skills by making friends with his or her enemies (to a point, of course), recognizing and being kind to the inner goodness inside every anxiety-inducing person or thing, befriending him or herself (meaning being one’s own best ally), and bringing a sense of humor to a difficult situation. Keeping the right hemisphere of the brain busy helps to alleviate anxiety because it evolved to scan for threats, while the left hemisphere in part works to control negative emotion. By keeping the “worrier” half busy and letting the “emoter” do its business without interference, you can reduce anxious reactions. Some activities that are right-hemisphere intensive include visualization based meditation (try this Earth Descent Meditation), Chanting / Devotional Singing, and Sky Gazing. History As far back as the ancient Greeks, people were dealing with anxiety openly. As a response to stress, anxiety is as old as we are, but we are only just now beginning to understand it. It is completely normal to experience anxiety from time to time; however, the anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder) have become part of psychological discussion as ways to describe unusually high levels of anxiety. Cautions If your anxiety problems are severe enough to keep you from living the life you wish to lead, consult with a trained psychologist about your options. Notes Other helpful techniques for reducing anxiety can be found in the pages on Nutritional Intervention and Physical Exercise, as anxiety responds very well both to supplementation in the diet and exercise. Relaxation techniques like the Basic Relaxation Meditation, Progressive Relaxation, and Autogenic Training can drastically change how the mind and body respond to stress.

Name Transforming Anger Purpose/Effects Anger is a functional emotion, as it is a fitting evolutionary response to injury and loss. It often steels us toward constructive action. However, anger, like stress, is incredibly taxing on the mind and body. People inclined to anger have more heart attacks and gastrointestinal problems than those who are not. Anger also often incites violence, both physical and emotional. Using anger as a tool for right ends is possible by learning to transform it from a destructive, animal rage into a righteous expression of justice. Method Summary Techniques of withdrawal, analysis, detachment, and compassion help turn anger into peace. Long Version Spacious Withdrawal: Retreat from the source of your anger and sit quietly, breathing deeply. Bring the situation to mind and then slowly expand your awareness to encompass more than the situation; focus on your breathing if you need to as the relative importance of your anger shrinks in your mind. This disengages the unthinking parts of your brain that make you want to lash out and engages the moderating, thoughtful parts. Counting Down: An oldie but goodie. Count down slowly from twenty (or thirty…or whatever works for you). When you reach one, your emotional response will already have cooled. Counteremotional Exercise: Use anger as a trigger for love. Use your anger as a spark to consider what you love and those things that you find beautiful in life. Most importantly, be compassionate toward your own anger. Structural Analysis: In a meditative posture, consider the situation as objectively as you possibly can. Analyze the roles, intentions, and actions of everyone involved as well as the entirety of the event–its wins and losses. Respond clinically. Planning: Use the anger to steel you and make you stronger. Focus your angry emotions on a plan to establish resources and skills to resolve the problem. Emptiness: Using the same principles as structural analysis, take it a step further and recognize the transitory nature of human life and human squabbles. Abandoning the Self: Feel the anger in your mind and observe it detachedly. Recognize how the state of anger ebbs and flows with electrochemical impulses in the brain. Your anger is not your Self. There is no self. Thus, there is no anger. Lovingkindness: Respond with love; “turn the other cheek.” Some exercises on lovingkindness are here. Building Alliances: Realize that you do not exist in isolation. Recognize that you are part of a community and a support network. History The teachings of the Buddha are full of reminders that anger is destructive and that detaching from it is one of the keys to enlightenment and happiness. Christ taught to "turn the other cheek" when we are struck instead of angering. Cautions Serious anger issues that lead to extreme rage and violence may be better dealt with, at least initially, by a trained therapist with knowledge of anger management techniques. Notes If you would like to test your ability to transform anger, you might try, during your next stressful traffic jam, silently sending out waves of lovingkindness to all the other cars on the road, even those who cut you off, don't pay attention, drive too slow, or lay on the horn. You might also choose a relative or acquaintance who has been a source of frustration and anger in the past and try to hold them in your mind in a compassionate and loving state.

Name Tracking Your Mood Purpose/Effects Often our moods can change so quickly and automatically that we are unaware of what actually caused them. Keeping track of your moods in a mood log can help you reflect on the factors and situations that affect your emotions. Discovering the thoughts and situations that are linked to low moods can help you anticipate what factors (such as certain people, times of day, thoughts) are most challenging for you. With the information learned from tracking your mood you can gain insight into your habitual reactions to triggering events and work with bringing awareness to your responses so that they are not as automatic. Method Summary A few times a day, note your mood when you are upset and describe the situation (time, location, what is going on). Long Version If possible, carry around a notebook with you to use for recording your mood. When you become aware that you are experiencing a difficult emotion note your situation, including the day, time, location, and what is occurring. See if you can then become aware of and note what emotions you are experiencing (e.g. sad, lonely, scared, irritated) and rate their intensity from 1-100%. Begin to pay attention to any thoughts that may be automatically occurring and see if you can notice and record the most common and gripping thoughts. Once you have written down a few thoughts, examine their accuracy. Often when we are in a low mood our thoughts are unrealistically negative and pessimistic. If you can, begin to challenge the accuracy of your thoughts and create alternative, more realistic explanations. If you have trouble challenging your thoughts, see Disputing Negative Thoughts and Common Errors in Thinking for help. Once you have finished, reassess your mood and see if it has changed. After a few days or weeks of tracking your mood, begin to examine your mood logs and look for any patterns or trends, such as times of day or specific people or events that are associated with low moods. Becoming aware of this information can be very helpful. You may eventually come up with alternative possibilities and responses to prevent yourself from being automatically dragged into low moods. You may also find ways to expect and prepare yourself for dealing with difficult situations and people. This can lead to feeling more in control of your mood and your responses. History Keeping track of one’s daily mood and challenging automatic thoughts is a primary component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT was created and expanded upon by psychologists Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck in the 1950’s and 60’s. Additionally, the method presented here was adapted from the CBT mood logs created by Dr. David Burns in his book The Feeling Good Handbook, and from psychologists Christine Padesky and Dennis Greenberger’s book, Mind Over Mood. You can read more about the history of CBT here: http://www.nacbt.org/historyofcbt.htm Cautions It is not always easy to track your mood during various situations each day and please do not get discouraged or beat up on yourself if you are unable to record your moods with great consistency. Just beginning to pay attention to the various factors that influence your mood can be very helpful. Additionally, becoming aware of your automatic thoughts can be illuminating but also unsettling if you notice that the content of your thoughts is very negative. Be aware of any tendency to criticize yourself for having critical or harsh thoughts and instead see if you can practice self-compassion for feeling the difficult emotion(s).

Name Time Management Purpose/Effects Learning how to effectively manage your time is becoming more important, but often also more difficult, in modern technical go-go societies. This method can help you assess how well you are managing your time. It also offers suggestions to improve your time management skills, which can increase your efficiency and productivity. Method Summary First, assess your current time management skills. Then, practice prioritizing, delegating, eliminating distractions, and saying “no.” Long Version Assessing Your Time Management Skills: Choose a typical day and and track, in fifteen minute intervals, how you spend your time. An easy way to do this is to create a little form, using a spreadsheet, in which each row is a fifteen minute interval (e.g., 7:00 am, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, etc,) and each column is a different type of activity (e.g., sleep, cuddling partner, shower, breakfast, commute, work, kids, dinner, TV, reading, emails). Then add up the time spent in each category. If possible, do this exercise for more than one day, and then average across all the days you track. Review the results and draw your own conclusions about how spend your time.. Tips for Time Management: Prioritize: Practice prioritizing tasks by breaking them down into 3 groups: Those that definitely need to be finished today. Those that need to be done within a day or two, but not necessarily today. Those that need to be done farther out in the future. Make a schedule for your daily activities: Each morning, write your to-do list for the day in order of priority. Once you have made this list, really try to DO your top priority items. Delegate: Keep looking for any tasks can be appropriately delegated to others. For example, ask for needed support at work, or insist that your kids (if you have them) help with the dishes. Identify and eliminate distractions and time-wasters: Look for any unnecessary activities that drained your time or distracted you. These could include staying up late watching dumb TV and feeling drowsy the next day, or getting sucked into the conflicts of others that truly don’t need to concern you. Learn to say “no”: An important aspect of time management is knowing how much you can realistically get done. After scheduling your daily tasks, be wary of agreeing to do additional work for others if you know that it will postpone your original plans. While saying “no” can initially seem difficult, it often becomes easier with time, and you will be rewarded by completing more of your to-do list. Avoid perfectionism: Some people waste significant amounts of time trying to do a task “perfectly.” If this sounds familiar, practice setting time limits to each task you do, and work with tolerating the possibility that it might not be perfect. Just do it: Avoid procrastinating the tasks you dread by spending at least 10-15 minutes on one of them each day. History The tips and practices offered in this method came from a variety of sources, including the Mayo Clinic’s online resources, and Michelle Craske and David Barlow’s book Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry. Cautions It is important to remember that often in today’s hectic society there is simply not enough time to do all of the things you would like to accomplish. Even after implementing the techniques offered in this method, it is still possible that you will struggle with time management. Please remember to be gentle and patient with yourself if you cannot complete all of the tasks on your to-do list. Additionally, you may receive some negative feedback as you begin to say “no” when others ask you to do something for them. Trust that you know best what you can handle and are actually taking care of yourself by saying “no,” even if it initially displeases others. Notes Keep in mind that in addition to these time management suggestions, sometimes it may be necessary to re-adjust your expectations regarding how much you can actually do each day.