Favorite Self-development techniques

[starsofclay]

This thread is NOT about non-duality. This is to post favorite self help and development techniques that have helped you, and may help another.  This is about what makes you feel better... good....and possibly great. 

To start:

I have really gotten into affirmations very recently. For me this is a little crazy, because the past 32 years of my life, I always considered this thing kind of cheesy, corny, and "not for me." However, I do believe in the power of suggestibility and subconscious programming, but I have previously used other methods for this.  It probably helps that I picked up a pair of wireless headphones, (which I'm loving), and now I listen to affirmations while doing housework, driving, shopping, or some impromptu yoga in the back yard. Smoking a tiny bit of marijuana increases suggestibility, but not required of course  
Here is a great one I have found with nice background music and really good affirmations, whether you have anxiety or not:
 

 

I will update every now and then with other techniques I use or have used, but in the meantime, would love to hear from others...

[BjarkeT]

nice topic some of the best techniques i have found is: fully feel every single emotions with zero resistance 24/7, taking deep breath and focus on relaxing to reduce stress in a place of isolation, deliberate practice to improve skills, deep work for improving focus, work smart/effectively and hard, to avoid burnout take breaks as seriously as your work (plan your breaks)  learn how to learn to learn more effectively, bite the bullet/do the emotional hard thing(sometimes there is just no way around it if you want something), take 100% responsibility, be 100% authentic/honest, take massive action, embrace single tasking don't multitask, be so good they can't ignore you, for long term goals maybe try to minimize everything else and just focus on it as if it was a life style (goals that can be years long to achive) if you feel like you still could have worked harder on something you probably didn't work as hard as you should (If the goal is to work hard) when wanting to achive a goal create a project and balance between pratice and theory learn from people who already have achieved what you want, that is some of the things i have found so far  

Edited February 20, 2018 by BjarkeT

[Slade]

Meditation for sure. I feel so much more satisfaction with life.

Closing my eyes and contemplating my life purpose has been huge in helping me to gain awareness about what I want in life. 

Reading/Audio books every day.

Also I think having conversations with other friends who are into self help is big because this journey can be lonely and it’s really nice to have the emotional support of someone who understands.

 

These sound simple and obvious and I think it’s easy to underestimate the power of these basic techniques, but they’ve been extremely helpful for me.

[starsofclay]

55 minutes ago, Slade said:

Also I think having conversations with other friends who are into self help is big because this journey can be lonely and it’s really nice to have the emotional support of someone who understands.

Yeah this can be hard... thank god for forums... I can talk to friends and co-workers about it, but I have to try and keep it as non-weird as possible... not because I care if they think I'm weird, but because they just tend to tune you out once you get a little "whoo-whoo". Meditation is such a foreign concept to them. So is self reflection and what not. 

[starsofclay]

@BjarkeT I had a more detailed response to this, but my internet dropped as soon as I hit submit.... but basically yes to all that

[Sahil Pandit]

@starsofclay Labeling sights, sounds, feelings, and touch!

[starsofclay]

@Sahil Pandit Is there a good method to follow for doing that?

[kieranperez]

1 hour ago, starsofclay said:

@Sahil Pandit Is there a good method to follow for doing that?

Mindfulness Meditation

[starsofclay]

@kieranperez oh ok.. I thought maybe he meant while driving the vehicle around in daily life (and no I don't mean a car)

[starsofclay]

I really like watching guided meditations too... obviously they don't take place of traditional meditation, but are really helpful and get you into a good suggestible state: 

And for improving visualization, I like to listen to ones that are based off of a movie, so that I can use imagery that already exists to include in my visualizing, which I feel strengthens it:

 

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by starsofclay

[Ayilton]

Sitting and Looking at the moon  

Watch how beautiful it is 

It makes me feel calm and peacefull with myself 

[starsofclay]

@Ayilton yep that's an age-old method. Sometimes I think about I want to do that, but never do. I do have a hammock out back that would be perfect for that... 

[Preety_India]

Meditation, reading books and having conversations with interesting people who have ideas to offer. Travel helps a lot too. 

[Ayilton]

16 hours ago, starsofclay said:

@Ayilton yep that's an age-old method. Sometimes I think about I want to do that, but never do. I do have a hammock out back that would be perfect for that... 

For sure it would 

 

 

 

[starsofclay]

One technique that I (like to think) that I came up with has to do with brain training, particularly training concentration and visualization. I must admit I have slacked off of this for a long time, and forgot about it, but now that I am doing a morning meditation routine, I might implement it before meditation, as it will help to calm me down (I wake up pretty wired)

Basically, what you do is count from 1-100, silently, eyes closed,  while also visualizing yourself drawing the number with an imaginary finger. The better you get, the more detailed the numbers can look, but a thin simple line is fine. This is harder than it seems, especially because you must focus only on the numbers and not lose train of thought, or forget which number you are on. For an unfocused mind, you might be lucky to get to 20 or 30 without losing train of thought. 

Now for advanced practice: count up to 100, while visualizing the numbers down from 100- 1. Yes its tricky but possible! this is where you really get some concentration practice! If your brain hurts--- GOOD!

Edited March 8, 2018 by starsofclay

[okulele]

I use subliminal affirmations while falling asleep. I really like this method, as it doesn't require you to spend any of your waking time. You just put your earphones as you go to sleep and get your mind rewired.

As you are falling asleep, your brain gets to a state where it is supposed to take in everything it receives effortlessly.

For 3 months, while falling asleep, I listed to subliminal affirmations concerning Lucid Dreaming for 3 months. I spontaneously get lucid dreams almost every night without using any techniques now.

I am starting with health-oriented affirmations now. We will see how it goes.

[starsofclay]

@okulele I've been wanting to do a lucid dreaming one! Was it one on YouTube? 

[Clown]

For me it's gotta be the good ol' self-inquiry or witnessing or being awareness. Whatever you might call it.

I recently also started chanting the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, which has me really hooked. Once I start with the mantra, it's really hard to stop. And that's the point. Once you've chanted the mantra for a while and it just turns into this automatic hypnotic thing that is just happening, rather than You just doing it, you get to a really nice place within you. Listening just to the sound of the mantra and feeling it vibrate in the chest. Really nice stuff.

I got the mantra thing from this video (about 41:32 if the links timecode doesn't work)

 

Edited March 9, 2018 by Clown
Found a better starting point for the video timecode

[okulele]

@starsofclay I used to play some affirmations downloaded from youtube and followed it with BrainSync subliminals for lucid dreaming. Usually I feel asleep during the first few minuets and BrainSync was playing while I was sleeping.

I can't find the exact youtube affirmations right now, but something like this should work:

 

[starsofclay]

@okulele cool thank you!