The Emotion Machine

Top Twelve Things To Do While Unemployed

As a recent college graduate entering into the new year, and with the recent troubles of the economy, I figure now is an appropriate time to think about unemployment.

“Hunger is not the worst feature of unemployment; idleness is.” – William Barrett

While many may consider joblessness a product of laziness and worthlessness – believe it or not – there are plenty of productive things to do without have a boss looming over your shoulders forty hours a week.

Since I am unemployed myself, I saw a great personal benefit in creating a list like this. Some of these activities are things I am already taking part in, while others I wish to pursue in the near future.

Hopefully this post can inspire others who are in a similar situation. Some of these recommendation are obvious as they directly involve searching for employment; others are non-job related, but productive tasks nonetheless; a special few may be considered riskier choices, but they could just as well lead you to more exciting endeavors.

1. Look through the local papers

Obvious, but nonetheless my first choice. Reading your local paper gets you immediately in touch with your community. Not just the job section, but others too can keep you better update on nearby events, recent trends, social events, and other latest happenings. Face it, you don’t want to spend your days just sitting in the house – get out, get active, and start interacting and getting involved.

2. Start working out

Most will admit that they do not focus on their health and fitness enough. Those who do often have a plethora of excuses, the most common being: “I am just too busy with work.” Now that we are unemployed, we really don’t have any excuse not to put some time aside for physical activity. Even if it just doing push-ups and sit-ups in the morning, it makes a difference in the amount of energy you will have throughout the day. Not to mention, exercise is a great way to give your brain a rest from other daily mental stresses. So, don’t be too hesitant to dust off that old treadmill or ask your bother to give back those dumbbells he borrowed a couple years ago.

3. Volunteer

Children, seniors, and those with physical and mental handicaps – these are all people who are all too often ignored. Even without a job your time can still be valuable to others, so why not invest it wisely and make a difference? Sure, volunteering at a church or an after school program isn’t going to get you any closer to green (note: money), but it is something else to put on your resume. Employers certainly like people who volunteer – it shows you are willing to provide for society and that you like to stay busy.

4. Practice an instrument

Being able to play an instrument is always a great and rewarding skill. How many of us can attest to ever wanting to be a famous singer, rock star, rapper, or pianist? It is never too late to start doodling with music. Creativity is after-all a productive act, and it also serves as a great means of personal expression. I used to like playing on guitars and synthesizers, but since I have graduated I have made a switch over to electric bass. One of my neighbors likes similar music to me, and he also drums, so we have a great time just jamming out.

I also firmly believe that there are great therapeutic benefits to making music or any kind of art, here is a short post I one time put together on art therapy and mental health. Who knows, maybe you can even make a career out of it one day?

5. Upload your resume to Monster.com

If you aren’t yet familiar with Monster.com, it is a great website to help you find new jobs in your area. I just recently uploaded my resume and sent it out to a couple companies. Employers can also search and contact you. Since Monster.com is one of the 20 most visited websites on the net, this is probably your number one choice on places to network for building your career. There is a lot of helpful information, complete with customizable searches that distinguish between different educational backgrounds, years of experiences, desired salaries, as well as which industries and kinds of jobs you are interested in pursuing.

6. Start a blog

OK, some may consider this a total time waster, but I have already made my case for why blogging is actually a very productive activity. It allows you to better organize your thoughts, exercise creativity, network with others, and learning from the expertise of other bloggers.

7. Go to school

For those who have suffered for an extended period of time due to poor job opportunities and unemployment, it may be a good idea to consider furthering your education. Especially if you only have a high school degree or less, it is probably in your best interest to obtain a degree in a subject of your interest, something that will be beneficial towards a career you wish to pursue. This isn’t to say that college is for everyone. I myself never wished to go to college, I mostly went due to peer pressure. However, those years turned out to be some of the most valuable years I’ve ever spent. Because of this, I would recommend anyone to look into it as a viable option towards furthering your career or starting anew.

8. Meditate

I try to recommend meditation even to those who have jobs, as it is an excellent way to manage stress and put our life into perspective. However, like many things, meditation is very often inconvenient to those who already live busy lives stuck in cubicles, while drinking Starbucks and typing up boring documents. Unemployment provides a great opportunity to get settled into a steady meditation schedule. It is best to start now while you have the time because once you do get a job it’ll be much easier to stick with the habit. Meditation has shown to provide tremendous benefits to both our physical and mental health. Get started today. I highly recommend these beginner videos for those who aren’t yet familiar with the practice.

9. Sell junk on Ebay

Everyone knows about Ebay.com, the most popular website for online auctioning and bidding. During times while jobless, it is very likely that we may be experiencing financial hardships; therefore, it is a wise idea to go through our belongings, decide on what we really don’t need, and then sell them for some extra cash. By doing this, we are also cleaning out space in our closets, making it easier to organize, and letting go of things from the past that don’t really serve our interests anymore.

10. Go on a road trip

For some who don’t have immediate plans to enter the labor force, going on a road trip could become an enlightening experience. Imagine yourself heading across the country with no particular destination in mind. Imagine all the new people you would meet, all the crazy places you would stay at night, and all the neat skills and “tricks-of-the-trade” you would learn throughout your travels. Oh yeah, and getting friends to join you is an absolute must!

11. Read

Whether it is fiction or non-fiction, reading preserves intelligence. Out of all the people I know – no matter the age – the ones who read on a consistent basis are distinguishably smarter than those who don’t. Opening up a book and following a story keeps your mind active and sharp. Reading has been shown to increase attention and memory, as well as decrease the risk of Alzheimers and other forms of dementia that can be experienced later in age. The mind is just like a muscle in the sense that “If you don’t use it…you lose it.”

12. Get a makeover

Sometimes there is nothing better to jump-start a new phase of your life then to get a makeover. Start by doing something different with your hair. Maybe if you are used to long hair you can switch over to something shorter, or even shave your head completely. Next you can move on to your clothes. Find someone with a keen sense for fashion and have them come shopping with you. Let them choose 3-5 outfits and then try them on. See what you like. See what makes you feel alive again. Experiment with different styles and don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. A good makeover can you give you a burst of inspiration. It can make you feel like a new person, and what better time to start fresh?

Final Comments

If you are unemployed then I encourage you to take these suggestions to heart. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to be productive and motivated then to simply call businesses you want to work for and try to schedule an interview. The key ideas are to get involved in your community, make steps in personal development that you don’t normally have the time for, and stay active. You don’t want to fall into the habit of spending seven days a week sitting on the couch, vegetating, and watching the latest episode of Jersey Shore – make yourself valuable!

How To Do A True Act Of Kindness

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” – Albert Pike

With the holidays looming near, now is a better time than any to exercise our good will. Whether it is buying mom a Nintendo Wii or helping an old lady cross the street, there are countless ways we can accumulate good karma.

Often, we think of doing something nice as a rarity. Most people don’t seem to do it often and we reciprocate by not doing anything either. It is only during these strange times of holiday cheer that we begin to feel comfortable enough to actively spread love and happiness. Let us maintain this positive momentum for the following 364 days of the year as well. For any time of the year, here are some ideas that I find most important to consider whenever we are giving gifts or doing someone else a favor:

1. Have Their Interests In Mind

This may seem obvious but sometimes we can get caught in the trap of buying something that we would enjoy, while ignoring the interests of the person who we are giving the gift too. Of course, it is not always easy to know what someone else may want. We can try to overcome this by putting our self in someone’s shoes, or asking like-minded people what a good present might be. If you are trying to find something for a 6 year old boy, then you can ask other 6 year old boys. Similarly, if you know someone who is an avid golfer, then you can ask other avid golfers what a good brand of new clubs might be.

2. Let It Be From The Good Of Your Heart

All too often, and especially during the holiday season, we do “nice” things for people out of necessity or obligation. It is this kind of mentality that can ruin what would otherwise be a joyful celebration. It is much nicer and much more fun if we actually do others favors out of the goodness of our heart, and not out of some unhealthy and ill-defined obligation. Find the desire in yourself to make others happy, and by acting on these desires, you will find that you too will become much more happier and satisfied.

3. Make It Meaningful

If you excel at the first two intentions then this one often comes naturally, but it is worth pointing out anyway: make your favors and gifts as meaningful as possible. There is usually no extra financial burden to doing something with a little bit of meaning, something that shows you put in the time and thought into making a good gesture. A meaningful gift is one that will evoke a strong sense of appreciation in the recipient. Something that brightens the person’s day and makes life worth living. You also want to avoid gifts purely based on novelty or “quick highs,” and instead focus on things that will continue to have value over time.

4. Don’t Expect Anything In Return

If you expect something in return for your favors then you are limiting the magic of your actions. A true act of kindness is not dependent on any reciprocation. The act of giving in itself is all that is needed to experience pleasure and happiness. If we expect something in return, but we don’t get it, we may conclude that our actions were for nothing, but that isn’t the goal of giving to others, is it? It is probably for the best that we diminish any expectations we may have in getting something in return for our efforts. This doesn’t mean we should be shocked if someone reciprocates a good deed, but it shouldn’t be dependent on our ability to exercise kindness.

5. Feel Proud Of What You’ve Done

Often we get immediate gratification after doing something kind for another. It simply feels good to make others feel good. But some like to suppress these feelings. Perhaps it is because they define altruism through “self-sacrifice,” and therefore, much like the story of Jesus dying for our sins, they feel that an act of kindness must be at the expense of our own life, happiness or well-being. I wish to dispel this notion. It is of utmost importance that we feel good when providing for others. If we can exercise this will, if we allow ourselves to feel good for our good deeds, then we are more motivated to continue these actions of kindness in the future. Be proud of your noble efforts! Be selfishly generous.

Final Words

I hope this post provides some good food for thought for the next time you are intending to help another. All acts out of kindness are commendable, but if we can accept some of these ideas, and raise our consciousness regarding what it means to be giving, then we can bring our kindness to the next level.

From Self To World Improvement

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi

Earlier this week I posted an article entitled, “Business-Minded Spirituality.” My plan wasn’t to prove that businesses are inherently good-intentioned, only that one can have a successful business while still keeping their morals and values intact.

Businesses themselves are tremendously powerful vehicles of change, but they don’t just fall from the sky. They start within the mind of a single individual – with an idea, a thought, or an intention. The individual who acts upon these ideas changes his world, whether it is for better or worse.

A better self means a better world, no matter how small or large our impact might be. This is a powerful insight. If we can recognize our personal growth as part of the growth of a greater whole, we can begin to align ourselves with this greater sense of being. All of a sudden, we become more inspired and motivated to improve life conditions for our self and others.

Please take a moment to reflect on your own goals of self-improvement. Ask yourself: “In what ways do these goals benefit the world as a whole?” If you cannot find any reasons – then it may be time to rethink your strategy and mindset.

If all you want out of life is money, sex, and fame – but you neglect the interests of others – then you probably won’t get any of these. And even if you do, your success will be short-lived and ultimately unsatisfying.

This attitude I am describing takes an element of responsibility and courage. We often like to neglect our interconnectedness and interdependency with others. Our ego would rather see itself as separate and distinct; we figure this is the only way to see our self if we want to rise above and be successful. But we are limited in our capacity for improvement if we neglect the well-being of others along the way.

I challenge my readers to reframe their goals within this context of “world improvement” in order to foresee the greater implications of their actions. When I reflect back on my own list of goals, a couple of things become immediately apparent to me.

Take for example my goal to “Graduate From College.” On the surface this is nothing but a self-serving goal. Certainly by graduating I am not directly affecting any other person’s future. But what I accomplish through college allows me to become better equipped to serve society at large than if I were not to get a good education at all.

This exercise allows you to reframe your goals without changing the content of the goal in-itself. Instead, it strengthens your intentions to achieve these goals. It motivates you. It aligns your will with a “higher power.”

The future of self improvement should be seen within this new context of world improvement. As I mentioned before, you can change this attitude with the simple question, “How do my goals serve the greater whole of humanity?” This allows you to become more affirmed in your values and aspirations. It puts you in a stronger position of personal power. And, it guides you to new ways of concern and compassion toward others.

How do your goals serve the greater whole of humanity?

Business-Minded Spirituality

At first the idea of business and spirituality together may seem contradictory. We are often told that businesses are only driven by the incentive to make more money, while spirituality entails abandoning this attachment to material wealth. With this attitude hanging over our head, how can a spiritual person ever expect to become a successful businessman? Under what conditions can one sell and still be moral?

To start, is there any place in this world that is outside of economic reality? Even the poorest of spiritual beggars must have some desire for clothing, food and shelter if he or she wants to survive.

On the other hand, some of these spiritually-driven individuals make a virtue out of living from the bare minimum, a notion that the late Indian mystic Osho disagreed with strongly. Often referring to himself as the “rich man’s guru,” Osho taught that material poverty was not a genuine spiritual value. According to one excerpt from Wikipedia:

“Osho had himself photographed wearing sumptuous clothing and hand-made watches, and while in Oregon drove a different Rolls-Royce each day – his followers reportedly wanted to buy him 365 of them, one for each day of the year. Publicity shots of the Rolls-Royces (93 in the end) were sent to the press. As a conscious display, they may have reflected both his enjoyment of wealth and his desire to provoke American sensibilities, much as he had enjoyed offending Indian sensibilities earlier.”

Although a complex character who loved to provoke others, Osho made it clear that he never mistook material wealth for spiritual gain. Money to him was just a tool. He once said,

“Money is a means. If you are happy and you have money, you will become more happy. If you are unhappy and you have money, you will become more unhappy – because what will you do with your money? Your money will enhance your pattern, whatsoever it is.”

Although he was rarely one to hide his wealth, money did not define Osho. In fact many of the royalties he received from his work were often donated to local communes, including the 90+ Rolls Royces.

In some ways Osho’s teachings can even be seen to resemble the moral philosophy of Ayn Rand, who once said, “The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.” Osho was definitely one to enjoy himself and live. He saw no virtue in prolonging any kind of suffering, starting with his own. His way of life quickly became a quintessence of how one can take responsibility for themselves and enjoy life without any signs of guilt or fear.

It is not money that is the root of all evil, but human greed itself that causes humans to do heinous acts for material and superficial gains. Money however can still be used as a tool for good, and even the acquisition of money, as long as the means are just, can often benefit society at large. The remainder of this article will touch upon business incentives that I feel also align themselves congruently with spiritual and moral imperatives.

The Incentive To Provide Goods For Others

First and foremost the purpose of a business is to provide goods for others. The owner may have the intentions of striking it rich, but if he neglects the needs and wants of society then he will have a tough time selling his products. Sure, he or she may find ways to exploit the system and trick others into buying something they don’t really desire, but this can be incredibly difficult to do and even if the business does succeed, they won’t last long.

Businesses are almost always better off if they try to provide something of value. Just look at individuals like Bill Gates from Microsoft and Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart. Both of these companies have drastically helped to increase the standard of living of others. Nowadays almost everyone has experienced the luxury of a computer, as well as the low prices provided by enterprises like Wal-Mart. In what ways have these institutions benefited you?

Businesses must know the demands of others if they want to continue to exist. Providing valuable goods to others at an affordable rate is a great way to benefit society at large. Often these endeavors can result in an alleviation of suffering, which is a primary objective to any spiritual practice. In the right hands, more money can mean a greater capacity to do good for others. This is an aspect of business that should be celebrated more often.

The Incentive To Treat Customers Right

My economics teacher in high school once said that if someone has a bad experience with a company they are likely to tell the story to – on average – about 7 other people. I wasn’t able to confirm this statistic (if anyone can help me that would be great!) but I think she was touching on a crucial point: businesses must treat customers at some sort of satisfactory level if they want their customers to keep coming back. If a business gets enough of a bad reputation, people will stop going, and the company will no longer be favorable in the public eye. Especially in industries where there is much competition, it is in the company’s best interest to win over their customers.

It doesn’t cost much to treat your customers with loyalty, care, and a bit of compassion – so if you are running a business it is in only in your own rational self-interest to make it assured that your customer’s needs are being met. This doesn’t just mean in the value of your product, but also in the value of your services as well as the overall human-to-human experience. This means the overall “personality” of your company: What kind of friend are you to your clients? Are you being genuine, superficial, or are you acting as if you just don’t give a fuck at all? People aren’t dumb – they can usually tell the difference!

The Incentive To Treat Employees Right

Sure, many people believe that many modern economies have resulted in what is know as wage slavery. In this sense many say companies can get away with exploiting their workers, despite the fact that workers voluntarily choose where they work in a free society. Despite this, businesses have plenty good incentives to treat their workers with the best possible care.

For example, building a sense of community or family around the workplace is a fantastic way to increase productivity. If people love where they work then they are much more motivated to do a great job. Of course, not all jobs are equally enjoyable, so it is up to the business owner to be creative when trying to build a more friendly atmosphere for his employees. One real world example is the offices at Google, one of the biggest companies in the world. Sure looks like fun to work there!

Choosing The Right Values

Achieving the above objectives requires a company to have good and productive values. Although this isn’t all that it takes to build a great business, it is important to have a sense of love, compassion, and family within the internal structure of your company. That is what keeps it together and makes up its core. You want your employees to be able to feed energy off of each other. This builds a self-perpetuating drive and motivation to do good for the company, which should try and be seen as a greater whole.

Understand that by doing good for the company you are also doing good for society at large. The key is to work for (or build) a company that you believe is doing good for the world. The rest of your attitude will come naturally to you. You will want to improve the company because it simultaneously improves humanity too.

Last Thoughts On Business-Minded Spirituality

This framework for business is part of what I am beginning to call “Business-Minded Spirituality.” As an ardent proponent of capitalism and free markets, but also a deeply spiritual person, I strive to persuade you that businesses are not just evil and greedy money-making machines, but amazing tools that can be utilized to transform our world in a positive direction. For those that are already awakened spiritually, continue your learning by getting into the realm of business. For those that are more business-oriented, add a spiritual element to your company to help make it grow in new and expansive directions. I hope to be discussing these concepts more in the near future.

Some of you may have already adapted a business-minded and spiritual attitude. What type of things do you do to build a spiritual sense around your company? Which techniques do you find most effective for improving upon your business?

Farewell Video

Let me now leave you with a video of Osho himself, discussing the concept of “Selling Bliss:”

Create A Progressive Timeline To Better Envision Your Goals

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napoleon Hill

We are creatures of routine and habit, but we also creatures of adaptation and change. Our actions are purposeful because they are always aimed to achieve some goal. Even something as simple as getting up to get a glass of water can be described in terms of our intentions to quench our thirst.

Often the most successful people in our society are the ones who are the best planners. They are visionaries. They have the ability to direct their intentions in ways that others are unfamiliar with. They can see a path from point A to point B and, although it may not be correct from step-to-step, they have the incentive to start walking it.

But the future is filled with uncertainty. Therefore, as these individuals step forward, they must adjust their game plan in the face of new experiences and new information.

Despite these uncertainties, it is always useful to write down our plans for the future. In a way, this is our first step towards turning our dreams into reality. By thinking and writing about these things we are building these goals into our neurology through brainstorming, building associations, identifying problems, and generating solutions.

To give you an example I will create a timeline of my own. I call these timelines “progressive” because they begin by focusing in on a single day and then they zoom out to a scope of ten years or more. This is a really interesting way to expand your awareness from a single moment to a greater and longer course of action.

I recommend a minimum of five items for each point on your timeline. This should give you enough flexibility to touch on various aspects of your life. Later in this post I will expand on what you can do to improve these timelines for greater efficacy.

My Progressive Timeline

Within A Day

• Finish this blog post.
• Call Mom and Dad to check up on how they are doing.
• Finish reading my textbook for History & Systems of Psychology.
• Start studying for my Psychophysiological Awareness Class.
• Go out tonight so I can enjoy my last party weekend in Binghamton, NY

Within A Week

• Study and complete two of my Final exams.
• Return my books to the Science Library.
• Write another blog post or two.
• Begin wrapping up work in other classes.
• Start packing up my stuff for home.

Within A Month

• Graduate from college.
• Find a decent-paying job back at home.
• Reach under 100,000 traffic rank in the U.S. on Alexa.com
• Start volunteering at a church back home.
• Start dating again.

Within A Year

• Start writing a book.
• Layout the major framework for starting my own business.
• Get certified in hypnosis by the National Guild of Hypnotists.
• Find a girlfriend.
• Expand my network and social circle.
• Join a gym and work on building muscle strength and endurance.

Within Five Years

• Become self-employed.
• Move to a place I have always wanted to live.
• Get my book edited and published.
• Record a music album for the sole intention of artistic expression.
• Pursue a graduate degree in a field of Psychology (Clinical, Industrial, Transpersonal or Positive Psychology)

Within Ten Years

• Travel Europe.
• Get married and start a family.
• Invest some time, energy, and capital to help other small businesses succeed.
• Become more involved in political activism and campaigning.
• Dedicate time to an activist group who supports a cause I strongly believe in.

Improving Your Timeline

Once you create your timeline you can always go back and update it. As I said in the introduction, true visionaries rarely see the whole path in its entirety; rather, they need to constantly draw up their mental map and upgrade it.

Later in the day you may find that you have forgotten a goal of yours. In a month from now you may change your mind about pursuing a past goal. Nothing is set in stone.

Being dedicated is one thing, but being too stubborn to change your ways in the face of new knowledge is a different story. Use your best judgment when making these decisions. Always remember to weigh out the costs and benefits before pursuing any course of action.

As I also said earlier, this kind of exercise is great for re-wiring your brain in preparation of these goals. I already notice more clarity in my thinking after only spending 15-20 minutes writing up this list. You can improve upon this notion by revisiting your list and using your imagination to see, feel and experience what it would be like to do these goals. What type of actions are entailed? How would it feel once you have achieved what you set out to do? Ask yourself these types of questions in order to get the mind more productive and creative in fulfilling these aspirations. It would be even more effective if you wrote down these imaginations.

I will be updating in the near future with another post to expand more on these types of exercises.