If I had to describe this past year of blogging in one swooping phrase I’d say it was “a learning experience.”

People who have never blogged before may not realize how much of multi-faceted activity it really is. Every individual post incorporates brainstorming with research, writing (obviously), editing, and marketing. Then you have to account for all the behind-the-scenes work of updating layouts, formatting posts, adding pictures, and working on the whole “aesthetic” of the blog.

After one dedicated year I feel as though I am on a new plateau in the blogging world. I slowly, but surely, began to discover my voice, and I am now more focused on the ideas I want to convey to my readers. I have become a better writer; take a look through my archives, read one of my earliest posts and then go to something more recent – you will notice the change.

More importantly, blogging has become a rigorous exercise in self-discovery. It has helped me better define my interests and to integrate those concepts into my life in a practical and effective way. As I mention in my article “Writing As Meditation,” writing is a form of contemplation and critical thinking. It makes our minds stronger and better able to function in the real world.

If you think of your mind as a muscle then writing becomes a “mental gymnasium.” We need creativity to maintain healthy cognition just as much as we need a proper diet and exercise to maintain bodily health. If you find yourself lacking in creative hobbies considering dusting off that old guitar, writing a poem, or going to the park on a nice day to take some pictures. A good hour dedicated to self-expression adds a healthy dose of meaning to our existence and promotes mental health (sometimes even in those who have severe disorders like schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder).

Blogging has helped me cope with some of my own mental handicaps like anxiety and depression. As someone whose mind often wanders and races, blogging became a way for me to put my life into focus and re-assess what makes life worth living; it made me ask, “What do I value in life? What should I strive for?”

Aside from my intellectual improvement, I also have some objective measures to show for my blogging efforts.

Over the past 364 days, I have accumulated over 100,000 visits. That is an average of over 280+ visits a day and an average of 735+ visits per blog post (for those following the math: I have written over 136 posts within the past year).

Assuming only 10% of my readers actually read a full article that is still over 70+ “full readers” per page. That may not sound like a big influence compared to a Paris Hilton or a Michael Jackson but that is 70+ minds I have affected (in some large, small, positive, or negative way) simply from writing my thoughts on some quirky website. For my first year that is a pretty good foundation to build upon. The best part is anyone can do this with a little time and effort.

If you find yourself in a mental rut, unemployed, or just looking for a new hobby – consider starting a blog. It may be just the thing you need to get yourself in a productive and focused mindset. Writing down your ideas in the midst of a brainstorm doesn’t just give you a good reason to sit and unwind your thoughts, it eventually leads toward better incentives and strategies when you stand up to live.

Capitalism is a great economic institution for all kinds of rebels, freaks, extremists, stooges, and jackasses. As long as you can make yourself marketable, you can become a self-made man; and what is more marketable than being the scum of the Earth, the absolute lowest of the low, the deformed, the crippled, the sick, the demented, the senseless? What are the advantages and disadvantages to this laissez-faire approach to society? Why are the freaks and rebels a good sign of a healthy culture?

Censorship!

But in the broader context of art, culture, and people’s individual tastes, a laissez-faire (hands off!) society shouldn’t be allowed to censor any form of self-expression. The only case in which government intervention should be allowed is when that form of expression inhibits someone’s rights, meaning: the taking of one’s life, the taking of one’s property, physical harassment and abuse, or fraud.

Other than those exceptions, people’s sensitive whims are not a righteous method of choice between who or what should be censored. A laissez-faire society recognizes these rights. It gives all walks of life a chance to prosper in their own way. In this sense, capitalism celebrates the diversity of men and women.

How Much $$$ Is Your Soul?

On the other hand people love pointing out that capitalism can be exploitative. The profit incentive makes people change or sacrifice their art for the sake of business or money. How often do you hear others say how a particular band or artist “sold out?” We always think people are doing things solely for the money, and maybe sometimes they are.

However, who are we to judge? Most of us probably do something “just for the money”… because that is just a part of living. We can’t expect others to simply take care of us from cradle-to-grave; instead, we need to prove our worth to society or become self-sufficient. It may sound crude or shallow, but this is what people naturally expect from others. “If you don’t pull some sort of load, you don’t get to eat with us.” This idea existed long before capitalism, and it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

So instead of framing capitalism as a system that makes people sell their souls, we should think of it as a system that gives people the most free choice on how they want to make a living. The right to profit from one’s talents and quirks is a big component of what makes a culture thrive.

Free Choice or Freak Show?

I’ve come to terms that the degree to which a culture thrives must therefore be the degree to which its people are able to exercise freedom. The more we are encouraged to deviate from cultural norms, to find our own individual voice, the greater our ability to innovate and evolve as a society. Respective to art, music, and entertainment, I think today represents some of the most exciting times in the history of mankind.

Reflect for a moment on just how laissez-faire and yet artistically explosive the internet is. There is so much quality, so much opportunity, and yet so much shit – but that is just the nature of diversity. Many have used the internet to advertise their particular style of music or photography or writing, and our culture has thrived because of it! There is something for everyone now.

And this kind of freedom also allows for the occasional freak show: think “2 Girls 1 Cup,” DarwinAwards.com, Rotten.com, 4chan, ChatRoulette, …if you have ever used the internet then you know the kind of messed up stuff that is out there.

And what about the modern day circus acts we see on MTV with shows like Jackass, Wild Boys, Nitro Circus, and Jersey Shore? Reality TV is one of the best examples of Andy Warhol’s quote, “In the future, everyone will have their 15 minutes of fame.”

But although some may see this all as a sign of a dying culture, I see it as a sign of an open and thriving one. One that is curious, tolerant, always changing, celebrates diversity, and is truly representative of a free society. The crazier it gets, the more free we must be…

Melting Pot or Salad Bowl?

A melting pot is a metaphor for when a heterogeneous society becomes more homogeneous; in other words, people are expected to conform to one “common culture.” On the contrary, a salad bowl is when a heterogeneous society mixes together but still each part remains distinct.

I think our society is neither. It is constantly borrowing and being influenced by other ideas, but this synthesis creates new elements, not keeping the old parts separate nor mixing them together as a cohesive whole. We are all individuals influencing our world through that process of self-discovery. This is why I think we should all embrace (or at the very least tolerate) everyone’s unique path.

Evil Requires The Sanction Of The Victim

The evils we believe to be in our life only exist in so far as we allow them to. What we can’t stand about our world, we owe it to ourselves to change. What we love about word, we must nurture and protect. This is my basic philosophy for achieving a noble and dignified life.

Lately I have been feeling distressed and helpless. It has been several months now since I have graduated college and I am still unemployed, without a clear path or direction. I am also experiencing trouble at home with family and friends, and a lack of fulfilling relationships. I miss romance, success, and happiness. I am disappointed in society and government and where I see it heading. In all aspects, my life is at a standstill. I feel trapped.

Yet I am strangely optimistic. I rarely lose sight of that empowering sense of heroic individualism that I believed in ever since I was a child. I never let go of those dreams. For better or worse, I am here to stay, even when I feel compelled to quit. I can’t just let these injustices be, not when I have been blessed with the abilities to reason, innovate, and change.

All I Can Count On Is My Mind

In thick and thin, all I can count on is my mind. This blog is an extension of that consciousness, a creative product under no jurisdiction but my own. I may update it once a day or only once a year, but it is always here for me to add or subtract to, like a sculptor working on his or her masterpiece. Thinking and writing are tools no one can take away from me, the only resource needed being the breath of life itself.

Where my mind takes me is up to me and me alone. How I choose to see and change the world is my choice, and it is my moral duty to not let that decision be made by anyone else. This is the only responsibility I am indebted to, nothing and no one else.

High Esteem

For most who have met me or read my writings they know I hold myself at a high esteem. It may be mistakened for arrogance, but it’s not; I have no choice but to be confident in my abilities, anything less and I risk selling myself short – an injustice to not only me but the entire world. I ask everyone to do the same.

Clear Visions

Our abilities to mold our world depend on our abilities to see what is not yet so. The clearer we see, the greater chance we have to follow through on these visions. What determines the clarity of our seeing is our consciousness of the world around us and our ability to infer and imagine. To do this we must step outside the narrow visions of the present moment, discover truth that is timeless, and through that wisdom pursue change that can last.

Infinite Karma

Through our actions and speech we change how others think, feel, and see. They respond in kind, and thus we set forward an untraceable string of cause-and-effect. This is our karma. We may never see the fruits of the seeds we sow, but we can have confidence that if we nurture them they will grow. Thus through our own heroic actions, we inspire the heroes of tomorrow and so on; the change we create is infinite. If that isn’t a super power, then I don’t know what is. The legacy you choose to leave is up to you.

At first it may seem difficult to think about creativity in the context of NLP; because while NLP provides a set of intrapersonal communication techniques used to uncover the structure of specific mental states or strategies, creativity is usually seen as a state of spontaneity and insight. How can we possibly find a structure for something that is typically viewed to be a random stroke of genius?

The Disney Creative Strategy

The most popular NLP technique designed to enhance creativity is the “Disney Strategy,” (4 page PDF) first modeled by Robert Dilts based on his observations of the famous Walt Disney.

“Dilts noticed that Disney had three separate approaches to his creative work and he alternated between these roles, which Dilts identified as Dreamer, Realist, and Critic. Each role has a distinct orientation in relation to the creative process: the dreamer is the place of free association, brainstorming and even fantasies; the realist is the place of action, of imagining putting the dreams into the physical world; and the critic is the place of testing the soundness of your idea’s, checking in on what will or won’t work.”

Dilts believes that we each have a part of us that can identify with these roles. However, some of us are more of one than another. What happens if we don’t find a balance?

“A dreamer without a realist cannot turn ideas into tangible expressions. A critic and a dreamer without a realist just become stuck in a perpetual conflict. A dreamer and a realist might create things, but they might not be very usable ideas without a critic. The critic helps to evaluate and refine the products of creativity.”

So the main question is: throughout the creative process how can we develop each of these roles? The answer Dilts provides says that we should set aside a time and place for each of these mental attitudes:

1. First put yourself in the role of The Dreamer. Write down any and all ideas that come to mind. Make as many freely associated connections as possible, let your thoughts just flow without any limitation or worry on how to put these ideas into action.


2. Next put yourself in the role of The Realist. Now ask yourself, “How can I put these ideas into a reality? What resources (money/time/skills) do I need?” Write these down.


3. Then put yourself in the role of The Critic. Now it is time to try and find the flaws of your strategy. What don’t you like? What potential obstacles are there? What needs improvement? Write these down.


4. Now step outside your triangle of roles. Observe your reaction to each – are you being a good Dreamer, Realist, and Critic? How can you improve each?


5. Finally create a plan of action based on these new ideas. If you want you can re-evaluate your plan of action by going through each of these roles again. What would the Dreamer say about your plan? The Realist? The Critic?

How much time you spend in each role and how you choose to “act out” each one is up to you. When I first tried this strategy I used to light different candles; this became a symbolic reminder (an anchor, for those familiar with NLP lingo) to help me get into character. You can use similar rituals to amplify your creative roles.

By the way, what do you think made this strategy so effective for Walt Disney? I personally think it is because it allows room for spontaneity and insight – but at the same time – it eventually forces you to put those ideas into a realistic context (therefore giving you a clear perspective on how to transform these ideas into the physical world).

Another Way To Deconstruct Creativity

The other day I came across an article on the blog Litemind called, “Deconstructing Creativity: The 4 Roles You Need To Play To Be Fully Creative,” and although I don’t think the author Luciano Passuello intended it, he actually came up with an upgraded version of the Disney Strategy.

The 4 roles Luciano discusses are:

1. The Explorer (be curious and alert, seek out as many inputs as possible, and talk to a lot of different people).

2. The Artist (flex your idea muscles, play, use your imagination, and integrate different concepts).

3. The Judge (be real, develop critical thinking, and be aware of thinking traps/biases).

4. The Warrior (get into action, overcome resistance, be courageous, and find out how to market and sell your idea).

Although Luciano doesn’t mention NLP, it is implicit in his writing that your aim is to step in-and-out of these different roles. Changing our perceptual position, and imagining yourself in some other character’s shoes, is considered a very important learning strategy in NLP.

Find Your Own Creative Process?

In truth, you can deconstruct creativity into as many roles as you want; it all depends on what you perceive “creativity” to be.

When we differentiate between different roles of creativity we are really designing archetypes, representations in our mind of what we believe it means to be a Dreamer, Realist, Critic or whatever. We then use these representations as a guideline on how we should think and behave.

The key thing to remember is to allow ourselves to act out each role without letting the other roles override or conflict. We don’t want our inner Critic to act like an inner Dreamer (or our plans will end up unrealistic). We also don’t want our inner Dreamer to act like an inner Realist (or we will never think of anything innovative or unique).

Because creativity is such a complex process I think it is appropriate to break down its characteristics. I recommend you first start with the roles given by Robert Dilts in his “Disney Strategy” or the roles proposed by Luciano Passuello in his article, “Deconstructing Creativity…” Once you try these you can find out how to improve these roles (or create new ones) to best suit you as a creative individual.

How Can I Make These Roles More Powerful?

Here are just a few short tips to help improve your roleplaying.

1. Model Real World Examples

Do you have a friend, family member, coworker, or acquaintance who you think makes a good Dreamer, Realist or Critic? Why not use that as a resource to improve your creative process? You’d probably be surprised on how much you can learn by pretending to think or behave as someone else for a little while.


2. Model Fictitious Characters

Same thing as above but this time pay attention to the thoughts and behaviors of characters in movies, books, or plays.


3. Use Rituals To Get Into Character

I mentioned earlier how I used candles to differentiate myself between roles. You can incorporate your own mini-rituals too to help get into character. A short meditation or visualization exercise can also be a wonderful tool to help get you in the right frame of mind.


4. Practice, Practice, Practice

The strategy discussed in this post isn’t going to make you a creative God overnight; instead it takes practice. You need to experiment with your imagination and exercise it frequently if you want to get consistently better at being creative.

“All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination.”
-Carl Jung

My inner rockstar is the latest archetype I want to manifest. Ever since I was a kid I knew I wanted to be some sort of musician, actor, or artist; in a way I still have the spirit in me.

I like having dreams. I am not afraid to follow them, and I think it is never too late to try and pursue something new unless you are resting on your deathbed cold and numb.

But who am I kidding? I am only 21 years old. I have so much time, energy, creativity, and passion waiting to manifest. I have the world in the palm of my hands. Yes, I really do – so why not aspire? Light the candles of my inner passions a little. Not just avoiding death, but living life. Let my rockstar come out!

Who is my inner rockstar?

If Carl Jung were here giving me some counseling – he would probably ask, “Who is your inner rockstar? What is his personality like and what are his values in life?”

Jung would agree that my inner rockstar is a construction of my mind: a product of my background, society, culture, attitude, and experience.

When I think “rockstar” a few key ideas pop into my head:

• Rebellion

Rockstars do what they want. They don’t take shit from anybody and if you try to suppress a rockstar’s will or desire, you bet he is going to topple over you to get to where he wants to be. This rebellious attitude is so often what impressionable children and teens find so attractive in rockstars.

• Exploration

Whether it is in the tour bus or sitting in the studio, rockstars are always exploring. Exploring new sounds, new themes, new artwork, new ideas. Once they put together a CD they begin touring; seeing new sides of the country, maybe even getting a chance to travel to Europe and Japan if they are big enough. Being a rockstar is both an exploration inwards (artistically) and outwards (socially).

• Spontaneity

Jamming on stage is spontaneous, meeting new people backstage, having fans come up to you in five star restaurants, trying to keep the fellow bandmates from strangling each other during another long bus trip. Living the life of a rockstar, you never know what is going to happen next. Life can be hectic, it can slap you in the face from time-to-time, but it is a sign that you are alive and in the fast lane. It may bring you moments of pleasure and pain, but they certainly won’t be dull.

• Leadership

Rockstars often have big egos, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but it is a price to pay when you are put in a position of power. You are in the limelight. People and paparazzi follow you around asking questions and concerns. You have young teens and adults coming to your shows, feeling inspired, using your music as a gateway towards a more fulfilling life. In some ways, a big rockstar can be even more influential in shaping society than most politicians.

• Enjoyment

In the end I think a lot of people just want to become rockstars because it looks fun and enjoyable. Think about how much better your life would be if you got to do something that you absolutely loved each and everyday of your life. You’re getting paid massive amounts of money to play guitar, bang away on the drums, or scream into a microphone. If you have never had the urge to play an instrument before, or if you’ve never had the dream to make a living doing what you love…get the fuck out of here… you are lying (don’t take my harsh words too seriously – I am just in my rockstar mindset).

I don’t want to over psychoanalyze my inner rockstar. Just become more aware of it. I want to discover which characteristics about the idea resonate with me most. I want to activate that “little me” that has been hiding inside, as if it were a little switch in my mind that I could just flip ON.

Using archetypes to build character

Of course it would always be nice to be a real rockstar. But I don’t seek to be other people, I seek to be a better me. And using role models (even in the form of abstract symbols or archetypes) can help guide us in improving certain aspects and characteristics of our life.

Let’s say for example that I wanted to be more spiritual. I could consciously create an archetype in my head by integrating different aspects of all my favorite spiritual leaders. People like the Dalai Lama, Buddha, Gandhi, Robert Thurman, Thich Nhat Hanh, Lao Tzu, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Osho, Mooji, Jesus, etc.

Then once I created this prototype of a spiritual leader, I can begin to extrapolate certain characteristics that I find are universal about it:

• Compassion and loving-kindness towards others.
• Dedication to one’s practice.
• Calmness and patience.
• Wisdom and acknowledging the unknown.

This is just a rough start, but as you can see you can create an archetype fairly quickly – just open up Microsoft Word and start jotting some things down. The idea here isn’t to yearn to become one of these other individuals, but to extrapolate a lesson from them. To use their example as an inspiration to be more like them.

I may never be a real rockstar…but it doesn’t matter, because the point is that what I really want is more rebellion, exploration, spontaneity, leadership and enjoyment in my life. That is where this archetype comes in handy.

Energy flows where attention goes

When I bring my inner rockstar into consciousness I am simultaneously giving it life. As the popular Huna saying goes, “Energy flows where attention goes.” Even just the simply act of writing this blog post is beginning to awaken these new facets of my rockstar being.

I could expand further by meditating on my inner rockstar – imagining him in different situations and how he might think and behave. This act of visualization is a great way to send attention (or energy) into different actions one can do to build character. In mentally prepares me to manifest these new rockstar tendencies throughout my day.

In particular, I believe that wakening my inner rockstar will help facilitate my motivation, allow me to take more risks and strive to achieve greater things, like stuff within this blog, in my social interactions, and in my daily habits.

Here are some fantastic ways to “draw energy” from your archetypes, some of which have already been touched upon in this article:

1. Write about them. That is what I am doing here.

2. Meditate/visualize/contemplate. Use your thoughts and imagination to awaken your mind to new possibilities and new ways to act.

3. Roleplay. May sound a bit silly, but by acting out your archetypes you are building up your neurology towards these new behaviors.

4. Integrate into your life. Can’t just spend all your time thinking, imagining, and role-playing in your room. Now it is time to incorporate these into your daily moment-to-moment existence.

Change only occurs through effort

Everyone who is involved in self-improvement is looking for that magic pill. Let me tell you what it is. Are you ready? Bring your face closer to the monitor…

If anyone could follow the law of attraction and be famous, successful, and happy…then everyone would be. But I am not going to sit here and tell you that using archetypes will change you over night. They require work and dedication to build.

The “Archetype Route” of growth and healing

All of that being said: I don’t think the “archetype route” for personal development is necessarily the best route for everyone. It depends on what you want to change.

If you only want to change a behavior – stick with habit-building techniques: 30-day experiments, classical conditioning, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mindfulness.

But if you want to make a personality change you need to dive deeper. You need to learn how to see through the eyes of different minds.

Archetypes and role models are a great resource for that.

There was actually an old NLP technique I learned through an acquaintance (if anyone can remind me of the name of the technique it would be really helpful).

The technique went something like this: create a mental experience of an interview between you and a role model in your life (presumably some sort of expert). By asking them questions and filling in the answers (all in your mind’s eye), you would be taking part in a creative cognitive mechanism for solution-building. Theoretically, it could be used for any kind of problem-solving: business, relationships, health, or spiritual growth.

Humans are actually very good at dissociating from themselves and getting into the minds of others as an evolutionary trait (it is know as theory of mind). We love it. We do it all the time. Think about it: we even role-play every night in our dreams, and when we don’t get sleep for a long period of time we begin hallucinating.

Minds like to imagine things, and I think cognitive scientists should focus more research on imagination as a general mechanism for effective human learning. Even Einstein used a thought experiment (by imagining himself chasing after a beam of light) which aided in the development of his theory on special relativity.

There have also been some studies showing how dreams play an important role in consolidation of memories. It would be interesting to see what other cognitive benefits our imaginations may have.

Building archetypes should probably be considered an “advanced cognitive skill.” I don’t do them myself, but I know that they work and I know how they work.

However — I’m going to try and use this blog post as motivation to further explore the power of archetypes. Particularly this inner rock star idea. From a general standpoint in my life, I want to be more rebellious, explorative, spontaneous, leader-like, and just enjoy myself more. So I am going to continue to use this symbol as a tool of inspiration. I will try and meditate on it a couple times a week and see what fruits it reaps.

I am sure that if you have ever heard of self-hypnosis than you have seen those audio CDs that hypnotists so often sell to their clients.

Depending on how good the hypnotist is in writing scripts that are effective towards a mass audience, these audio tracks can be productive instruments for personal development. I have used several myself, including those by Hypnotica, Paul McKenna, and Richard Bandler (it was an old track he did in the 80s I believe, I don’t think he sells them anymore). Also note, none of these are affiliate links nor do I necessarily endorse buying any of their products.

In this post I want to show you how to create your own hypnosis audio, not as a product to sell, but as an exercise in personal development.

Materials needed

• Some kind of microphone, MP3 recorder, or way of recording your voice.
• Basic audio editing software (Audacity is a popular free one. There are probably some options that come with your computer too – I used Garageband.)
• If you already have some talent with music feel free to incorporate that.

What is hypnosis?

Think of hypnosis as nothing more than suggestion. Whether you are talking to a friend, listening to something on the radio, watching a movie, or just thinking a thought – you are being suggested some sort of idea.

Bad hypnosis is when the suggestion doesn’t hook. It goes in one ear and out the other and we remain unaffected. Maybe we were just too bored or apathetic to really pay attention to what was being suggested or our critical mind found the suggestion to be bogus.

Good hypnosis is when a suggestion captivates you and creates a change. It is like being moved by a really compelling movie. Anything that peaks your interest and makes you tune in more intently can be considered a form of good hypnosis, like a compelling speech or even watching the World Series. It concentrates your attention and keeps your mind engaged.

How do affirmations relate to hypnosis?

A popular form of hypnosis within the personal development niche is affirmations. When the technique was first introduced as a tool for psychotherapy by Emile Coue in the late 19th century, when it was first called autosuggestion.

If you don’t yet know what an affirmation is it is basically this: you create suggestions for yourself towards certain changes in feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. For example:

• I will be more friendly to people I don’t know.
• I will try not to overreact when I get angry.
• I will spend more time at the gym.
• I will pay better attention to my eating habits.

These are all affirmations but you can structure them in all kinds of different ways. Different language patterns may be more or less effective depending on the suggestion and the person being suggested to. Since you are writing your own suggestions, you should experiment and find what ways work best for you.

Writing your own script

What types of suggestions do you think will work best on you? This part takes a bit of experimentation and practice. You won’t necessarily nail it your first short.

Some people are more suggestible when they are being directly commanded to do something: “Be a better listener! Study more! Watch less TV!”

Other people are more suggestible when they are given options to compare, “Imagine what your grades would be like if you didn’t study more? Now, imagine what your grades would be like if you did study more?” This is called an indirect suggestion – because there is an implicit message that your grades would most likely be better if you studied more.

For your first script, I recommend trying out both direct and indirect suggestions. Don’t be afraid to also incorporate things to visualize by starting sentences with,

• “Picture this….”
• “Visualize that…”
• “Imagine if…”
• “See what happens when….”

The more vivid you make your suggestions, the more captivating and effective they will be. People who have a naturally tendency towards good story telling or a strong imagination will have a distinct advantages over those who don’t – but it is a skill that we can all develop with practice.

Try to make your first script a good 2-3 pages, double spaced, 12 sized font. This should make your hypnosis track about 5-7 minutes if you pace your delivery appropriately. You can structure the script in different ways or you can make it more stream-of-conscious – it really depends on the message you want to get across. Some scripts are designed to drive home a single point or lesson, while others are designed to simply develop a general good sense of well-being and motivation.

The voice and delivery

Voice and delivery can be important in how suggestible your message is but again it depends on the type of suggestion and also the person being suggested to. Your tone matters. For example you wouldn’t want to screech out “Relax!!!” when you want someone to be in a relaxed state. Similarly you don’t want to have a boring and apathetic voice when you say, “Be sexy and fun around others!”

Experiment, experiment, experiment! Sometimes listening to a slow and drone-y voice can heighten your trance, while other times it can put you to sleep. You don’t want to fall asleep. You want to be engaged. Hypnosis is most effective when it is an adventure. Add different colors and dynamics to your voice to amplify the importance of the message and keep your attention fixated.

When you read the script (or even if you are doing an impromptu script) you want to role play the experience as you speak it. You want to be there as you tell the story. The more engaged you are when you deliver, the more engaged you will be when you listen back. It is just a basic rule of all good communication.

How to butter up your final product

Once you are done recording the main script, there are certain things you can do to make the listen even more attractive and enjoyable.

You could add music that compliments the message. Good music for hypnosis should fit well in the background and not take away from the language of the track. It should be designed to create a certain mood or feeling. Sometimes a sense of inspiration or awe can make the strongest impression.

You can create another overlaying script. Often practiced in the form of “dual induction hypnosis,” it is when two hypnotists are giving suggestions at the same time. With the wonders of modern technology, you can create a dual induction all by yourself. With some basic audio editing you can even pan one voice to the left and the other voice to the right. So you will have a different exchange of suggestions going into each ear. This can be used as a way to create stimulus overload, often resulting in confusion, which is a very great way to amplify trance states.

Add effects to the voices. A little bit of echo and reverb never hurt anyone. Sure, it may make your voice sound like some robot from a cheesy 80s scifi movie, but it can make your voice easier to listen to and be fixated on. For “edginess” you can add some distortion or flanger. Most basic audio-editing softwares (including Audacity which I recommended above) have some pre-packaged effects that you should be able to use.

Do panning and volume changes throughout the track. This may be something that only experienced audiophiles can do, but by having your voice shifting between speakers and changing volumes is one really fantastic way to keep your track engaging.

My example

You can download my first attempt here (approx: 10:20, 14mb) . My original intention was to do a dual induction: with self-improvement suggestions on one side and world-improvement suggestions on the other side.

I didn’t write a script for this one, just recorded each track individually, stream-of-consciousness. Each recording was 10 minutes and then I just overlapped them and added some reverb, echo, and distortion (only because I felt my voice sounded too dry and weak without the effects).

After the scripts were recorded I created a simple synthesizer sample using Reason (it is a program for electronic music makers). I basically improvised an organ/space-y synth sound to go with the suggestions.

Things I learned to help improve future recordings:

• I need to make my voice more animated.
• The music is a bit cheesy and simple, but it does have an interesting drone/trance-inducing effect.
• Because I didn’t write a script, the message of the audio is a bit scattered and incoherent. Creating this kind of confusion isn’t necessarily bad for creating a hypnotic effect, but writing a script with something more coherent and structured is usually better.
• There will always be room for improvement whether it be writing better scripts, stronger vocal delivery, or even becoming a more intent listener to the final product.

Things I learned from the creative process in general:

• Making your own self-hypnosis tracks can be really fun.
• The act of putting together the project in-itself is a great exercise in personal development.
• It is a great way to express yourself.

Listen to it

Once you finish your creation you will probably be eager to listen (and re-listen) to it. I recommend doing this whenever you have time set aside to let go of your earthly obligations; it could be early in the morning before you get to work or late at night before bed.

Try listening to it every other day for a week and then continue with it on a weekly basis. Consider it your daily mantra or prayer, a healthy reminder of the things that matter to you in life and the things you want to improve.

Don’t be afraid to also listen to it with a critical eye. Jot down some ways you can improve your next recording. Pay extra attention to which suggestions “clicked” with you and which ones just passed by. Work on developing better language, better delivery, and more colorful and dynamic tracks. Follow these principles and you will be the king of your world in no time. I mean it.

Whether it is school or work we are all familiar with having to meet deadlines. Some of us may find them a helpful tool while others find them a damn nuisance.

Is that ticking clock in the background really helping us work harder and more efficiently? Or is it giving us incentives to rush in some situations, slack off in others, or even frustrate us to the point where we neglect our work altogether?

This article wishes to explore these situations and ask the questions:

1. When are setting deadlines productive and useful?
2. And when do they inhibit us from doing a good job or achieving a goal?

Setting a deadline for disappointment

I want to destroy the notion that we must set deadlines for all of our goals. Some things just aren’t conducive to time-related constraints.

Take for example your health and fitness – is it really appropriate to take some arbitrary date and say, “I must lose 10lbs within the next month.”

What if you don’t meet your goal? What if you only lose a single pound? Are you going to feel frustrated and give-up? Albeit it’s a small step, but does not meeting your quota really take away from the achievement of losing one pound?

What if instead you said, “It would be nice if I lost 10lbs within the next month.” That is a much less restricting statement because you aren’t telling yourself what you absolutely have to do. You are still maintaining an empowering vision of the future without setting a constricting deadline (and setting yourself up for a potentially crippling disappointment).

Can’t rush inspiration

For some people their creativity is their main source of livelihood. Their job depends on them to come up with riveting ideas that capture people’s imaginations. This is true for people like musicians, filmmakers, and artists.

When I think about this in the context of deadlines I am reminded of a scene in the Spike Jonze movie Adaptation. The whole movie centers around Charlie Kaufman’s struggle to create a film based on this book called The Orchid Thief. For those who don’t know, Charlie Kaufman is a real writer and director…he has worked with such excellent films as Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Synecdoche, New York.

In the movie Kaufman (who is played by Nicholas Cage) gets a call from his boss wanting to know how the screenwriting is coming along. He says he needs to see it on his desk in a couple weeks, and in turn Kaufman replies, “You can’t rush inspiration.”

Is this true? Can you put a deadline on creativity? I’m tempted to side with Kaufman on this one, especially since I consider him one of the most innovative writers of our time. Creativity can come at any moment. Imagine rushing a piece of art only to come up with an idea that is ten times better the day after it is due – that would be devastating.

“A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.”
- Rita Mae Brown

Working best under pressure

In defense of deadlines, there are some people I know who claim to work best when they are under pressure. They thrive off of the thrill of channeling their stress into a state of flow – getting in the zone – and working their butts off until they have finally finished their project.

This could be true for some creative endeavors, but I imagine that this strategy is most effective with work that is more do-oriented and less thinking-oriented.

If you already have a clear picture in your head of what needs to get done, then setting a deadline is a great way to motivate yourself towards action.

One example I will borrow from my own life:

I have been wanting to write an ebook on well-being and happiness ever since I first got interested in mental health and personal development. I have had ideas floating around in my head for years. Finally earlier this year I wrote an outline on the types of lessons I wanted to include. Now that I have everything comprehensively planned out, it all boils down to getting it done.

Realizing this, I now know it is a good time to set a deadline for actually getting this thing out of my mind and into the world. That is why I am giving myself until the end of the month to finish writing it. This is one case where I am OK with setting deadlines – even though I am the kind of person who usually prefers spontaneity.

A beacon of light in the distance

Because most people are so bad at time management, we often see deadlines as something that is always right in front of us – forcing us to get to work and get things completed.

However, deadlines can also be something we place in the distant future. For example, when I first started this blog in June of 09 I gave myself two years to turn it into a profitable enterprise. I am not even a year into it yet but this deadline has guided me to stay focused on what my bigger goals are. It is a beacon of light – a vision for the future – that is in the background of everything that I do.

When deadlines are used in this way they can become a kind of symbol for success, something to aspire towards, and dedicate energy to gradually over time. Deadlines don’t always have to rush us to be effective; they can give us room and be inspiring.

You may have already set deadlines like this without even being aware of it. For example: when you were a young adult (or if you are one now like me), you may have said at one point, “I won’t get married until I am 30.” This is one example of setting benchmarks way in the future.

Beware, however, that when we place these distant deadlines for the future, if we don’t revisit those goals and aspirations from time to time, we may forget about them or run too far off track.

When do deadlines work best for you?

This is my rudimentary analysis of deadlines. I don’t wish to rid the world of them completely, but I do think it is important we put them into perspective. In some contexts they can do wonders, while in other contexts they can inhibit us severely.

Tell me – what are your experiences and thoughts on deadlines? When do they work best for you?

Writing is a way of organizing our thoughts and making better sense of our world. I would even consider it a form of contemplative meditation. When writing, we connect different concepts together in our heads, mull over different ideas, and often aim at trying to paint a picture or tell some kind of story. Even in writing something as simple as a postcard we are ruminating in our mind what we want the message of the card to be.

Whenever we write we are embracing these ideas, allowing them to be expressed, and letting their energy flow through us onto the paper.

Throughout this creative process we too are changing. We are not only becoming more aware of our inner world of meaning, but at the same time we are given a medium to release these built up thoughts, ideas, stresses and desires. We are practicing a form of alchemy – by channeling our energies from something psychological to something material and tangible.

It’s a healing process

Like all forms of art therapy, writing can be healing; that is why I encourage everyone to pursue some kind of creative endeavor. It allows us to step back and put the world into perspective. It also gives us a sense of power and purpose, so we don’t feel completely swallowed up by our daily anxieties, stresses, and fears.

When we create we have something to be proud of, something to show for our efforts, and something that is distinctly unique and ours. This builds up our self-worth and inspires us to be more productive. Pursing any art has shown to do some incredible things for mental health, and it plays a big role in what Positive Psychologist Martin Seligman calls The Meaningful Life, which he considers a central component to happiness.

Carl Jung saw the manifestations of our dreams as ways in which our psyche maintains homeostasis and balance. I believe art and writing can have the same effect. This one video supports this point by showing how art therapy can be used effectively in treating those with schizophrenia.

Do a little everyday

Whether your thing is writing, painting, dancing, or playing guitar, try to do a little bit of it everyday. Think of it as your daily meditation or prayer. It is your way of provoking reality and creating a world of meaning and purpose.

Many people find it therapeutic to keep a journal or diary. Personally, I have been maintaining this blog since June of last year and I already feel ten times better mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I like to write music too, but writing is something that resonates with me at a level I can manage the best. It clears up my thoughts in ways that I find hard accomplishing with other arts. But, everyone may be a little different.

Writing is easy to become engaged in

For many, pursuing an art or writing is a lot more fun and exciting than meditation. While meditation is about stillness and silence, art gives us a way to find tranquility through active expression. When you finish a piece of writing or art there is a wave of relaxation and comfort, not to mention a distinct sense of pride and accomplishment.

So for those who find it difficult to spend time on the cushion, why not turn to writing and art as a secondary form of meditation? It could even still be considered a spiritual practice. After all, who says we need religion and false dogmas? Maybe the true evolution of man is when we recognize that we can harness the same creative power of nature that we so often attribute to God. In a sense, our capacity for creativity and innovation may even make us out to be our own gods and goddesses. In this recognition, we are aware of our own divinity.

When we find something we love doing, it becomes much easier to be engaged in. And engagement is an important aspect to any meditative or spiritual practice.

A stronger sense of self

When we walk away from a piece of writing we have a stronger sense of ourselves. We are a part of the transformation and by the end of the process we have been re-born into something new.

And – isn’t this often the crux of any meditation practice? To increase self-awareness and to watch ourselves grow and change with time? Shouldn’t we all practice this to some degree, even if it is only to facilitate our own personal development and well-being? Just a few minutes a day of reflection and writing can aid one’s life in so many different ways.

The mental state of writing

When we are physically in the state of writing it is just like a state of deep contemplation. We become absorbed in the process of our ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions. We then attempt to integrate them all in a way that reveals a clear message.

When I am in a state of writing that cannot be disturbed it is like I am in a trance. All my focus is concentrated on the task at hand and on accomplishing what it is I am setting out to do. All of my being is dedicated into channeling my energy outwards into my creation.

In some sense I find that creativity in humans is just as important as our need for air. What we express through art can give us our first sense of worth and purpose. Without pursuing these creative endeavors, we risk living a meaningless existence, one which is sure to deeply affect our happiness and well-being.

In this post, I set out to describe what I feel are the greatest benefits of exercising creativity. How do they appeal to our interests and how do they build character? In the second half of this post I will describe different ways we can be artistic, even when we have limited skills in the artistic domain. By the end of this post I want readers, both artists and non-artists, to walk away with an affirmed belief that creativity is something inherent in all of man; similarly, it is something that we must all integrate into our lifestyles.

I can’t answer Maslow’s question because I find it hard to fathom why an individual would intentionally avoid pursuing an art. However, some people may feel that they are just not creative, maybe they believe you have to be born with it so – because of this – they ignore opportunities to express themselves creatively.

But the benefits of being creative far outweigh a life without expression. In fact, being creative can also benefit our lives in ways we may not have initially thought, by helping us deal with conflicts and build self-worth.

Expressing your ideas

One of the most obvious advantages of being creative is that it gives us a chance to express our ideas. Through our production of art, we literally turn our feelings and ideas into reality. Upon completing a creative work we feel more understood, perhaps even as if a weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. There are some things that go beyond words and art gives us a modality to express those facets of reality.

Resolving deep conflicts

Sometimes we go through events in life that can cause conflict that never seems to go away. Maybe its a past relationship you can’t seem to get over or a traumatic event that still haunts you. Art gives us a way to let go of these experiences. It allows us to fulfill a hunger that can no longer be satisfied by external conditions, so we must transform ourselves from the inside. Creativity is the alchemy that guides us toward reconciliation with our past. I have looked into this in such articles as, “Art Therapy And Mental Illness,” where I report on how art therapy is used to treat those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other psychological impairments.

Facing fears of failure

Of all the things that hold us back from doing the things we want, fear of failure is one of the most detrimental obstacles to overcome. We learn from our mistakes, yet we are deathly afraid to make any. Maybe we are worried that we will find out something about ourselves that we don’t want to know? Whatever the reason, creative endeavors give us an opportunity to achieve something. And even if our first song or first painting isn’t as spectacular as we first dreamed it to be, the accomplishment itself often gives us a sense of pride and motivation. It tells us to push ourselves forward in other aspects of life. And at the same time it gives us a memory, a mental resource, to draw upon when we face other fears in the future.

Building self-worth

When we face our fears, and we accomplish something that we set out to do, even if we don’t do it all that well because it is something new to us, we begin to feel better about ourselves. We produced something; we have added value to the world, and this fact reflects the value we perceive in our own self. This is the same principle I have touched upon in articles like, “From Self To World Improvement.”

Seeing the world differently

What is creativity? How do we know when something is creative? Often we may say something is creative when it gets us to perceive or think about something in a way we never have before. Sometimes these new ways of seeing can disturb us. Other times they inspire us. Being able to see things from a different perspective requires flexibility. It is a skill that can be developed through mediums of art, and even business, engineering, and science. If we can step out of our normal way of seeing things we can obtain a greater depth of understanding regarding a particular theme or subject. With practice, this flexibility can translate into better decision making and problem solving – abilities that can make rippling changes throughout any area of our life.

Creativity that give us immediate gratification

When I use the term “immediate gratification,” I do not mean that one can just pick up a SLR camera and become a professional photographer overnight. Absolutely not. All creative endeavors take work and dedication in order to reach a certain level of proficiency. However, some mediums we can enjoy more quickly than others. Not everyone can pick up an acoustic guitar and write a riff they are happy with, but many people can spend an afternoon shooting pictures and walk away with a couple to “feel good” about.

• Photography

As I mentioned in my opening statements to this section, photography is a fairly easy art to get acquainted with. Several years ago, when I got my first camera for my 17th birthday, I was able to walk around my college campus’ nature preserve and take pictures of all the wildlife. After that short hour I already felt a sense of accomplishment at some of these things I had caught on film. Now, perhaps I just have an “eye for photography,” but I have seen this in others too, and therefore I think photography is one of the easier arts to begin expressing creativity in. I would recommend anyone to give it a try and see the results. Also, it is always fun to edit these photos on the computer – which adds a whole new aspect to the creative process of photography and image editing – GIMP is one great piece of freeware that I recommend, it shares many of the same features as industry standards like Adobe Photoshop.

• Dancing

Dancing is another easy one to get into. You don’t even have to be very good at it, but if you really allow yourself to get immersed in the music you will feel satisfied with your efforts. I am weary about dancing around others, but I dance by myself all the time. It is kind of cool to do it all alone because you can choose whatever music best suits you and you can be as innovative and wacky as you want. On top of this, you are also getting a workout, which is sure to release endorphins to make you feel that much better. Even if you are one of those people who thinks you “hate dancing,” I firmly recommend that you give it a shot and let yourself go. I used to be one of you guys too, but now I see dancing as one of the most fun, free, and rewarding activities I could spend time doing.

• Writing poetry

I’ll never forget the first time I was swept away by love. I didn’t know what to do with my feelings, and poetry became my first medium of expression. Not everyone is good at writing, at the time I was young and had a limited vocabulary, but poetry is great because your writings can be short and simple yet still very effective. If you can think of just one good metaphor you can use it as basis for your whole work. Sometimes even being blunt with your language can deliver a strong message. Poetry is less about deliberate work and more about choosing the right words that resonate with you.

Other rewarding activites

As I have mentioned, the first three activities listed above were ones that I find easy to start (although hard to master). These next few require more practice before you can just dive right into creating something. This doesn’t mean you can’t get that “immediate gratification” after the first time you pick up a guitar, you probably can, but you probably won’t be writing a hit single without first building up those calluses on your fingers.

• Learn how to sing or play an instrument

I am willing to bet that everyone at some point in their life has had the desire to learn an instrument, maybe even become the latest rock star. Playing music is fun. As Nietzsche once famously said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” Music has a way to open up the human heart through its rhythm, melody, and lyrics. By learning how to sing or play an instrument we can have a more participatory role in the music process. It is even more fun when we know friends to jam with. Find an instrument you have always wanted to play, maybe the piano, bass, or trumpet. Then, look for ways to teach yourself. There are plenty of resources online to get you acquainted with the basics of music, particularly MusicTheory.net. You could also take lessons from friends or family who may already have proficiency in a particular instrument. If you have the money, I highly recommend investing in some music lessons, especially if you are serious about getting good. Other than that, practice and have fun with it; some of the best musicians of our time have never taken a professional class in music.

• Practice painting

For those of us who may not be good with words or who aren’t the most auditory-inclined of individuals, exploring the visual modality through painting is a great method of expression to try. Like with music, painting takes a bit of a commitment both financially and with our time and effort. However, with practice this endeavor can be extraordinary rewarding. You can experiment with painting real-life scenarios or you can even dive into something more abstract. Imagine being able to display one of your works in your home and having people ask you questions about it.

• Make a short film

One of the first creative endeavors I have ever embarked on was when I was a young teen and I would borrow my Mom’s video camera. I used to write up little stories and then recruit other kids from around my neighborhood to help me film them. I still remember some of the first films I ever recorded, like my first comedy “No Sense Makes Sense” and my first thriller/action movie “Special Delivery.” A couple years ago I did something similar and recruited a bunch of my high school classmates to film a big zombie scene at a local park. Unfortunately, I never got to editing it and showing it to others (I may still have the footage somewhere). Today with our technology, along with websites like Youtube and Vimeo, it is fairly simple to record short films and share them with millions across the globe. Some people even strike a bit of fame on the internet and end up getting professional movie roles and TV shows. Whatever your motives, this is one opportunity that can be incredibly fun. I definitely recommend getting some friends to help you out as well.

Final thoughts

You don’t have to limit yourself to any one of these. As you can tell, I have dabbled in all of these throughout my past (except painting), and I still want to re-visit a lot of these in the future. Even if the things you create don’t ever reach a professional level, the benefits that come from pursuing the arts are as limitless as your imagination. Creativity helps build healthy intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships. So whether you are a business man, an athlete, a doctor, or a retiree, make sure that this is one area of your life that you frequently evoke.

Some people blog for a living, but most of us aren’t that fortunate. Instead we get our blogging thrills through connecting with others and writing about the things we love.

What’s wrong with that? Well, some may say that blogging distracts us from our “real work” or our “real job.” Blogging in this case is seen as just a hobby, and thus it is considering self-serving.

But is this even true?

I believe blogging actually makes us more productive, not less. Just because we aren’t making a lot of money doing it doesn’t mean that we aren’t being productive. And just because something is self-serving doesn’t mean it can’t also benefit others. Blogging exemplifies both of these points.

This is why I have compiled five main reasons why having a blog makes you more productive. These reasons include:

1. Organizing Your Thoughts
2. Exercising Creativity
3. Networking
4. Better Spent Free Time
5. Visiting Other Blogs

Each of these will be expanded on below:

1. Organizing Your Thoughts

A blog is basically a diary with a public audience. It provides an outlet to share our experiences and expand on our thoughts.

When we write about these aspects of our life we are allowing our brains to better organize our mental world, to make better sense of it, and to think more lucidly about our life situations. This can lead us to better problem-solving skills, a more goal-oriented lifestyle, and a clearer understanding of what we really want out of life.

2. Exercising Creativity

Our blog is our creation. Sure, we may have a default Wordpress theme, we may have borrowed some pictures from Flickr.com, and we may even quote from different news articles and blog entries. But when it is all said and done: it is our creation! We were the ones who found all the resources and put them together in a way that we envisioned.

Some are more creative than others, but there is virtually no limit to the things we can do while maintaining a blog. We can write, take photos, record videos, design, manufacture products, and so much more. Blogging is what makes it possible to combine all these elements all in one place.

3. Networking

If we are consistent with what we do then we are bound to cross paths with others who have similar interests. This can lead us in all sorts of productive directions. We could run into someone who gives us a helpful suggestion regarding a current endeavor. We may even run into our future business partner.

Nowadays good networking skills can get us almost anywhere in the workplace. Even if we don’t connect with someone directly through our blog, the skills we develop while networking with others will carry over to other areas of life as well.

4. Better Spent Freetime

How would you be spending your freetime if you weren’t blogging? Would it be watching TV, playing videogames, or surfing YouTube.com? Which do you think is more productive: blogging or what you would most likely be doing if you weren’t blogging?

You could be writing about anything and I would wager that you are being more productive, and that you are provoking reality to a much greater extent, then if you were just sitting in a near vegetative state passively consuming various mediums of entertainment. This isn’t to take anything away from the enjoyment of a good movie or a hilarious Youtube video, but – in terms of productivity – blogging is the better choice.

5. Visiting Other Blogs

If you are like most bloggers then you probably also like to visit other people’s blogs too. And of course, just like your blog provokes the interests of its readers, other blogs are going to provoke your interests as well. The blogosphere is filled with quality, thought provoking, and mind expanding material. I have only been blogging for 6 months and I already feel much smarter because of it.

There is a blog for just about anything you could possibly be interested in. Do you like obscure music? Do you need business tips that come from the heart? What about advice on how to pick-up women? The blogosphere has it all, no wonder it is the newest and most popular way to disseminate information across the net.

Conclusion

I hope you are now convinced that blogging is an activity that can benefit anyone. Whether you plan on creating a business out of it or just pursuing your own personal pleasure there is always something to gain.

When I started this blog less than 6 months ago I didn’t think I would get as much out of it as I actually have. This only strengthens my incentives to continue on this path and see where else it may lead me.

I want to take the time to write about 6 aspects of life that I feel put together a complete picture of a well-balanced person. By focusing on these different dimensions of life we can determine which areas need work and which areas we already have a good handle on. These six aspects include physical, mental, emotional, social, financial and spiritual. If any one of these gets out of whack it can send ripples through our life. That is why it is important to exercise balance and stay conscious when we begin to drift too far one way or another.

To read part one of this two part series please click here.

4. SOCIAL

Our happiness expresses a need to connect to others. Even our personal identity can be dependent on how others see us within the realm of our social world. It is therefore important that we spend time with friends, family, other loved ones, and even strangers. I don’t believe it is ever appropriate for us to stop meeting new people or creating new relationships, whether it is for business, friendship, or intimacy.

I notice that many people on the so-called “spiritual” or “personal growth” path, which includes many readers of this blog, have a tendency to neglect their social relationships. It isn’t something they do intentionally. It is just that they have been putting too much focus on developing themselves that they forget that a big part of it all is how we develop our relationships with others.

Things to do:

• Go out places to meet people. Bars, clubs, coffee shops, yoga workshops, music shows – whatever interests appeal to you most.
• Plan an event. Think of something that you and your friends like doing, then find a date that works for the most people. It can be something as simple as going out to a new restaurant to throwing a costume party at your house. Invite as many or as a few people as possible. If your goal is to meet new people then have your friends bring other friends.
• Re-connect with old friends. Now with the internet and social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, it is actually possible to stay in touch with virtually everyone you have ever known. Ask how people are doing, and see if you still share any common interests.
• Go to meet-up or dating sites. I don’t necessarily recommend this one, but this is now becoming a legitimate way to meet new people so I figure it is worth mentioning. When I was younger I met about 15-20 people through Myspace. Some of those people I am still good friends with today. The great thing about the internet is that you can connect easily with people who share your tastes, even if they are a bit quirkier than the norm. Finding people with similar music tastes is a particular area of my life that the internet has helped me out with greatly.

5. FINANCIAL

You cannot ignore the economic realities of life no matter what part of the world you are in. In any system, whether it is capitalist or socialist, you are going to be called upon to offer something of value to society. In some cultures they call this a “job,” although I have come to hate the word completely.

Things to do:

• Simple answer: go to school and then pursue a career. Of course it is never that easy. You need to find something that interests you. You can start by asking yourself, “What can I do that will make me enough money to live comfortably but that I still enjoy doing?”
• Do you want to be an entrepreneur? I personally think we do not ask ourselves this question enough. We take it for granted that we need to go to college, only to later enter the corporate world. But is this really the case? You may have a particular talent or skill that you can capitalize on without having to have a boss who dictates your every move. Wouldn’t that be nice and worth pursuing?
• Many people who aren’t entrepreneurs or CEOs still enjoy their work life. You can certainly work for a corporation and still love your job. Find a good company to work for. You are worth it. The best part is that you will be more productive when you enjoy your job. This then gives you a sense of achievement that every good job should provide.
• A healthy financial life also includes knowing how to set a budget, not spending beyond your means, and being a good saver. You can have the best paying job in the world, but you can still spend your way to bankruptcy. Prioritize your spending. Needs come before luxuries. Savings are the best way to minimize financial risk for the future.
• Avoid making bad economic decisions. You can start by reading a great article published in 1998 in the Harvard Business Review regarding Hidden Traps Of Decision Making (11 page PDF file). This one goes over the most common biases we share when making decisions about money.

6. SPIRITUAL

Spirituality can sometimes be the most overlooked aspect to life. I define it as “the relationship between our self and world.” In many ways, our spiritual life is what defines our core, our foundation, our purpose, our identity, and our reason for living. It permeates in all that we think, say, and act. It is also how we view ourselves in relation to the world. Our spirituality determines our position of personal power. We can let the world crush us, or we can let it sit in the palm of our hands. Our relationship with our self has a deep impact on our relationship with others.

Things to do:

• Be creative. When we express ourselves through things like art, music, or writing we are developing an emotional and spiritual intelligence; we are turning our ideas and intentions into reality. We are drawing upon the creative energies of God himself.
• Spend time in solitude. It is really not as depressing as it sounds. Dedicate some time alone for prayer, meditation, or even something as simple as watching the sunrise. Learn to appreciate these moments because they are composed of the same fundamental things that make up our whole matrices of existence. It is a way to be in better touch with your most basic self, something so simple, yet the source of all our happiness and suffering. Learn to love it for everything that it is.
• Have faith that life is good. Faith may not have any role in science, but it does have an important role in good living. Don’t underestimate the importance of seeing the good in things, even our very worst experiences can be valuable, as they are only lessons yet to be learned. Every moment is a source of wealth. Practice living richly.