The use of our screens is getting out of hand. Of course, we all use our screens for many legitimate purposes (e.g., finding information, connecting with others, blogging), but we all have experienced the endless checking, scrolling, and YouTube wormholes that can suck up much of our time. Through the use of persuasive design…
In my previous blog, I discussed how/why mindfulness is the “master” key to change. Mindfulness is being in the present moment nonjudgmentally. Mindfulness is a tool that can help us to focus our attention better. Improving any aspect of our behavior – being kinder, listening to others, modifying our forehand in tennis, remembering where…
You might have seen the recent cover story on “The Mindfulness Revolution” in Time magazine. It gives a nice introduction to the practice as well as why it can be so helpful. Mindfulness is simply being in the present moment non-judgmentally. I’ve blogged about mindfulness countless times over the years. Here’s a blog about what…
In the previous post, I briefly discussed how mindfulness involves being nonjudgmental. In a manner of speaking, this is impossible. We are constantly making judgements: What do I want to eat? What do I want to wear? What TV show do I want to watch? Which friend do I want to try to hang…
Meditation has immeasurable benefits – decreasing stress, improving well-being, reducing cardiovascular disease, and so on. The society we live in seems so fast-paced sometimes that the idea of sitting down to meditate for 15-30 minutes a day seems out of reach. Ironically, many of the other things that keep us so busy that we…
I recently completed that audiobook The Roots of Buddhist Psychology by Dr. Jack Kornfield, who is a Buddhist psychologist. Dr. Kornfield is highly regarded author and lecturer who has been a Buddhist practioner since the late 1960s. He has lived and studied in Thailand, Burma, and India throughout various times of his life, so…
I recently completed the audiobook version of Mindsight by Dr. Dan Siegel. He provided the reading and, fortunately, possesses a wonderfully soothing and engaging speaking voice. Dr. Siegel is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, neurobiologist, researcher, lecturer, author, and professor at the UCLA School of Medicine. I’ve seen Dr. Siegel present a number of times and,…
I recently enjoyed listening to the audiobook Living Without Stress or Fear by renowned Buddhist monk, teacher, author, and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh. I’ve read several of his books and listened to some podcast interviews, but this was the first audiobook that I’ve listened to of his. First, this isn’t really an audio…
I recently returned from my first trip to Hawaii…Aloha! I went with my family and had a wonderful time. It is truly magical there…I can see why everyone I’ve ever talked to who has visited there touts her beauty. We stayed in Waikiki on Ohau for about a week…it was too difficult to make an adventure…
In this fascinating book, Sharon Begley (a science writer for Newsweek and previously for the Wall Street Journal) goes through some of the history of neuroscience and summarizes some of the latest findings in the field. There was a time when scientists viewed the adult brain as rather static and that no new neurons…