January 7th, 2010
by Dr. Brian Higley
Almost everyone knows that taking care of our bodies is important to enhanced influence over our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Promoting improved health in the major systems of the body (including the cardiovascular, muscular-skeletal, nervous, endocrine and respiratory system) can enhance energy, increase positive moods and decrease the frequency and intensity of illnesses, unnecessary conflict and pessimism.
All of this begs a critical question: If there is so much positive pay-off for better physical health that people are clearly aware of, why is it that so many of us do not engage in activities that can bring them about? We’ve found that two major reasons why people do not attend to their physical health regularly:
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January 6th, 2010
by Dr. Brian Higley
Being able to truly “relax and recharge” during leisure time is often so important to feeling good about one’s life, both personal and professional. Using our leisure time well can result in increased energy, better moods, fewer illnesses and enhanced creativity. It can also result in more feelings of optimism, self-esteem and enjoyment. Tasks that seem difficult or people who we just cannot seem to work with can all become much less of a challenge when we face them refreshed and energized. All too often, we either set aside little to no time for deeply satisfying leisure or choose to utilize the leisure time we do have in ways that drain (rather than recharge) us.
Leisure time can be used in more satisfying ways by understanding how important this is (to ourselves and to those around us) and committing to doing so regularly. Here are some ways people have been able to use their leisure time to truly recharge themselves: Read the rest of this article »
January 5th, 2010
by Dr. Brian Higley
Having solid influence on one’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors can be a critical component to an effective and satisfied life. It is often important to note that “influence” is different than “control;” an overly controlled life can quickly become robotic and dissatisfying. Being able to influence one’s experiences without seeking to control every aspect of them is an important aspect of Self-Mastery.
Increased influence on our thoughts, feelings and behaviors can be cultivated by understanding how to bring about more self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-confidence. Here are some ways people have been able to cultivate more influence over themselves: Read the rest of this article »
December 31st, 2009
by Dr. Brian Higley
Many organizations, teams and individuals work very hard to develop mission, vision, and/or value statements — yet so many people that I speak with report that they often do not seem to “live” these statements extremely well. Each year, a lot of valuable time and energy goes into developing mission statements that will quickly be forgotten or ignored in the often frantic day-to-day activities that follow. And – here’s the kicker – many people seem to know that they will not fulfill their mission statements even as they spend valuable time developing them! And yet we continue to develop mission statements (both personal and professional) even as we recognize deep down that many of them will not be fulfilled very well. What is going on here – and how can we stop wasting valuable time, energy, and money developing statements that we know will not be fulfilled?
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December 24th, 2009
by Dr. Brian Higley
The people that we chose to surround ourselves with can have a profound impact on both the types of goals that we set and how often we achieve these goals. If there are any goals that you are struggling to complete on time or at high levels of quality, you may wish to increase the amount of effective social support (and/or decrease the amount of ineffective social support) that you experience in relation to those goals. Here are a few steps that have helped people to recruit effective social support into their lives: Read the rest of this article »
