Meditation: Find Stillness
We are humans of habit. Our bodies, minds, and spirits do well in routine. It’s tempting to grab your phone and rush to your morning breakfast or coffee. Knowing the impact mediation has on our physical/mental health- what if you spent just 5 minutes sitting down with yourself and breathing? Finding stillness within, calming your thoughts, and bringing some intention into your day.
Experience: “Dancing with Myself” 30-day Challenge
When was the last time you let yourself fully express yourself without any voices of self-judgment?
While editing Beyond the Beat, I’ve been challenged to think deeper about my own self-expression. I’ve wrestled with a desire to be less judgmental and freer in my own body. To push myself I developed a 30-day challenge intended to force me to “dance like no one’s watching.”
For the last two weeks, I’ve shared a video of me dancing in different locations to the song, “Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol (RAC remix). The challenge has certainly pushed my comfort zone and forced me out of my head. It hasn’t been easy, but my hope is that through my questionable dance moves, I can inspire one person to be more accepting of their own expression. Keep dancing friends – Henry
You can see Henry’s dance moves on his Instagram @henrydalmon
Thought: Who are the people that make you feel more like you?
The people we spend the most time with shape our reality in profound ways. This can work to our advantage or hold us back from realizing our dreams. Write a list of these people. Set up a call, walk, coffee, yoga class, whatever floats your boat.
Got a ton of value on this subject by listening to dream expert, Ben Neptin, co-creator of MTV’s “The Buried Life” on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast. Ben talks about the impact of relationships on realizing our fullest potential in life. Here are a couple of key takeaways:
– Top 3 reasons people don’t realize their dreams (the ideal road not taken)
#1. Fear of what other people think (or fear of failure)
#2. No deadlines for personal goals
#3. Waiting for the perfect time and there’s no such thing
– “You’re the architect of your own inspiration.” Be intentional to get inspired, but also don’t wait till inspiration hits.
– You can increase your chance of success by 77% if you have an accountability buddy
Thought: Having empathy is effective and powerful
There was a study conducted in 2008 by Adam Galinsky from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. In this study, they found that when you approach negotiations by imagining what the other side is thinking and or feeling are significantly more likely to “strike a deal than those who did not.” Think about this through the lens of empathy.
Before a conflict or tough conversation with a friend or family member think about their perspective and side of things. Really take some time to reflect on how they’re probably feeling in that moment. Leading with empathy can be a really effective way to find common ground and grow your relationship.
This study was cited in a book titled “Emotional: How Feelings Shape Our Thinking” by Leonard Mlodinow. Highly recommend this read. It is riveting.