WARNING: There’s a TON of life transforming information here. Even after getting rid of a few Elephants and couple of Hamsters, it’s still ALOT. So just as a precautionary measure, you might wanna put on a helmet and sit your Teddy Bear down at a safe distance before diving in 🙂
“I was lost and now I am found” – Bradley Cooper (From the Movie “Limitless”)
What happens to most of us is that we don’t ever realize that something is wrong until we hit the proverbial brick wall or the brick wall hits us.
I thought I was happily married until I realized that I wasn’t. I thought that being overweight was “normal” until I realized that I wasn’t. And I thought my $50,000 worth of debt would eventually get dissolved over time like ice cream until I realized it wouldn’t 🙂
Most of us chase the fluffy rabbits of financial and career goals only to realize that they had taken their eyes off everything else in the process. It’s a bit like standing guard to keep the raccoons out only to get bitten in the ass by a mosquito.
In order to live the life that you truly deserve and desire, your life must consist of 4 vital components. They are Health, Wealth, Relationships and Spirituality (not necessarily religion). The fusion that these 4 components is what generates the Zest for life that makes you sing and hum and do back flips at every street corner.
Now you might be saying “Great discovery Sherlock! But did you know that I only have 24 hours a day to go to work, clean the house, change the baby diapers. shout at the neighbor, take the dog to the Movies, catch up on all the celebrity gossip and then rob the bank?”
Well.. What if I told you that you can have the cake and eat it too?
The answer to doing it all AND loving the process is called: Kaizen
Kaizen is about making small incremental changes that lead to kick ass results over time or as I like to say “Kitten steps to a Kickasss life” . These small steps are easy enough to take and painless enough to commit to on a regular basis. M`uch like a steam locomotive that starts off at a snail pace, it is the slow and steady progression that builds up the momentum to make it an unstoppable beast just a few miles down the track.
And incorporating the Kaizen principle into all essential aspects of our lives is what generates the fusion, that will ensure that you never have to show up at a Celebrity rehab clinic, a Divorce proceeding, a custodial proceeding or a Muppet Show of any kind, EVER!
The Kaizen fusion that you’ll be generating to begin with would seem almost insignificant: much like the lowest setting of a dimmer switch.
But if you don’t take your foot off the accelerator and stay consistent in your efforts, the glow will become so bright that it will then start illuminating the people around you. You might even get hired for lighting events, venues and weddings in the process.
Now the resources I have outlined below have all played a pivotal role in my life.
But only use one resource (or program) per life aspect to begin with. So for relationships you would perhaps listen/watch one new audio/video program each week and on the subject of Wealth, you would watch/listen to just one program each week and so forth.
The idea is to integrate just one idea that you learn (for each life aspect) per month into your daily regiment. It can be something as small as making your Spouse a cup of coffee and sticking a rose by the bedside (er.. the rose might not work on guys because they’ll probably eat the rose and then wash it down with the coffee).
The point is something “small” every single day. And then you make that commitment, you never ever go back!
But DO NOT try adding more than 2 things into your daily regiment at any given point (however small they may seem). Anything more than 2 and the whole growth process becomes a juggling act.
You want this to be an Adventure. You want it to be fun. You want it to be something you look forward to every day.
And after you have stayed with the new ritual for 21+ consecutive days it’s then safe to venture out and adopt 2 more “small” daily practices or if you prefer you can “fractionally” increase the intensity of 2 existing habits/rituals.
So let’s get going 🙂
Addiction Busters
“The real victims of our addictions are the people that we care about the most (including the ones that pretend to care the least)” – Isuru Epa
The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Alan Carr - This program has catered to millions of readers over the years and is said to have a 90% success rate. The CDC puts the current annual death toll of Cigarette smokers at 5 Million and the second hand smoking death toll at 480,000 every year. 80% of cigarette smoke isn’t visible. And as cigarette smoke can travel through walls and air vents the risk to our loved ones is far greater than most would anticipate. The only real way to quit smoking ultimately is to go cold turkey, but what makes the withdrawal pains manageable (and even rewarding) is the REASON behind your “desire” to quit.
Quit Tea Pack - Replace Cigarettes with Tea. This is a super yummy companion for anyone who is looking to kick the habit the fun way. Incorporate this with Alan Carr’s book or Kerry Gaynor’s DVDs to guarantee your success.
The Kerry Gaynor Method – The Doctor Recommended way to QUIT SMOKING FOR LIFE – If you are more of a Visual person you may prefer these DVDs to Allan Carr’s book. But get the quit tea packs as well because they are a great companion with either option.
Easy way to Quit Drinking by Alan Carr - Many individuals who have read this book attest to having made a full recovery after having been consumed by alcohol for as long as 20 years. The NCADD puts the alcohol related death toll at 2.5 million per year. And it’s been documented that atleast 1 out of 10 people who have touched alcohol at some point in their lives end up becoming alcoholics.
I Need to Stop Drinking! by Liz Hemingway – Another great book on the subject that will help you on the road to recovery.
Why Don’t They Just Quit? by Joe Herzanek – When someone we care about is suffering from an addiction, what we say or do with the best of intentions can backfire or even worsen the situation. This book allows you to get a better understanding of where they are coming from so that you can become part of the solution and not the problem.
So now that we’ve gotten rid of all our cat nip, lets dive straight into the health and fitness resources:
Health and Fitness: Cultivating a real Zest for Life
These resources will help people who are fit and not so fit because there are too many people become fit at the expense of their health (NOT cool).
FACT: Many overweight people are 10-20 years away from facing a life threatening illness such as Heart disease, Stroke, High blood pressure, Diabetes, Cancers, Gallbladder disease, Gallstones,Osteoarthritis, Gout, Breathing problems etc. But these tools and the method I have provide will change much of that within months (if you take use the tools I recommend here and take action).
Clean Pure Water - Available free of charge from a tap nearby. I normally have around 1 glass of water every hour. It keeps the “flow” clear, the body clear of many common illnesses and the energy levels up. If 1 glass sounds too much, start off with 1 teaspoon/hour and build up to it 🙂
The Nutrininja Blender – Nearly all of my meals (except on Sundays) consist of smoothies and Egg Salads (and the occassional coffee made with fresh milk and honey). You can start out by switching one of your regular meals with a one or two Nutrininja smoothies (you get around 691 recipes included in there). And once you fall in love with your newly discovered taste-buds and your Superman/Supergirl like Vitality, you can substitute the remaining meals with smoothies, veggies, fruits, salads, egg whites and nuts. Sunday is free game! So on Sundays you can have whatever you like, whenever you like with whomever you like (even if you don’t feel like it).
Walks and Brisk Walks – Once you have started having 2 or more smoothies a day, we can start our daily exercise program with a 10 minute SLOW walk around the block. And as the weeks progress we can increase the walk by 3-5 minutes each week until you hit the 30 minute mark. Once you reach that point, you can then start playing with the walking speeds a bit (without exhausting yourself). Go as fast as you can for a minute or two, then slow down and recover, then speed up again and slow down etc. This is basically what athletes do to break world records. Slowly but gently pushing beyond your boundaries is what will make you stronger, leaner, faster AND youthful over time.
The Bullworker – When you are completely free from all your regular junk food you’ll have the pleasure of getting acquainted with your new friend: The Mighty Bullworker. The Bullworker is possibly the easiest way to build muscles. Building muscle mass is the fastest way to burn fat. These sessions shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes of your total time. I do 3 of these sessions a week every other day.
The Abs Diet Workout 2.0 – After I became accustomed to the Bullworker I incorporated the Speed Interval Training component of the Abs Diet Workout 2.0 program to my weekly regiment. So I would do the Bullworker on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and do the Speed Interval training every other day. With the interval training, take it slow and easy to begin with and take breaks when necessary. Don’t worry about keeping up with the trainers at the beginning as you’ll get there eventually.
P90X3 Base Kit – I have now replaced the Abs Diet 2.0 workout with P90X3, but only because I finally grew out of it (after 5 years). With PR90X3, on Tuesdays I do Dynamix followed up with Accelerator, on Thursdays I do Isometrix followed up CVX, on Saturdays I do Eccentric Upper followed up with Incinerator and on Sundays (my “rest” day) I do “The Challenge” followed up with a nice breezy run by the river.
I workout and meditate mainly to keep stress and anxiety out of my life. All the other benefits such as being immune to 90% or more illnesses, looking good etc I see as “good” side-effects.
Bodylastics - I use Bodylastics with the P90X3 bands portions of the program, because they are said to be more durable than most regular bands.
Vibram FiveFingers KSO EVO Running Shoes (For Men/For Women) – A great way to enjoy the “feeling” of exercising barefoot without the risk of all the “usual” running injuries. I use these shoes for pretty much anything: P90X3 workouts (except Yoga and Isometrix), for running and even for the occasional bank robbery.
Injinji Run Lightweight No Show Xtralife Socks (For Men/For Women) – Er.. I believe they are meant to be worn with the shoes. I haven’t tried them as oven mitts yet.
Depression + Worry Busting Tools
NOTE: The lack of diaphragmatic breathing (or proper breathing), the absence of desirable goals, poor posture and the lack of movement is what constitutes to most depressions. But if you are suffering from clinical depression then you should seek professional help.
Tony Robbins Personal Power II - When my first marriage went “yikes!” several years ago, I had the wind (and a few feathers) knocked right out of me. This is what ultimately helped me make a full recovery.
Mindfulness of Breathing – One of the main tools that helped me overcome depression and insomnia. I still listen to this once or twice a day to keep the engines from overheating. It’s also a great tool to develop inner peace and mental resiliency.
LifeFlow – LifeFlow® audio technology can transform anyone from feeling overwhelmed to out of this world in as little as 8 minutes a day. Just download the free demo and experience the magic for yourself 🙂 This helps deal with some of the “leftover baggage” from my past. I listen to this every night before going to bed 🙂
Dictaphone – Ever been struck with a brilliant idea in the middle of your shower or perhaps while you are in the middle of doing a handstand? My dictaphone helps me store those ideas away for later use.
Meetup (free) - Meetup.com is a Social network that connects like-minded people in local communities. Getting outside yourself is a great way to reignite your own fire.
Daylight/SAD prevention bulbs – I call it the best plug and play anti-depressant of this generation. The only side effect I have seen so far, is me breaking into a song and a dance in the middle of something “really” important 🙂
Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale – This program has helped millions of men and women to achieve fulfillment in their lives by incorporating the power of faith with action.
Himalayan Light Natural Air Purifying Salt Lamp – Another factor that contributes to our well being is the quality of the air that we breath. The negative ions released by this salt lamp neutralizes the positively charged particulars in your surrounding which purifies the air and frees the air of various allergens.
A Brisk walk/exercise – An almost instant mood enhancer. The more brisk the walk and the greater the distance, the better you feel at the end of it. And don’t forget to take your favorite music with you (ideally something fun and zesty)
Raw foods + Water – Drinking a glass of water every hour and refraining from all kinds of refined foods and beverages preserves the body’s natural chemical balance. Fresh fruits, veggies, greens and also help preserve this chemical balance.
9 Hour Ocean Waves Recording (free) – Great tool to help you relax as well as to focus.
Focus Music – Whilst this is regarded as more of a productivity tool that helps you to focus better, I also find that the soothing music helps alleviate stress and anxiety.
Success and Motivation
Power of Purpose by Les Brown - Les Brown is one of those speakers who can tear up all your demons in one fell swoop and speak straight to your very core. Just listening to him for just an hour would make you feel like you are ready to run a marathon.
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy – This is the distilled essence of numerous Success Gurus and Entrepreneurs jam packed into 6 riveting CDs, broken down into actionable steps and eloquent delivered by the Editor and Chief of Success Magazines Darren Hardy himself.
Seminars on Demand – I have replaced all of my Weekday TV shows with these these Inspirational and Educational Video Seminars and Brendon’s Experts Academy Course.
Experts Academy Course by Brendon Berchard – This is a great tool for Authors, Publishers and Speakers (to just about anyone who is looking for a vehicle to take “their” message to the world).
The Definitive Book of Body Language by Alan and Barbara Peace – I consider Body Language to be an absolutely essential life skill. It doesn’t tell us the whole story but it does allow us to assess people and situations better.
The Psychology of Achievement by Brian Tracy – This is the classic edition of perhaps the most powerful personal achievement program ever produced. The techniques revealed are used by high-achievers everywhere.
The Power – In this program Rhonda explains how you automatically become a magnet to both fortunate and unfortunate circumstances and how you can create your own favorable circumstances.
The Psychology of Selling Brian Tracy by Brian Tracy – Brian’s closing techniques have helped me to overcome numerous customer objections which have resulted in more sales and increased customer loyalty.
The Science of Getting Rich – This powerful motivational video features Bob Proctor in front of a live audience delivering his core seminar on the secret law of attraction and the science of getting rich. Bob Proctor has been teaching the law of attraction and the science of getting rich for more than 40 years.
Automatic Millionaire by David Bach – Most people find that their expenses rise to meet their level of growth. And that is where the danger is. This program will not only tell you how to avoid this trap but will also show you how you can retire wealthy, using resources you already have at your disposal.
Rich Dad Secrets to Money by Robert Kiyosaki – In this program Robert talks about how you can get money to work for you rather than having to work for money. Great resource for people who are looking to understand the concept of passive capital.
Make a Wish Foundation – Donate 10% of your net income to a charity or a cause that helps better the life or the quality of life of another fellow human and become immune to many of the shock waves in the financial world that could otherwise affect you. This “spiritual investment” has paid off for me in spades. Try it for a whole year before passing judgment 🙂
Day That Turns Your Life Around audio by Jim Rohn – The emphasis of this entire program is on how much of a difference one day can make in our lives resulting from a realization that is seemingly insignificant at the time.
How to Stay Motivated – audio package by Zig Ziglar – In this 19 CD Motivation seminar, Zig Ziglar will help you develop the qualities, skills and attitudes necessary to harness success, self-image and attitude.
Become a Better You audio by Joel Osteen – With a few subtle changes to the way we respond to challenges and circumstances we can design a life that is truly fulfilling and rewarding.
100 Ways to Motivate Yourself – audio by Steve Chandler – This is one of the most concise audio programs I have ever listened to. Every technique shared here is actionable, and extremely well articulated.
Cultivating an Unshakable Character audio by Jim Rohn - One of the people who influenced me to devote a significant portion of this blog toward life and character development is Jim Rohn.
Get Paid More and Promoted Faster – audio by Brian Tracy – Get Paid More and Promoted Faster provides practical, proven, simple and effective ways to help you take control of your career and put it on the fast track.
Natural Sleeping Aids
Delta Sleep System audio by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson – A great way to fall asleep with your headphones on.
Sleep Innovations 10-Inch SureTemp Memory Foam Mattress (with 2 pillows) – Memory foam provides superior comfort, superior pressure point relief so that you get a good nights sleep with reduced tossing and turning.
3 Inch Thick, 4 Pound Density Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress – If you are already happy with your existing mattress (or prefer a more cost effective way to get the same cozy results) get this Foam Mattress topup instead.
Conforma Memory Foam Pillow – Ventilated memory foam promotes airflow to create a cooler sleeping environment and also conforms to head and neck for optimal spinal alignment during sleep.
Chezmoi Collection White Goose Down Alternative Comforter – A luxurious duvet with cloud-like softness that you can use and enjoy all year around without the guilt as it’s made from 100-Percent Hypo-allergenic, Allergy Free Poly Fiber (and no Goose feathers, Cat whiskers, Puppy dimples or Penguin toenails).
1000 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set by ExceptionalSheets - Not all Egyptian cotton is the same. And the distinction becomes apparent immediately after you start using these sheets and pillowcases.
Lavender Essential Oil - I take a hot bath with Lavender essential oils and natural dead sea salts just 2-3 hours before going to bed.
Mindfulness of Breathing Guided Meditation CD – The key to sleep is a worry free mind. And that’s precisely what this CD will help you develop.
LifeFlow® audio technology – A great tool to enhance productivity, release mental blockages and alleviate insomnia.
Blissful Relationships
Dr. Laura Schlessinger Audio Collection – Dr.Laura is one of America’s most listened to authors. Her advice is thought provoking and honest. This collection comprises audio versions of the Best Selling books “Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives”, “Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives” and “Ten Stupid Things Couples Do to Mess Up Their Relationships”.
Ultimate Relationship Program DVD by Anthony Robbins – I personally rate this as Tony’s best piece of work to date. What he does live on stage to bring couples together (whose situations seem almost irreversible) is truly remarkable.
Laugh your way to a better marriage DVD by Mark Gungor – Nearly 50% of all marriages today end up in divorce and usually there’s never a warning sign until the papers arrive. The preventative remedy is laughably easy.
Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World – audio by Zig Ziglar – In this program you’ll learn the positive qualities of a positive parent, how to shield your child from the constant negative media barrage, how to build your child’s self-image, how to discipline your child in the most loving manner, the greatest gift you can give your child and how to talk to your child about sex.
Productivity Boosters
How to Master Your Time audio by Brian Tracy – This program is the result of 20 years of experience of research and teaching with more than 200 corporations. Brian designed this program to give you everything you will ever need to know about mastering your time for your personal life and career.
Daylight/SAD prevention bulbs – Daylights (in the form of florescence lights) are commonplace with most workplaces. I use these in my home office and just about anywhere where productivity and a heightened level of energy is important.
Himalayan Light Natural Air Purifying Salt Lamp - When it’s lit, this lamp emits negative ions that kicks the tiny asses of positively charged particles that cause you to feel stuffy and sluggish. And it clears the air naturally of allergens like pet dander, pollens, and other air pollutants.
Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwartz Ph D – If you are feeling limited by your circumstances and doubt your own true potential then this program will help you expand your horizons.
Activating the Law of Attraction by Jack Canfield – Jack is one of the few experts in the field who actually demonstrates (live on stage) the effects that thoughts can have in our potential and performance.
Psycho Cybernetics by Dan Kennedy, Maxwell Maltz – This program enable us to clear away the clutter that’s blocking or negating our progress such as self-doubt, worry and negative thoughts.
Wireless Mp3 Headphones with 4GB memory Card FM Radio - I have this plugged into a charger right next to the alarm so that I can just plug in and go as soon as I wake up. The memory card for this is usually packed with audiobooks of Darren Hardy, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, Robert Kiyosaki to just about anything I wanna feed my mind with first thing in the morning.
66 Audio BTS+ Bluetooth Sports Headphone [2014] – I use these mainly for my workout sessions. This also doubles up as a wireless headset for my Skype calls. As with all headphones please be mindful of the volume as it can permanently damage your hearing otherwise.
9 Hour Ocean Waves Recording (free) – Great way to stay focused on whatever you do. It drowns out your thoughts, worries and the sound of your cat rehearing for a role in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Trello - Nifty little tool that helps organize your projects (and tasks) into boards. It tells you what you are currently working on and what needs to be done at a glance.
Workflowy - is a gorgeous tool which doubles up as both a note taker and a list maker. I use both Trello and Workflowy everyday to manage my “work flow”.
Focus Music – I use this for tasks that are little bit mundane. For tasks that require “deep focus”, I use the Ocean Waves Recording (above).
Hair and Body
“The closer to nature you are, the better and healthier you’ll look and feel in all aspects of your life.” – Isuru Epa
Defense Soap – I suffered from several skin conditions over the years and finally decided to go with the most viable option which is to go “all natural”. This also doubles up as my Shampoo and Conditioner.
Method 8X Concentrated Laundry Detergent – Yes. I had to switch up my laundry detergent too for the same reason. Method products are derived from 95% renewable ingredients such as corn and other plant oils, not petrochemicals.
NOW solutions Sweet Almond Oil, Moisturizing Oil – During my recent “unhappy skin” episode, I was forced to try various natural remedies and moisturizers. Almond oil (especially this brand) worked the best for me.
Re-gen Cream (not the Bio-oil) – This has helped me a great deal in softening the acne scars that I’ve had since I was a teenager. I now use it twice a day.
Derma-Roller – If your skin isn’t as perfect as you would like it to be, perhaps this might help. This derma-roller is durable, has no negative reviews, comes with a 360% swivel handle (which I love) and is FDA approved. I use it after a shower 2-4 times a week. It might be worth going through a few videos on Youtube so as to familiarize yourself with the process before making the purchase.
Bentonite Clay with Witch Hazel – On the days I use the dermaroller I apply a layer of Bentonite clay mixed with Witch Hazel. I don’t use water with the paste.
Anti Aging and Skin Clearing Serum for Face, Acne & Blemishes – This is the first thing that goes on my face after a shower, a bath or a wash. It can sting (alot) if used on the days you do a derma roll but now it doesn’t bother me anymore.
I immediately follow up with the Re-gen cream.
Hi, I log on to your blog on a regular basis. Your writing style is
witty, keep it up!