https://stoned.io/images/flower.jpg # The Power Of Understanding We must understand what we are trying to do here. We are always seeking something in every moment. __Most of our lives are in a constant state of emergency.__ No wonder we have to make time to meditate and find peace. We are not mostly at peace. *What we are seeking in all moments of our existence is Experience.* Almost everyone is seeking a better moment, a better experience, a better time. Greed leads them. The greed for something more then what they have now. Most of us are consumed with consumption. How can anyone hope to realize our true Oneness if the mind is encumbered by greed? By the desire of seeking pleasure? By the desire for a better moment? Better experience? Better sex? Better food? The next best thing? We are constantly on the chase to appease our senses and we are committed serfs and slaves to the enterprise of desire. Desire is the ultimate folly of man if one lacks self-gnosis. # Why are we always trying to please our senses? What are we doing in our everyday lives? The little things we think, the actions we take, and our behaviours and interactions with others? __We're searching. We're constantly seeking.__ We're always looking for a better experience or a better moment so we're always chasing activities and pleasures etc. __Our minds are never at rest so we have to make time to meditate and find peace.__ We are chasing something. We have this itch that we simply cannot scratch. __Have you ever noticed that life is in a constant state of emergency for most of us?__ Why could this be? I think that we are made to be consumers because of very carefully placed and marketed subliminal forms of __mechanistic neuro linguistic programming through the avenues and the enforced idiocracy of pop cluture, pop media, television programming and linear values.__ Capitalism seeks only to capitalize, and the more humans there are, the more they can force consumption upon for their own profits and gains. This very subliminal programming in various forms has conditioned us to contiously seek gratification for our senses. Why do you think meditation and yoga have become so popular in the West? When we are awake, we seek some form of stimulation for our senses. When was the last time that you think an average person sat down in darkness and silence for a few hours and just examined his own mind? This brings us to realize that __if we realize the movement of thought as it occurs we can become completely aware of ourselves.__ We can see that most of our problems now lie because of desire and greed. # The Power of Small Improvements and Marginal Gains http://www.change-gear.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Big-journeys.jpg Most of us are walking around in total disharmony. __Our minds, bodies, senses, emotions and spirit is not in total harmony so this brings internal disorder which causes us to become slaves to desire and overindulge and/or overdo something.__ It is easy to think that there is a magic pill solution and think that some one big change will make a difference, but it is small tiny changes that one makes consistently which make the most difference. __Every habit and manner that one has now is a result of a series of small decisions that one makes in his or her everyday life, in every moment.__ If you find yourself with a bad habit, *you must realize that it's not something that happened to you in a short period of time, but it was the result of many careless decisions and being unaware of the Self.* Here's the most awesome news! __You don't have to make gigantic changes that would take a toll on your mind, body and spirit.__ You can start making small changes today and within a week, they'll seem like nothing, but within a month you'll see results. Within three months you'll be far away from where you used to be. # How To Make 10 Small Common Improvements To Become A Better Person https://stoned.io/images/blue.ohm.jpg ## 1. Organize Your Work Environment Do you have a messy and cluttered desk or work environment? When you get to work, spend time doing two or three things daily to organize and clean it up. You don't have to get greedy and try to clean and overwhelm yourself. Just try to spend a couple of minutes doing a few things to organize your things. Within a few weeks you'll have a totally organized desk or workplace. Remain diligent. ## 2. Unplug From Your Mobile Device Or Computer When You Start The Day This one is very difficult to do for most. The goal is to have the phone in a powered off state when you go to sleep. Keep windows opened so that the Sun naturally wakes you up. Now when you wake up, your mind will be free from the thoughts of your smart phone. Start your day off free from all of that. Don't worry, you can turn your phone on after 10-15 minutes. But at least enjoy the first few minutes of your day just to yourself. Alarm clock should be a last resort to waking up. ## 3. Eat Less Junk Food This is not only unhealthy, it is detrimental to your mental health as well. Food is chemical messengers affecting our bodies in various ways, and a lot of the chemicals such as preservatives etc. are not full well understood. If you eat a lot of junk food, try changing one junk food item into a delicious fruit week by week. Within a few months, you'll have gotten rid of your junk food habits! How awesome is that? :) ## 4. Eat Less Food And Don't Fill Your Stomache It is generally said in many cultures and medicinal systems around the world to never eat until you are full. It is advisable to eat and keep some hunger for yourself in every meal. It not ony teaches you the value of hunger and of food, and empathy for others who may be less fortunate, but it also keeps the gastic system healthy as you are not straining it by overeating or over indulging yourself on tasty foods. Start by eating less. If you get a full plate usually, this time only fill it 90% of your normal big serving and every few days reduce the serving size by 10% or so. Within a few months you'll trian your stomach to eat less and become healthier and stronger. ## 5. You Need To Exercise Daily - The Power of Morning Walk https://bufferblog-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brain.png Don't get overwhelmed with working out or lifting weights or even joining the gym. Just go for a walk. Walk for five minutes. Then 10 the next. Then slowly increase that over the course of a few weeks. Early morning walk is an amazing refresher after having woken up. It wakes up many parts of the brain and the body without being too taxing. Slowly try to jog in between your walks for 30 seconds to a minute. Try to improve your stamina and your health. If you have not been working out or excercising at all, don't just start something hard or intense right away as you might damage the body. Start with a morning walk. Then if you can, try a ten minute pre-shower exercise regimen. Do 10 sit ups, 10 push ups, 10 squats and 10 lunges. If you can't do 10, do 5. Start by doing something at the very least. ## 6. Improve Your Posture Are you a fellow computer nerd/geek? Do you sit at a desk for many hours a day and your back hurts or has muscle tension or strain? It could be because your posture is not optimal. Every 20 minutes, get up for about 1-2 minutes, walk around, stretch, oxygenate the brain and breath deeply. Most imporantly, look away from your computer screen and take a moment to just recharge your body. Every 20 minutes is just thrice an hour. If that seems too much, try twice an hour. If nothing else, try at least once an hour. ## 7. You Stay Up Too Late Often time articles have been cited on social media that state that staying up late is a sign of intelligence. It may or may not be, but what I do know is that we are solar creatures and have circadian rythms built in which if we are out of tune with, can really take its toll on the mind and the body. The body produces melatonin when it is dark. Melatonin is a sleep regulating hormone produced by the brain when the Sun goes down. Now that we have technology, we have artificial lighting. This causes melatonin to not be produced and as such TV, monitors, night lights, or computer lights keep us awake. Instead of watching TV or be in front of your PC, take a 5 minute walk or listen to some relaxing music while you sit still and meditate for a few minutes in darkness. You can also read a book in dim lighting, not so brightly lit. ## 8. You Are Easily Distracted And Your Attention Wanders The very moment that you become aware of the fact that you’re not paying attention to your thoughts… you become aware of them. This is the most important attention you’ll ever pay. Attention is the focus on a particular sensory channel. When you focus on certain sensory input channels, your mind, body and emotions are not in total harmony. This is why it is imossible to ‘pay’ attention or be attentive. __It fluctuates and goes in and out.__ So don't worry and just start meditating for a few minutes a day. That's it. Just sit still for 30 seconds and no more. Do this for a few days. Then try a minute. Then try a few more and slowly you will find your focus increase. Your ability to pay attention would naturally follow slowly form peace and calmness of the mind. ## 9. Stop Using an Alarm Clock and Start Getting More Sleep If you use an alarm clock, more than likely you are not getting enough sleep. Sleep is extremely important and vital to our mental and physical health. If you find yourself using an alarm clock, try to ween yourself off of it. Try going to bed 1/2 hour early. Then a few days later, to go bed an hour early. Then slowly increase this until you no longer need an alarm clock and you naturally wake up at the time you're supposed to. Follow your circadian and natural rhythms and vibrations. ## 10. Learn To Cook Yes, we're still on food, because it's the most important part of our lives. You should definitely learn to cook. And it's not hard at all. You can follow 4-5 step simple recipes once or twice a week. Then increase to more than a few times a week. Eventually you'll only want to eat your own cooking for the most part. It not only saves on money but it's healthier. http://i.imgur.com/P5fjGXz.jpg # Thanks For Reading The most important thing to remember is that diligence and making these small changes into habits is the key. __The small tiny changes don't seem like much, but they add up over time and that's where the beauty lies.__ You don't find yourself getting taxed and bogged down with so much change. It's so gradual and barely visible that the mind accepts is faster than it would accept drastic change. So let us be aware of our greed and breeze through our daily struggles by being self aware and making small changes to live a better life. *Thank you very much for reading my thoughts. I hope you like and upvote it! :) Please let me know if you have any questions about anything and I'd be happy to explain. These all all only my opinions and nothing here should be taken as fact*