Week 10

Dear Friends,

::We can all agree that willpower is needed for anything worth doing especially for reaching goals.  One way to gain more willpower or self-control is to train your brain through meditation. Neuroscientists have discovered that when you ask the brain to meditate, it gets better not just at meditating, but at a wide range of self-control skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness. Regular meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, as well as regions of the brain that support self-awareness according to Kelly Monigal, Ph.D. of Stanford University.  I thought I'd share this with you because my meditation practice has been central to my goals.::

 

I encourage you start your own daily meditation practice (it could even be five minutes per day!) by following these simple steps:
1. Find a comfortable sitting position then sit still and stay put.
2. Turn your attention to the breath.
3. Notice how it feels to breath and notice how the mind wanders.

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Goal 1: To change 30 lives
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What have you done for me lately?: 

Last week's action plan was to make notes / sandwiches for the less fortunate.  It didn’t happen, and I have no excuse.  Next week starts a new and I am determined to finish all action plans including giving back through this one. 

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:

Notes / sandwiches for less fortunate

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Goal 2: To gain 10 lbs of muscle
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What have you done for me lately?: 
I was supposed to lift heavy 5 days this week, Eat 5 meals.  I lifted heavy 4 days, ran for 3 hours, went to yoga, and played basketball twice. 

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:

Lift heavy 5 days this week, eat 5 meals per day, play basketball 2 times, and go to yoga.

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Goal 3: to save an extra $2,000

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What have you done for me lately?:

IT HAS BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE I QUIT SMOKING!!!  

I couldn’t be happier about it :)  I have more energy, enjoy life more fully, and harbor no guilt for ruining my health -- not to mention the money I’m banking by shaking the smokes.  I will keep no nicotine in my WAP until the end but this week I’ve added another money saving activity.

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:

Choose dollar amount to set aside each paycheck and set up a direct deposit into savings account.   

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Goal 4: To develop and present a business plan to FIVE investors

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What have you done for me lately?:

Last week’s action:

Last week I said I would challenge myself to imagine my future-self accomplishing this goal.  Write one page about what it feel like//how it will affect my life.  I contemplated this while I jogging and I found that my cognition for this goal is centered on an “all-or-nothing” perspective.  I am scared to make progress because it is my fear that the idea I follow will define me.  I don’t want to risk putting myself in a box but by not trying, I am doing just that.  I don’t need to make a perfect business plan before presenting.  No matter what work I come up with the experience is priceless.  This is the attitude I will adopt moving forward for Goal 4.

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:

Start from scratch.

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Goal 5: To spend 200 hours learning and/or practicing Spanish

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What have you done for me lately?:

Last week's action plan was to read a minimum of five articles on Nulu//schedule tutor lesson//read one page of the textbook.  I read five articles, scheduled my tutor lesson for November 5, and read 20 pages of the textbook!  That is what I would have liked to report but the truth is I didn’t make any progress.  I’m keeping the same goal but changing my attitude.  Every action plan MUST be completed for every goal this week.
.    

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:

Read a minimum of five articles on Nulu // schedule tutor lesson // read one page of the textbook. 

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Goal 6: To read 12 books

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What have you done for me lately?:

Last week's action plan was read at least 100 pages.  I ended up reading more than 100 pages and finishing Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.   It was an eye-opening read.  I’ve never thought about life from this perspective and it clicked with me.  Meditation is now the most important part of my day.  I also finished The Willpower Instinct which is a book that everyone should read on self-awareness.  Next I’m reading the second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins next and listening to Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. 

Weekly Action Plan (WAP)!:
Read 100 pages.  Listen to two hours of audiobook. 

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W  o  r  d  s   to   p  o  n  d  e  r

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"If your mind is empty, it is ready for anything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few."
- Shunryu Suzuki

 Michael Love