7 Ways to Live a Stress-free Life

Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us. But just like baseball, we’ve got 2 more strikes left before we’re out. Even when we are out, be thankful for another opportunity to be a batter again. Hey batter, batter! You can do better!

What if I told you that there are a few things you can do to reduce the stress out of your life? Or better yet, let’s eradicate the stress.

1. Cut off Toxic People

You don’t need to breathe in all that pollution everyday.

This one tends to be tricky for some. Especially, if you’ve known these people since childhood whether it be friends or family. Nonetheless, if they are TOXIC then there should be absolutely no tolerance for Toxicity, no matter who it’s coming from. It’s usually those closest to you who may end up back stabbing you. Sometimes, we have to come to terms with the fact that those friends you grew up with aren’t the same anymore.

Everyone was innocent as a child, once we transition into adolescence we learn a few things about ourselves, then we reach into adulthood and life slaps you in the face. This is when we have to face reality. Most people tend to lose their childhood friends once they go through their middle school years, each one goes to their own clique, and become a different person in attempts to find themselves. In actuality we don’t really know who we are until we do some soul searching, which usually happens when we become mature adults.

So, cut off the toxic people from your life, and it’ll allow more room for your serenity, and for new positive friends to come. You can’t attract good people by hanging out with the wrong crowd. You could be missing out on various opportunities because of your association with radioactive toxicity. Good vibes don’t like clashing with substances that may cause a chemical explosion. No. No. No. We’re too chill for that mess.

As for family, well the best way to go about that is to place your focus on building a family of your own, instilling noble values, and those children you raise will not depart from your wise teachings. Create your own oasis of peace and joy. But in order to do that you must have wisdom among other resources.

2. Stop Caring about What People Think of YOU

Let them talk. When have gossipers ever been right about anything? Rarely!

Only YOU know yourself better than anyone else, so why does it matter what others have to say about you?

In this social media age, a lot of people have become so consumed with the opinions of others to the point it drives them to depression and stress.

Here’s the thing though:

Everyone has an opinion, and it may clash with other opinions. At the end of the day. It is simply just that: An OPINION. Do we really want to stress over something as fickle as an opinion? If that’s the case, we’d all lose our minds all day everyday, because opinions are always changing and it differs from person to person. Opinions are not the end-all be-all. If you try to satisfy opinions, you’ll never truly enjoy life, because if it’s not one thing, it’s another. It’s never-ending and inconsistent.

So, shut off the boisterous noises from social media voices, and really take the time to find yourself. Focus on building yourself up to become the best version of yourself. Stop caring about what people think. This is also the mantra of David Goggins, who has been able to accomplish many feats by simply not giving a damn about the opinions of others.

3. Focus on Your Path Ahead

Are you going to go or what? The path cannot walk itself!

Stop worrying about what the next person is doing. Take the time and energy to trailblaze your own unique path. We are meant to be different. I don’t know what’s the obsession with wanting to be like everyone else. There’s nothing wrong with standing out. But see you wouldn’t know you’re standing out of you were busy focusing on YOUR path ahead.

Every person has their own route to navigate through, so it doesn’t make sense to look at what others are doing in order to conquer a path they isn’t the same as others. And that’s OK.  The path was laid out for US, we wouldn’t be given a quest that we couldn’t handle.  Whenever it gets tough, it’s only for your betterment not detriment.

4. Let Go of Your Own Baggage

Mental or emotional baggage, traumas of the past. You don’t want to be carrying all that unnecessary load with you for decades on, onto the grave. Life can already be hard as it is, why make it even harder?

We cannot control the ills that have been done unto us, but we can control how we react, deal, and heal from it. Ultimately, you want to continue succeeding in the mission of becoming the best version of yourself no matter what happens. If you succumb to misery forever, you’ve lost the battle, and your enemies have won. Don’t let them beat you. These people who hurt you in the past are NO LONGER THERE so how is it that we still allow them to win? Our joy and resilience is their pestilence. The best way to heal is to not allow ourselves to self-destruct sue to the program our abusers have instilled in us. Stop letting them win! Your mindset can defeat them, you don’t even have to exchange fists (anymore).

Life will have suffering in it, there’s no going around it. Just keep being that strong soldier. The key is to strengthen your mind. Wisdom is a powerful remedy. There’s more life beyond this dimension. 

5. Seek Greater Wisdom

This one’s very vital to your vitality. I’ve mentioned wisdom plenty of times. Even the Holy Bible emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom, also the fact that wisdom is more precious than rubies. We could have plentiful riches but without wisdom, we wouldn’t know what to do with all that. Without wisdom we’d squander on those gifts, and before we know we go broke.

Not only is wisdom beneficial for your finances and investments. Wisdom can go deeper than that. It gives you the information you need to save yourself from misery and hellish consequences. We often tell ourselves: “if only we have known better.” Of course, if you know better you do better (so I hope!). Wisdom provides that ability to forsee consequences, and also it gives you a profound understanding of how detrimental certain actions can be. You’ll look at the long-term more as opposed to instant gratification. People get in the most trouble by trying to fulfill their short-term pleasure excursions, which tend to cost you a huge chuck of your life. Ask ex-convicts who’ve done a solid 10+ years, they’ll tell you all about how they’ve thrown away their youth all because of instant gratification, which translates to a lack of wisdom.

So, as a free citizen, take some time to increase your wisdom. Learn some things, read, and meditate on it. Tread lightly though, not everything that’s written in this world is solid. Let’s take a dive into our philosophical capabilities in order to dissect information, have discernment, and make the right conclusions. Life’s nothing more than a learning experience.  Let’s use the time wisely.

6. Eat Healthy and Exercise

Vegetables are bright and colorful for a reason. It is to captivate our eyes to consume such healthful goodness!!

I’m no registered dietitian, but I’ve done a lot of research myself on nutrition. It’s quite straightforward. You want to treat your body like a holy temple. Eat healthy. Mostly vegetables, legumes, clean meats, whole grains, then fruit and oils(olive, coconut, grapeseed, avocado oils). We can indulge in a little bit of sweets in moderation though. But fast food is a definite NO NO!! Avoid processed garbage and refined sugars. However, cane sugar (brown and white), agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar are some great alternatives for sweetness.

But you’ll see how the more active your body is from exercising consistently, the less your body will crave high sugar and fatty foods. Once you get your body into the rhythm of eating healthy, it’ll reject that Whopper you tried to feed it. Trust me, you’ll never wanna relive that grueling toilet experience again! Burgers aren’t so unhealthy if you make it at home. It’s the fast food junk you don’t want. Also, you can get creative with cooking, or create healthy alternatives. You don’t have to sacrifice the flavor! Curry is loaded with flavor and is very healthy!

7. Tune into Your Hobbies

Discover and refine your talents. Find activities you enjoy.  Compile a list of them, and try to fit them in your daily schedule. Once you find hobbies you’re good at, never let them go. The moment you let go of your hobbies is the moment you lose yourself. Keep nourishing that talent and you’ll see yourself flourishing. This will help you to stay concentrated in your path as well. You won’t be jealous of the person next to you because you’ll be too busy focusing on Your path. When you drive,  you wanna keep your eyes on the road otherwise you’ll crash. And that’s a mess you don’t want to get into.  So, please keep your eyes on the road (your path). And maneuver rightfully, avoiding the crazy road raging drivers.

This about sums it up! 7 Ways to live a stress free life.  Thank you for reading! And I hope this helps.

Sleeping on the Floor Improved my Sleep

Most people prefer a soft and comfortable mattress, probably memory foam. However, I absolutely despise memory foam! I don’t like the feeling of my back sinking down as if I’m being swallowed up by the bed, like being in a sinkhole of some sort. Not to mention, it promotes bad posture.

When you lay on a memory foam mattress, your body is sinking down, allowing the curves of your back to sink lower, causing you to wake up with back pain and fatigue.

Not everyone may experience this. Maybe most have gotten so accustomed to being comfortable all the time, they don’t realize where the pain will come from further down the line.

One thing is for sure, our ancestors didn’t always lay on extra soft mattresses. You lay down on the earth, and that is all the natural padding we need. I find myself actually enjoying my sleep better when sleeping on a mat. I wake up at 5 am (sometimes I beat the alarm), and I’m full of energy, no back pain. I do want to note that I’ve been sleeping on a mat for about 5 years now, so I’ve gotten used to it.

I recall, about 15 years ago, a relative in my family who liked to sleep on a yoga mat, and everyone thought she was weird. Including me. But now as an adult, I’ve come to realize she was indeed right. You do get better sleep on a very firm surface. A surface that resembles the Earth. Not too hard, but definitely not too soft.

Plenty of cultures around the world sleep on the floormats. So it isn’t weird or uncommon.

Japanese Tatami Floors

In Japan, tatami floors are used throughout the house. Then, you place a shikibuton, Japanese floor mattress, and it provides you with an actual firm surface to lay on.

Thai Floor Mats

I really like these! They’re portable, light, and colorful.

Chinese Firm Beds

I’ve been to China under a study abroad program, and I stayed in an international student dorm. The other American students had issues sleeping on the beds because they were harder than what they’re used to. (memory foam lovers!) However, for me sleeping on the Chinese beds wasn’t so bad. I slept pretty good actually.

The Issue with Memory Foam

I’ve slept on memory foam a few times, and it has caused problems for me. I would toss and turn throughout the night, I felt like my entire body was sinking down which made tossing and turning suck even more. So, I did not get a full night’s sleep, and by sunrise I was awakened by back and neck pain. Not a great way to start the day.

Sleeping on floormats is definitely for me, and has worked for many others as well. If you have carpet floors, you’ve already got some cushion, just add a thin mat (blanket, yoga mat, or a pretty Thai mat) on there and you’re good! As for hardwood floors, those would require a floor mattress, such as a shikibuton, that adds some cushion to it. Basically, you don’t want to sleep on surfaces that are too soft or too hard.

Because without a good night’s sleep, your mind cannot unleash its optimal level!

It All Starts With the Mind

When I first started blogging, it was because it’s simply something I have to do. Writers have to write, whether someone reads it or not. But in time, it became something I found important for others. Everything starts with the mind. Everything. Decisions start in the mind, and decisions derive from what you think. When […]

It All Starts With the Mind

Ever felt Worthless? Well…

YOU’RE NOT.

Each and every one of us is made up of numerous molecules, that work day and night to keep YOU alive. That’s a lot of love right there my friend!

Think about it! Every atom makes up molecules, which make up the cells, then the cells divide, creating even more cells, constantly regenerating themselves to keep YOU alive and well. Plenty of work is being done within you, and you don’t even have to think about it. See. That’s the thing, we tend to not think about all the effort our cells put into making sure we are HEALTHY.

HEALTHY SELF. HEAL THY SELF.

So while you have a lot going on in your mind. All the doubts, insecurities, anger, resentment, or sadness you may be feeling. Your body has a lot going on to keep you steady physiologically. And our mental anguish is basically piling up MORE unnecessary work for our cells, causing the healing of thyself to delay. Our negative thoughts and emotions impacts our bodys’ ability to perform and be resilient. Our cells work hard enough as it is, no need to add more on their plates. I’m sure you wouldn’t like it when you wash dishes and people add more dirty plates to the sink. Haha! I know I don’t. It feels like it never ends. Well, that’s how our cells feel when we stack on more workloads for them.

Our cells love us. They NEVER STOP working to keep you ALIVE.

If you weren’t worth anything, your cells wouldn’t be working so hard. When you take a moment to think about the vast complexities of our biological functions, it is utterly amazing the way we are created. We were made to LIVE. And to accomplish many feats, for as long as we are on this plane of existence. (Death is only a transcendence into another realm, so technically there’s no such thing).

Despite, the fact that we have an innumerable amount of cells meticulously moving and going for the long haul, each of us is only a speck in this vast universe. Similar to the multitude of stars in the sky, we are chosen to emanate life on this plane of existence. We breathe life all day everyday, we’re made to LIVE.

Though, we may be a speck of life, we are known in the skies, just like we know the stars above. We are beautiful creations, yet we are to remain humble. That’s why we’re just a speck, to remind us that the world does not revolve around us. But that doesn’t mean we are worthless. Our value is sealed, and we display them through our actions, qualities, and content of character. And you can shine brightly by setting yourself apart from the other stars. You can be surrounded by darkness, yet you still shine bright enough to be prominent to one’s eyes. (Like being the apple of God’s eyes.) Like being the only candle lit in a dark room. Just because you’ve been in the darkness, doesn’t mean you have to become it. If you become confederate to it, you will not be seen anymore, your talents would be in vain, and no longer would you be prominent. Do not even be dim. Do not align with darkness for you are made to LIVE, not wither into oblivion. You’ve walked among darkness but you are to become a prominent star, and multiply as such, bring forth life. We are to represent LIFE. And that right there should solidify your worth.

You don’t need to be famous to be a prominent star, just live righteously and represent light = life.

You. Are. Not. Worthless.

Do your cells a favor and elevate your mind state. Relax and rejuvenate.

The Healing Frequencies of Sound

Our minds register the vibrations of the sounds we hear around us, our bodies then resonate with it, reminding us of harmony.

“If you want to find the secrets of the Universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. ”

– Nikola Tesla

There is a YouTube channel, Healing Vibrations, has numerous videos of soothing singing bowls. This one in particular, “sleep music for anxiety” calms me down, and there are many more videos: energy regeneration, insomnia relief, underwater sleep music, mind clarity, stress relief, etc. There’s plenty to browse and relax to.

We tend to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world, working and trying to make ends meet, saving up, or investing. Whatever it is, we’ve taken away our focus on pure serenity, taking the time to truly relax, and rejuvenate our energy centers which are influenced by vibrations and frequencies. That’s why our own thoughts can destroy our productivity in the daytime, and our sleep in the nighttime. Stress dismantles the tranquility of a normal frequency, it chops it up, zapping your energy away,, causing you to lose focus, making you irritated. When the frequencies we surround ourselves with are negative, chaotic, or just boisterous noise, our energy centers are unable to replenish. We must change our environment quickly before we are consumed by the toxicity. Noise Pollution hmm.

What makes 432 hz so special?

Singing bowls, among many sounds in nature, is at 432hz, which is known to be a healing frequency that resonates with our body and spirit. It sets all living things into a healthy balance, alleviating stress. This may sound far-fetched for some, but when delving into physics, it makes scientific sense.

It was already known in the ancient times about the healing frequencies and its ability to realign yourself. There’s more information here. 432hz isn’t the only frequency, there are others that mathematically are aligned with the order of the universe. There are also other healing frequencies including the Solfeggio frequencies.

As you know, the universe has an invisible blueprint that is calculated by vast mathematical and scientific calculations that are beyond what we know. In fact, we can be geniuses in this world and still only know a speck of information about the universe. Because everything in the universe must align, specific numbers are selected to represent a movement of sound (vibration) that travels and resonates within us, bringing us closer to nature.

The inside of our bodies resembles the universe, for example: our neurons firing looks like shooting stars, brain activity moving like the galaxy, dancing, constantly molding into something greater.

We have a universe within us, breath of life is in us, and life is abundant outside of us and BEYOND. The universe is as complex as the inner workings of our brains.

We’re not as connected as our ancestors were to nature. We tend to preoccupy our minds with insignificant things, and forget what truly matters. We’ve lost our touch with nature. We don’t want to even touch the rich soil, for concern that we’ll get our sleeves dirty. We cleave onto material things we don’t need, yet we’re not happy with it. So what is it that we really want?

We’ve forgotten who we are. Spiritual beings encased in vessels that makes us human. But if we’ve forgotten how to be human (in tune with nature, hunting, building with hands, survival) how could be ever get to realizing that we’re spiritual beings? highly capable of acquiring infinite knowledge and wisdom. Our time on this Earth is to learn many things, discovery, creativity, innovation, and growth. But most of us are so busy chasing paper, that will lose value in the near future, chasing careers that still don’t make us fulfilled, and we surround ourselves with the hustle and bustle that muffles the vibrations we need.

Rain is the most soothing sound for me, yet many people are inconvenienced by it on their way to their 9 to 5, it messes up their slacks or high heel shoes. But I bet if they were growing crops they’d appreciate the rain more. A day off from watering the plants… a day to relax and be soothed by the sounds of the showering skies, showering you with the healing frequency, making you feel at ease. Once again, remembering the harmony that exists. Harmony is a musical term for a reason you know.

The Eyes of a Narcissist

…are deadly, heavily laced with lies, willingly displaced their true intentions, hidden beneath the cold stoic eyes that show false cheer to those who come near, only those with heightened spiritual senses can detect the fakery within, the charming character played is highly manipulative,

It takes more than just experience to realize this, it takes wisdom to not get stuck in a conundrum web spun by a narcissist.

Their words of deceit they keep it on repeat until the illusion never skips a beat, it becomes a major part of you like your heart.

There’s just something about the eyes of the narcissist, so worn and cold, no emotion nor empathy, apathy is a path they’ve selected, it goes beyond selfishness, it’s an abyss too deep for any measurement to reach, and when you fall victim to their darkness it’s hard to come out from beneath,

The words of a narcissist, continue to persist no matter how much you insist in resisting the fallacious content from being ingrained in your brain, the little bit of sanity that remained just took a 180, you’re not afraid, see, you just forgot which way to escape, or you may be wondering if there’s even a need to regain your mind again.

We’ve been mentally slain by the speech of a narcissist, who forced us to believe in lies and undermined the reality of the bullshit standing right before us, they glorified the mortified faces we make when lies are being coerced on us by their twisted affirmations, bringing our negative thoughts into constant rotation, unrealistic but at one point we believed it.

We were held captive by their captivating form of expression, but we’ve awakened from it all. We finally unveiled the truth, no longer are we too frail to look into the lifeless eyes of the most conniving, only to see that nothing is there.

I often wonder how can such a person harbor and hoard up so many lies and webs of deception, you’d think they get caught up in their own mess, fumbling over their own words, stumbling over their own abundant well-kept arsenal of lies, they never seem to slip until you take a closer glimpse…

How can they? by day play the role of a good friend, then later that evening that kindness takes a flight, a hiatus, and their true colors lit up,

lighting you up, blinding you, winding you back into subjugation, preparing your indoctrination.

The wicked grimace that night remains imprinted it in your mind, so much so you recognize that evil grin the very next day at the dinner table, and everyone around is so clueless as to how ruthless that narcissist is, their personalities switch like changing the channel, it’s used to throw you off guard before they throw you under the bus, never let a narcissist know they’ve been busted. Just run silently, stealthily like a shinobi, leave no trace behind…

To ensure they don’t find you.

So they can no longer undermine YOUR mind.

C A Y E N N E

My outlook is an introverted version,

Observing from afar,

Searching for the perfect movement,

《Rhythm》

Certain moments have converted my perception,

Intercepted by my adept way of accepting life for what it is,

Regardless of fleeting feelings which intermittently flee. . . . .

Logic dominates,

And I’ve accommodated to it,

Because logical reasoning is a Hot 🔥 Commodity,

Like a spicy seasoning, Cayenne.

Ay te cay con el Cayenne,

hace que te calles,

sazon de verdades pa’ los que aguanten.

It’s essential to adapt a bit but don’t forget your identity,

《Ancient Ancestry》

Nor where you’re bred,

But be free from prior deceptions,

Fallacious ideologies may have been laced in by your parents’ mistakes,

Who may be new souls,

so new they never even knew souls exist.

Old souls are bold like the dry peppers you unfold,

then crush into a powerful powder,

Cayenne couldn’t be any louder,

Than any fight instigating shouter,

Hotter than a steaming shower,

To those who mistake meekness for weakness,

Cayenne hace que se callen,

Can’t handle the heat of the truth.

There’s always a next lifetime to flavor up your spice nice.

Wisdom from the Past in Traditional Art

Norwegian Decorative Art of Rosemaling In traditional art, it was a custom to have a saying or Proverb decorating the border of a bowl, utensil or piece of furniture. Especially this is seen in the old decorative art of Norway, called Rosemaling. Rosemaling by Bjorn Pettersen The following words of wisdom were indicative of a social […]

Wisdom from the Past in Traditional Art

A Fatherless Home is like a Pilotless Plane…

Can you imagine being on board a plane then suddenly the pilot decides to abort mission in the midst of our journey? That could be disheartening and scary.

Last night, 2/10/21, I had this dream that I was on a small plane heading towards Thailand.

I was able to see through the front window, beautiful forests, tall trees and green grass in the rural area, ponds, and leisure chairs right next to rivers, and I knew it to be Thailand. The pilot was conducting the plane too close to the trees, we were moving very slow, I almost thought the plane would go down and stop, and we’d be stranded. But we continue to go a little higher into the air.

Then I had this thought come to mind “a fatherless home is like being on a plane without a pilot. Imagine if the pilot just parachuted out of the plane, leaving the co-pilot to do everything, endangering the passengers, increasing the likelihood of crashing.”

Though, our pilot never left, and we did arrive to our destination safely. As I was about to sip on some Chai tea, I wake up.

A pilot (father) has a duty to ensure that the plane arrives to its destination safely. Wherever the passengers (his children) decide to go after landing is up to them (when they reach adulthood). If a pilot just decided to jump out of the plane with his parachute saying, “Forget this I’m out!” in the middle of a long flight, the co-pilot (lone mother) would have a lot of stress. There’s a reason two pilots are needed. It went from making sure the plane arrives – to making sure it just doesn’t crash and burn. It went from living life to just plain survival. This endangers the passengers which would most likely have difficulty in life getting to their destination. Their priority then becomes “making sure you don’t mess up” instead of having the confidence to move along to prosper and focus on tackling high achievement goals, like “once I arrive I will do this and that.”

A lot of extra energy is exerted when there’s no pilot (no father) to lead the plane to the right direction. Everyone in a family unit is to do their part in ensuring that the next generation is prepared to take on the world.

The Battle of the MiNd

Sit back and observe your life, as if you were your own spectator, and analyze. You’ll realize that no matter how many layers you peel off that onion, the root is the mind.

How your mind handles and reacts to situations is key that can SET you apart, instead of SETbacks breaking you apart.

You cannot. You must not undermine the mind.

That could be a major downfall, when you neglect strengthening your mind. We tend to think every obstacle is physical. Your body is not the only thing that should be in shape.

Then again, you don’t want to just be “in shape”, you want to surpass many obstacles, and be what average people call “superhuman”. Do not put limitations on yourself. Just see how far you can go whether it’s running ultramarathons, hiking trails, figuring out advanced mathematical equations, creating an invention, breaking world records, surviving the wilderness, digging for jewels, etc. The list is endless really.

No matter what goals you decide to begin your journey with, the mind will always be that stumbling block you have to get over. It is YOUR mind. YOU already own it, so OWN IT.

You’re going to feel good after it’s all set and done. Think about this: Do you really have an excuse to stop now?

No. No you don’t. There is no excuse unless you make them. Instead of manufacturing excuses, let’s be more productive and produce results. Our mind is the powerhouse for that production.

You know what really grinds my gears? When I see so much great potential go to waste, all because of a factor they could’ve changed: the MiNd. It’s like expecting a stock to rise, only for it to devalue.

Your mind is the factory. You can either:

A) Manufacture excuses – nothing useful will be shipped out, a useless enterprise (with no prizes) it’s no surprise that it creates a surplus of disappointment. No appointments are scheduled because you’ve allowed failure to be an option. Not just an option, but you’ve made it the only option. Opting your own self out. That’s like striking yourself out. Manufacturing excuses will never produce any fruit, yet you’ve invested so much into the Misery Company stocks, it’s no wonder your blessings are blocked.

B) Produce Results – solid accomplishments worth the mention, you started with nothing so what do you really have to lose? You start building and notice that you’ve ran WAY past that goal post, so much so, you no longer seek finish lines, next thing you know you cross state lines. You’ve gone so far you may be honorably discharged from the position when the product continues to flourish. Like having abundant passive income, there’s no need for a job. But you still work as an entrepreneur because you enjoy what you produce. Plenty fruit.

The mind can do wondrous works for you, but you have to tap into that mindset of wealth. Not just money. But have that wealthy state of mind, where you see the potential in you, and abundance of accomplishments ready for the taking.

Do not sell yourself short.

Be your own great investor.

Invest in yourself. Your health. Your Mind. Before anything else.