Personal development is an often used but rarely explained term. It is about investing in yourself so that you can manage yourself effectively regardless of what life might bring your way. Personal development allows you to be proactive. Rather than wait for good things to happen, you get out there and make them happen. You may not always achieve your objective, but you will experience a richer and more rewarding life when you commit to pursuing your own objectives. Making that commitment to personal development is the first step on the path to personal fulfilment.

Personal development is a key component the Excellence Lifestyle. I have created a FREE guide to help you pursue and live a life of excellence.

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6 Benefits of personal development

The following are 6 of the most important benefits of a personal development mindset:

1. Self-awareness

Personal development begins with self-awareness. You get to know who you really are; your values, beliefs and the purpose you wish to pursue. True fulfilment can never come from chasing other peoples dreams. If you want to achieve lasting happiness, you need to design your life based on who you are. Then you can chase your own goals and objectives. When you are chasing your own goals, there is as much pleasure to be derived from the journey as there is to be derived from reaching your destination. Self-awareness is the first fundamental step in the personal development process.

Each day, you receive information about what you want from life but if you are not aware, these messages slip by without you even noticing them. A great opportunity for learning and self-improvement is lost. It would surprise some people to learn how many coaching clients I have spoken to who have told me they have no idea what they want from life. They have spent their life missing the feedback and messages, which would lead to their own personal development.

You might be wondering how these messages are delivered. The answer is that they are delivered in the form of feelings and contrast. Each day you encounter things which you feel bad about. You dont like something or, you dont like a situation the way it currently is. Imagine if you took the opportunity to ask yourself questions such as:

By asking these questions and, others like them, you get clearer about what you really want from life.

If you are not committed to your own personal development and, you lack self-awareness; you just give out about every problem you see. But when you are aware, you use the power of contrast to determine areas for personal development which will help you improve your life.

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2. A sense of direction

Once you have raised your self-awareness, you are clearer on the things you wish to achieve from life. Decision-making becomes a lot easier. Tasks which used to take a great deal of your time, no longer make it onto your to-do list. You now realise that they do not move you towards your objectives and therefore are not worthy of your time.

This is where many people make a major mistake with goals. They see goals as something extra that you add to your life. You find time to work on your goals when you have everything else done. When you set goals this way, you think you are going to make your life bigger and better by adding more to it.

What really happens is that you make your life smaller by overloading yourself with things that you dont really need to be doing.

If goals are set properly, they reduce your workload and improve the quality of everything you do. The real magic of goals and personal development is not just that they tell you what you need to be doing.

Just as importantly, if not more so; they tell you everything that you should not be doing. The biggest mistake in personal development is trying to do more. If you want to improve, the real key to success is to do less and, do it better.

When you have a clear sense of direction, you can eliminate anything which does not take you in that direction. When you have done that, you can use the 80/20 principle to identify the vital few things which take you in that direction with the greatest speed and least effort.

Personal development and a sense of direction allows you to shift your focus from quantity to quality. Do more and do it better. Even in your leisure time, do more and invest yourself more fully in it. Give 100% to the vital few and you will do far better than dividing your energy among too many tasks and activities.

Life is most enjoyable when you have a clear sense of direction and purpose. Personal development gives meaning, purpose and direction to your days.

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3. Improved focus and effectiveness

With personal development comes clarity. Even with an improved sense of direction, there will always be multiple tasks looking for your attention. As your personal development improves, prioritisation becomes much easier. You are clearer on your objectives and you can quickly identify which task will give you the best result with the resources available to you at that moment.

Improved focus and effectiveness comes with knowing and playing to your strengths.

One of the biggest obstacles to focus is distraction. Distraction mostly happens because you dont see the great difference between the benefit you will derive from the activity you should be doing and the one you are distracting yourself with. Therefore, you work better when there is a deadline looming i.e. the benefit of meeting the deadline becomes much clearer and the problems caused by the distraction become just as apparent.

Being committed to personal development helps you to become more focused. It helps you to resist distractions without needing to have deadlines constantly looming. Because having too many deadlines can lead to too much pressure and stress. Pressure and stress also arise from feeling the need to be perfect; as if you only get one go at anything.

Personal development is a continuous journey. With each step, it becomes easier to see the true value of each activity. The following are just some of the reasons why you get more focused as your personal development progresses:

Personal development allows you to see each task, project and activity for its true value, making it easier to do what you need to do.

When you see each task, project and activity for what it is i.e. a step along a continuous journey, you feel less desire to be distracted. You also see the pointlessness of perfectionism because you know that you, and your work, are constantly improving.

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Learn powerful strategies to get organised and focused with 'The Modern Professional's Guide to Organisation and Focus'.

4. More motivation

When you know what you want to achieve, it is easier for you to see the benefits of taking action. Even when the task ahead is not enjoyable; if you can see a clear benefit, you are more motivated to take the necessary action. There is truth in the old adage

Where there is a will there is a way.

With strong personal development, you develop the necessary will.

Once you accept that personal development is a continuous journey and, you commit to that journey; you realise that each day you will become a little clearer about what you want.

As you become clearer about what you want, you start to see how achieving your goal will improve your life. You can visualise the benefits you will experience. This is what builds the will to accomplish the goal. This is where your most powerful motivation comes from.

One of the biggest obstacles to motivation is the overwhelming size of the goal. There just seems to be so much to do that you feel like you can never achieve it all. And if you dont feel like you can achieve it, how can you get motivated to get it done? The answer is that you really need to understand the truth about goals.

The end goal/dream is just the culmination of a process so, you dont need to motivate yourself for that. You only need enough motivation to take the next action.

As you progress further with your personal development, you see that the real goals are the actions you need to take each day. You are confident that each action you complete will take you closer to the end goal /dream so, you dont need to worry about that.

You just focus on what you need to do next and, get that done. Then, you move to the next task. Occasionally, you check to see what progress you are making but, most of the time, you are only focused on what you need to do next.

You rarely need as much motivation as you think. Instead of motivating yourself for the big goal, you only need enough motivation to take the next step. Personal development enables you to see that.

Motivation is about building the will and desire to achieve your goal. Nothing great was ever achieved without a strong will and a burning desire.

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5. Greater resilience

There will be tough times in life. When these tough times occur, you need to have the skills and attributes to deal effectively with them. Personal development cannot prevent bad things from occurring but it will help you deal with them when they do. You will have greater confidence, resilience, personal and interpersonal skills to cope with any eventuality.

So far, I have spoken mainly of the positives associated with personal development. However, personal development cannot make all your life experiences positive. There will always be times when bad things happen.

Many times, these events will happen due to circumstances beyond your control, Other times, you will screw up and create a bit of a mess for yourself congratulations on being human!

When you understand personal development, you learn that you can change just about any circumstance in your life. If you cant change the circumstance, you can change your attitude towards the experience which makes it less unpleasant.

Knowing all this allows you to stay calm, composed and in control when a crisis strikes. You can then determine the best course of action to take. This allows you to minimise the damage caused by the negative experience.

Personal development is not just about improving your life by helping you be, do and have more of what you want. It improves your life by helping you deal better with negative experiences too.

Personal development is a key component the Excellence Lifestyle. I have created a FREE guide to help you pursue and live a life of excellence.

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6. More fulfilling relationships

Relationships are a double-edged sword. They either lift you up or drag you down. When you improve your personal development, you are better able to see which relationships are worth investing in and which need to be cut loose. You also develop the skills to make the most of those relationships which have the most positive impact on your life.

When you give no thought to your personal development, you give little thought to the value of your relationships. You just take relationships as they come. You end up with friends who became friends because you spent time around each other. You didnt become friends because you help each other to be better people; to be the people you want to be.

You wouldnt choose your life partner that way because you understand the importance of being with someone who is right for you. Friendships should be chosen the same way.

Of course, you should be friendly with everybody, if possible. But being friendly and being friends are not the same thing. If you are friendly with someone, you spend time with them when you bump into them.

If you are friends with someone, you make time for them and, you are prepared to go out of your way to help them, if you can. You genuinely care about them and their wellbeing is important to you.

A great deal of stress in life comes from not distinguishing between those whom you are friendly with and, those whom you are friends with. You end up giving too much time to the wrong people and, not enough time to those whom you should be giving your time too.

When personal development is important to you, you ensure that your friendships are mutually beneficial, enabling both people to be the best they can be. You give as much time as possible to your family, friends and loved ones. Then, you try to be friendly with everyone else.

Give more of your time to the people who make you better and less to those who bring you down. Every area of your life will benefit as a result.

Ultimate Guide to Goal Setting

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Conclusion

Personal development is a much used and much maligned term. It is about taking the time and, making the commitment, to invest in your greatest resource you. When you put the effort in to developing yourself, the rewards are amazing. Many people are put off personal development because the results are not always measurable. However, the greatest achievers in life know that the key to success is the ability to manage yourself in a variety of situations. That ability comes through personal development.

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6 Core benefits of personal development. Take charge of ...

Performance reviews are an important feature in any organization since it determines the future growth of an employee. Performance review examples help in guiding people responsible for drafting performance evaluations to effectively appraise an individual and draft their assessments.

Annual appraisals can be a time of great strain not only on the employee whose growth in the organization is determined by the review he or she is given by his or her superiors, but also for the people responsible for ensuring proper performance appraisals. Drafting a copy of the review to ensure that feedback can be given to the employee so as to encourage him or her to perform better is important. It is generally the human resource department that is responsible for drafting and conducting performance reviews, along with the employees reporting authority. While some companies ask the employee being evaluated to fill up self-evaluation forms as well, most companies conduct the annual appraisal solely based on a superiors judgment of the employee and his performance in the company. While verbal appraisals can be easy, it is a bit of a task to draft written performance appraisals in order to share it with the employee. This is where performance review examples come into the picture. Sample performance evaluation comments help people responsible for phrasing performance reviews by giving them an insight into how to draft evaluation comments.

Performance review examples and phrases need to be written in such a manner that while expressing authority, they do not have a domineering tone and maintain a tone that is both formal and casual. It is important to highlight the positive ways in which the employee has contributed to the company. Reviews of employee performance are important for attitude development, proper communication, improving employee motivation, organizational targets, and ensuring that positive relations are maintained between the employees and the management. Effective performance review tips need to be kept in mind while drafting a proper appraisal. You can use the following sample appraisals that can aid you in the process.

Performance appraisals focus on many different aspects of a professional environment. Examples of a performance review which determine the professional attitude of an employee are given below.

Proper communication forms the basis of any workplace and it is of utmost importance that an individual has good communication skills, both verbal and written. Given below are some performance appraisal phrases that you can use while reviewing an employees abilities of communicating.

One of the foremost qualities that an employee with high aspirations must possess is leadership and the ability to manage a team. These are also qualities that most companies tend to look out for.

One of the most common causes of attrition in professional settings today is burn out or stress. In such a scenario, it becomes important that employees are able to manage the stress that the work brings along with it.

Most companies lay a lot of stress on punctuality and the ability to manage the time that you have to achieve targets.

Well drafted performance evaluations with proper review phrases are a reflection of the professionalism of not only the company but also of the person drafting the evaluations. In order to ensure that the appraisals do not come across as informal, it is always a good idea to refer to employee review examples that will enable you to draft them well.

Employee:Ross, JasonJob Title:New Business RepresentativeJob Code:124552-654Review period start:12/1/11Review period end: 12/31/12Reviewer:Richard Brown

Communications 3.20 Meets requirementsJason displays very good verbal skills, communicating clearly and concisely. He exhibits good listening skills and comprehends complex matters well. His written communications skills meet the requirements of his position, and he keeps others adequately informed. However, Jason occasionally selects inappropriate methods of communication.

Managing People 3.33 Meets requirementsJason provides clear direction and has little problem gaining compliance from others. He provides consistent, valuable performance feedback, and he dedicates considerable effort to developing the skills of his subordinates. Jason includes subordinates in most planning, and he takes responsibility for his subordinates activities. However, there have been times when he did not make himself available enough to subordinates.

Leadership 2.40 Needs improvementJason quickly assumes a strong leadership role when action is needed. He influences others to perform better. However, he would be a stronger leader if he exhibited greater confidence in himself as well as in others. Upon occasion, his actions have resulted in a lack of respect and trust from others. Jason has reacted poorly in pressure situations.

Teamwork 4.40 Exceeds requirementsJason gives candid, constructive feedback to team members and, in turn, actively requests feedback from them. He is a leader in building a strong team spirit and identity. All his actions are directed toward the success of the team over his own interests. He exhibits a high degree of openness and objectivity to the views of others. Jason has been able to balance the needs of the team with his individual responsibilities.

Recruitment & Staffing 3.40 Meets requirementsJason successfully utilizes the recruitment sources available to him . His analysis and forecasting of staffing needs are accurate and effective. For the most part, he exhibits good interviewing skills and techniques. As he interviews candidates, he usually offers a positive yet realistic view of the organization. His selection decisions generally result in successful hires.

Delegation 2.60 Meets requirementsJason actively uses delegation to better manage the workload of his organization. He usually assigns tasks to people based on their skills, experience, strengths, and limitations. However, his subordinates are too often not given the adequate authority and independence to carry out the responsibilities his has delegated to them. When Jason delegates work, he needs to be clearer in defining expectations and then to monitor those activities regularly. Further, he sometimes does not adequately recognize or give credit to people for the results of work he has delegated.

Goal: Improve Time ManagementCategory:Time ManagementDescription:Try to schedule all of your appointment in the contact management program and keep it updated.Measurement:Weekly printout of contact managers calendar.Goal result:Improved, but I have found some instances where Jason is out of the office but there is not entry in the contact manager.Rating:3

When Jason and I set goals last spring, we did not expect the reorganization. It really changed our priorities so there was not much time to devote to some of the special projects. Instead we got many new projects. Jason played an important role as a team member in selecting the new payroll vendor and in reviewing our procedures during the audit.

Learn to trust members of your staff by letting them successfully complete delegated tasks and prove themselves.

EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGMENT:I have reviewed this document and discussed the contents with my manager. My signature means that I have been advised of my performance status and does not necessarily imply that I agree with the evaluation.

Employee Signature ________________________ Date ___________

Manager Signature _________________________ Date ___________

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Performance Review Examples - Criteria and Phrases

Degrees of Attention

We go through our day in varying degrees of attention. Most of our daily tasks call for minimal attention, such as dressing ourselves, eating or interacting with friends and family. Some tasks require more attention; such as reading a book, drafting an email or attending a job interview.

We can perform the first group of actions while simultaneously performing others: dress ourselves while speaking on the phone, eat while chatting with our friends or interact socially while sending and receiving text messages. However, we cannot perform tasks that require attention alongside other tasks without harming our performance. We cannot read a book while speaking on the phone, draft an email while chatting with our friends, or attend a job interview while texting. We function in varying degrees of attention.

Our attention is subject to our will. If we desire, we can perform any task more attentively.We can bring attention to dressing, sensing the fabric of our clothes,matching the colors of our shirt to our slacks and shoes,etc. We can dine intentionally, tasting each bite, each sip, etc. But we neednt be professionals in any field to verify that we can bring more or less attention to the simplest actions, and this demonstrates that: Our attention is subject to our will.

Dressing inattentively is effortless; dressing intentionally requires effort. Eating inattentively is effortless; tasting the food requires effort. Directing attention through will requires effort.This explains whyGurdjieff called his methods of self-development The Work.

Directing attention is not the end of the Work; it is a means by which, we become conscious. Few teachings make the distinction between consciousness and attention, and this is where the Fourth Way differs from most other systems. The Workis not only about being attentive; it is about being conscious, and consciousness is self-awareness. George Gurdjieff called this self-remembering. Peter Ouspensky called it divided attention. More recently, it has become popularly known as being present.

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New to this Work? Start Here - George Gurdjieff | Be Community

The practice of Zen meditation or Zazen is at the heart of the Zen Buddhist experience. Originally called Dhyana in India, Zen meditation is a very simple yet precise method of meditation, where the correct posture is imperative. The Room

Before starting your meditation, you need to find a quiet and peaceful place where you will not be disturbed. The room where you will practice in should not be too dark or too bright, too warm or too cold.

There are different ways that you can practice Zen meditation. Traditionally, only the full lotus position or the half lotus position is used. If you lack flexibility, it is also possible, yet least recommended, to practice Zazen kneeling or to sit on a chair.

Zazen is practiced sitting on a zafu, a thick and round cushion, in the full lotus (Kekkafuza in Japanese) or half-lotus position (Hankafuza in Japanese). The purpose of this cushion is to elevate the hips, thus forcing the knees to be firmly rooted to the floor. This way, your Zazen will be a lot more stable and also comfortable. Additionally, you need to have a zabuton, which is a rectangular mat that is placed under the zafu to cushion the knees and legs.

Ideally, its is recommended that you buy a zafu but, as a beginner, you can fold up a thick blanket to work as a zafu. Zafus are usually around 13-14 inches in diameter but can be found in a variety of sizes. You can also utilize a thick blanket as a homemade zabuton.

For the half-lotus position, put either foot on top of the opposite thigh, and place the other foot on the floor underneath the other thigh. For the full lotus position, put each foot on the opposite thigh with the line of the toes matching the outer line of the thighs. It is important to push the sky with the top of your head and to push the floor with your knees.

These postures might seem uncomfortable and unnatural for most beginners, but with practice, your legs and hips will become more flexible, your mind will relax, and you will find the posture to be quite comfortable.

If these postures are too uncomfortable, try sitting in seiza, the traditional kneeling position used in Japan for regular sitting in daily life. If that posture is also too uncomfortable, you can use a meditation bench. You can also sit on a chair without using the backrest.

The important point of this posture is to keep the body upright and well balanced; try not to lean in any direction, neither right nor left, neither forward nor backward.

Whatever the position you choose to adopt, make sure that your back and neck stay as straight as possible. Pull your chin in a little to erect the neck and try to push the sky with the top of your head. Do not be too tensed or too relaxed while you do this; try to find balance in your posture. Keep your mouth closed during zazen; your teeth should be together, and your tongue should be against the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth.

Traditionally in Zen, the eyes are kept open during meditation. This prevents the meditator from daydreaming or becoming drowsy. Without focusing on nothing in particular, direct your vision about one meter in front of you on the floor. Your eyes will naturally come to rest in a position that is half opened and half closed. When doing zazen in a soto dojo (meditation hall), the meditator sit facing a wall in order to avoid distracted by external movement. It is suggested to do the same at home.

The position of the hands during Zazen is the same for the full lotus, half lotus, seiza and chair positions. This hand position is called the Cosmic Mudra or Hokkaijoin in Japanese. First, put your left hand on the right one, and palms turned towards the sky. Now, make an oval by touching the tips of the thumbs together so that your thumbs touch each other and form a somewhat straight line. The tips of your thumbs should lightly touch each other. Both of your wrists should rest on your thighs; the edge of your hands should rest against your belly. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

There are two reasons for this hand position. First, shape of the hands harmonizes the condition of our minds. The meaning of the mudra is beyond duality. Secondly, if your mind is somewhere else when you sit, naturally the shape of this oval becomes distorted. This can be a signal for yourself that something is wrong with your meditation and for your teacher so that he can correct you.

If you're interested in creating a Zen Dojo at home, please read this article for more ideas and inspiration.

Zen breathing cannot be compared with any other, and it is a fundamental part of the Zazen practice. The correct breathing can only be achieved through the right posture. During Zazen, breathe quietly through the nose and keep the mouth closed.

Try to establish a calm, long and deep natural rhythm. You should focus on exhalation while inhalation is done naturally. Zen breathing and martial arts breathing are similar, and they can be compared to the mooing of a cow or the roaring of a tiger.

As with breathing, the mindset is essential in the practice of Zen meditation. The right state of mind emerges naturally from a deep concentration on the posture and breathing. During zazen, it is normal to have images, thoughts and emotions coming up to the surface, appearing from the unconscious mind. Do not pursue them or fight escape from them. The more you try to get rid of them, the more attention you give them, and the stronger they become. Try not to attach to them. Just let them go without judgement, like clouds in the sky.

So, as soon as you become aware that you are interacting or grasping on thoughts, immediately bring back your concentration to your posture and breathing; your mind will settle down naturally.

With experience, you will have less and less thoughts during Zazen, and your mind will come to rest more easily and more quickly.

As Zen master, Taisen Deshimaru said: By simply sitting, without looking for any goal or any personal benefit, if your posture, your breathing and your state of mind are in harmony, you will understand the true Zen; you will understand the Buddha's nature.

Now its time to start Zazen. To avoid distraction, it is recommended that you practice facing a wall, as you would do in a training hall (dojo) or a monastery. Place your zafu on your zabuton so that, once sitting, your body is about one meter away from the wall. If you are using a kneeling bench or a chair, also try to position yourself a meter away from the wall.

Once you have taken the position that is the most comfortable for you, take a few deep breath. Close your hands into a fist with your thumbs inside your fingers and the back of your hands on your knees, with the fingers up. Now, slowly balance your body from left to right three or four times.

Next, do gassho. Place your palms against each other as if in prayer, and bend forward a few seconds as a sign of respect for the Buddha and the Buddhas teaching or Dharma. Finally, place your hands in the Hokkaijoin position, and keep your back and neck straight (push the sky with the top of your head) and start Zazen. As a beginner, it is advised to practice for 15 to 30 minutes. A good way to keep track of timer during zazen at home, instead of checking time constantly, is to use a meditation timer on your phone. I would recommend two timer: Enso for iOS and Undo for Android.

Once you have finished Zazen, do gassho again. Remain sitting on the cushion calmly and quietly for a few moments; don't hurry to stand up. Try not to talk for a few minutes after completing Zazen.

*These images were respectfully taken from the highly recommended book "How to Practice Zazen" by Gudo Nishijima and Joe Langdon.

Learn more about Zazen (video): How to do Zazen?

If you're seeking to explore Zen or Buddhism more deeply, here is a list of my favourite Buddhist books that you can use to learn more about this ancient tradition.- Fuyu

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Zen Meditation Guide (zazen) | Zen Buddhism

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Aerobics Workout For Weight Loss At Home For Women With Music. Weight Loss Workout - The 3 Week Diet

It's possible to lose weight in a short time, in a healthy way. With or without aerobics exercises. For years the nutrition and fitness industry, doctors and trainers alike, has told us that is an impossible mission. Nothing more far from be true.

There are many healthy ways to lose weight fast, most of them unknown to almost all people. For decades, a long list of famous actors and sports stars has made impressive physical changes in a very short time. That's why they know the secret that has remained hidden from the majority of us.

Created by acclaimed personal trainer and nutritionist Brian Flatt, The 3 Week Diet is a healthy diet program to lose weight in the shortest possible time. With this revolutionary program, the secrets techniques that celebrities used to transform their bodies are exposed to the public.

Following The 3 Week Diet, any person can lose up to 23 pounds (11 kilos) of belly fat in just 21 days. This representes almost 400 grams of body fat per day. And all this is done in a completely healthy and controlled way.

In The 3 Week Diet Program, author Brian Flatt shows step by step everything related to diet and weight loss process. The scheme does not require you do intensive workout programs, instead, you follow an revolutionary scientific method designed to counteract the causes of obesity.

This program is completely efficient and has years of scientific research behinds, which guarantees its safety. And it guarantees incredible results in just 21 days.

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Aerobics Workout For Weight Loss At Home For Women With Music - Weight Loss Aerobics

Dan Pena who is officially known as Daniel Steven Pena Sr. is an American businessman, philanthropist and business coach whose fame is as a result of his eight-day Castle Seminar. Its focus was on Penas methodology of Quantum Leap Advantage which according to him produced $50 billion in both value and equity. Pena is not only an author but also a public speaker. Keep reading to know more about Dan Penas net worth in 2019.

Dan Pena was born in 1945 on 10th August. His birthplace was Jacksonville, Florida, the United States of America. There is little information available about his family, wife, and children.

Pena attended the California State America, Northridge. From there, he earned a BS degree in Business Administration in 1975.

Before joining the university, Dan served in the US Army. He stopped serving as an officer in 1969 and entered the University immediately. As soon as finished college, Pena started working in real estate. Later, he joined Paine, Webber, Jackson & Curtis. Next, he joined Bear Stearns. Subsequently, Dan became not only the CEO and president of Kennedy Industrial Inc. but also JPK Industries, Inc.s chairman.

As of 1982, Pena became the founder of a Houston-based natural resource company known as Great Western Resources Inc. He left the position in 1992. Dan is also the founder of Guthrie Group named after Guthrie Castle found in Scotland. He started the investment consortium at a place called the Channel Islands in 2002. As far as the Philippines is concerned, he has an investment in iZone Technologies. Dan is its founder and once served as its chairman.

Regarding technologies, he organized Hackathon events. Their purpose is to support the youths in discovering new technologies.

Between October 2012 and January 2015, he ran a series called The Quantum Leap Advantage. It was in the form of podcasts posted on iTunes as well as the Podbean. Also, the Ask the 50 Billion Dollar Man. He released his version of the latter called the Reflections and Confessions of the 50 Billion Dollar Man.

Then, he started a YouTube series, Dans Response to Bullshit. Dave Asprey also featured Pena in his Podcast. Asprey who is also referred to as biohacker is the man who created Bullet Proof Coffee.

Dan has also supported various charities including Missionaries of Charity, The Holy Family Foundation as well as the Holy Family Mission in Sri Lanka. In addition to that, Pena is an author of several books.

Dan received a Latin Business Association in 1981. They termed him as an outstanding business owner. A decade later, first joint graduation commencement speech. In 1997, Pena was the finalist for that years Telly Awards. He received a John Regan Award, Man of the Year Award as well as Inspirational Leadership Award among others.

Dan Pena has an estimated net worth of about $50 billion according to his acclamation in various sources during interviews. His primary source of income is his business ventures. In addition to that, he is a public speaker, business coach and founder of various organizations. Dan also made money when he appeared in podcasts. He has a series on a YouTube channel as well. Besides that, Pena has written books and their sales have contributed to his current net worth.

Dan Pena is the man behind the Quantum Leap Advantage. He was appointed as a member of Order of Saint John by her majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II. Pena also contributes money to many charities. His contribution to technology is also undoubtedly. He has been a president, the founder, a chairman or a CEO of several corporations and organizations as well.

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Dan Pena Net Worth 2019 | Celebs Net Worth Today

What is an article about creating the perfect diet plan doing on a site called A Workout Routine in the middle of a guide to creating the most effective weight training program?

I mean, this is obviously a site geared specifically towards workout related topics, so why the hell am I writing about diet stuff?

Well, Ill tell you why.

If your diet plan isnt what it needs to be, your workout routine will fail completely no matter how perfect it is.

That is not an exaggeration. You could be using the single greatest workout program ever created and it will get you absolutely nowhere if you arent eating in a way that supports your goals.

What Im trying to say is, your diet plan is equally as important as your workout routine (if not more so) in terms of getting the results you want to get.

So, what you need to do now is create the diet plan that will work best for you.

As you can imagine, fully explaining how to do that would require its own insanely comprehensive guide.

Until I get around to doing that, heres the ultimate mini-guide to how to create your perfect diet plan.

The most common recommendations for your daily calorie intake are:

Now let me explain what the hell that actually means.

Every person has a certain number of calories that they need to eat each day in order to maintain their current weight. This is whats known as your calorie maintenance level.

There are a bunch of complicated ways to estimate what your maintenance level is, but the quickest and simplest way is to just multiply your current body weight (in pounds) by 14 and 18.

Somewhere in between those 2 amounts will usually be your daily calorie maintenance level.

If youre more active and/or think you have a fast metabolism, then you should probably use the higher end of that range. If youre less active and/or think you have a slow metabolism, then you should probably use the lower end of that range.

If youre unsure, just pick a number in the middle. Well make sure its perfectly accurate later on. Dont worry.

Next, pick your goal

In order to lose fat, you must consume LESS calories per day than your maintenance level amount. Doing so creates a caloric deficit, and this forces your body to start burning your stored body fat for energy.

Meaning, a caloric deficit is a fat loss requirement.

As I mentioned before, the most often recommended caloric deficit is about 20% below your maintenance level. So, lets do some basic first grade level math.

For example, if your estimated calorie maintenance level is 2500 calories per day, youd figure out that 20% of 2500 is 500 (2500 x .20 = 500). Then youd just subtract that 500 from 2500 and get 2000.

In this example, this person would need to eat 2000 calories per day to lose fat.

In order to build muscle, you must consume MORE calories per day than your maintenance level. Doing so creates a caloric surplus, and this provides your body with the calories it needs to actually create new muscle tissue.

Meaning, a caloric surplus is a muscle building requirement.

As I mentioned before, the ideal caloric surplus for most guys is about 250 calories above your maintenance level, and around half that for girls. So, lets do some basic first grade level math.

For example, a man with an estimated calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories per day would add 250 or so calories to it and get about 2750.

In this example, this person would need to eat about 2750 calories per day to build muscle at an ideal rate.

Since our calorie intake is based on an estimate, its possible it can be a little off. Luckily, theres a very simple way to double check it.

Weigh yourself once per week first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything (or weigh in daily and take the weekly average). Then, just monitor what your weight does from week to week.

Basically, just consistently weigh yourself each week and make sure your weight is moving in the right direction at the optimal rate that I just described.

If is it, perfect! Keep eating that amount of calories each day.

If it isnt, then just adjust your calorie intake in 250 calorie increments until it is. Simple as that.

The most common recommendation for the daily protein intake of healthy adults who are weight training regularly is:

Between 0.8 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. An even 1 gram of protein per pound is probably the most common recommendation of all.

So, for example, if you weigh 175lbs, youd shoot for about 175 grams of protein per day (or a little more if you prefer it).

High protein foods include chicken, fish, turkey, lean meats, eggs/egg whites, milk, protein supplements and to a lesser extent nuts and beans as well.

The most common recommendation for your daily fat intake is:

Fat should account for between 20-30% of your total calorie intake, with an even 25% probably being most common.

For that to make sense, you need to know that 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories.

So, for example, if your ideal calorie intake is 2000 calories per day, youd first figure out that 25% of 2000 is 500. Then, youd divide 500 by 9 and figure out that youd need to eat about 55 grams of fat per day in this example.

Foods high in the healthy fats that should account for the majority of your fat intake include fish, fish oil supplements, nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), seeds, and olive oil.

The most common recommendation for your daily carb intake is:

However many calories are left after a sufficient protein and fat intake have been factored in those calories should come from carbs.

Dont worry, its not as confusing as it sounds.

Basically, figure out how many calories your protein and fat intake will account for, and then subtract them from your ideal total calorie intake. However many calories youre left with to reach that ideal total those calories will all come from carbs.

Confused? Its alright, Ill show you an example in a second.

The majority of your carb intake should come from foods like fruits and vegetables, rice (brown, white, whatever), sweet potatoes, white potatoes (they are not evil), and various beans and whole wheat/whole grain products (unless of course you have issues digesting grains).

Now let me show you a step by step example of how to put it all together.

Lets pretend we have a guy who weighs 175lbs and has the primary goal of building muscle. Lets also pretend his calorie maintenance level is 2250 calories (just a completely made up example number).

Heres how hed create his diet plan

And thats it. The most important parts of this example diet plan are done.

This example person figured out they will eat:

Once again, these are all just completely made up amounts to show an example of how to set up your diet plan. Thats how youd do it.

And yes, even though the person in the example above had the primary goal of building muscle, the diet would have been set up the exact same way if they had the primary goal of losing fat instead. The only difference is that they would have created a caloric deficit instead of a surplus in step 1.

The process of putting it all together would remain exactly the same.

Now, you may be wondering about certain other aspects of your diet besides your calorie, protein, fat and carb intake.

The thing is you shouldnt.

In all honesty, nothing else is that important. Everything described above is what will account for 99% of your diets effectiveness. Everything else is just a minor detail.

All that truly matters diet-wise is ensuring that you eat the right amount of calories each day along with an optimal amount of protein, fat and carbs that ideally come from mostly higher quality sources.

After that, its all a matter of doing whatever will best allow you to make that happen. What I mean is

Thats all that matters. Everything else is either extremely insignificant or just a stupid myth that is scientifically proven to not matter at all (like how you must eat 6 smaller meals per day its bullshit).

Whatever is best for you, your life, your schedule and your preferences thats what you should do.

Well, in addition to what I just explained, theres really only a couple of additional tips worth caring about:

And thats it.

Thats the ultimate mini-guide to creating the diet plan that will best support your workout routine and overall goal.

(UPDATE #1: Ive now written the diet mega-guide. Its here: The Best Diet Plan)

(UPDATE #2: Ive also put together a new 9-step diet guide that you can download as a pretty PDF file and view on your computer, phone or tablet whenever you want. Its 100% free. Just click here and tell me where to send it.)

Well, at this point weve already covered every major aspect of how to create the workout routine and diet plan that will work best for you. All thats left to do now is put it all together properly and put it into action correctly. To ensure that you do that, lets start here

Sample Workout Routines Example Weight Training Workouts

(This article is part of a completely free guide to creating the best workout routine possible for your exact goal. It starts here:The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine)

View post:
How To Create The Perfect Diet Plan For Your Workout Goal

A huge benefit that makes a keto diet very appealing to a lot of people is that they can lose fat without having to workout at all.

Who wouldnt love this in their life? You lose the weight you want while not having to change your lifestyle much at all. All youre really changing is your eating habits and everything else can stay the same way.

What about those of you that want to workout and exercise?

Is this even realistic on a ketogenic diet?

The short answer is yes, its very much possible to workout on keto without experiencing a loss of physical performance.

Now, lets get into the longer answer.

Most people understand that eating carbs will provide your body the energy it needs to push through a workout.

This is true, but when youre on a keto diet, your carb intake is definitely restricted.

How can your body make it through a workout when it doesnt have the proper fuel it needs when youre on a carb restricted diet?

Having this concern is understandable. The good news is that even if you want to be extremely active, you dont need to have those extra carbs to have successful workouts. Your body is going to find a way to use what it already has as a source of its energy, namely the fat on your body.

You should have grasped the concept by now that a keto diet allows you to have very few carbs, however, the body does need some amount of carbs during certain types of exercise.

Dont get me wrong, your carb intake will still be very restricted but youll be allowed more carbs than the keto user that isnt very active. This is because your body will need the carbs as an initial energy boost. Your body is still going to burn through the carbs quickly so that little extra carb consumption will not have much of an impact on your keto progress.

If youve been on a keto diet for at least a few weeks, you should be in an extended state of ketosis. This means that your body is finally at the point where it should be burning fat instead of sugar.

Typically, when youre exercising, your body is going to burn the sugar it has before anything else. When youre in ketosis, your body is going to run through that excess sugar very quickly. This means that your body has to turn to its fat stores for energy.

The ketones your body will be producing while in ketosis will give your body the energy it needs to make it through any workout you do.

If you are just beginning a keto diet, then working out right away may be difficult. Your body is in a transition phase and will probably feel groggy or weak. After entering ketosis, you should notice that your energy levels are changing and you feel a bit more normalcy when you exercise.

Most people that are highly active will have a faster metabolism than those that arent as active. This usually means that the active people are going to eat a lot more food than the less active people. Your body is burning through its resources faster so you need to replenish what youve lost.

A lot of the times when people dont see weight loss, its because they are feeling the need to eat, especially after rigorous activity. Yes, its important to refuel your body, but at the same time, you need to make sure youre putting the right amount in your body. This is where a lot of people face problems.

People will put in the work at the gym, but once they finish their workout they eat too much because they feel like they need to stuff their face. They dont have anything guiding them other than their stomachs.

On a keto diet, you are going to be counting your macros based on your activity level. This is going to help you stay on track with your fat loss goals. A positive about the keto diet is that even though your metabolism will be fast, you arent going to feel the need to eat as much as you usually would after a workout. You will have an appetite that will keep you from eating like youre at a buffet.

Ketogenic diets are designed to help you lose fat. This, in turn, is going to cause your weight to drop significantly as well.

Working out is going to help you lose weight and in most cases, working out consistently while eating the right foods will help you lose fat.

When you combine the two, exercise and eating the right foods, your fat loss will be accelerated. You will see the number on the scale drop at a slightly faster rate than you would if you were to not work out at all.

Again, its important to emphasize that exercise is not required for fat loss on a keto diet, but it can definitely help speed up the process.

There are some myths out there that say if you workout while on a keto diet, your performance during the workout will suffer greatly. This is 100% false.

Yes, there is going to be a very brief period of time where your performance will suffer a little bit. This usually tends to happen during the initial stages of a ketogenic diet where your body is going from being a sugar burner to a fat burner.

Tests have been done on athletes that measure their performance before and after starting a keto diet. When the tests were concluded, it was found that the performance of the athletes was about the same as when the tests were initially done.

Its important to note that these athletes lost weight, fat, and were able to keep their muscle mass about the same. This is the goal for most people working out and when theyre able to do it while reaping all the benefits of a keto diet, its all worth it.

If you are wanting to workout and do a keto diet, go for it. Dont let any myths about how it might negatively affect you deter you from being active.

You just have to follow your macros for the diet to be completely successful with working out. The diet is more important than working out. It will be tempting to eat certain things that arent keto friendly because youll feel as though you need it, but in the end, those foods are only going to hurt you and your keto progress.

Remember, your goal is to lose fat and working out can definitely help you with that, but when combined with a keto diet, the match could be one that was made in heaven.

Read the original:
Ketogenic Diet 101: Working Out While on a Keto Diet

 

Most of us think of self-care as something that’s expensive and takes a lot of time, but it really shouldn’t be that way. Instead of looking at self-care as indulgence, we should think of self-care as meeting our basic needs. When you simplify it this way, it’s easier to create a routine so it becomes part of your daily life, not a deviation from it. Even if you invest a little in comforts and tools for everyday self-care, it’s easy to stay within your budget with cost-conscious shopping.

Put Your Physical Needs First

The reason we have a concept of self-care in the first place is that we’re so accustomed to doing things for others that we often put our own needs last. Psychology Today explains how failing to make our own needs a priority is damaging to ourselves and those around us. At a very basic level, practicing self-care starts with meeting our physical needs, including eating well, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough rest.

If you have a hard time getting quality sleep at night, take a good look at your bedroom and see how you can switch things up to make it a more relaxing space. You can usually find good deals on cozy bedding, comfortable pillows, a supportive mattress, and sleep gadgets at popular stores like Target. Plus, you can save even more money by using Target coupons and promo codes when you shop.

Schedule It

Along with our physical needs, we need self-care in all aspects of our lives, including social, mental, spiritual, and emotional self-care. If this sounds like a lot to make time for, the best strategy is to work self-care activities into your regular schedule. To do this, Life Goal Mag recommends keeping a simple routine and staying flexible.

One example is to keep a flexible schedule for physical activity. Exercise meets your physical needs, but it’s also good for your mental health, and it can even be social. Whatever activity you enjoy, set a regular time for it. At the same time, give yourself tools to adapt when your schedule gets thrown off. So, if you normally go to a certain exercise class but have to miss it on occasion, consider investing in affordable gear like free weights so you can work out at home on those days.

Try a New Hobby

The idea of trying something new may seem like an extra strain on your time (rather than an everyday necessity), but finding a new hobby may just be the self-care strategy you’re missing. This is because many of us get caught up in our everyday habits without even realizing how much time we waste on things that don’t make us happy. One prime example is the amount of time we spend on social media. Thankfully, taking a social media break is absolutely free!

Picking up a hobby is an excellent way to replace those unhealthy habits and meet basic self-care needs. For example, doing something with your hands, like creating art, knitting, or gardening, can be incredibly relaxing. The trick to starting a hobby affordably is to always shop smart for supplies, whether that means going to discount stores or using online coupons.

Another cost-conscious idea is to make a hobby of doing DIY projects, like this DIY herbal eye pillow from Medium. Making something useful is a perfect way to care for your mental health because the end product gives you such a sense of accomplishment. You get even more benefit from making something that aids relaxation, like the eye pillow. Plus, you can usually purchase supplies for less money than buying brand new products.

All of these strategies are geared toward being intentional about how you spend your time. Your time is valuable, and the way you choose to spend it on a regular basis is what self-care is really all about. Making these strategies part of your everyday life is affordable, simple, and essential for your well being.

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

Sri Aurobindo (1872 1950) was an early Indian revolutionary, who later left politics to pursue his spiritual sadhana. Sri Aurobindo founded an ashram in Pondicherry, where he became a prominent spiritual philosopher, poet and Spiritual Master. His greatest work was the epic poem Savitri.

Aurobindo Ghose was born in India on 15th August 1872. At a young age, he was

Upon graduating he decided to return to India where he took up a position as a teacher. It was also on returning to India that Aurobindo recounts his first most significant spiritual experience. He relates on how returning to Indian soil he was inundated with a profound peace. This experience came unsought but at the same time, he continued to become more deeply connected with the Indian independence movement. Aurobindo was one of the first Indian leaders to openly call for complete Indian independence; at the time, the Indian Congress wanted only a partial independence. In 1908 Aurobindo was implicated in the Alipore bomb plot in which two people died. As a consequence, Aurobindo was jailed whilst awaiting trial.

In prison, Aurobindo underwent a profound and life-changing spiritual experience. He began to meditate very deeply and inwardly received spiritual instruction from Swami Vivekananda and Sri Krishna. From the depths of the British prison, Aurobindo saw that Brahmin or God pervaded the entire world. There was nothing that was separated from the existence of God. Even in the worst criminal, Aurobindo saw at heart God or Vasudev.

During his spiritual transformation, Sri Aurobindo received an inner command to give up politics and devote his life to spirituality and the descent of a new spiritual consciousness. He also received an inner guarantee that he would be fully acquitted in his forthcoming trial. Due to the tireless efforts of C.R.Das, Aurobindo was acquitted and was free to leave. However, the British were still very suspicious, and so Aurobindo decided to move to the French province of Pondicherry where he began to practise meditation and spiritual disciplines. In Pondicherry, he also began to attract a small group of spiritual seekers who wished to follow Sri Aurobindo as a Guru. A couple of years later, a French mystic by the name of Mirra Richards (b. Alfassa) came to visit Pondicherry. Sri Aurobindo saw in her a kindred spirit. Later he would say himself and the Mother (Mirra Richards) were one soul in two bodies. After the Mother settled in the ashram in 1920, the organisation of the Ashram was left in her hands whilst Sri Aurobindo increasingly retreated to give him more time for meditation and writing.

Sri Aurobindo was a prolific writer writing some of the most detailed and comprehensive discourses on spiritual evolution. Sri Aurobindo said that his inspiration to write came from his inner pilot, from a higher source. Sri Aurobindo wrote extensively, in particular, he spent many hours patiently replying to the questions and problems of his disciples. Even on the smallest detail, Sri Aurobindo would reply with great care, attention and often good humour. It is interesting to note that Sri Aurobindo often refused to write for prestigious newspapers and journals, he frequently turned down requests to return to leadership of the Indian independence movement. Sri Aurobindo was also a Seer Poet of the highest order. His epic Savitri is a testimony to his own spiritual sadhana. For over 20 years he continually refined and amended this mantric poetic output. It became one of the most powerful testimonies of his spiritual consciousness.

A burning Love from white spiritual fountsAnnulled the sorrow of the ignorant depths;Suffering was lost in her immortal smile.A Life from beyond grew conqueror here of death;To err no more was natural to mind;Wrong could not come where all was light and love.

From: The adoration of the Divine Mother, Savitri

After moving to Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo rarely made any public announcements. However, on rare occasions, he did break his silence.

In 1939, Sri Aurobindo publically states his support for the British war effort against Hitlers Nazi Germany. This was a surprise given his opposition to British rule in India, but Aurobindo frequently warned of the stark dangers of Hitlers Germany.

Hitlerism is the greatest menace that the world has ever met if Hitler wins, do they think India has any chance of being free? It is a well-known fact that Hitler has an eye on India. He is openly talking of world-empire (May 17, 1940)

In 1942, when the British made an offer of Dominion status to India in 1942 in return for full co-operation during the war, Aurobindo wrote to Gandhi, advising him to accept. But, Gandhi and Congress rejected his advice. Aurobindo wrote to Sir Stafford Cripps

As one who has been a nationalist leader and worker for Indias independence, though now my activity is no longer in the political but in the spiritual field, I wish to express my appreciation of all you have done to bring about this offer. I welcome it as an opportunity given to India to determine for herself, and organise in all liberty of choice, her freedom and unity, and take an effective place among the worlds free nations. I hope that it will be accepted, and right use made of it, putting aside all discords and divisions. I offer my public adhesion, in case it can be of any help in your work. (source)

Apart from these rare forays in public comment, Sri Aurobindo concentrated on his inner work and writings. In November 1938, Sri Aurobindo broke his leg and retreated, even more, seeing only a small number of close disciples. However, he kept his written correspondence with them. Aurobindo felt his real calling was to bring down a spiritual consciousness. He expressed his spiritual philosophy

The one aim of [my] yoga is an inner self-development by which each one who follows it can in time discover the One Self in all and evolve a higher consciousness than the mental, a spiritual and supramental consciousness which will transform and divinize human nature.

Sri Aurobindo once wrote that it is impossible to write a biography of a spiritual Master because so much of their life happens on the inner plane and not outer plane.

India achieved her independence on August 15, 1947. Sri Aurobindo remarked on this event.

August 15, 1947 is the birthday of free India. It marks for her the end of an old era, the beginning of a new age, but we can also make it by our own life and acts as a free nation, an important date in a new age opening to the whole world for the political, social, cultural and spiritual future of humanity. August 15 is my own birthday and it is naturally gratifying to me that it should have assumed this vast difference. I take this coincidence not as a fortuitous accident, but as the sanction and seal of the divine force that guides my steps on the work with which I began life, the beginning of its full fruition. Indeed on this day, he says, I can watch almost all the world movements which I hope to see fulfilled in my lifetime; though then they looked like impracticable dreams arriving at fruition or on their way to achievement. In all these movements, free India may well play a large part and take a leading position.

On 5 December 1950, at the age of 78, Sri Aurobindo left his physical body. He had recently said that he could continue his spiritual work from the souls world.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. Biography of Sri Aurobindo, Oxford, UK http://www.biographyonline.net. Published3rd August 2009. Last updated 19 February 2018.

Sri Aurobindos Yogaat Amazon

Related pages

Famous Indians A list of Indian men and women throughout the ages. Categories include politicians, scientists, sports people, spiritual figures and cultural figures. Includes Mahatma Gandhi, Akbar, Swami Vivekananda and Indira Gandhi.

Spiritual figures Famous saints, mystics and religious figures. Including Jesus Christ, The Buddha, Lord Krishna, St Teresa of Avila.

Indian Independence Movement A list of Indian men and women who played a key role in the Indian Independence Movement.

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Sri Aurobindo Biography | Biography Online