Welcome back :)

Before you begin, you may want to review last week’s post with a quick scan of the eyes (or read it if you haven’t had a chance yet!).

We left off talking about how your beliefs determine the results in every area of your life; your beliefs set up your expectations, which then determine your behaviors (the actions you take)…what’s left is the RESULTS you see in each area of your life.

So did you get a chance to really think about what kind of results you’re seeing in each area of your life? What kind of expectations do you have for various areas of your life? Did you even pick up on a few beliefs you feel like you might have?

Because you read on and proved to me that you’re here to learn, I’m going to give you a valuable secret I learned early in life:

“Typically when you reevaluate something, your belief about it changes”

While seemingly simple, this one little phrase holds the key to change in every single area of your life (believe it or not). Stop. I want you to really think about this one. Can you picture a time in your life when you reevaluated a thought or belief you had, and your belief about it changed? Here’s a quick example: you walk into a music venue and a band is playing. Everything sounds awful – the sound is all over the place, people are playing random parts and it’s just generally a mess. You quickly form a belief that this band is TERRIBLE! But what happens next?

Then, you hear the sound guy yell “thanks for the sound check, guys” and head out of the room. The band comes on and plays a jaw-dropping set later on that evening. After hearing the band, you hold the belief that “this band is AWESOME!”. What changed in between? How did this belief suddenly do a 180-degree turn? It’s because you reevaluated the band and how good they were. No belief is set in stone; it simply carries on with consistency until it’s challenged by reevaluation.

Another practical example (the good stuff’s on the way!) could be about how a “green smoothie” would taste. Because it’s green, many have a psychological aversion that screams “bland vegetables!” and denies the possibility of anything satisfying. That belief is instantly changed by reevaluation when you actually taste one for yourself and realize that it’s a fruit smoothie, just PACKED with nutrition :)

So here you are with a newfound understanding of beliefs and how they create the world around you. And you even know that you can CHANGE those beliefs by reevaluating them. But there’s still one more question in the barrel: how can I effectively reevaluate my current beliefs?

Deliberately crafting your own beliefs – and not leaving them up to chance – is one of the most powerful and effective choices you can make in your life. You don’t have to wait around for the perfect experiences to fall into place to craft your beliefs into something supportive. YOU can reevaluate – and hand-pick – your own beliefs, the ones that empower you in living your own, unique lifestyle.

Speeding up the process of reevaluating your beliefs can happen in a number of ways, but perhaps the most effective is by taking advantage of the alpha and theta brain wave patterns you can access upon waking in the morning and before going to sleep at night. At these critical mental states, you’re more open to SUGGESTION – and when you consciously choose what to suggest to your mind, day-after-day, you start seeing changes take place at a foundational level.

This is where you get to decide the rules of the game. You can think to yourself “it’s not enough” over and over, saying “it’s not enough money”, etc. OR you can suggest your own hand-crafted belief statements. If you immerse yourself in the phrase “I always have more than enough” every morning and night, you’ll begin to radiate out the feeling and experience of having more than enough. I’m not one of those people who thinks that thousands of dollars will fall into your lap overnight. What really happens is that you become familiar with the feeling and experience of “I always have more than enough” – even if you’re just playing around with it in the privacy of your bedroom :) With repetition – which causes continual reevaluation – your belief of not having enough begins to lose its foundation and shift over to your new belief that “I always have more than enough”.

Your mind will start to feel the cognitive dissonance between the two beliefs and constantly reevaluate to see which one is true. When you continually focus and concentrate on that new belief, you give it the edge it needs to win the battle of reevaluation – essentially, it passes the test. This belief, when it firmly takes hold, then begins to change your expectations and your behaviors. Suddenly? You find yourself taking new actions that are bringing in better results. It’s the stuff you always knew you could do, but always put off or never took seriously – not because you weren’t capable, but because it was out of alignment with your past beliefs.

Two incredibly effective tools are:

1) Belief Statements:

Belief statements are written statements that spell out the exact belief you’d like to develop, or the precise feeling and experience you’d like to have. One of the most powerful statements out there is the one mentioned earlier: “I always have more than enough”. The feeling of not having enough is what drives people to race their hearts out and stress, tear-down and abuse their minds and bodies to the farthest possible degree. Whether it’s feeling like you don’t have enough time to get things done or enough money to live comfortably, the feeling of not having enough is a challenging place to be in. This simple belief statement, given emotional repetition, can change that experience from one of scarcity to one of abundance – “having more than enough”.

You’ll want to read these belief statements out loud (if possible) every morning and night for the biggest bang for your buck. This gets your whole body and mind involved, and increases the impact of the words; it allows you to feel that experience more fully and anchor it in your mind. If you can’t read aloud, try quietly reading them over to yourself at a comfortable pace, perhaps “hearing them” aloud for more impact. Do whatever gets you to really feel those beliefs to be true for you in that moment. Over time, these written statements become more than just beliefs on paper – they become your expectations…your new beliefs.

2) Visualization:

I’m sure you’re well aware of the power of visualization in sports and peak performance work. It’s been proven to enhance performance in athletes who first emotionally visualize themselves competing and/or winning and then actually going out there and performing…time and time again. This is your chance to use this incredibly powerful tool to enhance every area of your life.

You can spend just 1-5 minutes visualizing your new beliefs or powerful scenes in your mind as you wake up in the morning and before you fall asleep at night. A well-balanced routine is to go through visualizing yourself radiantly alive and healthy, then moving on progressively to money, career, relationships and mental performance. Although it takes only minutes a day, this creates new, vivid imagery in your mind – and new neural pathways and connections. The more you visualize these things, the more they take root and the more you allow yourself to experience the wonders your mind can actually bring to you!

Action Steps:

__ Create a list of 10 (or more) new belief statements that you’d like to develop (health, money, career, relationships, general beliefs, etc)

__ Place this list (written out or typed) by your bed; it could be on a table or nightstand, tucked away in a book, hidden in a drawer or just out in the open!)

__ Read over these new belief statements every morning upon waking and every night before falling asleep (as close as you can reasonably get)

__ Create daily habits and take actions that reenforce these new beliefs (by taking action from these beliefs, you build a stronger foundation more quickly)

__ Notice the incredible change in results that takes place as your beliefs change over time

* Make that list now! There’s no reason to put this off when the chance you take is leaving your beliefs to chance itself. Take me up on it and let me know what kind of results you start seeing in your own life by leaving a comment here on this post or by sending over an email through the contact links on the upper right-hand panel. Don’t leave this to chance…you deserve to have more than enough :)

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

=> Leave a comment below and let me know what’s on your mind!

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]]> http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/24/how-to-literally-hand-pick-your-own-beliefs-and-start-seeing-the-results-you-really-want/feed/ 0 http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/16/how-your-beliefs-determine-all-of-the-results-youre-seeing-in-your-life-and-the-2-clever-strategies-you-need-to-change-them/ http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/16/how-your-beliefs-determine-all-of-the-results-youre-seeing-in-your-life-and-the-2-clever-strategies-you-need-to-change-them/#comments Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:08:44 +0000 John Brackett http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/?p=805

I’m not sure.

You may be the type who just read the title above and started nodding your head in agreement. You know, on a core level, that this is something true and important, and you’d like to go deeper to get some results from it. Or you may be the type of person who just rolled your eyes but decided to read on anyway- because there was one spark, one glimpse that there may be something important for you personally on this page.

This post is for both of you.

The truth is, your beliefs – whether you chose them consciously, picked them up from your parents and relatives, or even from friends and teachers in school – determine the results you’re seeing RIGHT NOW in every area of your life. There’s a large lie out there that whatever you’re experiencing right now is just temporary, and you’re “just on the tip” of breaking through in all of the areas you’d like to see more progress in. That feeling of being “just on the tip” of breaking through is a result of the beliefs you’ve held in the past and continue to hold now- and it’s responsible for the actual lack of results you’ve been noticing lately.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Whatever you’re currently experiencing right now IS temporary…but only if you choose to take up the initiative to change it. What happens is that most of us get caught in never-ending, vicious cycles that we always think are just about to end (day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year). It’s like your neighbor’s dog chasing after a car that you know it’ll never quite catch. Everyone on the outside can see it- just not the one “in the game” themselves.

Let’s take a look at this on a deeper level. Have you ever had a friend or relative who always talked about this being “the year” for getting healthy, fit and in control of their bodies? How many years did it take for this one to be “the year”? Did it happen at all? What usually happens is that while they’ll admirably set incredible goals for themselves and talk about it with friends and family, their behaviors never really change. As soon as they start getting more workouts in, the desire for sweets and “rewards” goes up. It’s like there’s an internal thermostat that won’t allow them to break free of their current body and habits. When they eat better, they suddenly can’t find the time to work out. So they either continue on the rollercoaster or call it quits and head back to their old comfort zone. Why does this happen?

Your actual behaviors – the actions you take, which give you the results you want – are driven by your beliefs about yourself and the world around you. If someone has a goal to become healthy and fit, but believes on a core level that “being healthy is hard” and “it’s hard to eat right”, or even “healthy people are strange”, how likely are they to achieve that goal? The beliefs that “being healthy is hard” and “it’s hard to eat right” will play out in their lives over and over again, making it incredibly challenging to be healthy. On top of that, if they knew an odd-ball health guru growing up and decided that “healthy people are strange”, they’ll never really allow themselves to become a “healthy person”. It’s a classic counter-intention that destroys their odds of success in achieving any of their health goals.

Keep in mind that all of this is concerning the problems we face in achieving our goals. The solutions come up next…

Here’s another example: have you ever had a friend who just seemed to “attract” drama and controversy? Who always talked about just wanting to be in a great relationship, but ended up creating arguments with all their friends and partners on a regular basis? What is it that actually drives this behavior and attracts so much drama, when all they really want on a conscious level is great friendships? Again, it’s their beliefs about themselves and the world around them.

They may believe that they don’t deserve the perfect guy or gal. They may hold the general belief (a fairly common one) that “people can’t be trusted”, passed down from family and friends. Or maybe they just grew up watching TV shows that faciliated them having unrealistic expectations about social situations and the amount of drama that’s “normal” in everyday life. It’s all a belief game- and it’s 100% our own responsibility to change it.

I’m sure it’s becoming clear that the beliefs you hold about yourself and others determine the actions you take (your behaviors), and following that, the results you see. This applies to your health, fitness and energy levels. It applies to all of your relationships. It applies to your financial beliefs, your intelligence, and your ability to learn new things and move forward progressively in your life. But with so many variables, how can we find out what beliefs we actually hold about ourselves and others? How can we “see” our current beliefs that are sculpting our daily lives?

I’ve discovered two powerful ways to become aware of your current beliefs:

1) What Are Your Expectations?

What you EXPECT to see in any area of your life lines up exactly with what your beliefs are in that area. Think about this for a moment. Some people expect more bills to show up, credit card debt, being tired and stressed out at work, coming home and passing out, etc. They fully expect this lifestyle because of the beliefs they’re holding about how life is supposed to be (usually passed down from parents, but also from any number of other sources and conclusions drawn elsewhere).

This isn’t a one-way street. Some people consistently EXPECT to see growing paychecks, surprise gifts, joy and satisfaction at work, and a lively, rich, dynamic atmosphere at home with the family. Funny enough, they consistently take the actions that bring them that kind of lifestyle in how they work, how they treat others, and how they treat themselves. Your beliefs in any area of your life (career, financial, health, relationships, mental performance, etc) determine the expectations YOU project outward in those categories; then, you take the actions that lead to the results you expected to begin with. This presents us with a unique challenge, but an even more incredible opportunity.

Many people go through life hardly challenging their current belief structures. They hold onto what their parents, grandparents, and their parents used to think- even if it serves no purpose in helping them to live the kind of life they really want NOW. The challenge? Becoming aware of your current beliefs so you can clearly see where you stand. The incredible opportunity? The chance to CHOOSE which new beliefs you’d like to entertain, and to watch them sculpt your life in new and exciting ways.

2) What Kind Of Actions Do You Automatically Take In Each Area Of Your Life?

This one is essential because we already know that our current beliefs are driving our behaviors…automatically. Some people are “tuned” to prosperity and can make incredible amounts of money appear on the spot, while they may be dumbfounded in the kitchen and at creating a state of health in their own bodies. Others are “set” to have passionate relationships that others would die for, but may find trouble choosing a career and bringing in money at the end of the day. What’s important to know is that you’re in control of the beliefs you have.

Take a quick assessment of your own life right now. What kind of results are you seeing in your career and financial life? Are you satisfied? How about your health? Your level of personal fitness and energy everyday? Now your relationships- both with any partner you may or may not have, and with friends and family. How about your mental performance? Are you an avid learner, always challenging yourself? Or did you develop the belief that “smart people aren’t cool” or something simliar in school (that you’re still living out today)?

We come away with all sorts of hurdles to be overcome by the time we’re out of school. All sorts of beliefs have been formed (whether useful or damaging), and we live out those beliefs on a day-to-day basis. It’s up to you to take 100% responsibility for the beliefs you’ve developed, the actions you’ve taken, and the results you’ve seen in your life.

…Next week, we’ll talk about how to literally hand-pick your beliefs, so you can start seeing the results you really want.

“What you truly believe is mirrored by the actions you take, not by what you say to others or what you’d like to think you believe”

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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]]> http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/16/how-your-beliefs-determine-all-of-the-results-youre-seeing-in-your-life-and-the-2-clever-strategies-you-need-to-change-them/feed/ 3 http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/01/lessons-from-alaska-tapping-into-clear-decision-making/ http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/2010/07/01/lessons-from-alaska-tapping-into-clear-decision-making/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:43:13 +0000 John Brackett http://www.unleashyourvitality.com/?p=778

I was recently fortunate enough to travel to Alaska for about 11 days of majestic mountain views, hiking, nature walks, local foods, history and relaxation. Literally everywhere you turned there was an ice-capped mountain range for your eyes to marvel at, with scenery to match. It was an incredible time, but that’s not what I’m here to talk to you about.

What I want to talk to you about today is something that became clearly highlighted for me as I walked the streets of Alaska: you can only feel as good as your decision making process. What do I mean?

While in Alaska, I found an interesting divide between the restaurants featuring locally-grown, organic foods and the restaurants offering diner-style meals and traditional comfort foods. “The Great Choice” between eating for comfort and convenience vs. eating for personal energy and vibrant health often seems like it comes down to external factors – aka what restaurants are around in the area, how hungry you currently are, how much money you have in your wallet, etc. As much as this can appear to be the case time and time again, I’m here to tell you that “The Great Choice” doesn’t come down to external factors…rather, it’s your decision making process.

Let’s take a look at a few examples together.

Running through the airport? Waiting for a plane ride? The layover? The flight? It all adds up, and it’s one of the most common places for bad decisions to take place. You’re tired, dehydrated and slightly more irritable and frustrated with the downfalls of traveling. If you see this coming in advance, you can make the ultimate healthy decision: pack your own meals and snacks ahead of time. You’re not limited to the food available at the food court (even though many options are becoming increasingly healthy and delicious). I may grab a smoothie at the airport, but it all depends on the ingredients. If it’s a sugar-powder-filled-packet mixed with water, I’m out. If it’s fresh fruit and other real foods, I may be in. But I don’t rely on that perfect meal to be there for me. Simple solutions come into play here – and not just for the airport, but all the times you’re on the run  (traveling, at work, just “on the go”, etc).

One of the simplest solutions available is in fact a smoothie. This can be with any high-quality protein powder (an example would be SunWarrior Protein), fresh fruit (especially berries), vegetables (particularly green, leafy vegetables) and anything else you’d like to add in. Many people add in things like peanut butter, coconut water and/or flesh, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds, etc. You can literally get in an entire healthy meal and blend it up into something that tastes like a dessert. That becomes your “on-the-go” meal – instead of an excuse. The power of this one simple habit can revolutionize your mood and health while at work and traveling.

Another example would be straight from my trip to Alaska. Instead of going for an easy-to-grab, heavily-processed bag of trail mix, our entire family made our own for hikes and traveling. It was made up of just 3 things: goji berries, cashews and chocolate chips (natural, gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chips :) Compare that to a traditional trail mix with food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and everything else under the sun! The idea of a trail mix is perfect – just step up your game and don’t settle for the fake stuff. The difference is night and day.

To be clear, I’m not saying you always have to have 3 days of meals packed in the back of your car at all times. I’m saying that you’re the one in control here, and it’s your responsibility to tap into clear decision making to get the kind of results you’re looking for. If you know you’re going out and might have to purchase and/or find a meal, you can prepare in advance by making a meal or by getting creative if you’re just not finding what you want. Go to the grocery store! You can get a bag of groceries that’ll last for days for the cost of a night out at a mediocre restaurant, and head out on a picnic or nature hike for free to top it off. You’re only limited by your own ability to think creatively.

I’m sure you get it by now – you’re the one in control, and you can and should take 100% responsibility for the actions you take, as well as the results those actions bring you. But how can you consistently tap into that source of inspiration and motivation in your daily life? How can you always make the “right” decision? The key is to be aware of your decision making process in the first place, and to use it strategically to get what you want. When we develop clarity on exactly what it is we want (be it gaining weight, losing weight, building muscle, increasing endurance, or anything else) then we develop a “feel” for what the right decision is. When it comes down to choosing one meal over the other, to get in a workout or not, to help a friend in need or sleep in – all it takes is an awareness of that decision being made. In that state where you’re completely conscious of which decisions are on the table, you’re able to see all of your options clearly and make a decision based on reason – as well as take into account the signals your body is sending you.

Muscle testing has been a phenomenal success in proving that we (our bodies) often know the right answer or decision nearly instantaneously and respond much more strongly to that over the weaker decision (although we may consciously choose the wrong one with our minds). On some level, we all know this to be true already. Sure, it often feels easier to stay in bed in the morning. The decision making process here is whether to spring out of bed in the morning or take it easy for 10-15 more minutes. The decision that usually makes more logical sense is to get up and get the most out of your day! The emotional decision that feels easier is to stay in bed and sleep in. Here’s where it gets interesting…

I was once told that the exact moment where making the right decision is the hardest is when your personal power grows the most. I’ve found this to be true in my own experience. When you feel the most tired and REALLY just don’t want to hit the gym, do it anyway. Not only will you feel great physically, you always feel great mentally when you know that you’ve just made the more powerful decision, or the “right” call. This certainly applies to your health, but it also applies to every other area of your life. That moment when you really want to buy something expensive that you don’t exactly need but would really like to grab? If you’ve got other higher goals financially, like paying off a mortgage or saving up for a new car, stay disciplined. Even though you don’t come away with a new purchase, you come away with an immense respect for yourself and your decision making process.

The best part? It grows in power each time you stay on course and keep up the momentum. How many times have you seen someone hit the ground running with a new diet or fitness routine for a few weeks and then take “just one” day off and spiral completely back to their old lifestyle? I’m willing to bet that you’re intimately familiar with it. Yet, on the other hand, we all know those solid individuals with an invincible mindset that’s set to always make the right decision – whether it’s easy or hard, simple or complex. These are the ones who commit to a 12-week program and follow it to the letter…and enjoy the incredible results as a reward. They hit the ground running, but with an even mind and a clear view of the decisions being made along the way. Use this momentum to hit it big and never look back.

Golden Takeaways:

* Alaska is an incredible place to visit :)

* “The Great Choice” is the decision making process between eating for comfort and eating for health and personal energy

* The key to always making the “right” decision is to be aware of the decision making process taking place

* It’s your decision making process – and not external factors – that consistently give you the results you’re seeing in your life

* Tap into your success motivation (a great one is choosing to focus on how you’ll feel after you make the right decision, instead of focusing on the process)

* The exact moment when choosing the right decision is the greatest challenge is precisely when your personal power grows exponentially

=> Note: Notice how I didn’t say when making a decision is hardest, but rather “when making the right decision is hardest”. The important idea here is that the right decision isn’t always the hardest one. In fact, sometimes the right decision for you may be the simplest and easiest to implement of a whole number of options. So don’t go out there and look for the hardest decisions to make – rather, consistently make the right call. When it just happens to bring about a challenging circumstance, stay the game and commit to making the right decision. That’s when your personal power grows – as well as when you feel the best about yourself.

Unleash Your Vitality,

- John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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I  understand your healthy skepticism. You hear a word like “superfoods” and while a part of you lights up with anticipation, you know full-well that it sounds like another scam or new product on the market. I’m here to talk to that small part of you that just lit up with the light of possibility, and reveal how superfoods are actually a food group…and one that you’d best start paying attention to – today.

Superfoods are a class of foods that have risen above and beyond the traditional “food” label. Conventional foods give us the essential nutrients we need to survive, but superfoods deliver the things our bodies and minds need to THRIVE – in a multitude of ways. Nearly all classified “superfoods” (such as goji berries, spirulina, bee pollen, maca, aloe vera, hempseeds, etc) work to enhance the immune system in dramatic ways. They deliver the exact key players for incredible immunity, but do it in the context of an extraordinary whole food – not a refined, chemical supplement that our bodies can’t assimilate.

Superfoods go far beyond immunity, however. They deliver practical, tangible results in your health, fitness and energy levels on the spot. We can all laughingly understand that no person can feel good or perform even remotely well living off just donuts and junk food. But then we stop mid-way. If that’s the bottom end of energy and personal performance, what’s the top? It’s certainly not the traditional American or European dietary lifestyle! If we consider that (which is causing incredible amounts of disease, obesity, and unnecessary pain and suffering) as the “middle point” on the scale of energy levels and personal performance, what IS the top?

The truth is, we’re just discovering what that top is now. And a few years down the road, we’ll know even more about that peak state. As we continue evolving in our understanding of nutrition, lifestyle and the human body, we’ll continue to redefine what we think is possible. The problem right now? What we know is possible is far beyond where most people have settled. Enter: superfoods. Superfoods are the missing piece of the puzzle, the “long-lost ingredient” that we’ve been searching for. We already know that they can dramatically enhance our immunity and keep us happy and healthy all year long, but the story goes so much deeper than that.

Do you realize that you can get all the protein you need (complete proteins with all of the essential amino acids), all the vitamins and minerals you need, all of the incredible enzymes and co-enzymes missing from the conventional modern diet and so much more…all from these so-called “superfoods”? What you’ve been told you’d have to take daily supplements to get is now available in the form of raw, organic superfoods grown in pristine, fertile soils in South America and beyond – score! Who in their right mind would rather take a handful of pills than enjoy a colorful, vibrant meal of foods that could revolutionize your health and energy levels daily?

A fascinating thing that starts to happen as you get into this is the falling away of old habits and food choices. You start to realize that if you take 5-10 minutes to blend up a quick “superfood smoothie”, you’ll feel incredible for hours – and, in fact, likely the whole day! Suddenly, when you’re faced with the option to grab a quick lunch of some fast-food meal with 70+ ingredients you can’t read or understand, you’re aware of the difference in how you might feel. You start to make the choices that lead to this enhanced state of wellbeing – where you have the energy to do what needs to get done, you’re more fun to be around because you’re in a better mood, and everyday just seems to be “one of those great days” :)

This new sense of energy comes from so many individual but connected factors, ranging from eating less of the things that drain your energy in the first place to gentle detoxification of old, stored toxins currently hampering your health, all the way to weight loss and the palpable energy actually in these superfoods. Many, if not all, classified superfoods are alkaline in nature – meaning they help to balance your body’s pH level back into a more neutral state. This is becoming more and more vital as people increasingly become dramatically more acidic (a breeding ground for disease). The other part of the equation that I’ve touched on before is the importance of alkalinity in energy levels. Alkaline blood is healthy, and is better able to carry the red blood cells that deliver the oxygen we need; this, in turn, determines our energy levels throughout the day (or is at least responsible for somewhere around 90% of it).

As your energy skyrockets and disease starts getting stopped in its tracks, you’re also getting re-mineralized. With mineral-deficient soils and foods as the norm, you’ll find that this aspect makes all the difference in the world. And when I say re-mineralization, I don’t just mean your bones and teeth. I’m talking your whole body, which includes your hair, skin and nails, muscle tissue quality, your organs, etc. Just one word of warning: as your body becomes increasingly nourished and revitalized, your mind follows in turn. With an incredible diet comes incredible mental performance, and it has been noted that superfoods in particular can lead to a re-evaluation of values in your life. What’s important to you at any given moment is determined by the state that you’re in…change the state, and you change the game at a fundamental level. The catch? The first move is up to you.

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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Here’s the problem: millions of people are suffering from depression, anxiety, “feeling down” and irregular moods. They just don’t feel like themselves, and as much as they want to be that bright, smiling person for everyone around them, they just don’t feel up to it. Hear me loud and clear: this is a problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly – and that I’d personally like to see solved.

How you feel day-in and day-out, or your “state”, is the single most important factor in terms of the results you’re able to produce in your life. If you feel exhausted and irritable all day, even with great intentions you’ll end up avoiding anything that might “set you off” – in other words, important phone calls you could’ve made, meetings you may have set up with friends or clients, or just being productive at all! Your neurochemistry determines how you feel right now, and this state determines how you interact with both others and yourself. In short? Your state is directly responsible for your decision-making processes.

Enter pharmaceutical drugs. Millions of Americans are turning to heavy anti-depressants and mood-altering drugs to find relief. Do I blame them? Absolutely not. Acknowledging that you’re not acting like yourself and that you’d like to move forward toward change is the exact step that’s needed here. This life is too good to miss, and everyone should be playing all-out with everything they’ve got! With that being said, many people are unaware of healthier and dramatically less expensive alternatives (we’ll explore what’s being called the top alternative in just a moment).

First, let’s get the straight facts on anti-depressants and mood-regulating drugs. The reason many people stop taking anti-depressants is because of the heavy side effects. The most common are sexual side effects (not fun), consistent nausea and fatigue/drowsiness, trouble falling asleep, dizziness or blurred vision, and dry mouth. Some may seem to be worth the advantages in mood enhancement, but are you aware that you can likely bypass all of these side effects entirely? My focus is on the end result or solution – and getting there in the healthiest possible way (it may just happen to be incredibly more cost effective :)

What I’m talking about here is supplementing with 5-HTP. 5-HTP is manufactured in the body from the amino acid tryptophan (usually found in poultry, red meats, nuts, seeds and several other foods), and is the intermediary between tryptophan and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is largely responsible for your mood, but also determines the amount of melatonin you have available when the sun goes down (your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep). Because a restless night’s sleep can make your mood and mental performance even worse, regulating serotonin and melatonin levels is essential to breaking the vicious cycle and getting on track (both physically and mentally).

Most popular anti-depressants treat the uptake and regulation of serotonin directly, while some newer and less popular drugs pinpoint other essential neurotransmitters, like norepinephrine and dopamine, to produce different results. What’s important is this: your serotonin levels determine your mood, or “state”, which in turn determines how you interact with others and make decisions throughout the day. The end result you’re looking for is healthy serotonin levels and a healthy mood. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies verify that supplementing with 5-HTP acts as an anti-depressant and helps regulate serotonin levels far more naturally – likely without the side effects, or with far fewer.

5-HTP is an option you may not have been familiar with, yet the largely untapped potential in mood regulation, treating depression, allowing people to feel good and find relief from anxiety, and fall and stay asleep is refreshing to say the least. It’s my hope that you’ll be better off for being familiar with this information – whether it helps you directly, or indirectly through helping friends and family. Realize we have incredible options at our fingertips…it’s just a matter of looking for them.

[Source] http://www.naturalnews.com/028533_depression_amino_acids.html

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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Here’s The List:

• Cat’s Claw Tea (Wildcrafted, Tea-Cut) - Cat’s Claw is a large, woody vine that grows in South America’s Amazon Rainforest. The tea itself is the dried, ground and tea-cut inner-bark of the Cat’s Claw vines. This makes an incredible, natural anti-viral tea that’s been proven to help balance out over-stressed immune systems. The flavor? Woody and heavy, with a nice “bite” to it :) You can enjoy this tea straight-up or with some form of natural sweetener (like goji berries, yacon root syrup, agave nectar, etc). Again, absolutely incredible for your immunity. More On Cat’s Claw
• Pau d’Arco Tea (Wildcrafted, Tea-Cut) - Pau d’Arco tea is the inner-bark of a “majestic, flowering Amazonian tree” that can grow up to 3 meters wide at the tree’s base! The story goes that indigenous people saw these wonderful trees – even when dead – never begin to rot. Based on this observation, it’s likely they began to use the rich inner-bark medicinally to ward off and protect against fungal conditions. Just as Cat’s Claw is revered for it’s anti-viral capacity, Pau d’Arco is noted for it’s powerful anti-fungal and mold capacity. Anyone struggling with poor air quality, damp environments, or fungal and/or mold conditions should definitely consider investing in this herb on a consistent basis (very inexpensive). Flavor is naturally much more neutral than Cat’s Claw and is even considered slightly sweet by some – I personally enjoy the light, woody flavor it has to offer. More On Pau d’Arco
• Swadhisthana – Sacral Chakra Tea - For anyone who’s into spirituality or energy medicine (as well as many types of current alternative treatments gaining popularity today), you may be familiar with the 7 chakras, or “energy centers”, of the body. This tea is a synergistic blend of 7 different herbs (Orange Peel, Rosehips, Annatto Seed, Cloves, Allspice, Organic Peppermint & Organic Lemon Grass) designed to balance and nourish the second chakra, or the sacral chakra. The second chakra has to do with your creative and sexual energies, which are more intertwined than you might think, and addresses how you reproduce results in your life – meaning things like problem-solving, drive to get things done, persistence, etc. Knowing this, it was hard to separate the placebo effect of expectations from the actual effects of the tea. Either way, the combination of the feeling the tea left me with and the mental direction I was focused upon has always put me into a state of increased drive, results and creativity – in short, getting the job done. Tastes absolutely incredible - what I’d consider to be a perfect blend – and leaves a pleasant aftertaste every time…highly recommended. Check Out This Line Of Teas (*Note: I’m not affiliated financially here – just trying to pass along helpful resources your way!)
• Focus & Concentration Tea - This was a loose-leaf bag of mixed herbs I picked up at Passiflora the other week. While I don’t have the ingredient list with the package, I was able to talk to the hostess about the ingredients in person – and it’s a terrific blend. Gives you a slight boost in focus and concentration without having to resort to coffee and other drinks heavy in caffeine. Extra edge for when you need that intense focus and attention on the job, in your personal life or at school – without burning out your adrenals in the process! Check Out Passiflora (Located in CT)

So there you have it – that’s what I’ve been getting my hands on lately in the world in herbalism. As I’ve said before, I highly recommend jumping right into this fascinating arena and seeing for yourself firsthand. The power that each individual herb can hold has been revered by cultures across the globe for thousands of years – it’s nothing to be taken lightly, but it is something that can bring you a world of fun and fascination along the way. As with all else, moderation is key. 9 teas/day will take your body out of balance and likely dehydrate you – as well as throw some cramps and nausea your way! 1-2 teas a day? Excellent. I personally cycle my days, depending on lifestyle and what I’m up to at the time. I may have 2 teas/day for a few days in a row, and then nothing but pure, clean water for a week. Go with moderation and you’ll be fine.

If you’re trying to get results from powerful herbs that really do affect your mood and wellbeing, remember moderation but also remember consistency. 1-2 teas everyday will always beat out 4-5 teas every few days. If you are trying to treat yourself for any serious condition, remember to get in contact with a licensed practitioner – they’ll keep you safe and monitor your actual results so you can see what’s working over time. Keep yourself in a state of balance and start experimenting with what’s really possible for yourself!

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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I hope you’re awake and refreshed because today’s post could change your life in more ways than you might think. If you’ve ever been laying down in bed at night with chronic, racing thoughts flying through your mind – getting more and more frustrated at not being able to fall asleep – then what you’re about to read can really help you take your nights – and all the incredible benefits of a great night’s sleep – to the next level.

The first strategy is simple, and you may or may not already be doing it in one way or another: have an evening salad. Hold on, don’t look past this one. We already know that having a large salad is incredible for our overall health and energy levels. It gives us so much of what we need to thrive in today’s world. But there’s a few aspects to having that salad in the evening that you may have looked past.

Salads naturally have a calming and cooling effect on our minds and bodies. They relax us, both in mixed green smoothies and especially when you chew through a fresh salad. When you take the time to chew the leaves, you’re getting some of the most significant benefits in not only really using your teeth and jaw, but in the additional calming sensation you get from chewing the alkaline leaves. Another huge benefit is that chewing has been shown to dramatically increase the production of serotonin – that feel good chemical that’s essential to healthy brain function. All of this combined into an evening salad allows you to take that calm relaxation right into the bedroom for a good night’s rest.

A second alternative or additional measure is to try new herbal teas and go the herbalism route. Over the last few weeks, we’ve touched on the value of peppermint tea as an incredible way to relax yourself while staying clear-headed and refreshed. You can try out your own individual herbs or synergistic blends and determine what plants help put you into the exact feeling state you’d like to achieve. Just as certain teas can stimulate mental alertness and concentration, many teas can bring all kinds of different stages of relaxation and help you to unwind a bit from the day.

Now here’s where I really want you to pay attention. We just addressed two of the most powerful nutritional strategies to get your body really into a balanced state of relaxation where it’s possible for you to fall asleep easily. However, the mental aspect of relaxation is even more important. So much of insomnia is caused by chronic, racing thoughts about all kinds of topics in your life. Unfinished tasks, stresses from work and lifestyle, worrying about whether or not you made the right decision today, this week, this year, last year…it just doesn’t end. But it can.

If you’ve ever experienced this feeling, it’s time to take a different action and get a different result. What I’m about to share with you is one of the most powerful and effective tools not only for insomnia and getting a good night’s sleep, but also for stress relief, personal growth and development, and so much more. Here it is: as soon as you wake up in the morning and right before you fall asleep, name 10 things you’re grateful for and 10 things you honor yourself for. That’s it. It’s only takes minutes at the MOST, but here’s what this habit will do for you:

• Stop the stream of chronic, racing thoughts
• Calm, center and relax you almost instantly
• Put you in a state of wonder reviewing all the good things in your life
• Enhance your self-esteem and self-honor
• Allow you to feel good about the decisions you’ve made
• Enjoy a greater sense of achievement and accomplishment in your life

Think about it. Imagine you had to predict the results that two people would see in their lives. Joe goes to sleep every night worrying about his financial condition, stressed out about work, and insecure about his personal life. It often takes him 2-3 hours to fall asleep because of the amount of stress on his mind and body, and he wakes up early for work but is always tired and irritable because of the lack of sleep. Now imagine Crystal. She’s no top earner, but she goes to bed every night naming all the things in her life she’s grateful for, and honors herself for all the decisions she’s made throughout the day. How does she feel everyday when she wakes up? How does she feel when she goes to bed every night? Doesn’t it make sense that if she stays committed to this simple habit, it’s almost impossible to go to bed stressed out?

Now put yourself in Crystal’s shoes. Commit to trying out this habit tonight, as well as tomorrow morning first thing when you wake up. Your husband or wife doesn’t have to know! Just do it in your head, and you’ll soon be surprised at how much you’ve got to be thankful for right here, right now…and that your sleep has already improved by spades :)

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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I felt right at home the second I walked through the door. On one side was a cozy, dim-light cafe and on the other was a loose-leaf herbal shop full of containers with the freshest, most natural herbs around. The shop is called Passiflora in New Hartford, CT and it was the scene of Wednesday’s lunch :)

I couldn’t help but feel reconnected to my passion for  natural health and lifestyle. Here were hundreds of different herbs, each one with its own unique effect on our minds and bodies – and each combination its own as well. When I see people immediately go to the drug store or opt-in for prescription or over-the-counter medications for things like stress, anxiety, sadness, or even the common cold or flu, I have to wonder if they even know about nature’s prescriptions at all. There are thousands and thousands of herbs out there that can give us so many of the results and benefits we’re looking for through chemical creation today. If you’ve been caught up in the system at an unreasonable level, let this serve as a wake up call!

Many people forget that you CAN take herbs for things like sadness and depression. There are certain herbal teas that have been known for ages to boost your mood and happiness – without any of the side effects that can otherwise ruin your life while you stay happily afloat with medications. This can be life changing for someone caught in this vicious cycle, and without the drastic change in personality that so often comes with prescriptions today. But the benefits don’t stop there.

What about daily stress levels? We all know there are millions of people who smoke cannabis regularly for stress relief and/or a significant mood boost. If you’re caught in a discussion with someone proclaiming that natural herbs just aren’t effective and it’s all cultural myths, realize this fact – people are using them in dramatic ways every day…and they are working. However, you don’t have to become illegal just to get your hands on some effective herbs. There are scores of natural remedies for stress and anxiety relief that not only relax your body physically, but help to calm, clear and still your mind. With the pace of much of the world today, that’s becoming all too essential.

One popular tea you can easily find at your local health food store – or even possibly the supermarket – is peppermint tea. Get a high-quality, organic peppermint tea to really feel the effects. Peppermint is an incredibly soothing herb that not only tastes great and leaves you with fresh breath afterwards, but actually relaxes you while leaving you clear-headed. It’s the perfect evening wind-down – and not only is it all-natural, it’ll hardly cost you a thing! Try that compared to prescription medication :)

I’d love to continue both researching and personally experimenting with various herbal remedies (I have peppermint tea all the time, among many others I’m currently trying out). If you’re interested in what I’ve shared above – or other herbal uses you’d love to hear about – please leave me a comment below. Is there anything specific you’d like to know that I could address in a future blog post? Let me know!

Get out there and pick up your own natural herbal remedies today – whether it’s peppermint tea or anything else. Jump into the fascinating world of natural cures and nature’s original prescriptions :)

Unleash Your Vitality,

– John Brackett

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts, ideas and opinions on this post!

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First of all: no, this isn’t a gimmick. This is simply one way to help you achieve your goal of having more energy throughout your day and enjoying a little peace of mind – mental clarity. Having said that, realize that the simplicity of this 1-5 minute energy boost is going to have you almost immediately disregard it. Why? Because it’s made up of 2 quick movements you already know: jumping rope and jumping jacks.

Those 2 movements might bring you back in time to gym class or some other point in childhood – when was the last time you jumped rope or did a few sets of jumping jacks? If it’s been awhile, I hope you’re all ears; these 2 exercises can dramatically enhance your energy levels in just seconds.

Ready for the easiest energy boost you ever got? Here it is: alternate sets of jumping rope and jumping jacks. I told you in the beginning that your mind might immediately disregard it because it’s already familiar – and it seems too easy. You’d be surprised. To start, jump rope 10 times (reps) and then do just 10 jumping jacks. The immediate result? Dramatically increased bloodflow and circulation throughout the body. This not only gets everything moving and lifts your energy levels, but actually gets the lymph fluids active and keeps your immune system strong.

Hand-in-hand with these physical benefits come the mental and emotional benefits. Your mind starts to clear up, stress levels go down, and you find yourself better able to focus and concentrate on the task at hand (I just finished a vigorous 20 minute workout before sitting down to write this post for you!). You see things more clearly and productivity (personal and vocational) goes up. All from jumping rope and jumping jacks? You bet.

Here’s my #1 tip: you don’t need a rope to “jump rope”. It’s fun, but I’ve actually never owned a jump rope myself. Instead, place your hands where they would be on the handle of the jump rope and go through the motions without the actual rope. It’s the same movements, and the extra coordination will actually give your brain another challenge to tackle. Alternating these 2 sets with short rests in-between gives you the incredible physical and mental benefits of a great workout…in a fraction of the time. It’s not hardcore strength training, but it’s an astounding shortcut to the energy and clarity you need to take on your day full-on.

I hope you enjoyed this quick energy tip – if you can, drop what you’re doing and try it out for even just 30-60 seconds. Notice what happens with your mind and body, and then leave me a comment below! I always take the time to read all of your comments, and everyone else in the community benefits from the ideas you share :)

Unleash Your Vitality,

John Brackett

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts, ideas and opinions on this post!

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We left off with Part 1 on the importance of building your neural network – in effect, challenging yourself with stimulating habits and practices that lead to the development of new neurons and connections. We also saw how certain key brain regions can be the major players in developing intelligence, “g”. Now that we’re challenging ourselves to perform mentally and building these new neurons, it’s time to tackle step 2: enhancing the speed and ease of neural communication.

Neural communication is the same thing as neural transmission; it refers to our ability to allow interaction between neurons to take place, and reap the benefits of this neural communication in mental performance, clarity of mind, problem solving skills, new ideas, etc.

The best way to get the big picture here is to imagine a groggy college student rolling out of bed at 2 pm during frat rushing season. Ask them any question that day, and you’ll probably find that it’s hard for them to find the right answer quickly – or even at all. Why is that?

They might know many of the same things as their favorite classmate, but that other classmate may be able to answer questions several times faster and with much more clarity because they stayed in and took it easy the night before. With this example, it becomes amazingly clear: you can be learning new information and building new neural connections, but still have all kinds of trouble with mental performance due to the ease and speed of transmission.

It should be refreshing to hear that the age-old, tried-and-true methods of living a healthy lifestyle are also the habits that lead to increased neural communication. Sleep is without a doubt one of the most important, with nearly every study ever done on the subject showing increased mental performance, problem solving abilities, creativity and more. You need those 8 hours of sleep for rest and recovery – of body and mind. Keep in mind that some of the most critical sleep cycles happen between the 6-8 hour mark, and the more you take advantage of these cycles as a regular habit, the better your mental performance will be.

Being active is also essential – but this doesn’t mean just working out. It means living a healthy, active lifestyle. Keeping the blood flowing with regular movement and workouts does all kinds of things to enhance your brain’s performance. Getting active and working up a sweat is the #1 way to clear out the “haze” of mental fog and find mental clarity…in minutes. Being active throughout the day will help you to maintain that crystal clarity and speed of transmission you’re looking for.

Of course, we also know that our diet affects our mental clarity in spades. Try eating a 4-course turkey dinner and then sitting down to learn something new…it’s not going to happen! Each and every meal is an opportunity to fuel ourselves with the highest quality nutrition available, and the best recipes for peak performance. Find the meals that actually deliver the results you’re looking for, and you’ll start seeing that what and how you eat dramatically affects your productivity and mental clarity.

The 3 powerhouses of restful sleep, living an active lifestyle, and eating a healthy diet that provides the personal energy you’re looking for all work synergistically to enhance the speed and ease of neural communication; again, this translates to a “clear head”, clarity of thinking, better creativity and problem solving skills, and a number of other benefits (not the least of which is stress reduction from being unable to find peace of mind). Start taking these habits seriously and you’ll be rewarded by serious results in your life!

Unleash Your Vitality,

John Brackett

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts, ideas and opinions on this post!