Motivating Yourself: Get Organized

Some of you may be asking how being organized can be a self-motivator. It is actually a very powerful tool in moving you forward and fueling the drive to get things done. Being organized is more than having files filed and the paper clips in their little holder. Organization includes the ability to break down a major project into bite-sized tasks. Organization means not only having a system in place for dealing with responsibilities, but also having the right habits and routines in place for implementing it. Having the most sophisticated online organizer in the world installed on your computer won’t do you any good if you never use it.

            There are many benefits to being organized—increased productivity, increased focus and efficiency being the most important. Being organized allows you to become more flexible. You can have more energy to pursue other tasks or even to enjoy recreation time. Without any physical or mental clutter, it becomes far easier thinking—and focusing—on the results you want. All this means less stress in life—and isn’t that something we’d all want to experience?

            So, how do you get organized? Beyond physically clearing away clutter, this means setting a system in place so each day you do a tiny bit of organizing. This beats the crazy, overwhelming overhaul that most of us experience when we let things or tasks pile up. Here are a few suggestions:

·        Choose your tool. There is a plethora of applications, lists, gadgets, and whatnot all promising to organize your life. Find a tool that will allow you to quickly jot down things as you remember them. For some, a simple pad of paper and pen is enough. For others, it may be something that can sync with their phone or some other mobile device. Whichever it is, pick just one. Having too many organization tools can actually end up derailing you from organizing.

·        Don’t be afraid to purge. Part of organizing means getting rid of unnecessary items. If the idea of throwing away stuff makes you hyperventilate, remember that physically and mentally letting go of what you don’t need opens up the mind and heart to receiving new ideas as well. This is a powerful motivator.

·        Delegate when necessary. Do you often find yourself inundated with dozens of tiny tasks that eat up a lot of time but not a lot of brain power? Try delegating some things or tasks to others. This is great practice in letting go of a need to control everything. The reality is—we cannot control everything. This frees you up to focus on the tasks that need your attention, and it also allows you to receive support people probably are willing to give you.

Motivating Yourself: Focus

Has this happened to you? You start with a goal in mind—say, lose that extra 10 pounds—full of enthusiasm and drive. You draft an exercise and diet plan. While you’re at it, you realize you’d like to tackle organizing your mess of a desk. While filing papers together you find a random one that details plans of a get-together with some friends and think it would be nice to touch base. You pick up the phone/get online and get in touch with said friends to pin down a date. At the end of the day, you feel even more unsettled than when you first started.

            It’s an exaggerated example, but it clearly underlines the need for focus when running after a particular goal. Focus is immeasurably more challenging in this day and age of social media and instant gratification. Think of focus like a high-energy laser fueled by our passion, and fired with pinpoint accuracy right where it’s needed. Focus allows us to be more efficient in doing tasks to hit our goals. Focus allows us to think in and around challenges to the desired result.

There are two important things to remember in using focus:

One, focus on what you want. Focus on the desired result. It sounds simple enough, but it’s too easy to derail your thoughts instead to the obstacles surrounding the goal or what you don’t want. Think about your goal and keep your attention there.

Two, see in your mind’s eye the result you want. If you have a weight goal for yourself, see yourself doing your exercise and diet plan, then weighing yourself and hitting your target weight. Keep your thoughts positive and encouraging.

Focus is a learned skill, but there are many ways to cultivate it. Here are some suggestions:

·        As with any new skill, start small. Do a single task first. Or pick something from your to-do list and do it. Gradually you can build up to doing larger, more complicated tasks—but for the moment, take that baby step.

·        Once you’re done, take a break. Give yourself permission to do anything you like—stretch, check your email, etc. Set a timer so you have one to two minutes of doing whatever you want before getting back to work.

·        Minimize distractions. On your desk, remove anything that can derail you from your task. Plug in headphones with soothing music to drown out any ambient noise. If you work on a computer, turn off your social media or even your browser in the duration it takes you to finish a task.  

Motivating Yourself: Just Do It

That famous catch phrase from a Nike ad campaign had it right, especially when it comes to motivating yourself. Just do it. Three tiny words that can have a powerful impact on whether or not to stay in stasis, or to move forward.

            More often than not it is fear that can paralyze us in indecision. (A short side note: we may think it is indecision when in reality by not deciding we are choosing not to do anything. Being aware of it is important. When people say “I couldn’t. I had no choice,” that was a choice.) By not making a choice or taking action, by delaying, by giving excuses, by rationalizing, we are only becoming an obstacle to motivating ourselves. We are giving in to the fear.

            Once we are aware of this—and even better, aware of what exactly it is we are afraid of—it becomes so much easier to just do whatever it takes to get our goal. Other times it pays to simply stop pontificating or analyzing and to simply take a step forward, however small it may seem. Thought and deliberation have their place; however, it pays much more to realize when you are deliberating, and when you are simply delaying what needs to be done. Forget about how you need the perfect ambiance before you write; throw away the conception that you need to be inspired before you work out. Instead of agonizing how to start an article, just write a sentence. Any sentence. But start. The same can be said for daily workouts, for getting up early, for doing any dreaded task. Just do it. Because we can only drive ourselves crazy just thinking about doing it.

            At the end of whatever task that needed to be done, we can regard ourselves with a sense of accomplishment. And that can generate some of the best kind of motivational energy there is.

Motivating Yourself: Find Your Passion

 If you’re clueless as to how exactly to motivate yourself, first you have to inject a little passion into your life. What does it mean to find your passion? It’s not merely a preference for a particular item or activity: it’s something that gives you true joy; if time, bodily functions, or other obligations weren’t a factor, it’s an activity that you could happily devote much of your life on. To have a passion for something sends electricity running through your veins. There’s an extra spring in your step and sparkle in your eye. Often, to experience your passion requires zero effort on motivating yourself, because the simple act of doing your passion is plenty motivation enough.

            Finding your passion is important when chasing after motivation—because it’s easy enough to find the things that have to be done. Most people are buried under such a mountain of obligations that the idea of motivating themselves is laughable.

            So how does one find their passion? It requires a little self-awareness and a dash of introspection. Try sitting down in a quiet place, either in meditation or not. With paper and a pen, list down anything that answers these questions:

·        Is there anything from your past that you really enjoyed doing?

·        Is there anything that you currently enjoy doing—either at work or for recreation?

·        Was there anything you always wanted to try, but time/your parents/money/circumstances prevented it?

·        Is there anything—no matter how small—that you feel you do well?

·        Say you won millions in the lottery—what would be the first thing you’d do?

Pay attention to what you’re feeling as you’re doing your list—does thinking about a particular activity get you excited, happy, nervous? It’s important not to judge where your thoughts and emotions will take you here. Just keep penning down what you like doing. Try to get at least 20 items down on the page.

Next—go forth and do these activities! Impossible! you may think. If you have something like “scuba-dive off the coast of the Caribbean,” how about practicing at your local pool with goggles and flippers? If “learning how to play the guitar” is one, try searching online for tutorials. The point is to take baby steps towards what interests you. Start with researching about what you like. Then go do it! Once you figure out what you’re passionate about, it can lead you closer to a goal you want for yourself and lend you motivation to run after it.

Why Motivate yourself?

What drives you? quips a car commercial. The same can be said for any one walking, running, or skipping forward to wherever their lives lead them. To ask what motivates you is to be certain of the meaning of all you do. There is purpose in every act. Executives within large corporations know that productivity is integral to how motivated their people are.

            Self-motivation, however, is key. Why motivate yourself? If you desire to make the most of your life, to contribute in some way, or to run after a particular goal for yourself, self-motivation is one of the most important tools you can use. Motivating yourself enables you to focus on where you want to go—literally and metaphorically. It is the fuel that allows you to go after a goal, reach that goal, and then set new ones.

            Each human being is motivated by a variety of factors. Many are motivated by faith in a Higher Power. There are those motivated by a desire to create wealth for themselves and their families. Still, there are others motivated by fear or an innate desire to stay alive. Whatever the motivation, how to cultivate it in yourself is integral to living your life and to giving it purpose. Without this, you simply exist—a physical body with internal processes going about life mechanically.

            It is self-motivation that will get you excited and enthusiastic about getting up from bed. It is self-motivation that will propel you out your front door. It is self-motivation that will allow you to run into a challenge head-on, confident that you can overcome it. And if you fail, it isn’t really a failure—because self-motivation will let you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take the next step towards becoming your better self. Boost your confidence, your self-respect, and your energy by learning how to motivate yourself. That makes getting your goal all the sweeter because your effort was baptized by you motivating yourself.

How to Enjoy Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is available in a variety of forms, and each has its own pros and cons. There are powdered or dried wheatgrass formulations that are meant to be mixed with water. There are pill supplements. Most advocates of wheatgrass, however, prefer to grow the grass themselves—either in their own backyards or lawns and nourished by the sun; or indoors in a tray and a special lamp. For those whom wheatgrass is now an important part of their diet or regimen, growing your own grass is by far more economical. Wheatgrass kits are available in centers such as the Hippocrates Health Centre (pioneered by Dr Ann Wigmore).

            However, the catch is growing your own grass requires effort and care—from the soil you use (should you grow it outside) to ensuring the grass in your tray get enough nutrients and are not over-watered. Wheatgrass is generally good for harvest after 10-14 days. One important note about wheatgrass is to cut it at its “jointing stage”—loosely defined, this would be the adolescent age of the grass. At this point, the grass will have absorbed all the nutrients it could from the sun and soil.

            Once grass is harvested it can be store in plastic or glass containers or sprout bags. This is to allow air circulation and avoid choking the grass. They can be stored in the refrigerator until they are needed. Grass is juiced by specially-crafted juicers, usually by grinding. These are different from regular juicers that fruit or soft vegetables are fed into. Wheatgrass—or any cereal grass for that matter—juicers are more durable and have more powerful motors because the grinding of grass to get the juice needs it. Juicing grass tends to be slower than an average juicer, because care must be taken so the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes stay intact. Like using wheatgrass itself, growing your own grass and juicing it requires some study, but its benefits of better health at a lesser cost more than makes up for it.

History of Wheatgrass

Before man roamed the earth, grass had sprouted and taken root, cloaking the land in lush fields. The earliest mentions of grass can be traced all the way back to the ancient Egyptians about 5,000 years ago; they raved about how the young, leafy blades of wheat gave them renewed vitality. Edmund Bordeaux Szekely, a Hungarian philosopher and natural living experimenter, discovered an ancient text dated from biblical times that outlined the various benefits of eating grasses. He founded a controversial gospel that stated Jesus was a vegetarian. In the meantime, farmers had long ago noticed the difference in their livestock’s health when they grazed on young grasses.

            It was in the 1930’s however, when agricultural chemist Charles Schnabel started research and ultimately, a movement in promoting the consumption of wheatgrass and other cereal grasses. He is often considered the “Father of Wheatgrass” and envisioned people integrating wheatgrass into their diets and living healthier lives. Due to his initiative, cans of his grass were sold in pharmacies and supermarkets. By the 1940’s, he had developed wheatgrass tablets and distribution of his products were on a large scale. More companies, such as Quaker Oats, funded research on wheatgrass. However, in the 1950’s one-a-day multivitamins had taken the public by storm, and many man-made health supplements which could handle the public’s bigger demands.

            It wasn’t until the 1970’s that wheatgrass once again gained attention, this time through the efforts of Dr Ann Wigmore. Her miraculous experience with grasses, where they healed her legs that were full of gangrene, prompted her to do her own research and development. She opened the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston and treated terminally ill patients with fresh wheatgrass juice. She took her work abroad, visiting countries like India and Sweden and introducing the concept of living foods there. Today, the Health Institute is still in Boston, and many subscribe to her philosophy of using grasses to heal the body.

Wheatgrass: Nature’s Finest Medicine

Much has been said of the nutritious benefits of wheatgrass: it creates a more oxygenated body, detoxifies it of impurities, and boosts its immune system against disease. So, what happens when wheatgrass is introduced to an already compromised system?

            Wheatgrass is called “living food”—because all its nutrients are absorbed from the soil and powered by the sun. Scientists and researchers took note of how animals immediately took to chewing grass when they were ill. Studies of the various nutrients in wheatgrass led to discoveries of not only how they keep the body healthy but how it can heal it. Wheatgrass’s numerous vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and enzymes all work together in harmony with the human body.

            Chlorophyll, the main component in wheatgrass, harnesses the light power of the sun. This is how it helps heal and protect the body against disease. Chlorophyll stabilizes the blood sugar, making wheatgrass good for diabetics. Arginine and vanadium stimulate the pancreas to create more insulin. Chromium helps the insulin bind itself to cells, which allows for better sugar absorption in the blood. Chlorophyll also lowers cholesterol levels, which enzymes and fatty acids break down ingested fat. Arginine keeps blood vessels elastic for the easier passage of blood, lowering blood pressure.

            Much of wheatgrass’s striking healing powers, however, come from cases involving cancer. Chlorophyll’s high oxygen content can make a body inhospitable to cancer. The P4D1 enzyme destroys cancer cells and repairs any damaged DNA, while the enzyme 2-O-Glycosylisovitexin (2-O-GIV) prevents the multiplication of cancer cells. This is only the tip of the iceberg: wheatgrass also has nutrients that can target bacterial infections, arthritis, asthma, liver cirrhosis, anemia, and constipation. It can heal skin disorders and has side effects of lessened body odor and bad breath. Wheatgrass has proven to be nature’s finest medicine as it can target multiple ailing parts of the body. 

Benefits of Wheatgrass on the Body

There’s been much research and product development with wheatgrass. The creation of wheatgrass-based products and technology has created a million-dollar industry and inspired thousands to embrace a lifestyle filled with living foods. However, can wheatgrass trump the variety of one-a-day vitamins that stock many health store shelves today?

            According to its fans, it definitely can. Many claim that it’s possible to survive on a diet of wheatgrass (and other cereal grasses) alone. While that is still under contention, there are several benefits of wheatgrass that are well-documented. The primary nutrient in wheatgrass is chlorophyll. Yes that same substance described in high school biology as “what makes plants green.” However, chlorophyll’s power goes beyond simple physical color. Scientists and researchers discovered that upon closer scrutiny, a molecule of chlorophyll is almost identical to a molecule of human hemoglobin—or a red blood cell. This means the human body can easily absorb chlorophyll into the body, and that it creates more red blood cells. These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body. Other cells in the body are strengthened and healthy. More oxygen and nutrients means increased energy, stamina, and alertness.

            Wheatgrass also has a high amount of amino acids—the building blocks of protein which is integral in cell regeneration. Body builders and fitness buffs incorporate wheatgrass into their diets because it allows their muscles to heal after workouts. Wheatgrass also contains most of the B vitamins, other vitamins such as C, K, E, and H; over 90 different minerals and active enzymes. This means wheatgrass can boost the body’s immune system, assist in several biological functions, and even help in weight loss. Chlorophyll also protects the body from carcinogens. Wheatgrass helps detoxify the liver, lymph and blood cells. Due to its being a “living food,” the nutrients within wheatgrass work synergistically with the body, aiding it, protecting it, and healing it.

Why wheatgrass

Grass is often considered the most ubiquitous form of vegetation. There are thousands of varieties. It grows most everywhere in the world and through all kinds of seasons—even after the bitterest of winters, come the spring, grass will invariably sprout up again. Many times grass is noticed for when it grows where it’s not “supposed to”—say, through the cracks of a sidewalk or fight in the middle of a city street. Grass comes from seeds such as wheat, oats, or barley.

            Wheatgrass is a variety of grass (under the domain of cereal grasses) and is an extremely popular and potent herbal medicine, known for its healing and nutritional properties. While there are many more cereal grasses, wheatgrass is the most popular as it is the most palatable to humans. Scientists and researchers have studied its properties and uses for decades, and many consider it “nature’s most complete food”—it’s been said that man can survive with eating grasses alone due to the range of nutrients available. Wheatgrass has been used to heal, to detoxify, and to enhance the health of its users. Wheatgrass is also considered a “living food” because of the existence not only of vitamins and minerals in it, but amino acids, fatty acids, and enzymes—all integral to living healthier and better. The varying products of wheatgrass all aim at aiding the body to flush out impurities, to heal itself, and to enhance its performance.

            What is exciting about integrating wheatgrass into one’s diet is none of its nutrients are processed or synthetically created. At the heart of wheatgrass’s power lies a substance only plants can provide—stored energy that comes directly from the sun. How it comes into play in the human body, together with the other nutrients contained in wheatgrass, is nothing short of a miracle. One that has been there all our lives, beneath our feet.