Tag: PreferredOne

Eat Move Sleep

I recently contributed a “lunch and learn” to PreferredOne’s annual health fair. We talked about some key topics related to behavioral change, including process thinking, end-gaining, means-whereby and indirect methods. Please see my PowerPoint for more.

The health dimension is a 30-day challenge based on Tom Rath’s Eat Move Sleep (book) and companion website. I encouraged the audience to make some small choices that could lead to big changes in both their quality and quantity of life.

Many thanks to Donna Larson, Shelley Markve, Susan Bernstein and PreferredOne’s Wellbeing Committee for pulling together the event and making the book available to employees. ✸

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Postscript [10/07/2021]. Nell Hurley brought my attention to James Clear’s Atomic Habits (book). Looks like fantastic read that syncs of up with Rath’s work. BTW, Nell was recently featured in a Star Tribune article on the contemporary sober movement.

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Postscript [10/10/2021]. For those intrigued by the Alexander Technique, I suggest booking a few lessons with Brian McCullough or another qualified teacher in your area.

Some Thoughts About Thinking

I recently did a corporate “lunch and learn” on metacognition, which is our singular ability to think about our thoughts (as far as I can tell, my dog has no such capacity). This would appear abstract and likely impractical but it is actually the key to mental health.

I’m happy to work at the level of things and thoughts. The former generally involves practical solutions (problem solving) while the latter consists of philosophical solutions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy). But I’m much more interested in the thinker—that’s where the ultimate solution lies.

The “thinker” in this context is consciousness or awareness, which is always present but seldom appreciated. As Rupert Spira counsels, “Allow the experience of being aware to come into the foreground of experience, and let thoughts, images, feelings, sensations and perceptions recede into the background. Simply notice the experience of being aware. The peace and happiness for which all people long reside there.” Elsewhere, he advises, “Be knowingly the presence of awareness.”

You can find my PowerPoint here or by clicking on the image above. ✸

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P.S. If this sounds like mindfulness, it might be. Mindfulness has become one of those everyday words that now lacks meaning, or at least a shared understanding. For an interesting perspective, please see Stephan Bodian’s Beyond Mindfulness:

“For all its wonderful benefits, the practice of mindfulness has another downside: it tends to maintain the subject–object split, the gap between the one who’s being mindful, the act of being mindful, and the object of mindful attention. In other words, no matter how mindful you become, there’s always a you that has to practice being mindful of an object separate from you. As a result, mindfulness perpetuates the very sense of separation it’s designed to overcome.”

Meditation Challenge

Stress, anxiety, depression and substance use have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. This has a lot people thinking about better self-care.

I’m helping one of my employers with a four-week “meditation challenge.” It grew out of a recent lunch and learn for employees that included some material on mindfulness. The more the merrier, so I’m sharing this with my entire social network.

Here’s the challenge: Meditate three times per day, generally in the morning when you wake up; sometime in the afternoon; and again in the evening right before you go to bed. Start with 5-minute sessions, increasing the duration week-by-week as follows:

  • Week 1: 5 minutes, 3 times per day
  • Week 2: 10 minutes, 3 times per day
  • Week 3: 15 minutes, 3 times per day
  • Week 4: 20 minutes, 3 times per day

In terms of technique:

  • Assume any comfortable position. I personally like a semi-supine position (see below)
  • Set a timer (e.g., on your phone) with a soft alarm
  • Close your eyes
  • Direct your attention to your breath. This might be your nose, chest or belly
  • Follow your breath in and out. Some people use simple mental mantras for each in-breath and out-breath. Examples are: in-out, deep-slow and calm-ease

Internal and external distractions will occur. Just let thoughts, emotions and sensations pass without judgment. Return to your breath, using a mantra, if needed. On the flip side, don’t worry if you feel sleepy or even doze off. Allow that to pass without judgment, too.

And that’s it!

Please let me know how you feel during and after the challenge.

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I’ve greatly benefited from Alexander Technique lessons. One tip/trick is something called constructive rest, which involves the semi-supine position depicted below.

1. Head slightly supported by a softcover book (or two)
2. Arms slightly away from body (abducted), palms down (pronated)
3. Shoes off; feet about hip-width apart
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Photo: Ayden Frenz

I’m also a fan of Muse, the brain-sensing headband, but that’s a post for another day. ✸