Six Sigma Blogs

Dealing with our fears in is something we have been doing for millions of years, it all came about from what is called our lizard brain … also known as the amygdala. This primeval brain stem is our lower brain, where basic emotions function from. Call it a memory bank for emotions … fear being one of them.

We all make quick decisions when cornered, some of these decisions are irrational and afterwards we wonder why we reacted the way we did! What made us do it, why did we have a panic attack and become feared in an irrational way? We use something that is called the ‘emotion of fear’. It is something that is stored within all of us. How do we overcome such irrational fear like public speaking for instance? We have to start by working on changing the stored emotions.

So when you are in a tight spot and take instant fight or flight action, it is the lizard brain which sits at the base of the skull that takes over. Evolutionists tell us that we’ve had this ‘lizard brain’ since we were, well, lizards. In the context of fear, the lizard brain’s reactions to everything are limited to: eating, attacking, running away and mating. That is why you sometimes make irrational judgments.

Accommodating these fear emotions is like feeding a hungry lion, it will only become hungry again and you have to go through the same cycle. So why not just rid yourself of these fear emotions for good, as that is the answer to the fix you require. You wouldn’t get out of your car when travelling around a wild animal park and embrace a wild lion, and that is how you have to see your fear. Do not embrace it as it will bite you nastily. Yet some therapists say you should embrace your fear! Well of course now you can see that this advice is very risky, as unsafe as asking you to embrace a wild lion! Why? Well because all what you are doing is storing that fear emotion within your lizard brain’s memory banks, and then it can be drawn on again and again to make you feel just as bad the next time you are confronted by what it is you are feared of. So do be warned.

Why is it dire to allow these fear memories into your life? To accept these negative thoughts reinforces the emotion of fear. Accepting the feeling can reinforce it even more at a later stage. Some therapists advise you to accept the feeling of fear so as to nurture your true self. This is unreliable as it causes more emotional memories to be stored in what is known as the lizard brain, and hence your fear is perpetuated.

These emotions of fear drawn from your memory bank actually feed the very fear you want to be rid of. It goes around in a vicious circle, a one that you just can’t seem to find an end to. Some therapists advise that you go into the fear and accept it for what it is! However, top self help author Stephen Richards says, “By embracing the very fear you want to rid yourself from you are reinforcing the emotional memory of that particular fear. Frankly you need to ground yourself and transmute this fear into something else. By maintaining your relationship with the fear emotion you are inviting it to remain within your life.”

When we freeze with fear it is something that has been brought on by over activity of the amygdala … the lizard brain. When signals from the body are misread by the amygdala it can cause out of place actions. If only you could have stopped that emotion of fear being stored in the first place then you would have been able to prevent it kicking in again at a later date. So we have to get in there and stabilise everything and clear out those memory banks before it gets too big to handle and becomes even more debilitating than it already is.

Top of the list when it comes to fear is speaking in public or at meetings. Second on the list is asking someone for something, perhaps asking someone out on a date that you have taking a liking to. The fear of looking a nerd and being told “no” is the stumbling block. This is fear of rejection. What makes you freeze when fear comes on? Easy! It is caused by the overreaction of your reptilian brain, the amygdala! This then stores the emotions of fear, but it can act in a way that causes you to act unreasonably … like running off, finding it difficult to breath or even fainting and so on! To correct this is quite easy; it just means resetting the memory of fear within you.

When you are focused on an impending situation you have wrongly construed as ‘dangerous’, like public speaking or going on an aeroplane when you are feared of flying, the body undergoes many changes that prepare it for intense action, albeit this is a falsely activated call to arms. This brings on symptoms like: difficulty in breathing, increased body temperature, localised sweating, decreased motility of the stomach, constrictions in the stomach and intestines, as well as making your hair stand on end.

Once the floodgates of fear are opened it is a tough job to get them to close. What we need is a way to stop the false fear response. Many therapies are listed as a means to resolving this, but some are a little extreme. Immersion therapy whereby you are confronted by the very thing that sets off the fear is quite forthright in what it does! Of course it’s not a very nice or acceptable way to go about fixing fear! Then there is cognitive therapy, slowly exposing you to the trigger of your fear! But what if there was a way that you didn’t even need to confront your fears?

Why are there so many self help books and why do they all read the same? Surely they can’t all be telling you the same thing about overcoming fear? What if only one of these was right for you, which one out of the hundreds of thousands out there would it be? Well to save you the search and to give you something more direct than just a book, there is something far more potent than taking pot luck with a book that may not fit your needs.

After quite a few years of research and development now there is something that substantially instils positive emotion within you. It’s not hypnosis or even subliminal messaging … they are a little old hat and long in the tooth now. International self help guru Stephen Richards has designed an extremely effective tool that will fix it for you to start overcoming irrational fear within less than 30 minutes! The barrier to rational thought is lifted; there are no more uncertain situations and a more positive outlook can now be instilled.

Technology since the days of hypnotherapy has moved on, now there is a far quicker way to channel new thought processes into the mind and to empty that emotion memory bank which is full to the brink with fear memories. This is where you can move things up a gear and integrate the fix into your busy lifestyle without hours and hours of costly therapy.

There must be 1001 ways to overcome irrational fear, but none so fast as this method. This method overcomes the need for frequent visits to your hypnotherapist, and of course saving you the immense cost too. The specially made CD by Stephen Richards zones in to the heart of the problem, and the best part is you can hear every word being spoken. What would have been thought impossible ten years ago is now reality. In less than 30 minutes the primary track on the CD targets the area in need of help, simple as that.

This remarkable up to date method designed by Stephen Richards used in the “Releasing You From Fear CD” is unique because it targets the zone of the amygdala. It totally disarms the harboured memories of the specific fear emotion that is causing you distress. Methods previously used to target this area did not take into account the fear emotion and how your lizard brain reacted in certain trigger situations. Minor obstacles and irritations which were once magnified and a cause of the cycle of fear can now be fixed.

Banish unexplained fears today when you use the soothing audio CD by self-help guru Stephen Richards. Find out more from his site. This article, “Why You Should Never Surrender To Fear And Never Accept And Embrace The Feeling.” is available for free reprint.

When I started as a network marketer, the biggest problem I had was that there was too much to do in too liittle time - or so I thought. Sounds easy to solve, but there are subtle factors at play, and a solution is not cut and dried

As my business is home based, there are other issues - the family can be a distraction, and when people see you at home, they assume that as you are not “at work” they can get your attention. I found a simple method to cope.

The first thing, you work out the components to your use of time. At home there are 1. Family 2. Sport, and other domestic interests, and 3. Your job.

Next, produce a schedule that includes all of them. This allows you to retain a balance, rather than focusing JUST on work to the detriment of your family or to your outside interests. Be specific about your activities, and be realistic about what you can and cannot fit in.

Take your diary, or a copy of your timetable with you at all times. This will allow you to get back on track after family, friends or other things take your attention away from your allocated tasks. If you are unable to check your progress, you stay off track - check it regularly

Take ten minutes at night before you retire for the day to itemise all the things you want to achieve or enjoy for the following day. Include time for exercise, for playing with your children and time with your partner.

I found the key to efficient time use: two 3 hour blocks of Work, with an hour of exercise, meditating or lunching with friends between them. For each hour of the 3 hour blocks, focus on working for 50 minutes, then relax for the next 10, and so on until the 3 hours are up.

The Paredo Principle should apply to your time. Try to make 80% of you time earn you some money - chase leads, write articles etc. The rest of your time work on your skill-sets

Timing yourself will help the process. There has been research done that shows that prolonged focus may affect your efficiencies. The optimum time for focus is around 50 minutes. So set a timer for 50 minutes, the re-set for the next ten minutes of the hour. Make sure you WORK for the 50 minutes then RELAX. The rinse and repeat until your three hour block is done!

I f you are working part-time, try to complete at least one session - 50 /10 /50 would be optimum.

Don’t fall off your chair when you realise how much you can do by managing your time in an efficient manner. Your annual income could become your monthly income

Don Fuller was a sought after consultant for 30 years. His way of helping clients was to enable financial freedom by harnessing the power of the web. His approach to home business ideas and systems has helped hundreds of clients. For more information on business ideas go to his Blog or website, where you can subscribe to his online business newsletters

Honoring my values has always been an important key to the path I have chosen to walk through life. If what I am about to do is not in sync with my value system, I can’t seem to move forward.

Living your values is important to a fulfilled life. For me, I am ever conscious of how I am living those things which are important to me. For example, I thoroughly enjoy church services on Sunday mornings, precious moments spent with my family, friends and colleagues . Similarly, I value my business clients and regularly let them know it.

No doubt, you can see just how important some things are to me. My values are inherent in those things which I have indicated as well as so many other elements of my life.

When you are in touch with your personal values, you’ll truly know and understand who you really are. Don’t be distracted by others who might cloud your vision with their ideals causing you to mistake them for your own. Rather, you must uncover your own set of guiding principals, beliefs and ethics.

Have you thought about how you might be living your values? If you have, then you know that they are the guidelines by which you choose to live your life. Living your values leaves you confident and feeling good about yourself. You find yourself continuously living your life to its fullest.

Your values are simply the things that are most important to you at your very core. It’s the unwavering belief in what you stand for. When you know your values, you can live a happier life doing what’s most important to you.

Many people feel strongly that there are certain values which are common among just about everyone you meet. Some are listed here. Take a look at them, maybe you will find that they are significant to you as you begin to assess your own personal values.

1. Adventure. If things seem to get too stale, do you eventually feel bored? If so, you have adventure close to your heart and you’d be happiest with trying new experiences and new ways of doing everyday things.

2. Relationships. Valuing relationships includes finding all relationships important, in addition to your romantic ones.

3. Spirituality. If you align with a certain religion or spiritual practice, then the beliefs of that practice are likely dear to your heart.

4. Creativity. Do you enjoy discovering and creating new things? If yes, perhaps it is one of your values.

5. Making a mark on the world. Many people say they simply want to be remembered warmly by others. Is that a core value for you? If so, how are you living that value?

Find out what really makes you happy and you are pretty much on your way to uncovering your personal values. As you arrive at certain elements, ask yourself if those things would bring you joy. Then ask “why.”

If you feel like your life has taken a wrong turn, maybe you are not living your values or perhaps some of your current values are incongruent with what you truly want for yourself. Perhaps it’s time to think about taking a new path based on your core values or examining how your current ones are serving you or not. Uncovering your values can lead you to happiness!

Find how to Start Building Your Self Confidence Now! When you let your self confidence shineyou can be the person you were truly meant to be. Head online for the tips you need now. This article, {title} is released under a creative commons attribution licence.

If you want to learn how to get rid of procrastination today then this article will help. Procrastination has been known to cause a large number of problems. People put off doing things that are very important when they procrastinate. Procrastination distracts us from doing the jobs that need doing and so we find reasons to do other jobs rather than the one we have been putting off. The good news is that an individual holds the power to beat procrastination and with work it can be overcome.

If you don’t like doing something then it is easier to get started with it sooner rather than later. Working towards achieving the task that you have put off for so long is one step further than you took yesterday. Procrastinators learn to say that they will do something tomorrow when the truth is tomorrow never comes. If you put off housework then it will eventually become too daunting to deal with.

The sooner procrastination is overcome the better chances of the problem not spiralling out of control. Once of the best ways of dealing with procrastination is making sure you don’t have any distractions. If it means either putting the phone off the hook or ignoring it for a while then all very well because at least it means you are not procrastinating. Also you might want to tell people not to disturb you and not answer the door if someone rings.

Try not to find any reason to prevent you from doing the job that you have been putting off. Try to change your belief systems and instead of saying “no” learn to say “yes”.

It is difficult to break habits especially ones that have been there for a long time. Try to cope with one task at a time and be pleased with what you have achieved. Procrastination in itself is a habit that needs to be broken. However it is going to take work on your behalf to achieve success.

Usually people who procrastination a lot find that eventually it does take over their life so they hardly get anything done. Combatting procrastination takes discipline, but that is very hard when you are beating yourself up about not being able to do something.

Check out how to get rid of procrastination once and for all with this beating procrastination system.

Time management is somewhat of an ambiguous term. It can mean “task management” or “life management”. But why is time management important? There are several reasons, along with a few benefits and advantages too. This article is going to help walk you through a few reasons behind the importance of time management.

Time isn’t forever. Your time is precious, it cannot be replenished. Therefore time management is a good option. This way you can make the most out of the time that you have, we all get the same 24 hours a day.

What you do with your time equals who you are. Basically this means that you as a person are the sum of the things you do with your time. Someone who plays a lot of sport is often called a sporty person for example. Managing your time well is key to being the person you want to be.

Happiness. When you are living a balanced life due to managing your time well - you will feel less stressed. People with effective time management skills experience less stress.

Live a balanced life. You life will be divided evenly between work, home and leisure activities. As you work more efficiently you will get your work done very fast in comparison to someone with no time management skills. Spend more quality time with your family and enjoy life.

Control over your life. Time management means that you control how you spend your life. Put simply - this means that you control your life. You could ask your boss to work remotely - then complete your work in half the hours. If you are working a 40 hour week, you just brought yourself 20 hours of time back!

Really the question shouldn’t be “what is the importance of time management?” But rather, when are you going to start to learn to manage your time better?

Find out more about the why is time management important. Also Michelle has a website with great personal time management tips, overcoming procrastination, time management quotes and how to learn to manage time.

Time management tips are little tidbits that help you to manage your time better. It’s true, we can never control how much time we have. But we organize what we can accomplish as it goes by.

These time management tips are the building blocks to successfully managing your time. If you start using them you are guaranteed to see some improvement in your time management.

1. Make a to-do list. What use is a to-do list? A to-do list will help you to prioritize your tasks into a manageable list, and allows you the satisfaction of crossing them off when completed. Make sure you write the list with the most important things at the top down to tasks that are low priority. The main thing is though, make sure you follow your list! Otherwise you may as well not have it!

2. Having a routine is your secret weapon to successful time management. A strong routine will keep you focused, balanced and on track. And it means your list will stay organized too!

3. Importance vs Urgency. Importance leads to achieving of goals. Whereas urgency is more about another person putting the pressure on to get you to do something they want. This can lead to a person feeling uncomfortable and stressed. Make sure you always prioritize your important tasks over urgent ones (those that someone else is pressuring for but don’t really benefit you). Target tasks that contribute towards your day goal.

4. Identify your time wasters. Doesn’t matter if it is playing online games, chatting on the phone, facebook, worrying, daydreaming, internet time - all these things make you less productive.

5. Track your time. You may want to keep a time management journal to record how you spend you time. This is better than guessing or estimating as often you will be wrong. By doing this you can work out what time of day you are most alert and productive. Schedule your work to be at these times.

I remember my old teacher saying that there is no such thing as “Time Management”, he said that’s because we are given only 24 hours each day. We can’t change that. What’s more realistic or appropriate to say is “Task Management”. I’ve never forgotten about that ever since.

I hope you enjoyed these time management tips. The message I am sharing is - by managing your time better you cannot lose! You will be more productive while getting to do the things that you enjoy!

Learn more about the importance of time management. Rachel got her information together from a assortment of resources including these time management tips.

Sometimes it can feel like overcoming procrastination is impossible! It isn’t. Here are a few methods you can try to avoid procrastinating again.

Do The Hardest and Toughest Jobs First.

By doing this your self-esteem will be boosted, and you will feel like you have achieved something. This will also have the roll on effect that other tasks will seem pretty easy to do.

When making a to-do list, make sure you follow everything you’ve written chronologically by listing the most important things to be done on top and ticking them off as you go along. Not only will this be more organized but it will be easier for you to follow and focus on what’s next rather than choosing what you think you should do on the list.

Don’t Wait for The Right Time and to Be In The Right Mood.

There is no point hanging out to be in the right mood, or the right time to happen. Waiting around for this “special time” or “special mood” is a hindrance to your productivity!

Perfectionism is a Trap.

Self-esteem is closely tied into a job done well. Some people take things to the extreme however and are constantly delaying tasks because they feel that they cannot do the job perfectly. This will not help with overcoming procrastination!

Often a perfectionist will beat themselves up over trying to get a job done perfectly. Pressuring themselves with unrealistic deadlines and viewing the outcome of their work negatively. This puts a mental barrier in peoples minds - stopping them from getting the task done. Perfectionism actually results in poor work because of their obsession with messing up!

Perfectionists are not the peak performers. This is because perfectionists spend all their time worrying about messing up rather than actually getting the job done!

If you suffer from being a perfectionist, reassess you priorities. Take small brave steps. Create an action plan with realistic deadlines. The key to doing your best is to start really early. That way you give yourself plenty of time to review your work and spot errors. By maintaining a fresh and relaxed attitude, you are able to give your best.

Create Momentum.

If you are sitting down unsure how to start your next task, stand up. This alone can make a lot of difference to your procrastination. Doing something physical is recommended to help increase efficiency.

Clean up your desk. Go for a walk around the block. Do some other small task. This will help create momentum and get you going. The great thing about momentum is that once it is going it is hard to stop! Getting up and doing something will help pump you up to get into that task you have been procrastinating about!

A little procrastination is fine. But some people get really pulled into the procrastination cycle. This can lead to chronic depression. If you are trying to overcome procrastination - be realistic. You are unlikely to stop procrastinating overnight. There is no quick fix. To be successful you need to develop a routine that works for you.

Michelle is the editor of a website about time management skills. You can learn more about overcoming procrastination, time management skills, the importance of time management and a lot more!

Do you think that Im exaggerating when I say that I can make you two inches taller in two minutes?

It’s simple to grow taller. First, however, let me show something to you. Go stand in front of a mirror. If you look at yourself from the side you’ll notice that if you’re like most American’s, your head is jutting forward. This is from excessive time sitting with poor posture.

Modern have dictates that you will spend most of you time sitting. Unlike our ancestors who spent most of their time doing physical labor, we spend most of our time on our rears. In our cars. At the office. All day long we’re sitting.

Poor posture while sitting leads to host of problems. Most of them involve tightness on the front of the body. The hip flexors and muscles of the neck get especially tight. Sitting like this for too long will lead to long term problems like back pain and neck pain.

Now, back to the mirror. When you look in the mirror, sideways, you noticed that like most people, your head is forward and so are your shoulders.

All of this makes you essentially shrink. I was talking to a client awhile ago and he told me that he has shrunk 1-inch in the past 10 years. The reality is that he didnt really shrink. His posture simply fell apart. If you look at him from the side youll see that his head is resting not over his shoulders but over - air. There is no support from his bodies natural pillar-of-strength.

So, now, what is the solution to all of this sitting? How can you grow taller? Think “shoulders, back, and down.”

No, that doesnt stand for the Small Business Development-Center. SBD stands for shoulders- back-down. I want you to keep your shoulder blades pushed back toward each other and down toward your back pockets. Do this all the time. Youll notice that when you do this that your chest pops up. Also, when you SBD your head will pull back over your shoulders.

This will make you two inches taller. Youll also feel more confident. If you already have perfect posture and are confident, then this will make you arrogant (joking). Anyway, thats all there is to it!

We all work very hard trying to achieve our goals. Lots of effort goes into creating the goals, and then even more effort goes into trying to bring these to fruition. But if you just work tirelessly with no break then you are very likely to suffer from burn-out, which is the successful persons worst nightmare. But relaxation should not be something you should feel guilty about.

Some people view relaxation as a reason to feel very cautious. They worry that being relaxing, and unplugging from the daily hard work we all endure means that they are lazy, unmotivated, and unproductive. They become tense at the very mention of the word relaxation. These people believe intense and unrelenting hard work is the only way to get to our goals. However relaxation is very important part of our quest to become more successful.

For the sporting fans you may watch MMA or mixed martial arts. These fighters have an incredible level of intensity due to the nature of their sport. They are carefully trained and an important part of this training is not to do too much. They can lose power, and timing if they try too hard. Desire can sometimes cause us to be unrelenting in our pursuit of our goals.

Whether we are sports or business people, relaxing holds importance to us all. By slowing down and allowing ourselves recovery time we can maximise what effort we can give the next day. We will not suffer from a slow down as a result of overwork. The effort we need to succeed demands a combination of rest and hard work. Working too hard for too long does not help you.

The optimul method of relaxation is not to simply sit quietly. People who are stressed out can sit quietly their minds awash with what is stressing them out. On the outside they seem relaxed, but they are suffering turmoil inside and are not relaxed in any way. Some people are so stressed out all the time that they have been that way for years. Some people do not even notice it because it is almost a part of them.

I find the best way to relax is to indulge in my favourite hobby, Pool. I find this therapeutic because this is something I do well, something I enjoy and something that makes me move my effort into something that I do purely for myself, under no pressure from anyone. I also use relaxation tapes to help intensify my relaxation to levels I could not have otherwise.

If you are not used to relaxing, then using a relaxation CD will probably work well for you. You can choose when you use the material, therefore you are in control and can give your all to putting that time to good use. The benefits will surprise you, and it will likely become an important part of your life as you enjoy the benefits. Hopefully you should see yourself become calmer, and better at carrying out your daily tasks.

Ensure that you always prepare the correct conditions for using a relaxation product. Certainly you should never use a relaxation CD whilst driving or in any area where you could subject yourself to danger. I only use them in the house where I can lie down and know I am safe. As you begin to put maximum effort into relaxing in the right conditions, you will see the benefits.

You will be far more productive if you stop worrying, relax and let the positive effects transfer into real self development.