The Alchemist - a spiritual journey of life

Today I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. It's a short read about a boy who searches for his Personal Legend. He travels through multiple lands for his treasure and meets characters along the way who guide his path.

There are several strong themes of perseverance and following your dreams. If you never follow your dreams, you'll never know what could have been, and you'll be stuck wondering, "what if?" By following his dreams, the protagonist was able to enjoy life's treasures. Often the thought of the task is much more difficult than performing the task itself.

This book is a parable and a metaphor of the author's road of becoming a writer. It is not a silver bullet to solve any specific problems. For that, you need to make your own decisions, says the book.

One of the many things I liked about this book is the mysteriousness of the Alchemist. This character appears to the protagonist with the power of God. As the protagonist endures trials through the desert, the Alchemist gives the protagonist clues on how he may too find the truths of the world. For me, I enjoyed the inspirational story more than the message. While it is still fresh in my mind, who know's the lasting effects it may have on me?

"The journey of 1000 steps begins with the a single step". Pick up this widely successful book and read the first page.

 

Smile and force yourself to be happy

Smile! Just reading that word may have tugged upwards at the sides of your lips. Fact: smiling releases endorphins and serotonin. These are the feel good neurotransmitters. Try smiling and be angry. Try smiling when you feel down! The act of smiling will improve your mood, if not temporarily. I noticed that when I floss, I work similar facials muscles. My mood generally tends to improve after a good flossing.

Something to try:
- Floss if you don't, it will improve your teeth and gum health/ overall health
- Practice smiling in the mirror every day before you go to work. Smile as hard as your can for as long as you can. Repeat 10 times.
Doing so will release those happiness muscles and help you have a great start for the rest of your day.

Eye exercises in the office, from a game.

Tired of watching bright white screens all day? If you're like me you may get dry itchy red eyes. Every so often (20-30 minutes) you should stand up and take a walk around the office. Since your eyes have been  

focusing on the same distance for a period, stare out a window and look around at various distances. One exercise you can do is thumb tracking. Move your thumb around left/right, up-down for a bit to work out the different eye muscles and focusing distances.

There's an old Nintendo DS game out there: Flash Focus Eye Training. The game itself is made of up mini-games that help train different aspects of your vision. At the end of the game, it concludes with a eye rest and training exercise.

1. Shut your eyes and open them wide - 10 times

2. Circle your eyes clockwise and counter clockwise - 10 times

3. Look left- right, up-down - 10 times each meridian

4. Close your eyes and take deep breaths - 10 times.

Try some of these exercises. You're eyes are worth it!

Power Pose - Amy Cuddy

Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist that explains how practicing power poses changes our body chemistry and ultimately the way we feel and act. By practicing these poses for a few days, we make it a habit and our body will notice the effects for the rest of the day. I must say, practicing this technique for little over a week, my confidence went up a pip( sorry it didn't soar). I like to use this technique before any major event where I'm under scrutiny. Think meetings with bosses, phone calls, and interviews. 

I personally like the victory pose. Bonus points if you yell out "Yes!" while maintaining the position.

Watch the video, see what she has to say. Try it out!

Link to ted talk video here: