Happy Holidays (with a little humor)

How Do You Really Spend Your Time?

The Harvard Business Review has great articles that are focussed not only on developing good business skills, but also on developing good life skills. Here's an article on time that I really enjoyed.

Since we're at the dawning of a new year with new opportunities, you might want to ask yourself how you spend the limited time you have on this earth. Something to think about...

Try Something New for 30 Days

Have you ever wondered how to make lasting change in your life? Well, research suggests trying something new for 30 days is the key. Here's a TED talk by Matt Cutts:

TED Video on Vulnerability

Here's a great TED talk about the power of letting yourself be vulnerable. Enjoy it!

Do You Know the Difference Between Trying & Doing?

A fantastic post by Michael Hyatt on the difference between trying and doing:
http://michaelhyatt.com/the-difference-between-trying-and-doing.html

How Psychotherapy Works: Story Editing to Change Your Perspective

Scientific American has an interesting interview with Timothy Wilson, the author of Redirect. This is a well written book that discusses the use of story editing as a way of changing your perspective about your life.

COOK: A central concept in your book is “story editing.” Can you please explain what you mean by this?

WILSON: We all have personal stories about who we are and what the world is like. These stories aren’t necessarily conscious, but they are the narratives by which we live our lives. Many of us have healthy, optimistic stories that serve us well. But sometimes, people develop pessimistic stories and get caught in self-defeating thinking cycles, whereby they assume the worst and, as a result, cope poorly. The question then becomes how to help people revise their negative stories.

One approach is psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for example, which is designed to identify and change people’s negative thinking patterns about themselves and the social world. CBT is an effective way of helping people, especially those with serious problems such as depression or anxiety disorders.
But social psychologists have discovered another approach that is simpler and can help people with less serious problems. I call this “story editing,” because people are encouraged to edit their personal stories in beneficial ways. There are a variety of ways of doing this. In one, called “story prompting,” people are given information that suggests a new way of interpreting their situation. This is particularly effective when people haven’t settled on the narrative they will tell about what is happening to them.

To read the rest of the interview, click here

This is your life...

and it's ending one minute at a time.  Fight Club

Billionaires Secrets to Success: Can You Apply Them to Your Life?

Recently Barbara Walters interviewed several billionaires for 20/20 and asked them the secrets to their success.  A Top 10 list was generated by the Wall Street Journal that has a profound application both to business and to life.

Here is the list along with a link to the original article:

1. Figure out what you’re so passionate about that you’d be happy doing it for 10 years, even if you never made any money from it. That’s what you should be doing.

2. Always be true to yourself.

3. Figure out what your values are and live by them, in business and in life.

4. Rather than focus on work-life separation, focus on work-life integration.

5. Don’t network. Focus on building real relationships and friendships where the relationship itself is its own reward, instead of trying to get something out of the relationship to benefit your business or yourself.

6. Remember to maximize for happiness, not money or status.

7. Get ready for rejection.

8. Success unshared is failure. Give back — share your wealth.

10. Successful people do all the things unsuccessful people don’t want to do.

Is there anything you would add to this list?

If life were a book and you were the author...

... how would you want your story to go? One woman's brave response to an unimaginable challenge.

To Regret or Not to Regret?

Here's a link to a fabulous TED talk on the value of regret.  As we move toward the end of 2011, should we focus on our regrets or not?  You might change your mind after you listen to this talk...

Sitting is Killing You: An Infographic

Do you sit all day while you work? I do and I was shocked to read the negative effects of sitting in this infographic.  See for yourself. It might just save your life.

Something to think about

Trauma & Insomnia: Participate in a Study at UCSF

If you or anyone you know has suffered trauma and has PTSD, a research group at UCSF is looking for participants for a study.  Here is the information:

My name is Cristina Tortarolo and I am a research associate at the Stress and Health Research Program in the San Francisco VA Medical Center. I wanted to let you know about a research study we are currently conducting that is looking at the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to treat insomnia specifically in trauma survivors. I found your contact information on the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group website and your interests included PTSD and trauma so I thought perhaps some of your clients might be interested in this study. 

This Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia offered in this study is an augmentation therapy. Thus, this therapy is added onto the current treatment the participant is receiving. The CBT will specifically focus only on their insomnia, so it is actually a requirement that the participants be currently receiving treatment (either counseling OR medication for anxiety/depression) and remain in treatment throughout the study. Because the eligibility criteria for this study are quite specific, we have found that one of the best ways eligible individuals to hear about the study is through referrals from their therapist. A participant does not need to be formally diagnosed with PTSD or Insomnia to participate. 

I’d be happy to tell you more about the study, our investigators, or the research program. I could also send you some informational materials for you to review, such as brochures we’ve been using for the study and a letter from our primary investigator that goes more into detail about the procedures of the study. Also, if you have a public space or waiting room where community organizations can post pamphlets, I could send over more in the mail. If you have any questions you can reach me 415-221-4810 (ext 3085) or email me at this address cristina.tortarolo@va.gov
Looking forward to hearing from you,

Cristina Tortarolo
Research Associate
Stress and Health Research Program
San Francisco VA Medical Center/NCIRE/UCSF
(415) 221-4810  Ext.3085

Is Depression Really Bad For Your Heart?

29 Nov 2011   Medical News Today

According to recent data, depression may have more severe consequences than previously thought. Compared to people who are not depressed, those with a mood disorder could be two times as likely to suffer a heart attack. 

To date, this process has not been clearly understood. A novel investigation led by Concordia University has discovered that recovery time following exercise is slower for individuals who suffer from depression than for those who are non-depressed. The study is published in the journal Psychophysiology. 

Findings from the investigation indicate that a dysfunctional biological stress system is active among individuals who are depressed. The study warns that it is vital that patients suffering from major depression be tested for cardiovascular disease. 


Read more here 

Some light hearted humor...

What Does It Take To Be Happy?

At Stanford University, Fred Luskin teaches one of the most popular classes on campus.  It's called Happiness 101. Each semester students line up for one of the few coveted spots in the class.  They learn the elements of happiness (and good mental health) and how to make positive changes in their lives.


Here are five essential elements of happiness from Professor Luskin:


"The simplest definition of happiness is "wanting what you have." Conversely, the simplest definition of stress is "wanting something to be different."


Below are five techniques Luskin teaches for reducing stress and increasing happiness.
-- Keep a daily gratitude journal, listing items for which you feel grateful.
-- Perform a meditation practice, or simply a few minutes of deep breathing and quiet reflection on something that made you happy. Consider what you can do to achieve that happiness again.
-- Make a habit of sharing the highlights of your day with someone close to you.
-- Practice forgiveness routinely.
-- Construct a list of all activities and experiences that relax and rejuvenate you. Use items from this list to manage your daily stress.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/28/BA821M2BVL.DTL#ixzz1f6T0VqSB

Is It Depression or Something Else?

Sometimes the cause of depression is physical, rather than psychological. The New York Times has a great article of subclinical thyroid disease and chronic, low level depression: http://tinyurl.com/8a5o7oz


Many physicians I work with don't believe in "subclinical thyroid" levels and will routinely refuse to treat a patient with synthetic thyroid hormones. Thinking outside of the box is difficult for some physicians who are wedded to "evidence" that may be outdated.  This article may help change minds.  If you are curious whether your thyroid might be behind your depression, take the article to your doctor. There is very little to be lost by trying synthetic thyroid hormone replacements and much to be gained.


Sometimes you have to be bold and speak up!

Using Exercise Training Apps for Motivation

By now, most people understand the relationship between good physical health and good mental health. Research shows that exercise can be as helpful as medication to some people who suffer from depression.  Aerobic exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, a feel good neurotransmitter that can help to relieve depression and anxiety.  Add that to a little psychotherapy and you are on your way to a life worth living!


The current medical guideline is to exercise at least 150 minutes each week.  If you have difficulty with motivation or you are a person who likes technology, there are a plethora of apps to help you with your day to day fitness:  http://tinyurl.com/85rfakb


The most important thing in weight loss or a new fitness program is finding other people to support your progress. Having to be accountable to someone else is the basis for Weight Watchers success. Some of the apps in the above NY Times article allow you to connect with a network of like-minded people pursuing goals similar to yours. What could be easier!


I just downloaded iMuscle and the Nike Fitness Trainer.  I'm committed to getting my 150 minutes a week (and possibly more)! And you?