Your Favorite Song Literally Changes Your Brain In These 4 Ways

Attitude

May 21, 2018

No matter what we feel, when our ears catch the sound of a beautiful song, our worries would stop for a while. We don’t think about anything, we just experience the music.

Why does music has this effect on us? Is there a secret behind this phenomena?

Music is a powerful tool that it can cross beyond frontiers, languages, and cultural barriers. It can make you cry, can make you fall in love, or can even bring you to an unknown past.

Listening to your favorite song after a hard day’s work eases your stresses away. It can be an inducer of mystical experiences and even healing.

But there is much more to music than this.

Science can tell us why music has the capacity to captivate our souls. According to a couple of researches it has been proven that music literally changes your brain and its neural connections. And your favorite song has a bigger impact on you than you realize.

Your Favorite Song Rewires Your Brain In These 4 Ways:

1. Your favorite song increases neural connectivity.

With the use of modern technology, like the Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the effect of music has been mapped on our brain activity. It was found that when you listen to your favorite type of music, there is a significant increase in your neural connectivity.

Whether you prefer classics or rock and roll, the mere act of listening to what you love sends your brain’s default mode to activate. Meaning, your brain is much more able to handle subjective and critical thinking, imagination, creativity, and others.

Aside from the high you get from listening to music, your brain is being altered in the process.

2. Your favorite song is regenerative to your brain.

Music produced in the form of certain sound waves has been found to have regenerative properties for the brain. As you listen to your favorite song your brain primes itself for new neural connections, higher creativity and helps you remember old memories.

When your brain is altered to alpha rhythm and the brainwaves are slowed down, you put yourself in the ideal brain state for optimal performance and learning.

You will enhance your brain’s ability to analyze complex situations, learn new information, memorize data, and perform intricate tasks.

3. Your favorite song enhances the secretion of steroid hormones.

According to a study, music has the capability to regulate social hormones, such as the steroid hormones or peptides and increases empathy, pro sociality, and altruism, resulting to reproductive success.

4. Your favorite song significantly increases your self esteem.

The musical experience you get of listening to your favorite song contributes to your feelings of self worth.

It signals your brain to promote chemicals that boost your confidence, self worth and self esteem.

In a study, children who had three years of piano lessons scored high in the measure of self esteem compared to those who did not have any musical experience at all. Kids who joined a music performance group at school felt less alienated and more successful.

References:
– https://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(14)00348-X/pdf;
– http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735604041491;
– https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385828/;

Scientists Say Forgetting Things Could Be A Sign Of Higher Intelligence

Attitude

Nezel Padayhag

May 20, 2018

From a scale of 1 up to 10, how forgetful are you? While this trait is seen as something wrong, scientists claim that being forgetful is healthy, if not a sign of higher intelligence.

While others have good memories, don’t consider yourself dumb for not being one of them. And scientists tell you why.

Forgetting little things could be a sign of higher intelligence.

In school, students who have good memories are seen as intelligent. While this can be true, forgetting the minute details as you mature don’t signify that you’re less intelligent or a bit dumb.

These minor brain lapses should not be a cause for a needless worry.

Paul Frankland and Blake Richards, both researchers from the University of Toronto, discovered that old memories in the brain literally give way to allow space for the new memories to settle, making it harder for us to remember or even completely forget the old impressions.

There is no direct connection between perfect memory and high intelligence.

One study even pointed out that there’s no direct connection between a perfect memory and high intelligence.

It even stated the opposite may be true because it’s more useful and even healthier to remember things on a bigger scale, which could mean to forget the small details in the process.

Richards explains why forgetting is healthy and could be a sign of high intelligence.

In an interview with CNN, Richards stated,

“It’s important that the brain forgets irrelevant details and instead focuses on the things that will help you make decisions in the real world”.

The hippocampus, which is a small mechanism of the brain, stores the memories. It keeps you focused by eliminating unimportant details and allowing you to make intelligent decisions in an efficient manner.

In a way, the old memories are overwritten by the new and important ones. If your brain is crowded, making decisions would be much harder since there are too many variables that you need to consider.

Richards further explained,

“We know that sport increases the number of neurons in the hippocampus… It’s these very details from your life that are not important, and maybe keep you from making good decisions”.

Humans don’t need perfect memory anymore.

Remembering important details might be vital in the survival of our ancestors, but as we move with the advancement in technology, having a detailed memory might not be an absolute need.

It’s much better to understand how things work than to remember small details that aren’t necessary for your day to day existence.

Forgetting small details might be forgivable since it’s easier to look up for them when the need arises.

Whenever you find yourself in a room and forget why you’re there, take it as a sign that your mind is working as it should.

Raise your concerns only when you’re forgetting things more often than usual. Other than that, you’re not dumb but are highly focused.

5 Tips To Raise An Independent And Disciplined Child

Attitude

Nezel Padayhag

May 19, 2018

Experts notice a paradox of today’s children where a majority of them are more advanced intellectually but behind emotionally.

One reason they point out is the parent’s involvement in their child’s growing up. Overprotective parents tend to pamper their kids to the point of affecting their kid’s normal development.

Seeing your child getting hurt or going through certain difficulties is quite upsetting. However, like a butterfly that needs to get out of the cocoon on their own, kids must also bear the pains of growing up on their own.

When they’re able to deal with difficult things while small, they’ll soon grow up to be calm and self sufficient adults.

Thus, they must be taught how to be self sufficient because it’s the foundation for building their positive self image. Aside from that, when your kids are self sufficient, raising them will become less challenging.

5 Tips To Raise Independent Children:

1. Give your child a to do list.

Before giving your child a to do list, tell them clearly the value of helping one another. When they do the chores they’ll be aware that they’re contributing something for the family, no matter if it’s even in their own little way.

Make the to do list achievable and ideally, something they enjoy doing. Praise their efforts and thank them for what they’ve done regardless of whether they completed everything on the list or not.

The appreciation is enough to boost their self esteem.

2. Let them do things on their own.

Children have the innate ability to want to do things on their own. Allow them to do what they want, though they do it imperfectly.

Give them the respect for their own choices too. If they prefer a shirt or dress other than what you gave them, allow them to have their own preference.

It’s one way of letting them exercise independence. And when they do not really like the choice they have made of what to wear, they will learn how to make better choices. They’ll train their muscle of choice making to be sharp for more serious things when they grow.

3. Allow them to commit mistakes.

Committing mistakes is part of a child’s learning process, though the same applies to adults as well.

When you allow your child to make mistakes, you’re giving them room to improve themselves. By making mistakes, they will come to differentiate right from wrong.

Some mistakes may irritate you but try your best to muster patience because scolding your child for the wrongs done will only lower their self esteem. When they do a mistake remind them that they are neither less nor more and that you unconditionally love them.

4. Teach them to cook.

Children are observant creatures. Before you knew it, they’re preparing their favorite food the way they saw you do it.

Encourage them to cook by leaving the prepared ingredients in the fridge. Cooking their own food pleases them and encourages their self confidence.

You can make sure they do things safely, but let them learn to cook what they want to cook.

5. Encourage them to improve but do not help them.

With proper encouragement, children will improve on many things like getting higher grades in school or becoming better in sports or any other activity.

When they mess up, focusing on their mistakes won’t help. Instead, encourage them to improve and be there to guide them for the right way of doing things.

If your child asks you to do things for them, lovingly tell them that those things are their responsibility, not yours. Of course, there are exceptions when you can give an extra hand to help them but that’s should not be the norm.

This strategy is helpful to your child in their later years. When faced with a problem as an adult, they will know it’s their responsibility to solve it. They will know they’re confident enough to find a way out just like the way they did as a child.

The 4 Elements Of Detachment According To A Zen Master That Everybody Should Master

Spirituality

Nezel Padayhag

May 19, 2018

In Buddhism, letting go is a state of detachment and viewed as a “non action which is an integral part of the Right Way”. If taken literally, we would have the impression that to let go means to be aloof or be disconnected with others.

But such is not how true detachment truly works. Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh gave a complete explanation of the true meaning of detachment.

He said that to truly let go is to love someone more than you have ever loved them before. When this love for another extends beyond your own personal expectations of gains, then non attachment takes place.

The 4 Elements Of Detachment According To Thich Nhat Hanh:

1. Maitri (Benevolence and Lovingkindness)

Master Han said that Maitri is “the intention and capacity to offer joy and happiness”. It involves profound looking and listening to others in order to know what to do and what not to do to make others happy.

People usually assume that the things or actions that can make them happy will have the same effect on others. But, no.

You should see the person’s real situation so that you will know that what you offer them is what really contributes to their happiness.

It’s not Maitri when what you give brings unhappiness. Forcing certain behaviors on another with the intent of “pleasing” them is actually governed by your ego self.

When you detached yourself from your own need, it’s when you can truly see what brings the other person satisfaction and give them that.

2. Karuna (Compassion)

Detachment is another way of showing deep compassion for others. When you’re detached, you feel the pain of others without the intention of taking those pain away.

You’re simply there for them. The more you’re detached from the outcome, the more you’re deeply involved in life.

3. Mudita (Gratitude and Joy)

Detachment frees you from clinging to something. An unattachment to a thing or idea makes it easier for you to be grateful for life and everything in it.

The Buddha defines joy as something that is unselfish, meaning you not only celebrate when you find your own happiness but delight when others find their own happiness too.

It’s the kind of joy where you have to let go of someone who no longer wishes to be with you but wants to find their own happiness in other places or another person.

Instead of feeling bitter, you still feel happy for them. This is the true joy, to be happy for others even if it has nothing to do with you.

4. Upeksha (Equanimity)

Master Hanh describes Upeksha as equanimity, non attachment, non discrimination, even mindedness, or letting go. Derived from the words “upa” (over) and “iksha” (to look), upeksha is like climbing a mountain and looking over the whole situation.

It’s not looking only on one side but incorporating in your perspective everything you laid your eyes on. Discrimination, prejudice, or clinging are not acts of true love.

Upeksha is showing love for everybody without discrimination. The absence of Upeksha gives rise to possessiveness and egotism.

Strive to be a detached person to truly love anyone. When your love is non assertive, you build healthy relationships that are filled with effortless love, kindness, and compassion.

8 Character Traits That Tell You Are An Omega Male

Attitude

Nezel Padayhag

May 19, 2018

Alpha males are the well known breed that is commonly believed to be an epitome of masculinity.

With this idea in mind, alpha males see to it that they stand out in the crowd and get everybody’s attention. They strive to be the strongest, smartest, fastest, and the one who usually leads the pack. This is good to an extent but it’s extremely limiting in extremes.

It takes a different kind of breed of a person to embrace their uniqueness and be comfortable in their own skin without trying to steal the spotlight from others.

This other male type is called the omega male.

Omega males shun confrontation and avoid risks.

They believe they don’t need to compete with other males just to prove they’re the best, yet, they possess certain qualities that make them even more awesome.

8 Character Traits Of Omega Male:

1. He prefers to be alone.

Omega males are generally the introverted type. Aside from not wanting to be the center of attention or not being the life of the party, they easily get drained in large crowds.

Being solitary is what fires up his energy thus he has no desire whatsoever of being the darling of the crowd.

2. He is cool in his own way.

Because he is confident in who is, he doesn’t manipulate things for his own benefit. Instead, he just allows things to be as they are.

For the omega male, he doesn’t need to fight for something that doesn’t interest him. While alpha males vie for the strongest spot, omega males contentedly look on and walk calmly away.

3. He has a softer side.

Omega males have a softer side that makes them more attractive. He is sensitive to others’ needs.

You can expect him to give you a massage whenever he senses that you’re tired or be there to comfort you whenever you get into conflict with your mom.

And he is very much willing to join you in watching your favorite movie though the actors aren’t his favorites.

4. He is kind hearted to others.

Omega males are always there to lend a helping hand. He helps not for the honor he can get but for how it can make him feel. He simply finds pleasure in helping others out.

Omega males are the ones you see helping old people cross the street and the ones making babies smile.

5. He is an empath.

Because they’re not much focused on getting other people’s attention, omega males can be an empath who sees people as they are and are able to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.

Their empathic ability gives them more grip on reality.

6. He prefers meaningful relationships.

Even if omega males don’t have a long list of friends, establishing a friendship or any form of relationship with them is one that you can be thankful for. This is so because they care for all their relationships.

You can engage deep conversations with them and let you see the richness of their inner world. And once they allow you into their world, it only means one thing: they trust you.

7. He wants to work alone.

While most seek out the company of others in their work, the omega males prefer to work alone.

Not that they’re not productive when working with others, but they just feel more empowered when working on their own. Whether it is on a professional or personal level, you can’t expect omega males to be in large groups.

8. He is not busy pumping up his ego.

Most people feel the need to constantly pump up their egos. People regularly brag about their accomplishments to their family, friends, and the world at large.

However, you can’t see these acts from omega males who couldn’t care less about what others think of them.

Even if their accomplishments are something rare, they don’t feel the urge to let the world know even to their friends.

In short, recognition doesn’t matter a thing to them.

In a world where the ultra masculine traits are valued much, the omega males may not even be recognized.

But it doesn’t mean just because someone isn’t in the spotlight, they’re less important or anything less for that matter. It means they are satisfied with who they are.

Psychologists Reveal The 9 Subtle Ways How Real Life Psychopaths Communicate To Better Recognize Them

Psychology

Nezel Padayhag

May 18, 2018

Psychopaths operate in ways that are far different from normal people.

As shown in their brain scans, they have reduced activity in areas that regulate impulses, emotions, aggression, and morality, the very reasons why they become the person that they are.

Essentially, you have to protect yourself from becoming their target because they can lack the empathy to consider your feelings and can hurt you. Satisfying their selfish needs are what they’re only up to, no matter who they hurt in the process.

You need to arm yourself with the right awareness in dealing with such people.

Based on research, psychopaths communicate in a specific way. There are 9 subtle elements in their communication that can be the signs you should look out for.

The 9 Subtle Ways How Real Life Psychopaths Communicate:

1. They speak in the past tense regularly.

Science can’t explain why but psychopaths regularly speak in the past tense. As we have known, they’re people who are so detached from their behavior and surroundings. This might explain the oddity of their behavior.

2. They use body language that’s convincing.

Lying is a psychopath’s favorite tool. They do it to make themselves look good and as a way of distracting people from their real intentions. Their best tool for lying is their body language. Be careful of hand gestures that highlight certain words or phrases.

3. They don’t feel genuine emotions.

When expressing emotions, they say it out of learned behavior and not out of real genuine emotion. You can see if someone is lying when speaking of their emotions if their words come from their gut area or upper chest and throat area. Expressing real emotions comes with energy from bellow the upper chest area.

4. They use their charm.

Psychopaths will use their charm to manipulate you because they’re skillful at it. However, you can distinguish natural charm from manipulative charm by the way it is used. Natural charm exists just as an aura of a person while manipulative charm has an intent behind it.

5. They speak in a slow and soft manner.

Psychopaths speak in a calculated voice that is rather slow and quiet. They avoid emphasizing emotional words while maintaining a neutral tone all throughout. They do this to gain control and maintain a calm demeanor.

6. They always justify their actions.

Whenever they’re caught committing a crime, they never admit it and feel sorry. They will try to justify their mistakes with the full intent of convincing others that they’ve done it out of a deep necessity. They don’t show even a slight remorse.

7. They don’t understand the importance of spiritual or emotional needs.

According to research, psychopaths who are caught for the crime of murder spend more of their time talking about their financial needs, which prompted them to commit such a grievous act. How their behavior affected others is not their concern. Psychopaths can’t see the importance of spiritual and emotional needs. Instead, they focus on satisfying their basic needs, like food and shelter.

8. They use filler words a lot.

Psychopaths will keep saying ‘uh’ and ‘um’ because they’re editing the conversation in their minds before they speak. They don’t get into a flow when talking with others because they will reveal their real colors. A normal person uses these words, in most cases, to avoid an awkward silence. But psychopaths use them constantly to mask their thinking.

9. They’re great storytellers.

You will be amazed at how psychopaths tell a story. They are masters at it. However, what reveals them is the tiny detail that in all their stories they only play two roles: either the victim or the hero. They do this to evoke trust and manipulate. They can’t put themselves in a role of observer or someone who is not a key element of the story.

How Many of These Traits a Psychopath Has:

Most of us will find ourselves in one or two of these traits. But psychopaths have most, if not all of these communication traits.

Keep all these things in mind so that whenever you are surrounded by people you hardly know, you will notice whether some of them could be a psychopath.

When you suspect one, you better get out of their way to protect your energies and vibrations.

The 4 Most Important Signs You Need To Quit Your Job

Attitude

Nezel Padayhag

May 17, 2018

Our job’s core purpose is to give us the opportunity to earn some bucks. However, it can be a shuttle of positivity that all the members ride towards a mutual goal.

Anyway, it doesn’t have to be perfect. All it needs to be is decent.

But a job that destroys you as a human being, physically, emotionally, spiritually or mentally is not worth it. What you work has a significant impact on who you will become.

So striving to find this balance between earning and happiness is important but it isn’t easy.

In every workplace challenges rise up from time to time. That’s normal. But some workplaces are just destructive.

Here are the 4 most important signs that tell you should quit your job!

If You Experience Any Of These 4 Signs, You Need To Quit Your Job:

1. Your work feels like a dead end.

Having a work that seems to be going nowhere is soul eating. You can try creating some positive changes in the workplace but if it’s still not going anywhere, than you should have a serious talk with your self about your goals.

If you need to suck it up for a goal, than do what you have to do. But if you are stuck within that workplace for no reason, than it’s time to move on.

This is a clear sign that you’re in the wrong place and you need to put yourself in a place where you will have the opportunity to rise.

2. Your work feels empty and unrewarding.

If your work feel emotionally unsatisfying or unrewarding than it will just drain your energy. If despite all your achievements, you still feel a tinge of emptiness inside, as if something is missing, you might be in the wrong workplace.

When we say unrewarding we mean about effort. If you do a lot of work and you feel you deserve a lot more for the energy you spend, but you get significantly less, than it’s not smart to stay in a place that does not give you your energy back.

If no matter how much you try to do your best, they still don’t see any value from your contributions, it’s time to quit. You are not wanted there, they just use you.

3. Your work is against your true purpose.

As the world’s consciousness is shifting to higher levels, a lot of people are seeking work where they can feel in spiritual alignment with their soul purpose.

It’s when you are in alignment with your heart and spirit where you find the fulfillment of your life.

Of course, even in today’s time it’s not really easy to make an earning from your soul’s purpose.

Sometimes it’s ok to work something that’s not your purpose, in the end your work is about earning.

But if you are in an industry that goes against your soul purpose than you are going against your whole being just to earn some bucks. It’s not worth it.

If you’re one of these people, you need to realize that your work is not as important as the reason you are alive for. Try to find a work that allows you to be you, in all your greatness.

4. Your work revolves around toxic people.

If your work revolves around toxic people that drain you of your positivity and energy, than you are not contributing to anything by doing what you do. You are feeding toxicity.

Unless what you do is your true purpose or passion, than you should think about changing careers because your health is at stake.

What you work is not going to be perfect, it’s not going to be smooth and always positive, but it doesn’t have to be toxic. What you do is in integrity with who you are, and the world doesn’t need any more toxic people, it needs positive healers, artists and scientists.

10 Signs You Need To Move Up To The Higher Level Of Consciousness Right Away

Journey

Nezel Padayhag

May 16, 2018

We are multidimensional beings. Our consciousness stretches from the lower up to the higher dimensions of reality.

Our Higher Self is on these higher layers while our Ego and lower selves operate on the lower realities. But all of our layers function together to help us grow and evolve.

Our awareness is moving up and down across the layers of our consciousness in a tidal manner in order to help us grow our consciousness to even higher levels and evolve into higher beings. But sometimes, we can get stuck on the lower levels of reality.

The lower levels of reality make us focus mainly on our physical survival. Getting stuck in them means having our focus only on sexuality, self image, power, pleasure, self acceptance, greed, and the tribal programming that keeps us safe against predators.

When we connect to the higher levels of reality we focus on exploring the higher parts of our consciousness. We progress with our spiritual evolution, our soul purpose and the attainment of higher vibrations for us and the world.

While the lower layers of our being support our physical survival, getting stuck in these lower dimensions prevents us from reaching our highest human potential and the reason we are alive for.

Here are the signs that tell you have been stuck on these lower layers for too long. If you find yourself in some of these you need to move up your awareness to higher levels of consciousness right away.

10 Signs You Need To Move Up To The Higher Level Of Consciousness:

1. You feel the need to identify yourself with a group.

The tribal programming still runs in your veins if you feel the urge to belong to a certain group. it’s ok to belong, but needing to belong is not. The state of needing tells that you lack something for your survival.

True belonging is not found within a group but within each individual. And when a couple of people resonate with each other’s purpose and ideals they create a group.

The group’s goals may be sublime, but as long as you seek to find a group jus so you can feel belonging, you are not solving your problem.

It’s a momentary solution that makes you stuck. It doesn’t open you to new pathways in connecting with the divine within you.

Even religious groups can make you feel trapped. It’s only in walking down the path of your own personal spiritual journey that you will truly find belonging.

2. You don’t have original thoughts.

When asked for your opinion, you fail to answer from your own point of view. Instead, you go through the opinions of others that are stored in your head and have them as the references of your thought patterns.

Most often, they’re common and widely accepted thought forms.

3. You don’t question the truth and beliefs of others.

You accept without question and curiosity every belief and truth the authority figures give you.

You don’t stop and try to check for validity because you strongly trust authorities and lean on their opinions.

Once these truths are challenged by anyone, you may feel scared or threatened.

4. You’re loyal to a group even when when you know it’s wrong.

Even if you may find yourself associating with a group that has no merits, you still don’t question it’s moral or social authority.

5. Your time is equivalent to money.

You always trade your time with money or money with your time because it’s the only reality you perceive.

You have no knowledge about time warps or intuitive abilities as these things are related to higher levels of consciousness.

6. You define your self worth by the things that you get.

Getting something from the tribe does not only refer to material possessions but also include the attention, acknowledgment, certifications, honor, and awards that you get and are important to you.

If you define yourself solely by these external things it means you haven’t found, or you’ve forgotten the true source of self worth you hold within.

7. You believe being wealthy and physically attractive give you power.

Because you’re living in the lower realities, your life is all about making efforts to maintain your physicality and earn respect from others.

You do everything to make yourself physically attractive and to earn more money that can provide you the luxurious life you want to live, just so others can be attracted to you.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping yourself attractive and earning more. It’s only destructive when you see it as the only source that can give you more power and earn the respect of others.

8. You think you have no default right to be.

You don’t feel you have the right to be, thus you keep asking for the tribe’s blessings and validation.

Maybe you even live your life being scared all the time. You seek security from the outside and cannot find one within yourself.

You think you need to earn the right to be, and you don’t believe you already have it because you already exist.

If these things apply to you than you are living stuck in the lower levels of reality and you need to raise the levels of your consciousness through spirituality.

9. You seek approval for every life decision you make.

You can’t make a life decision without the approval of your family, friends, peers, or even society.

Even if it concerns your personal life, like choosing the right career, the right romantic partner, or the types of friends you surround yourself with, you don’t do it on your own because you are scared of taking responsibility for your decisions.

You obsess with how others would react or think. Involving them in the process is a lot safer. But it takes the personal power you inherently have away from you.

10. You feel selfish for giving time to your personal journey.

A spiritual journey is a lone journey, meaning you can’t take anybody with you. You feel selfish in doing an inner work because it can feel like betraying the tribe who doesn’t want you to think differently from them.

Besides, it could also mean you spend less time in taking care of others while spending more time in taking care of yourself.

This process may seem to break you apart, but when you’re able to push through, you can clearly see that you can help others more by helping yourself first. It’s how operating in the higher consciousness feels like.

If you find yourself in some of the above signs, than you must move to higher levels of consciousness right away. Start spiritual practices like meditation, yoga, read spiritual books, and trust your inner guidance. Remind yourself of your soul’s purpose and inner journey.

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