Free Meditation Class as part of the Find Your Lagos Festival

4 Steps to Happiness by Brian Tracy

When unexpected problems and circumstances arise, what matters most is how you react to them.

Here's four things you can do to assure that your attitude is the very best it can be, under all circumstances.

Focus On the Future

First, whatever challenges you face, focus on the future rather than on the past. Instead of worrying about who did what and who's to blame, focus on where you want to be and what you want to do.

Get a clear mental image of your ideal successful future, and then take whatever action you can to begin moving in that direction. Get your mind, your thoughts, and your mental images on the future.

Think About the Solution

Second, whenever you're faced with a difficulty, focus on the solution rather than on the problem. Think and talk about the ideal solution to the obstacle or setback, rather than wasting time rehashing the problem. Solutions are inherently positive, whereas problems are inherently negative. The instant that you begin thinking in terms of solutions, you become positive and immediately take action on resolving the issue.

Look For the Good

The perfect breakfast for people with depression

Culled from:  http://qz.com/734307/the-perfect-breakfast-for-people-with-depression/

Antidepressants and therapy, while both effective, are not the only means available to combat depression. Exercise has been described as a “wonder drug” for reducing symptoms, walking in nature reduces negative thoughts, and meditation can have a powerful positive effect.

But there’s another, often overlooked, way to help reduce depression: Food.

Our brain relies on nutrients to work effectively and studies have found that Omega-3, amino acids, B vitamins, Vitamin D, and minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron help create strong mental health. The Mediterranean diet, with its abundance of olive oil and leafy vegetables, contains many of these nutrients. One study of more than 15,000 people over 10 years found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of depression.

Growing Like a Chinese Bamboo Tree

This year like last, I chose to have a word define my year; that word was 'Growth'. 

Very much inspired by the story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree, when ever I find myself getting off path I like to re-read the story. I constantly remind myself that even when it looks like nothing is happening I am growing and one day I will wake up and things will have changed.

Oyindamola Fakeye

Founder Sound Mind Africa

How Does A Chinese Bamboo Tree Grow?

Free Mid Year Motivation Resources

We are just about to hit our 6 month mark as June comes to an end, so what better time to review how you are progressing and reevaluate some of the goals you set for yourself  at the beginning of the year?

If you are feeling slightly underwhelmed by your progress and need a little bit of a push in the right direction, or  if like some of us life has taken you on a different path than you had imagined, then take this opportunity to sign up for our FREE Dream Chaser course.

The course is emailed to you daily and you are free to work at your own pace. You can work with your already defined goals or use this time to introduce new goals, using simple exercises and affirmations to direct you.

Feeling like one has lost control/ direction of one's life has often been linked to mental health issues such as Stress, Anxiety, Depression, OCD and Eating Disorders. We first ran this course last year and had a really good response which led to to the re-release. Lets make the second half of the year much more intentional and regain control over our lives.

More information and sign up form here: Dream Chaser

Simple Techniques to Leading a Positive Life Through Mindfulness

Studies have shown that most people are either thinking about past events or planning for the future and this thought process can account for up to 45% of all our day to day thoughts. How crazy is it that almost 50% of of our lives are spent outside of the moment. Maybe its why we have come to love the Snapchat and Instagrams' of the world, as we can revisit the moments we mentally weren't being present in?

A great way to cultivate an emotionally and mentally healthy lifestyle is through the practice of Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. Involving the observation of ones' thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Living mindfully means to live in the moment, fully aware of the present experience.

Mindfulness does not require you to make a total life overhaul, we can all benefit from slowing down and truly being aware of our current experiences. Just small changes here and there can bring about greater positivity and peace of mind. Those of us (myself included) who are prone to anxiety, stress or depression about an uncertain future or a longing for the past can set ourselves the daily task of being more mindful and see the benefits begin to manifest.

If you are a complete beginner in the school of Mindfulness, Leo Babauta of  Zen Habits, has broken down 12 mindful techniques into practical applicable steps below:

1. Meditation. Meditation is where mindful living starts. And it’s not complicated: you can sit still for even just 1 minute a day to start with (work up to 3-5 minutes after a week), and turn your attention to your body and then your breath. Notice when your thoughts wander from your breath, and gently return to the breath. Repeat until the minute is up.

FREE GUIDED MEDITATION SESSIONS IN LAGOS TO MARK WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2015

Dear Friends, 

As part of of this years World Mental Health Day campaign Sound Mind Africa will be holding a FREE Guided Meditation session from 8-9am on Saturday 10th October at A Whitespace 58 Raymond Njoku Street, SW Ikoyi. For more information email: soundmindafrica@gmail.com or call: 09095329022.

In the fast-paced world that we live in, we often do not take the time to clear our heads and be truly present in our surroundings. Meditation is a mindfulness practice that allows you to “let go” and be present in the moment. With all the demands of work and home we’re often placing large amounts of stress on not only our physical but mental health.

Benefits of Meditation

Because practicing meditation helps you to slow your breath, quiet your mind, and find peace, it can be beneficial physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Physical Benefits

•       Stimulates your nervous system, which help your body return to a calm, relaxed state after the threat of danger, or even daily stress, has passed. 

•       Clears your mind for better quality sleep.

•       Improves performance by refining your ability to focus on a goal or situation (another term for meditationused in this way is visualization).

•       Boosts your immune system by slowing the production of the stress hormone cortisol.

Mental and Emotional Benefits

·      Reduces anxiety and depression by enabling your body to balance its own neurochemical system.

·      Allows you to make better decisions and improve critical thinking.

·      Breaks unhealthy habits by helping you detach emotions associated with an action from the action itself.

·      Improves communication with yourself. When you better understand your thought processes, you have more control over what you think.

·      Helps you stay in the present moment. When you let go of the past and the future, you live 100 percent in the now, which affects all aspects of your life and relationships.

P.J. Okocha will lead the meditation session. PJ trained in Hong Kong and has been meditating for 8 years. He recently began leading sessions in Lagos as an opportunity to share his knowledge.

Further reading

World Mental Health Day

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/world-mental-health-day/world-mental-health-day-2015/

Money Management and Meditation: 

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2014/09/26/ask-the-readers-would-you-try-meditation-to-improve-your-finances/

Meditation and Heart Health:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/Meditation-and-Heart-Disease-Stroke_UCM_452930_Article.jsp

Stress Relief and Meditation:

http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/p/profilemeditati.htm