Tag: life

Addicted to Our Problems

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

We live in a therapy culture. We are taught to talk about our problems so we may find a way to resolve them. Problems, problems, problems. We have become addicted to our problems. People feed off of them. They talk about them to friends, family, and coworkers. Problems are talked about so much it would be safe to assume that people are becoming much healthier emotionally compared to our ancestors. Is this the case? I don’t think it is.

I disagree with the “professionals” that say talking about your problems is healthy. I don’t want you to think that I am a proponent of hiding issues or living in denial. I do think that acknowledging problems is important, but not as important as being focused on your desired outcome. Energy flows to where focus goes. If your focus is your problems rather than your outcome, your problems run your life. Spending too much energy on problems is not healthy—it is toxic.

I don’t talk about my problems much. I readily acknowledge that I have various health issues including spondylitis and asthma. However, I don’t focus on it or talk about it much. My problems are not a part of my identity. I do not let them control me, or the emotional states I live in. Yes, they do exist. No, I am not better talking about them to everyone. Nor is anyone else better off having heard what ails me. I do not direct my energy to what I do not want.

I believe the ancient stoic and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius gave us sound advice for dealing with problems, “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” The Stoics school believed in maintaining tranquility throughout life. They did not believe this was possible if your thoughts and actions were focused on problems instead of your desired outcome. Stoicism is a philosophy worth looking into. I believe reading Seneca or Marcus Aurelius, two men of great wisdom and power, can help you navigate the road of life with a little more perspective.

BREXIT =LIBERTY

On By seancovellIn Politics, UncategorizedLeave a comment

BREXIT =LIBERTY

Whatever else the Brexit vote may be, it is at its core an emphasis of the belief of self-governance and self-determination. There is really only one right that all humans have-the right to property. This right stems from the fact that you own your own body and therefore have the right to your property and self-governance. This is a fundamental right. No one owns you. You have the right to self-determination. Older Brits, the largest group in support of leaving the European Union understood this.Younger ones have been brainwashed into believing that a global government is better for all. The opposite is true in regards to freedom.  Brexit was not about racism or xenophobia as many would have you believe. It was about a country getting the short end of the stick and deciding to take ownership of the right to self-determination.

The breakup of large empires is a recurring theme through history. Eventually, localities with a different culture, language and needs resent having a central government in a far off land deciding what they can and cannot do. Older Brits, the one making up the largest tax base understand that their taxes are being forced towards policies they don’t approve of. The concept is so simple that the truly shocking part about it, is that the elites don’t get it. The ones who benefit from taxation, loose money and central banking are the ones who are really concerned because their grip on the globe is failing. The central planners and progressives have gripped so tight for so long, the countries they desire to control are slipping though their fingers. When they see countries stand up and refuse a central currency and laws in favor of their own, elites freak out.

So that is why so much has been made about the “tragedy” of the British exit of the EU. Nothing could be further from the truth. If individuals and countries do not have the right to self-governance, there is no liberty. Brexit is not a tragedy, it’s a triumph. Anytime people realize they own themselves and take responsibility for their own destiny, it’s a triumph. The consolidation of power-through treaties, taxation and global currency is the real tragedy.

Identify Yourself (Actually, Don’t)

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, Politics, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This article will be redundant. It is done so to drive my point home…

There are a few things in life that will significantly impact the direction and quality of your life. The first, I believe, is your personal philosophy. Your philosophy about life is the major factor in how things will play out for you. A close second, and perhaps much more relatable and relevant to people, is with what group or groups you tie your identity to. How you identify yourself reinforces the story you tell yourself and others about who you are. I’m going to suggest to you that this is a mistake. By tying your identity to a group rather than who you are as a human and an individual can significantly diminish the quality of your life. I realize this will be controversial, but in order to progress as humans, the tribe mentality of our ancestors must disappear. This will not happen until people take control of their own fate, rather than living within the expectations and ideology of another group.

My reasoning behind this argument is simple–the story that you tell yourself about who you are impacts your beliefs and values, thereby influencing a major part of life that you should take responsibility for and think critically about. For example, if your identity is tied to an extremist religious group like ISIS, your values about how you should live and act towards others are not compatible with human life and liberty. You have significantly limited yourself and your world view. Let me suggest that your religious practices, whatever they may be, are not your identity. The same goes for any political organization that you affiliate with. I would advise against it becoming tied to “who you are”. By doing so, you are hampering your potential as a human.

I like Bruce Lee’s philosophy towards different styles of fighting. He refused to identify himself with one or another, instead taking the best from all different styles. Bruce Lee was a dedicated learner. His desire was to be better tomorrow than yesterday or today. That should be a common belief for all humans. By limiting yourself to a certain group, I believe you are limiting your potential and also allowing group mentality to influence your world view about how to act towards others. I have been known to say that you are not your thoughts. You are the one who listens to them. Likewise, you are not your religion, political affiliation, race, gender, sexual preference. I would advise against identifying with any group. It is this tribe mentality that causes so much pain and suffering. Islam vs Christianity. Gay vs. Straight. Male vs. Female. White vs Black. Conservative vs Liberal. It’s time to stop labeling and limiting yourself. To expand as an individual you must ditch the labels you have allowed to be placed on you. You are not a group. Groups do not think–they produce a way to think about things. Groups do not have rights (although they claim to). Only individuals do. Act like an individual and identify yourself as one.

So how should one identify? What story should they tell themselves about who they are? If it is true that you become the story you tell yourself, I strongly suggest getting a better story. So who are you really? You are a being that cannot be labeled. You are a gift to the universe. You are infinite potential. You are a factory producing infinite energy, love, compassion. Want a better world? Want a better life? Get a better story…and stop identifying with a group. You are not a group. You are a unique individual. You own your body and your mind. Do your own thinking. Drop the labels.

In Liberty,
Sean

Harmony=Success

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, PoliticsLeave a comment

“Success is the knowledge in with which to get whatever you want from life without violating the rights of others and by helping others to acquire it.” Napoleon Hill

Though it may be brief, this is likely one the most important blog post I will ever write. This realization came to me after pondering a series of questions over the last few weeks. Some of these questions were: What is the cause of the most tragedies and failures in the world? What leads to violence, stress and negative attitudes? Why do some couples stay together and stay happy while others break up? Why do some companies thrive and others fail? Why do some people love their job and others hate theirs? Why are some people able to create amazing things while others struggle with creativity? Why does the world still struggle with war?

The answer to all these questions is a lack of perfect f harmony between people. Throughout history, most of the problems we have experienced as humans can be traced back to a lack of harmony between people.   On the flip side of the coin, harmony is the reason for any major lasting success. Every enterprise, every country, government, marriage or other organization must face the reality that the determining factor in how long lasting and successful they will be is whether the people directly involved are working together in perfect harmony, or there is consistent discord between people. Harmony between people has led to every major success in history.

Once harmony exists in an organization or relationship, an alliance can be formed. No one can succeed on their own without the help of others. Alliances must be formed to achieve anything worthwhile. Every couple, every business, every nation must have a mastermind alliance. A mastermind alliance consists of two or more minds working actively together in perfect harmony toward a common definite objective. This is perhaps the most important ingredient in achievement. A star player cannot win a game on his efforts alone. An alliance between ALL team members must exist. If not, the team will crumble when problems arise… and problems will always arise. But those working together in a spirit of harmony will continue to thrive. If not, the problems will win.

What does it take to operate in a spirit of harmony? A change in consciousness must occur. A person must be consciously aware that harmony can exist if they seek it out. Moreover, a person must believe that when the energy created from harmony is focused into a mastermind alliance, no problem is unsolvable.   In my business, I demand that harmony exists between all associates and with customers. If a lack of harmony exists, the problems that will arise will not be solvable until there is a return to perfect harmony. Often this requires the person unwilling to be in harmony with others is removed. What the takeaway? You must be willing to be in harmony with others. A willingness must exist within every individual in an organization to act in harmony with everyone else. If that exists, anything is possible. Sound simple? It is. But simple is not always easy.

I believe that most people are, in fact, good. However, many people do not have the desire to be in harmony with those around them. They point out the flaws of others, gossip, and berate their fellow man. Humans inherently distrust others because most believe that their problems have been due to others. In reality, the lack of harmony between themselves and others is the cause of the problem. Humans need other humans. We are social creatures and we have dominated the earth and increased the standard of living because of alliances between people working in harmony. The number one cause of failure is lack of harmony between people. The number one cause of success is perfect harmony. The choice is yours.  I urge you all to choose harmony. Your life will be more fulfilling if you do.

Do You Have These Four Areas Mastered?

On By seancovellIn Health and WellnessLeave a comment

The Four Areas of Your Life

            How is your life going? Are some areas good and others… not so much? Did you know there are really four aspects of life that you must master to have a truly incredible life? Right now you’re thinking, “Sure. Sounds too simple.” Indeed it is simple to have an incredible life. It’s not easy, but it’s not complicated either. Here are the four areas of life that you must acknowledge and control to truly have an incredible life.

Mental Life— The mental part of your life relates to your belief systems and the way you make meaning of the world. Your mental life is the philosophy you have about life, business, family and everything else. The mental world is how we all make meaning of what happens and how we determine what to do. The easiest way to identify your mental world is to think about the thoughts you produce daily. “He hates me.” “She thinks I’m ugly.” “I’m so smart.” “Everyday above ground is a good day.” All of these thoughts reflect what’s going on with you mentally. Your philosophy about everything in life all comes from your mental life. Mentally, you must develop a success philosophy that will produce thoughts and therefore habits which will serve you.

Emotional Life— Emotions are really just chemical reactions in the body and brain, but they have a tremendous impact on the quality of our lives. Emotions can be affected by the thoughts you produce, but emotions can also occur independently. In fact, when we think about the quality of life, what we are really talking about is how much time you spend in positive emotional states. Happiness, gratitude, ecstasy are all states of emotion that most value and wish to spend time in. The elephant in the room that few are willing to say out loud is that your emotions are in your control at any given time. You get to choose what emotional states you live in. Emotion comes from the root motion–meaning that by changing your physical state, changing the foods and drinks you consume and spending time being mindful of emotions that arise in your mind, you can have complete control over your emotions. The key is to remember that you CAN be in control of them, but to do this you must be mindful of what emotions you are experiencing and take action to shift your emotional state to one that you value.

Physical Life— We live in what we perceive to be a physical world. Everything, everyone, our bodies present in a physical form. This is easy to understand, but it’s worth noting that most people do not have control over the physical aspect of life. The current epidemics of obesity, heart disease, and prescription drug addiction suggest that mastering the physical world is far from complete for humanity. Though we have discovered secrets of the universe like electricity, gravity, radio waves and x-rays, bacteria and other planets, there are many more physical aspects to life that people have yet to discover and understand. For the purposes of this article, however, I suggest that you start by getting control over this aspect of your life first. The reason being that your physical life controls so much of how you view the world. Your health, energy level and vitality directly affects your mental and emotional world, and by changing yourself physically, you can have a positive or negative effect on the quality of your life. Start by getting fit, gaining strength and developing the capacity to produce more energy. (Energy is not something you have, it’s something you produce.)

Spiritual Life— This area of life is by far the most misunderstood. The word spiritual usually brings about thoughts of religion. However the word spirit comes from the root “spiritus” meaning breath. Spirituality really predates any religion and it’s root meaning shows how truly the important this part of life is. Spirituality deals with our consciousness and its contents. To understand spirituality, you must recognize that you are not your thoughts. You are the one who is producing them and listening to them. Your spiritual world reflects your ability to ability to separate yourself from your thoughts and feels as well as recognize there are other states of consciousness available to you through meditation and mindfulness. Some call this prayer. Some call it something else. What it really is though is the ability to recognize and connect to an infinite energy and intelligence that is apart from the thoughts your mind produces. To become spiritual then, you must first recognize that you are separate from your thoughts. You are something else entirely. You are a “spiritual” being, one that is able to change your consciousness and self reflect.

Mastering these four areas of life is so difficult that I feel it’s safe to say most never achieve it. Worse, most don’t even recognize there are different aspects to life. Some say, “There’s just life.” That mindset fails to recognize that just like a stew, life can be boiled down to it is most simple ingredients. Start by acknowledging these four areas of your life and you can begin to work towards changing them in a positive way. Every area of your life should work to serve you, not hinder you in living in an incredible state most of your life.

Here’s to your incredible life,

Sean

25 Biggest Problems in the World-Solved

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, PoliticsLeave a comment

Top 25 Problems Solved in 6 Words or Less

In this very short article I will attempt to provide an answer to what I believe are the world’s greatest problem. Caveat: My answers will be six words or less. My goal here is to get people to think about the questions posed and then research my answers for themselves. I believe most of the problems we face as humans have simple solutions, but we refuse to believe they can be solved because “it just can’t be that simple.” What if it was? Complexity is the enemy of execution, which is just another way of saying that people don’t do something if they believe it will be too difficult or complex to complete or solve the problem. So I’m going to be deliberately brief in my answers and I hope that my brevity will spur people to take some action.

1.How can I be more happy and fulfilled? A: Gratitude and mindfulness.
2.How can we achieve wage equality? A:Not possible unless humans are identical.
3.How can I build the best business? A:Build a monopoly. Do not compete.
4.How can I make more money? A:Add more value to marketplace.
5. Why do we have financial bubbles and cycles? A: Fractional reserve banking, central banks.
6. How can I stay positive? Focus on serving others. Be decisive.
7.How can we cure diseases like cancer, AIDS, etc? A:More private donors to startup firms.
8.Can poverty be cured? A:Only through the free market
9.Why is it so hard to stick with a goal?A:The reasons for achieving it,weak.
10.How can I make a marriage last? A:Take 100% responsibility for it.
11.Why is violence so prevalent? A:Violence makes humans feel significant.
12.How do I stop being mad or jealous? A: Focus on loving and serving others.
13.How do we end war? A: Private law societies,libertarianism.
14.How can I feel better about myself? A:You are wise,enough,courageous(repeat)
15.What is the most important trait to have?A:Courage, by far.
16.How do I know what to do in life?A: Do what others won’t or can’t.
17. How can I be financially secure? A: Multiple streams of income.
18. How do I bring progress to the world? A:Look for and work on “secrets”
19.How can I have a great life? A:Decide: live in a great state (everyday).
20.What determines if a person or country will be successful?A:Their philosophies and culture.
21. Best supplement for depression? A: Sam E (joints +liver also)
22.Best diet to lose fat and our disease in remission? A:Ketogenic diet
23. What is the biggest problem the world faces in the near future? A: Loss of hope.
24. Why do people tend to make the same mistakes over and over again? A:Habituation.Not examining their consciousness.
25.What is the biggest mistake most people make in life. A:Believing and following the majority (herd).
There you have it. Did this make you think? I truly hope it was helpful in expanding your consciousness and making you examine your own thoughts. Truly, the greatest thing any of us can do is to be mindful of our consciousness and its contents (thoughts). If we do this, the world will be a better place.

50 Reasons To Get and Stay Fit

On By seancovellIn Health and Wellness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

50 Reasons to Achieve and Maintain an Incredible Level of Fitness

  1. Likely to have a longer lifespan
  2. Statistically likely to have less disease
  3. More energy
  4. Less likely to have depression
  5. Less likely to have chronic fatigue
  6. Less prescription medications
  7. More positive outlook on life
  8. You may inspire your family
  9. Your kids will look up to you
  10. You will be more productive
  11. Better sex
  12. Sex more often
  13. Self-confidence
  14. Instill self-discipline in your life
  15. Growing your physical potential will yield beneficial mental effects.
  16. Better regulation of your hormones
  17. Stronger bones
  18. More flexibility
  19. Less pain
  20. Reduced costs associated with health
  21. Outdoor activities are more fun
  22. Clothes fit and look better
  23. More strength
  24. More power
  25. Better endurance
  26. You begin to view food as fuel
  27. Your “cheat” meals are more cherished
  28. Looking forward to physical challenges instead of avoiding them
  29. Being more useful to others because of your strength and energy
  30. Fitness is a fun challenge
  31. The fitness game never ends, it only evolves as your age
  32. Your family wants you to live a long time
  33. Your friends may be inspired by you
  34. Some people will be jealous (ex boyfriends and girlfriends)
  35. Your social media pictures will look great
  36. Because you can and it will benefit you, so you should
  37. Emotion comes from motion. You can control your emotions by being more fit
  38. Faster recovery from injury
  39. Faster recovery from surgery
  40. Better ability to tolerate carbohydrates
  41. More effective immune system
  42. Your brain will function better
  43. All of your organs and cells will produce more energy and mitochondria
  44. It’s simple to do
  45. It’s not easy, which makes it more fun
  46. Setting an example for others about what is possible
  47. Defending yourself and loved ones
  48. Making people turn their heads as your walk down the beach
  49. People who are fit generally make more money over their lifespan
  50. Because you owe it to yourself

The Most Important Thing

On By seancovellIn Health and WellnessLeave a comment

I’ve just finished reading a book called The One Thing. My thoughts? In a word: fantastic. It’s basic premise is that you must narrow down you focus, your priorities to just ONE important thing. The authors suggest in planning your day, week, month, year, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing, such that by doing would make my life easier and make all else unnecessary?” What a fantastic question. I would venture to say that most never ask it. I know that I haven’t. I wish I had earlier in my life. Regardless, it got me thinking, “If you could only have one trait, what the most important one to have.” This is another way of asking, what the most important “thing” in life. After careful consideration, I know the answer. Courage.

Courage is the most important thing in life to have. Without it, nothing would happen. Without courage we humans would live in constant fear of everything–fear of death, fear of embarrassment, fear of losing loved ones, fear of financial ruin, fear that we are not enough. It’s in our nature to be fearful. We are not the biggest or strongest creatures to have roamed the Earth. We are constantly faced with things that could kill us, ruin us, embarrass us or make us quite uncomfortable. Fear is what drives us if we act on instinct alone–unless you have Courage.

Courage is not the lack of fear, it is acting in spite of fear. The two attributes are not mutually exclusive. They balance each other like good and evil, light and dark, yin and yang. Fear is what holds us back. Courage is what drives us forward. Courage is what drives all of humanity forward. Life without courage is no life at all. Another word for courage is faith. A life without faith is no life at all.

From The One Thing: “One evening an elder Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on in all people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us. One is Fear. It carries anxiety, concern, uncertainty, hesitancy, indecision and irritation. The other is faith (courage). It brings calm, conviction, confidence, enthusiasm, decisiveness, excitement and action.” The grandson thought about it for a moment then meekly asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee replied, “The one you feed.”

FEED YOUR COURAGE. STARVE YOUR FEARS.
-Sean

Do You Feel In Charge?

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Are You in Charge of Your Life?

My favorite part of the Dark Knight Rises is when Bane asks in his creepy voice, “Do you feel in charge?” It’s really a great question. As adults we really are only in charge of one thing–our own lives. We are supposed to take responsibility for all that happens to us in our lives, not complaining when things don’t go our way and not apologizing when things go well for us. As humans, we try to control and mold our environment through technology, philosophy and many other avenues available to us. But I know firsthand that we don’t always feel in control. All of us at some point have complained about something wrong that has happened to us. Sometimes the complaining is justified–it might even feel good to vent. But I wonder, does it do any good?

Aristotle posed the question to his students, “What is the good in it?” He was referring to the deeds we engage is as human beings. With every deed, we should be able answer “What’s the good in it?” If the answer is nothing, we are not supposed to engage in the activity. Of course, this philosophy presupposes that humans do all things with the end-goal of achieving some goodness. This is debatable in regards to humanity as a whole. But, I’d like to keep the focus on you. You are, of course, a good person dedicated to improving yourself physically and emotionally. You wouldn’t be reading this otherwise. So, Aristotle poses a valuable question for all of us. In everything we do, we should ask, “What’s the good in it?” This is one way of taking control of our lives and our environment. By focusing on what good we can do, we can control our actions and therefore positively affect our environment–even possibly control it to the greatest extent possible, something we try to do as humans.

So, are you in charge of your life? Do you own yourself? If the answer is no, then who controls you? Of course you are in charge and responsible for your own life. While things may happen to us that we cannot control, we can control our reaction to them. And I would suggest, when reacting to these external events, ask yourself, “What’s the good in it?” If there is no good in your reaction, why do it? Will it help you to complain? To retaliate? To whine in social media? Will people think more of you or less of you? What will you think of yourself? So ask yourself what Bane asked, “Do you feel in charge?” Because you are in charge. What are you going to do about it?

What If?

On By seancovellIn Uncategorized1 Comment

What if there are no problems in life? What if there’s no normal life? What if it’s all just life? What if being angry or stressed about something defies logic? What if you should always expect anything to happen? How would your outlook change? What would you do differently? What if you traded in expectation for appreciation? How much more grateful would you become? How much more joy would you have in your life?

What if your philosophy was that everything is part of a universal plan? What if you expected everything good and bad to end? How much less suffering would you have? How much less anxiety would you have? What if you only focused on the things in life you could control? What if you let go completely of anything you didn’t have some control over? What if your philosophy was to do the absolute best you can in things that you can control? How much more free would you be?

What if you did everything and anything possible to express joy? What if joy was in your control and tranquility was possible always? What would it mean to you to know that it’s in your power to have joy, so it would be illogical to experience anti-joy? What if nothing angered you or disturbed your tranquility? What if you didn’t avoid bad news or negativity, but still nothing disturbed your tranquility? What if you could think clearly all the time? What if you are truly capable of all that I asked above? What if?