Lifestyles have changed in the past decade. For most of us it is like living in the fast lane every day. There is so much to be done and there is so little time. As a result, we become stressed and this results in many illnesses and even death.

Studies show that stress is the common cause of anxiety. It damages our body and mind, causing panic attacks, lack of sleep, phobias and many more. Apart from these, it also triggers health diseases such as heart problems, high blood pressure, asthma, eczema, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and alopecia.

Other signs of stress include headaches, palpitations, wheezing, irritability, low energy, poor memory and increased emotions.

Stress is often caused by finance, work and relationships. Treatments vary and drug induced ones can sometimes cause more problems instead of fixing it. We must keep in mind that in the end it is up to us. Our perspective and choices lead us to the kind of life we choose.

Here are some tips to reduce stress:

Identify what causes you stress and do something about it. It may be easier said than done, but let’s face it, we only get stressed if we let it get to us.

Reduce stress by being more organized. Make a list of personal and professional priorities and make time for them. Keep an organizer, so that you won’t forget anything.

Allow yourself to be emotional at times. You are human and it is normal to laugh or cry when needed. Keeping these emotions can result to long term issues.

Learn how to value yourself. Make a list of your positive qualities and go through it whenever you feel down.

Find your passion. It may be a hobby, a sport or even volunteering for a cause. Outlets help you cope and make you feel good about yourself.

Learn to relax wherever you are. If you feel like losing control, take deep breaths until you feel better.  Meditate when you can. Simply close your eyes and imagine yourself in a beautiful spot where you would want to be.

Write down how you feel. It lets you release your feelings and makes you feel better. Keep a journal. It is always nice to look back and know how you were able to cope.

Take a break. Go on a holiday whenever you can. It allows you to recharge. It also helps you learn new things and gather new experiences. Plus it gets you away from stress.

Lastly, learn how to do nothing. Keeping quiet and still helps you think clearly.

Image from judacoregio

Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the entire world, and has been around since 6th century BC. There is no doubt that you have seen the statues of chubby-bellied Buddha. They are everywhere, from cheap shopping mall gift stores to sacred temples, and many people have Buddha statues in their homes, “for good luck.” But is that what Buddha is all about? And just what is Buddhism, anyway? It’s likely that there is much you don’t know about Buddhism, and that much of what you do think you know is an inaccurate spin based on Westernized ideals. Here are five things you didn’t know about Buddhism:

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Meditation is one of the most commonly used forms of natural stress relief. The process of emptying your mind and simply focusing on your breathing can can help you rationalize whether or not the stress is justified. In other words, it can open your mind to how little things don’t have to affect you so negatively. If you’ve never tried meditating, the following are just a few of the basics to help get you started. Below you’ll find information on the benefits of meditation, different types and techniques you can try to make your experience more beneficial.

The Benefits of Meditation

Meditation has a number of great health benefits. Not only can meditation help lower your blood pressure and heart rate, but it can also enhance your immune system and reduce PMS symptoms. Of course, health isn’t the only beneficial reason to use meditation. Meditation is also used for psychological and spiritual reasons. Continue reading »

Philosophy is a complex subject. As a matter of fact, even those who are well-acquainted with philosophy can sometimes be hard-pressed to articulate an exact way of defining philosophy. Perhaps the broadest and most general way to describe philosophy would be to say that it is the art of thinking. Of course, there is much more to thinking and thought than can be described in only one book, and those new to philosophy may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of philosophy texts available. If you are interested in learning about philosophy and wondering where to begin, then this list of five awesome books about philosophy for beginners should get you on the right track.

The Beginner’s History of Philosophy by Herbert Ernest Cushman. This book starts at the birth of philosophy and takes the reader through all of the three major periods of philosophy: ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, and modern philosophy. It’s a great starting point for understanding how the collective mindset of man has changed over the ages, and how deeply philosophy is ingrained in culture and society.

A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell. As the title suggests, this book provides a basic overview of Western philosophy’s growth and evolution over history. It contains a thorough analysis of must-know Western philosophical views, such as those of Kant, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Dewey and Nietzsche. Russell was an extremely educated man, with a well-rounded knowledge of everything related to philosophy, and his writing is clear, easy to follow, and never obscure. Continue reading »

Many people who have heard of modern philosophical movements like “The Secret” scoff at the idea that just changing your thinking can change your whole life. What they don’t understand is that the way you think DOES affect your life journey, and in a major way. It’s not a matter of just magically making things happen because you think and believe them to be true; rather, it’s a matter of using your thinking to CREATE positive changes and accomplish the things that are most important to you. How does this work? Here is a guide to changing your mindset to achieve success.

Block out societal pressures. This doesn’t mean you have to go live in a cave somewhere. However, you must learn to focus in on what your inner voice is telling you, and discard societal pressures to live up to material definitions of what is expected of you. YOU know best what is best for you, and you are not a cookie-cutter creation. You are an individual with unique strengths, talents, and potential. Discover them by listening to YOU.
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These days, we all share a little more in common with Albert Camus and Franz Kafka than we may realize.

World events of the past decade have wrought considerable pain and discomfort on people the world over. There have been terrorist attacks, wars, financial turmoil, shootings, robberies, one natural disaster after another and outbreaks of disease.

No wonder we’re all a bit wracked. Philosophers call it an existential crisis.

From this calamity develops a sense of doubt; where the logic of our very existence is challenged. The pain we feel makes us wonder, “Why am I even here?” The existential crisis is a deep introspection of self-worth that is driven by a traumatic event or some other similar causal factor. Continue reading »

I have never really thought of work in a strictly philosophical light. Neither have I associated the philosophy of work with being an American. I suppose I am no different from my neighbor or my colleague. I go to work because it is part of life. It is necessary. Without working, I would not be able to live the life that I have now.

Yet those thoughts in themselves are already the start of some philosophical analysis. Why do Americans work? Why is work so much part of our lives? These things – and more – were brought to my attention when I ran across Jason J. Campbell’s article titled Americana and the Philosophy of Work. In it, he highlights how the “American culture is intrinsically tied to labor.” He states:

We are a culture of laborers and Americana habituates its citizens to the necessity of work. We are a culture of workers and therefore any attempt to understand Americana must be met by an equal attempt to understand how Americans work.

In discussing Americana, the vast majority of the population has to work because of an acute sense of economic necessity, that is, they work because they have to. Generally speaking, only the very wealthy or those who have retired have the “luxury” of working for its sheer satisfaction.

True enough. I myself believe that I am part of the former group described in the preceding paragraph. Why do you work?

Humour. Humour is very important and the philosophy of humour is a very interesting topic but today’s post isn’t about that, instead here’s a link to a site that will allow you to indulge yourself with a philosophical argument with none other than the great Socrates. Yep. You’ve got that right. If you wish to match your wits against Socrates then head on to The Socrates Argument Clinic.

A friendly reminder: If you don’t win the argument you’ll need to drink the hemlock but if you win Socrates will drink it for you. Of course it is really difficult to win against Socrates but there are some who have won.

If you wish to take more than the free argument clinic though you’ll be disappointed since the link to the InterQuest homepage no longer works.

Have a good time arguing with Socrates!

Fear not those who argue but those who dodge. – Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Today we are all sticking to the usual philosophies of trying to survive. It is apparent that we are now at the stage of being tempted to go beyond our principles thanks to the hard times. Many are trying to live up to their principles but it should not be surprising when all of these personal philosophies suddenly find themselves out of the window.

Such is the situation that we all find ourselves in. Times are hard and despite such philosophical beliefs and traditions through the years, the fact remains that some adjustments that include having to suck up our pride and live according to how we can today is apparent.

People who are hard-headed and want to stick to their original philosophies are commendable. But it has been months now and the future looks bleaker by the day. We see the realities of an economic catastrophe and even the big names in the business and entrepreneurial industry are following suit. Given all these factors, how long can we hold out before we admit that we must make the necessary moves to adhere towards wise living moves?

It is not easy to go back on your original personal philosophy. Some would even call it sheepish. But today you just have to make the adjustments and find a way to survive. Pride certainly will not help and if people are mature and rational, they would agree that today is not the best time to be hardheaded.

Changing jobs is part of life. We all need to move on at some point in our lives. In this day and age, we can’t very well be expected to stay in one place for the rest of our lives. Yet even in cases like these, we are expected to think things through and to follow certain ethics.

Take this example. Company A has been in operation for several years. After 4 years of operation, most of its employees feel frustrated. They have gone as high as they could in the ranks and discontent is the general prevailing feeling. A competing company opens within the city, unknown to the upper management. This competing company offers a higher salary and better terms. The people within the company also deemed it necessary to try and hire the most skilled people in the original company.
Naturally, these things are kept secret from the original company.

The question now is the ethics involved – not from the perspective of the newly formed rival company but in the part of the employees who are being pirated, for the lack of a better word. Is there something wrong in them wanting to leave their current job for greener pastures? Isn’t that something normal and expected?

I’d have to say that leaving for greener pastures is all well and fine BUT leaving and immediately working for a rival company when you have an agreement with your current company NOT to work with a similar group until after 1 year of leaving is something else. Oh, did I leave that fact out in the beginning?

Here’s your question – would you do what these employees are doing? Or would you be more ethical (and perhaps less practical)?