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Tactical breathing is a skill that can be used to manage stress. Also known as combat breathing, this technique ensures a steady flow of oxygen to the brain, brings down your heart rate, and increases your mental capacity. The result is being able to perform under pressure.

An overview of tactical breathing and why it works

Each day, athletes, first responders, law enforcement, military, and other professionals use tactical breathing to adapt to challenging situations and continue performing at a high level. Instead of becoming frazzled or overwhelmed from stress, these professionals remain calm by performing deep, regular breathing to a certain cadence.

Here is how Andrew Steadman, a Major in the US Army describes tactical breathing in his thesis:

…the simplest, most effective way to gain composure in the midst of an emotional event experience.

Here are the steps for this deep breathing technique.

Step 1) Breathe in (inhale) through your nose and count 1, 2, 3, 4.

Step 2) Hold your breath and count 1, 2, 3, 4.

Step 3) Breathe out (exhale) through your mouth and count 1, 2, 3, 4.

Step 4) Hold your breath and count 1, 2, 3, 4 and then repeat steps 1 through step 4 for a couple minutes.

The positive effects of tactical breathing are the result of deep, steady breathing so avoid the temptation of rushing through the count.

The tactical breathing technique visualized

Sync your breathing to the leaf below by following the movement.

[Read more…] about Reduce stress and maintain control with tactical breathing

Switching to a consistent sleep schedule has been the biggest win that I’ve had over the past year. It is interesting that such as small change has had a positive impact on my life. Waking up early comes naturally to me and I’ve started exercising regularly which has led me to make healthier food choices — life is good!

An energy drink in the afternoon is no longer needed to help me get through the day.

This has also cascaded into my professional life as my productivity is up and my creativity has skyrocketed. And I’ve done this while still having the time in the evenings to meet up with family and friends.

Today, I’ll share with you the framework that I use to maintain a social life and still wake up early. It will work for you whether you already wake up early or are just getting started.

The days before…

You can think of sleep as a sort of Investment Retirement Account (IRA). As you make consistent deposits from a portion of each paycheck that you receive, then your portfolio grows over time from the power of compounding. This is why financial experts recommend that you start saving for retirement early so your money has time to work for you.

Each consistent night of sleep is like a deposit so when you have good sleep hygiene and go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, then this schedule helps your body know when it is time to power down for bedtime and when to wake up so you are ready for the day.

Have you ever noticed how you felt rested and refreshed after a good night of sleep?

Now think of a time where you had a few rough days and nights — maybe you were sick from the flu and didn’t sleep well that week. You probably were sluggish and miserable until you got better and then you started sleeping normally again. This is why you can’t “catch up” on sleep by simply sleeping all day when you are sleep deprived. The best way to fix this issue is to move back to a consistent sleep schedule where you go to bed at the same time each night and then rise at the same time each morning. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night — adjust in your favor so you get a little more sleep than you need. Remember that you are building up consistent deposits which will help you bounce back quickly from a late evening out with friends and family. [Read more…] about You can wake up early and you don’t need to give up your social life

Do you know someone that started exercising only to burn out and quit after a few days?

It happens more than you think and if this has happened to you, then don’t beat yourself up. You made the right decision to give exercise a try as it has many positive benefits. Research has shown that physical activity helps you:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease
• Improves psychological well-being (how you feel)
• Enjoy a higher quality and longer life

The intentions are good — it is the approach that needs some improvement. [Read more…] about How to exercise more often by starting small with a walk in the morning

Drink more water!

You’ve heard that phrase countless times. We know that we ought to drink more water and yet we don’t. Why?

Claire: "As a recent college grad, I see my peers drinking more soda than water. We're forming lifetime habits." pic.twitter.com/zFVnZmOhgC

— Ninjas for Health (@ninjasforhealth) July 20, 2016

Have you also found yourself preferring sugary beverages over water which helps us stay hydrated? In this post, you’ll learn how you can start drinking more water and you can begin today.

The myth of “You should drink eight glasses of water a day”

One health myth that fails to be forgotten is that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. Research has shown that this is indeed a myth. It is so prevalent that some doctors even continue to share this recommendation with their patients.

Is this causing more harm than good? Not necessarily.

Here are two truths to be aware of.

Truth #1: Water is essential for the cells in your body to function normally so dehydration should be avoided.

Truth #2: Drinking water is not your only source of hydration. Your body can get water from other fluids such as tea and coffee and foods such as vegetables and fruits.

[Read more…] about How to drink more water — starting today

Three concepts that are discussed in the book Sway are loss aversion, value attribution, and diagnostic bias. Here is a overview of each of those topics.

Loss aversion

In simple terms, loss aversion means that we naturally try to reduce our losses even if it means sticking with something when it would be best to not to.

People cringe at the thought of experiencing a loss. Have you ever rented a car before? Was the person helping you kind enough to recommend getting rental insurance for the car? Did you start to worry about a possible disaster like someone crashing into you or even worst, the car being totaled and you being stuck with a massive bill?

That rental car insurance is starting to look really helpful at that point and it really isn’t that much more…

However, it turns out that your credit card may offer complimentary rental car insurance as a benefit of being a cardholder.

When I first read this, I grabbed my wallet and looked at my credit card and then called my credit card company to ask about benefits. It turns out that my card includes rental car insurance for being a member. So the next time that you are getting ready to travel, check with your credit card company to see the available perks of being a member. Then you can politely decline the rental car insurance with a thanks, but no thanks and a smile!

[Read more…] about Ideas from the book Sway

WP Engine is a premier managed WordPress hosting provider.

They host my blog and several of my other WordPress-powered projects. In this post, I’ll highlight exactly why I use them as my managed WordPress host.

How I Got Started with WordPress

My journey with WordPress started a couple of years back in winter of 2010. At that time I was using basic shared hosting. While the hosting solution worked, there would be times when I would be unable to reach some of my sites. This was rather frustrating and the issue could certainly be described as “sporadic.” I then subscribed to an add-on for the hosting service which did make my sites a little faster. However, I still had minor issues pop-up now and then.

[Read more…] about Why I Recommend and use WP Engine for WordPress Hosting

…adapted from a reaction paper that I wrote a couple years ago–this post is presented in a explain then apply format.

The Five Temptations of a CEO taught me several concepts that I only had limited knowledge of. The author Patrick Lencioni begins with a statement that’s speaks of a reality. It is the idea that when an individual becomes a CEO, they will be presented with incredible difficulties. These challenges are the result of falling prey to one or more of the five temptations. These five temptations are presented to us by means of a fable. This allows us to truly absorb the meanings of the temptations so we can more easily associate with them. The five temptations are:

• Results vs. status
• Accountability vs. popularity
• Clarity vs. certainty
• Conflict vs. harmony
• Trust vs. invulnerability

Results vs. status

What does results vs. status mean? In simple terms, it’s deciding whether a leader has more dedication for results or status. Another way to say this is, am I concerned with my ego or the bigger picture? The reason why this is a pitfall is because a leader may become so absorbed by their status or ego that they will fail to consider the effects of this upon the company in which they lead. An example that is provided by the author states that once a person’s ego is first fulfilled, their energy is projected towards enjoying all the perks. Another way to envision this is to have a look at a rollercoaster. A person works diligently to get their way to the top (this is seen as the rollercoaster is rising), once it hits its peak, it suddenly drops steeply. They have earned it so now the bigger picture (organization) is less meaningful. This is incredibly dangerous for the fact that a leader may not realize this until serious damages begin to occur. At this point the leader seeks to blame others and things instead of the source of the problem—him or herself. This temptation applies to me as a leader because as long as I aim for the big picture, the benefits will come along automatically. This leads to the next temptation, accountability vs. popularity.

Real-world application: Is your company’s vision about promoting its ideals or yours? [Read more…] about Book summary: The Five Temptations of a CEO