Last week I went to hear Greta Martela speak at the Kansas University campus. Greta is the Founder & CEO of Trans Lifeline. Trans Lifeline is a suicide hotline for transgender and gender nonconforming youth.
Topics: Depression
Giving our Ego a break & Learning to Cope living a New Life
Topics: Relationships
Getting Out of the Darkness with Online Counseling Services
Last Saturday I attend the Greater Kansas City “Out of the Darkness Walk” put on by the local Greater Kansas City chapter of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. All the people who participated in the walk had someone they know who had committed suicide or had experience depression themselves at some time in their life.
Picture of KU Active Minds GroupTopics: Depression
10 Signs that you may be suffering from Depression
In 2010, like Robin Williams, I was diagnoses with depression. However, fortunately for me I was able to go get help and now 5 years later I live a much happier and productive life. At the time before I was diagnosed. I thought I was just going through a “rough patch in life” and I was just experiencing a sad time in my life.
My psychiatrists ask if I had any of the symptoms listed below. After telling him that I had several of them. He told me that I was suffering from depression which was a shock to me at the time but now looking back, it made sense that I was suffering from depression. Also I wished I had been made aware of these symptoms earlier and therefore I would have gone earlier for treatment. Because the longer you are in depression it takes just as long to climb out of it.
Topics: Depression
As we draw closer to the last quarter of the year, it is time to begin an inventory of how we are doing in 2015. We all have dreams and goals. The question becomes one of focus and diligence. What was the number one thing that you said you wanted to work in January 1, 2015? Do you remember? Did it stay in the forefront or fall by the wayside? The year isn’t over yet.
Today is the day to begin and choose one thing that you will start to focus on that will turn your dream into reality. You will have approximately three months starting on October 1st. If you did one thing everyday that would be a little over 90 things that could impact your life. If you are unclear about where to start, spend some time looking at the parts of yourself that you don’t normally think of as a gift. What is your hidden talent? What are the parts of the self that haven’t talked to one another in years?
Find Coherence, Clarity, and More with the Inner Balance by HeartMath Mobile App!
Ready to find and track your inner balance? Well, I have just the thing for you! Today, I'm very excited to share with you a new mobile app (compatible with iOS devices) called the Inner Balance™ Trainer by HeartMath. It assists in training and cultivating coherence, allowing us the ability to monitor and improve our Heart Rate Variability (HRV) from anywhere, at anytime.
Heart Rate Variability and Coherence
I've written before about the HeartMath® Institute and their incredible impact on strengthening the connection between our hearts and minds. They have pioneered work in the field of HRV and "coherence" — establishing proven methods of enhancing mental clarity, creativity, and our ability to connect with others on a meaningful and productive level.
If you'd like a detailed refresher on HRV and coherence, check out my previous post. The short version is that how we feel directly relates to our heart’s electrical rhythms. Our emotions directly affect our HRV, and it correlates to our bodily systems such as blood pressure, tension, and inflammation.
Coherence is the optimal state of HRV, characterized by smooth heart rhythms and the harmonious function of the body’s mental, emotional, and physical systems. When we are coherent, we are alert, calm, and balanced. But, when our emotions seem to run amuck our HRV does as well. When our HRV lacks a pattern of steady oscillation, our body systems struggle for balance. This state, "non-coherence," results in a reduction in cortical function — an inability to communicate fully that leads to an overall diminished well-being.
When the heart’s energetic pattern is disrupted, we might continue to live and survive, but not to thrive. The good news is that there are relatively simple tools that help “reset” these electrical heart rhythms, and the Inner Balance mobile app is one powerful tool!
Develop Your Inner Balance
Inner Balance by HeartMath is described as "an innovative approach to improving wellness through training, education and self-monitoring." From my personal experience using this tool, I can wholeheartedly agree. Here's how it works (you can check out this video for more details):
Hook up the special Inner Balance Sensor to your iOS device and clip the sensor onto an earlobe. The Inner Balance app will ask you to select an icon corresponding with your current mood. Then you can begin your session, breathing in and out in time with the expanding and contracting image on your screen. The Inner Balance Sensor provides real-time feedback on your heart rate and corresponding HRV. Not only can you see the wave created by your heart rate, but color-coded icons provide a picture of your current level of coherence (red for low, blue for medium, and green for high).
Real-time coaching on the screen helps you maintain focus and achieve inner balance. After your session, the app provides a summary of your progress both in that particular session and over time as you continue to use the app. Increasing the "challenge level" gives you the ability to step up your training as you become more comfortable in the lower levels. The journal tab allows you to make notes on your progress, and keep track of discoveries or external factors influencing your coherence.
The Value of Developing Coherence
The concept of internal coherence has been researched and validated by physiologists, psychologists, and medical doctors across numerous institutions. Now, the Inner Balance app provides a valuable tool for developing coherence, monitoring progress, and practicing the skills associated with achieving a high level of coherence, such as meditative breathing, positive thinking, and developing a strong mind-body connection.
I've been using the Inner Balance app for several weeks now and have found it to be a remarkable teaching and monitoring tool in my own journey towards increased coherence. You can find the Inner Balance app at the iTunes Store (for free!) and buy the Inner Balance Sensor (which is required) here.
If you are trying to figure our your life. Start with clicking on the blue button below and download our free "Life's Grade Card" and start grading your life.
Ace Wagner is a business coach, advisor, and speaker who works with leaders, engaging both the heart and mind to achieve clarity of vision and build sustainable business relationships. You can find him on www.StartTalking.io
Being In the Moment: Connection and Decision Making from Our Authentic Self
Some years back I started to attend an A Course in Miracles (ACiM) Meetup group. We read the text together and talked about it at length. While I found immense value in the philosophy it espouses, I became particularly attracted to the language in the text regarding the difference between the Past, Present, and Future.
