Mindfulness Mode

Gabrielle Foran is a world champion joggler. Joggling is sport which combines jogging with juggling. Gabrielle has been a runner for nine years and has been joggling for about three years. The International Joggling Association, IGA, is where Gabrielle got her first world record. It was in the woman's 3 ball 1600 metre. She ran it in 5:58 which beat the previous record that was set in 1989 by 19 seconds. The IJA has had championships since the 1980's. Gabrielle is highly competitive and also enjoys swimming.

Contact Info

Twitter: @ForanConcept

Most Influential Person

My friend Mike, who initially challenged me to a 5-kilometer joggling race

Effect on Emotions

I don't know if joggling has really made that significant a change, because it's similar to running which I had already done for several years before getting involved in joggling. I find that I can reach the same kind of emotional state as I can with running, when I joggle. So it's really just a different way to get to the same place.

Thoughts on Breathing

Breathing is something that I don't really think about. My coach says that I only breathe through my nose when I joggle. I think that I actually breathe through my mouth a bit, but really I try not to because something that I noticed when I first started running was that if you breathe through your mouth, your mouth gets really dry, and that's not comfortable. I try to stay away from doing a lot of that.

Suggested Resources

Book: What The Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain

App: N/A

Advice for Newbie

I would tell them to thing about things they do often or things they enjoy doing and to consider how they prepare to do those things, what they things about while they're doing it, how they feel, what physical motions are they going through as they're doing it. If they can get into thinking about that, maybe they can start applying the same ideas to tasks they are less comfortable with or enjoy less. Maybe the habit can become a more positive experience for them.

James Swan is an inspiring designer who built his career crafting classically influenced interiors. He began his career designing for a San Francisco architecture firm; later transferred to a position with a prestigious L.A. firm and subsequently started his own firm in Beverly Hills. As an exquisite designer, James is truly mindful, and can now be heard interviewing the world's leading designers, decorators and architects on  his own daily podcast called Million Dollar Decorating.

Contact Info

Website: www.MillionDollarDecorating.com

Podcast: Million Dollar Decorating

[show-notes-contact]

Most Influential Person

Eckhart Tolle

Effect on Emotions

It has been an equalizer for me, eliminating many of the lows. Not so much eliminating the highs, but allowing me to find a balance, a consistency that I've enjoyed in my life.

Thoughts on Breathing

If I forget everything else, if I can just remember to take one conscious breath, it's everything. 

Suggested Resources

Book: You Are The Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter by Joe Dispenza

Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

App: N/A

Dr. Ed Osburn is a top-level Chiropractor who thinks outside the box. When I say that, I mean he has singlehandedly helped hundreds of other Doctors expand from practicing strictly in their own 4 walls of a brick and mortar office and into the expansive on-line world. Many listeners will recognize DrEd’s business name, ‘The Laptop Lifestyle’. Dr. Ed came to a point where he felt the need and desire to expand and in doing so, he became one of the Chiropractic profession’s most distinguished contributors.

Contact Info

Website: Thelaptoplifestylepodcast.com

Podcast: The Laptop Lifestyle Podcast

Most Influential Person

Dr. Karen Osburn (my wife)

Effect on Emotions

The challenges that I have with my physical health, whether or not my specialist says, "they are autoimmune conditions, they're not stress related" they are. There is a stress component. Being mindful and being self-aware has given me the ease to actually allow my body to heal. There's nothing more powerful than that. When you're given an expirary date on your life, you can take that and use tools such as being self-aware, being mindful, being present to make a physical change to your health. That's as big as it gets.

Thoughts on Breathing

Whenever I have those moments of self doubt, those moments where I feel attacked or misunderstood, I always check into my breathing. If my breathing is shallow or not that deep, gut breathing, then I'll actually shift, and just start to take those deep breaths. If I do that, I notice that my whole mindset actually changes. It just seems to clear everything. It also gives you that moment to stop and go, "Ok," and make a decision before I react.

Suggested Resources

Book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families by Steven Cubby

App: Schedule App

Advice for Newbie

Start today. It's all about execution, it's all about taking action. There's no reason, first of all, that you can't start today, it's not like you need any specific tools or strategies. Waiting 24 hours, waiting 48 hours, 72 hours, or six months from now; if the voice is speaking to you, start today.

Solan McClean helps people become better, safer drivers using mindfulness. He also helps you deal with the anxiety of everyday life and especially negative experiences that some of us encounter on the road. By thinking of your vehicle as your personal ‘mindfulness lab’, Solan unlocks a whole new way in which you can discover present moment awareness.

Contact Info

Website: www.SolanMcClean.com

Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, FB: @SolanMcClean

Book: Learning to Drive Into The Now by Solan McClean

Most Influential Person

The Buddha (Also Eckhart Tolle and Ram Dass)

Effect on Emotions

It's allowed me to recognize my emotions for what they are and not let them take me over. In the past, if I became emotional about something, it kind of fed on itself and it would snowball. Now I'm able to take a step back, bring my attention back to the now, reconnect with my higher self and examine them without all the baggage and all the self-doubt and fear that can come with them.

Thoughts on Breathing

I talk about breathing being the bridge between the conscious and the unconscious mind. People have recognized after centuries even, ancient India they used to use that a lot. When you first get into meditation, they always start with your breathing. Your breathing is a good reflection of your mental state. As a reflection of your mental state, it can also be a good tool to use to change your mental state, so that slow deep, diaphragmatic breathing

Suggested Resources

Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Book: Learning to Drive Into The Now by Solan McClean

App: Twitter (Follow People in the Mindfulness Realm)

Jellis Vaes is a photographer, world traveler and founder of Inner Picture Stories. Not so long ago, he began a 2-month journey to South Africa and it transformed into a 3-year journey around the world. This was a self-healing discovery and awareness experience for Jellis. He now shares his journey with others, through his new found voice.

Contact Info

Website: www.InnerPictureStories.com

Most Influential Person

Eckhart Tolle

Effect on Emotions

They made me realize my emotions and stand still about them.

Thoughts on Breathing

I think anyone who walks through a forest and took a couple of deep breaths can't deny that they felt amazing. I think breathing is very underrated actually because we do it all the time. Taking some deep breaths feels amazing because oxygen is how we stay alive.

Suggested Resources

Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

App: Headspace & Notetaking App

Advice for Newbie

I would say go and buy the book, The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle because it helped me so much. It gave me a clear introduction to what mindfulness is.

Denny Krahe is passionate about running. He’s a certified athletic trainer and also a strength and conditioning specialist. Denny has a goal to complete 50 marathons in 50 different states and he uses running to stay focused and grounded. He also has a podcast called ‘The Diz Runs With Podcast’ which features interviews and running tips. Denny talks with other runners from every corner of the running world in exactly the same way he would talk to any new running partner during an easy day.

Contact Info

Website: www.DizRuns.com

Podcast: DizRuns

Social Media: @DizRuns

Most Influential Person

Hal Elrod (Author of The Miracle Morning)

Effect on Emotions

It helps me keep an even keel. I like to think that I'm a pretty even-keeled guy most of the time but like with anybody there are certain times when you get fired up or upset. I recognize it in myself very quickly. I take a couple of breaths and step away from the situation if necessary and allow things to settle back down. I'm thankful that I have that kind of personality.

Thoughts on Breathing

There's no question in my mind that the act of breathing and focusing on deep breaths; breathe in deep and slow on the exhale, it just helps to calm the body. I know there's science that supports that and what it does for the blood pressure. I just feel it. Whether it's before I record an interview, I just take a couple of breaths to calm my thoughts and settle my nerves. Or maybe before a race or when I'm frustrated because the baby's acting up. A couple of breaths does wonders for me.

Suggested Resources

Book: Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

App: Habitica (A gamified way of keeping track of to-do lists)

Advice for Newbie

With folks that are thinking about starting to run but don't know where to begin, I think that starting is key. Don't compare yourself to folks who have been doing it for a long time. That was a big hurdle for me, was the idea, if I'm going to meditate, so that means I have to sit here for 20 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 60 minutes and not think about anything. Point blank, I don't think that I could do that without my mind just wandering, going crazy and having all kinds of different thoughts. If I'm supposed to be quiet in my mind, how am I going to just sit here for an hour? It's not something that I can do. Then you realize that those folks who are doing that have probably been meditating for twenty years, for thirty years, for their entire lives. No wonder they're so disciplined and able to do that. It doesn't make any sense to try to compare myself with those type of folks. Five minutes, that's something I can attempt to do, then I can bump it up to ten minutes. That idea of start small and when you fail, don't beat yourself up for it. If I miss a day, it's not the end of the world. When I have a day where I start out trying to meditate and my mind wanders and I think, man, I only had a quiet mind for a minute and a half, that's ok. We'll try again tomorrow. Don't expect yourself to be perfect and be ok when you're not perfect.

Abby Hutcheson is a certified health coach who spent years struggling with chaotic eating habits. Like so many others, she experienced the yo-yo diet cycle of eating too little and then overeating. Once she found a balanced system that worked for her, she knew she had to help others do the same. She now helps hundreds of women reach a point where they honor their bodies and feel a sense of peace through mindful eating.Contact InfoWebsite: www.EatWorkPlayBalanced.com

Most Influential PersonGabrielle Berstein (Author of May Cause Miracles)Effect on EmotionsI definitely think I'm less likely to get super riled up by things that aren't necessary to be. I'm less worried about things I can't control and just feel more calm and positive.Thoughts on BreathingI start my day with purposeful, deep breaths. If I'm starting to feel anxiety rise throughout the day, I take deep breaths, in and out. I take deep breaths before I eat. Basically it's a great fall-back tool. We have to use it because it's the best tool we have.Suggested ResourcesBook: Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny PenmanApp: RelaxMelodies (You get to design the sounds you're going to be listening to)Advice for Newbie

Decide

why you want mindfulness in your life and what you think it would do to

benefit you. If you just start going for it and you don't really know

why, you just think, other people do it, then you lmight not stick with

it. If you know why you're going to focus on it and tweaking a habit or

whatever, then it's much easier to stick with it.

Tim Paige has a great hobby. He’s a comic book enthusiast, and he loves to help people move into the world of comic books who are unsure where to start. Maybe you’ve seen a movie or a show relating to a comic book series, and you’d like to tune into the story in a more in-depth way. There is almost a century’s worth of stories out there, and this might turn out to be a newly discovered love. Check out Tim’s podcast called Getting Into Comics. I see Tim as a truly mindful guy, and we’ll be talking about the interesting relationship between Mindfulness and Comics.

[show-notes-bio]Contact InfoWebsite: www.TheVoiceOfTimPaige.com

Podcast: www.GettingIntoComics.com

Instagram: @TheVoiceOfTimPaige[show-notes-contact]Most Influential PersonMy Dad. He's a great example of somebody that's very mindful. He doesn't meditate or do thoughtfulness activities; he's just with you anytime you are with him. I don't know if I've ever known anybody that's like that so naturally. I know a lot of people who have worked really hard to get there, but he is just like that.Effect on Emotions  When I'm able to accomplish some degree of mindfulness, it just helps to ease any anxiety. Then I can just say what I'm doing right now; this is what's important right now. The other things will be important later.Thoughts on BreathingBreathing isn't really part of my mindfulness practice at this point. It's funny, I have a degree in massage therapy, and one of the things we learned is diaphragmatic breathing and abdominal breathing. We focused on a lot of these things as opposed to apical breathing (chest breathing). I learned all of it but I never really used it to focus, I just used it to ease tension during a massage sessionSuggested ResourcesBook: Comic Books

Liz Covart loves the study of history. She is an historian who shares

her knowledge of American history with the world through her podcast,

Ben Franklin’s World. Each episode features a conversation with an

historian who helps shed light on important people and events from early

American history that shaped our present-day world. Elizabeth holds a

PhD in history from the University of California, Davis, where she

studied with 2-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor.

Contact InfoWebsite: www.BenFranklinsWorld.com

Twitter: @LizCovartPodcast: Ben Franklin's World

Most Influential PersonAlan Taylor (My advisor)Effect on EmotionsI'm

very logical and I think being mindful and thinking out every situation

as to what it is, what it could be, where it could go, helps me come up

with an appropriate and emotional mindset.Thoughts on BreathingI

do a lot of yoga so breathing is always important. I make sure I

breathe and I will think about my breathing as I'm running, during my

moving meditation as well. So breathing plays a big role. Anytime I get

really stressed out or run into some sort of hurdle I need to overcome,

I'm always making sure I take a deep breath. I find breath to be very

calming and centering.Suggested ResourcesBook: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeownApp: Naturescape (It plays nature sounds)Advice for Newbie

I'd

start with taking a few minutes each day and I would make it first

thing in the morning or right before you go to bed; those tend to be the

easiest I think. Just take a little bit of time for yourself each day

and reflect upon your day or focus on your breath. Do just something

small, like baby steps, to get into a way of thinking about how you can

be mindful and how breath or taking moments like that can improve your

day.

Jay Fiset is a best-selling author and business strategy coach. Jay

has worked in the field of consciousness workshops and programs for over

thirty years and over forty thousand people have participated in these

programs. Jay has coached thousands of clients to help transform their

lives. He knows that mindset plays

a huge role when helping to move clients towards their goals, and he

believes in the power of mindfulness as a way to not only help clients,

but also stay grounded and focused in his own life.Contact InfoWebsite: www.JayFiset.com

Website: www.MasterMindtoMillionsLive.com

Most Influential PersonLouise Hay (Author of You Can Heal Your Life)Effect on EmotionsI would say mindfulness has fed and fueled my peace, my joy and my consistency.Thoughts on BreathingI

use it as an induction process, so at the beginning of all my recorded

processes, there's a little breathing process. I used to have a little

countdown process that was related to self-hypnosis. One of my great

strengths in coping with life in the world is that I have always been a

powerful and deep breather.Suggested ResourcesBook: The Silent Pulse by George Leonard (Every time I read this book I have a meaningful mindful experience)Book: Reframe Your Blame by Jay FisetApp: iMovie (for recording personal affirmations)Advice for Newbie

First

and foremost it is an innate capacity in all human beings. This idea of

mindfulness, metacognition, consciousness, presence ... all of those

elements I fervently believe that it is the most significant and

important doorway that you must pass through to not be one of the

unconscious masses and to have the possibility of peace, joy, love,

creation, living your mission and making your unique contribution to the

planet. If this isn't in place, we end up chasing our tails in

unconscious, reactive and ridiculous manners. I firmly believe it needs

to be a priority of all human beings who are dedicated to creation.[