Zen bites

Stress and anxiety are part of our daily lives, from increasing workloads, long working hours, and failure to achieve our daily targets or goals. Surprisingly, one technique to relieve stress is what we do unconsciously, breathing. Breathing exercises are simple and can be used anywhere, anytime. Research shows that breathing exercises increase mental health by alleviating stress and anxiety. In today's episode, we discuss how to breathe your way out of stress. Also, we discuss some tips on incorporating breathing exercises into your daily routine to help you manage stress and anxiety.

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During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:24] This week's topic: how to breathe your way out of stress

[01:34] Steps on how to breathe your way out of stress

[01:41] #1 Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down

[01:48] #2 Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breath

[01:57] #3 Take a deep breath through your nose, filling the lungs with air

[02:22] #4 Exhale through your mouth and let all the air out

[02:36] #5 Repeat this cycle for a few minutes focusing on the sensation of the air moving in and out of your body

[02:56] Square/box breathing technique

[04:08] Tips to get you started in incorporating breathing into your daily routine

[04:13] #1 Set aside a few minutes each day to practice breathing exercises

[04:29] #2 Practice breathing exercises in stressful situations

[04: 43] #3 Try different breathing exercises to find the ones that work best for you

[05:09] Parting shot

Notable Quotes

"Deep breathing is a natural way to calm our minds and bodies, and it is accessible to anyone anywhere." [01:19]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

A brief summary of this episode

They say that preparing oneself for a crisis increases the chances of responding effectively. However, it is one thing to prepare and another to deal with a real crisis. A crisis is inevitable in our daily life. Therefore, it is essential to have tips to avoid symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and constant worrying. In today's great episode, we discuss five tips on how to stay calm during a crisis.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:30] This week's topic: how to keep a cool head during a crisis

[00:56] Tips on how to keep a leveled head amid a crisis

[01:09] #1 Practice mindfulness

[02:04] #2 Stay focused on what you can control

[02:47] #3 Seek support

[03:29] #4 Take care of yourself

[04:16] #5 Practice gratitude

[04:56] Episode recap

Notable Quotes

"Crisis is an inevitable part of life, and we are bound to face challenges and difficult decisions. However, how we handle them can determine the outcome." [00:39]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Life is ever full of risks, and they cannot be avoided. People take risks, such as starting a business, investing in online trade platforms like bitcoins, crossing the road, etc. Since risks cannot be avoided, the only way is to mitigate them. How we think about risk will determine how we try to manage it. If we perceive a risk inaccurately, then we ineffectively manage it. Join us in today's educative episode discussing creating a risk management mindset. Shayn provides a five-step process for achieving a risk management mindset.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Introduction to the episode

[00:23] This week's focus: how to create a risk management mindset

[00:41] Defining risk management

[01:13] The importance of risk management

[02:19] Five key steps to creating a risk management mindset

[02:25] #1 Identify your objectives

[03:01] #2 Assess the risks

[03:32] #3 Develop a risk management plan

[04:01] #4 Monitor and review your plan

[04:34] #5 Embrace a risk-aware culture

[05:20] Episode wrap-up

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Resilience is a crucial aspect of the life of every human being. Resilience helps one to physically and psychologically adapt to challenging situations. Developing resilience harnesses inner strength that aids in bouncing back from a challenge or a setback, thus protecting one from various mental conditions. Preparing for life challenges/stresses makes it easy to go through them. Today's episode focuses on the various ways of building resilience in the face of adversity.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:22] Today's focus: resilience in the face of adversity

[00:59] Defining resilience

[01:28] How to build resilience

[01:40] #1 Having a growth-oriented mindset

[02:12] #2 Cultivating a support system

[02:51] #3 Regularly physical activity

[03:33] #4 Practicing mindfulness and self-care

[04:47] The importance of building resilience

Notable Quote

"Resilience is not about being perfect or invincible is about recognizing our strengths and weaknesses and learning from our mistakes." [04:15]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Achieving success often feels incomplete without purpose. Most individuals crave a sense of happy life and purpose. Finding meaning in your life is not easy; it requires evaluating skills, values, and beliefs. The evaluation can be successful by developing greater self-awareness and establishing your strengths. Today's episode focuses on finding the meaning in your life using a simple 3-phase exercise.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:25] This week's focus: finding the meaning in my life

[00:46] 3 phases of an exercise to find meaning in your life

[00:57] Part 1: Do this assignment for ten days and stop at the middle and end of your day, and answer the following questions

[01:52] Part 2: Take on this assignment for the next 10 days and answer the following questions

[03:34] Part 3: Engage in this exercise for 10 days, and at the end of each day, reflect on what happened and answer the following questions

Part 1 questions

How much meaning was in your life during this period, and how did it feel for you?

What was the source of the meaning?

What effect did this feeling have on what happened next?

What did I learn about increasing the meaning in my life?

Part 2 questions

How did my intention bring greater meaning to my life today?

What did I learn about the connection between making a situation meaningful for someone else and having it mean for me?

How can I take what I learned today into my intentions for tomorrow

Part 3 questions

What effect did the exercise have on how much meaning there was in my life today?

What effect did entering situations without too much attachment to my agenda have on how much meaning there was in my life today?

How well did I do today around people I met, saw, known, or appreciated, and what effect did this have on my sense of meaning today?

How will I take what I learned today into how I live tomorrow?

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Encountering problems is inevitable as human beings and thus poses a constant challenge in our daily life. However, how we deal with these problems determines whether we will emerge as successful or failures. Every problem has a solution; it only requires creativity. Today's topic focuses on an effective problem-solving exercise that involves several steps.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Introduction to the episode

[00:21] Today's topic: problem-solving

[01:50] An exercise to help solve problems effectively

[02:00] #1 Choose a problem in your life that you would like to address

[02:14] #2 Specifically define the problem focusing solely on the facts and not on feelings

[03:14] #3 Begin to brainstorm some solutions and get creative

[03:44] #4 Write the solutions based on practicality and effectiveness

[03:50] #5 Choose the top three potential solutions and make a specific plan for implementing each one

[04:04] #6 Rate in percentage form the likelihood that each of the three potential solutions will solve the problem

[04:15] #7 After evaluating the pros and cons of each solution, select the most reasonable one and try it, and if it doesn't work, move down to other solutions until you successfully solve the problem

[04:34] Resource mentioned

Resource mentioned

Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry: Workbook (Treatments That Work) 2nd Edition by Michelle G. Craske (Author), David H. Barlow (Author)

Notable Quotes

"Be wary of trying out solutions that are too impractical, expensive, or time-consuming." [04:50]

"Just because a solution has a probability of working doesn't always mean it's the best one to pursue." [05:01]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Managing strong emotions, whether positive or negative, is a common challenge. Often as human beings, we tend to act out unskillfully and later regret it. Meditation-based exercises enable one to gain control of their emotions and thus avoid future regrets. In Today's episode, Shayn shares a simple meditation exercise to help us control our overwhelming feelings/emotions. At the end of the meditation, one should answer a few questions to determine if the meditation exercise was effective in controlling emotion.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:04] This week's topic: a new perspective on emotions

[02:34] A meditation exercise to deal with our emotions

[03:41] #1 Take a comfortable seat in a quiet and safe place

[03:51] #2 Set timer for three, five, or seven minutes or more

[03:59] #3 Close your eyes

[04:03] #4 Choose an emotion to work with as the object of your meditation

[04:21] #5 Notice the feeling in your body and move toward it

[04:25] #6 Explore all the details and qualities you will notice about the emotion

[04:34] #7 Anytime you notice you are telling a story about the emotion, return to the physical sensation of the emotion

[04:52] #8 Notice how the emotion physically moves and changes

[05:10] #9 Stay with the motion as your object of meditation until the time is up

[05:23] 12 questions to answer after the meditation exercise

[08:34] Repeat the meditation exercise on another day but choose a positive emotion

[08:47] Watch and witness with the same intensity and curiosity you did in the first exercise and review the questions again

[08:57] Notice if there is any difference

[09:14] Each time you realize you are experiencing a strong emotion, pause 5 to 15 breathes to explore whether the emotion is in your body

[09:27] Move towards the emotion with awareness

12 Questions to Answer After the Meditation Exercise

Describe your experience with mediation in general

Which emotion did you choose and why?

Observing the emotion, was it easy to pin down or hard to find?

Describe in your own words the emotion

Was it challenging to be present with the emotion vs. the story behind it?

Could you separate the emotion from the object or the story?

Have you ever felt one way about a situation and then later felt differently?

As you watch the emotion, how does it change?

Did the emotion eventually disappear or become impossible to find?

How do you think this awareness of emotions could benefit you outside this meditation?

What do you think the difference is between saying I am sad and I am feeling sadness?

How would your life change if you could remember this difference all the time?

Notable Quotes

"We often choose to work with negative emotions because they are the ones we want to change." [08:25]

"Who and what we really are is the awareness that witnesses those thoughts and emotions." [10:08]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

We tend to plan by setting goals and objectives concerning how our life should turn out. However, in most instances, it's not the case. The universe has a better plan for us that leads to better experiences. One way that the universe has control over our lives is through co-creation.

In this great episode, Shayn De Mur is joined by Sophie McLean, a wisdom teacher who has spent decades leaving transformational seminars to over 80,000 people worldwide through her diverse experience and many pieces of training. Sophie emphasizes co-creating with the universe, which means creating awareness through awakening. She also highlights that we should understand our roles and the universe's role.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Episode introduction

[00:19] Today's focus: co-creating with the universe

[00:27] Sophie McLean's bio

[01:02] Sophie McLean's journey as a wisdom teacher

[02:46] Sophie McLean's profound transformation

[05:37] Sophie's work with the UN

[07:10] Sophie's perception of the world crisis

[11:44] Creating a new culture for humankind

[12:21] Importance of awakening in creating awareness

[13:04] Does awareness create wisdom?

[13:24] Sophie's definition of wisdom

[14:10] Can wisdom be taught?

[16:15] Sophie's master courses/sessions and offers

[17:33] How to connect with Sophie McLean

[18:00] Resources mentioned

Resource mentioned: Sophie McLean's books

The Elegance of Simplicity: A Wisdom Teacher's Epic Journey to Awareness Kindle Edition

Notable Quotes

"We do not need to go on surviving to make it. We need to learn what it is to be awake and being alive." [10:49]

"You always leap what you sowed." [13:41]

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Let's Connect!

Connect with Sophie McLean on:

Website: https://www.sophiemclean.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smc.mclean/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiemcmclean/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elegance-Simplicity-Sophie-McLean-ebook/dp/B07L61PN6R

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]

Time management is essential for small businesses, company/organization leaders, and managers. Time management entails planning and controlling how much time you spend on workplace and personal activities. Time management benefits include career success, accomplishing more in less time, and lowering stress. In this week's exciting episode, Shayn discusses a simple yet effective time management exercise that can be applied in personal life and workplaces.

Tune in!

During this episode, you will learn about;

[00:01] Introduction to the episode

[00:21] Today's focus: How to create more time

[01:09] Four-part exercise to help in creating more time

[01:23] Part 1: Scheduling your time concerning meetings and appointments

[01:39] #1 Each Friday, go over your schedule for the coming week with your assistant

[01:54] #2 Inform your assistant of what times you are available to meet with people and leave 50% of your time free

[02:14] #3 Tell your assistant who you are expecting to schedule a time with and how much time to give them

[02:41] #4 Ask your assistant to schedule no one else without your approval

[03:00] #5 After your approval meeting, ask your assistant to call back the requestee to firm up the meeting

[03:13] #6 Have your assistant call the day before all scheduled meetings and appointments to confirm

[03:25] Part 2: Focus on how much on what

[04:17] Keep working on the schedule to bring it to the following proportions;

[04:25] 15% to planning, 15% to miscellaneous activities/self-care, 50% to appointments and meetings, and 20% to address breakdowns

[04:51] Analyze your time each week and keep correcting the schedule

[05:03] Part 3: Focus on communication

[05:10] #1 Stay on top of major milestones and projects

[05:27] #2 Stop the flow of FYI information to you in priority form

[06:14] #3 Stop being a can-do-it for ordinary communication flow

[06:35] Part 4: Focus on self-care

[07:40] Shayn's parting shot

Don't forget to Subscribe, Rate, Review, Like, and Share!

Let's Connect!

Connect with Shayn De Mur on;

Website: https://www.zenbitespodcast.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shayndemur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayndemur/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZenBites

Email: [email protected]