Dealing with Procrastination

by Opeyemi Soremekun

Procrastination is intentionally putting off something that should be done to the possible last minute. If you are in the habit of avoiding some specific tasks or postponing the things you need to get accomplished you may be suffering from the "silent killer" called procrastination. Unfortunately we have all suffered from this silent killer or probably still suffering from it. Side effects of procrastination include missed opportunities, stress, resentment and guilt. (more…)

How to Stop Procrastinating

Procrastination is something most of us are guilty of at one time or another. Essentially it means avoiding or delaying things that you ought to be doing and instead using the time for less important but more pleasurable things. Eg watching TV with a take-out meal when you should be taking exercise or tackling that mountain of dull but necessary paperwork.

Why do I Procrastinate?

Simply put, we procrastinate because we favor the pleasure of the moment over something less pleasurable that might bring greater pleasure (or avoid displeasure) in the future. (more…)

Your Comfort Zone – Haven or Prison?

Your comfort zone is that set of circumstances and tasks in which you feel completely at ease, ie you are able to operate with little need of conscious thought or will. Essentially you are on autopilot and your mind can continue in its preferred state of slumber.

The comfort zone is not a fixed region; it changes throughout life, in the light of experience. A baby’s comfort zone is lying on its back waiting to be fed and changed. But instinct forces it to expand that comfort zone to include walking, talking, reading, writing… Eventually it has to expand far enough to be able to survive in whatever society it finds itself.

We each need a comfort zone large enough to put food in our bellies and a roof over our head. But do we really need to extend it further? (more…)

Beyond the Serenity Prayer

As discussed in Wisdom of the Serenity Prayer the words of Reinhold Niebuhr provide an excellent guide for living:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

However, once we have absorbed and started to apply this principle we may begin to recognize that life is not, unfortunately, so simple. This article presents two further considerations in determining how we should apply our limited resources. (more…)

Can I Change My Destiny?

What is Destiny?

Our destiny is the tentative future path that lies ahead of us at any given now, subject to everything that affects us continuing along its current trajectory. Of course, we cannot possibly know our destiny even if that condition of continuance were satisfied because we cannot possibly know about everything that affects us.

What Determines My Destiny?

Spiritually we are part of an infinite existence, of which our current incarnation forms but the smallest step. Before beginning the journey known as life we agree, with our guides and helpers, what the overall purpose of that adventure will be, ie the experiences we will seek and the lessons we will try to learn. But to have any meaning whatsoever we are also endowed with free will. (more…)

When Life Seems Too Much - Prioritize!

Isn’t life wonderful? Like a County Fair with so many attractions and activities all vying for - and demanding - your attention. So much to see, so much to do. The trouble is, you're only human. That means you're limited, with only so much time and energy to give.

It can be overwhelming. And that's why stress and its close relatives depression and anxiety are running at epidemic proportions in the modern world.

So, what can we do about it? How can we meet infinite demands with a finite supply? (more…)

Seek Experience, Not Perfection

Are you a perfectionist? Do you demand perfection from yourself, from the rest of the world, or both?

Perfectionism has its good side. It drives you to give your best, to constantly aim bigger, better, higher... But the perfectionist is inevitably destined for frustration.

We are flawed beings living in an imperfect universe

Physicists believe the universe itself exists only due to an imbalance of matter and antimatter following the big bang, known as baryon asymmetry. Evolution of species only occurs because of imperfect copying (mutation) from parent to child, ie: without imperfection we'd all still be single-celled amoeba. Great discoveries have occurred by accident (or imperfection), so-called serendipity. Not least the discovery of penicillin, which occurred after biologist Alexander Fleming accidentally left a culture dish open. (more…)

Wisdom of The Serenity Prayer

In just three lines, Reinhold Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer (as adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous) encapsulates a profound philosophy of life.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

We are each endowed with free will, but are bounded by external circumstance, personal limitation and the choices of others. We each have finite energy/resources but are exposed to numerous (infinite?) competing options/demands as to how these are employed. (more…)

Understanding Irrational Thinking

Most people like to consider themselves rational beings, making their various life choices for all the logically "right" reasons. However, the fact is that human behavior is filled with irrational biases that seem to be hard-wired into our minds/brains.

This article attempts to define "rationality", and highlights some of the more common forms of irrationality. Being aware of these factors in our psychology may at least make us less vulnerable to their innate pitfalls. (more…)

Know Yourself

Self Concept, Self Awareness

beware the man behind the mask, he hides the truth behind the mask

It is said that a major purpose of life is to learn, and also that we never stop learning.

In most human societies learning is institutionalized from a very early age in the form of compulsory schooling. In developed countries formal education can eat up the best part of two decades of an individual's life.

Furthermore, we are constantly reminded that we live in the information age or knowledge economy. Multiple TV channels, cell phones, the Internet... These days we need to continue absorbing knowledge just to survive.

One of the main rules of witchcraft is "know thyself", but for all the knowledge that surrounds us how many of us can claim to REALLY know ourselves?

It might seem like a no-brainer; after all we ARE ourselves, so how can we not know what makes us tick? But very often human beings function on autopilot. Our decisions are conditioned by our upbringing, our peers, the expectations of others... (more…)