mdolla: 01/05/17

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Pain Is Temporary, Quitting Lasts Forever: No Matter How Hard It Gets, Do It Till It's Done

We all know the value of achieving a goal, especially when it comes round to this time of year.

But all too often we begin that big project we love to do, decide this time we really are dedicated, put up pictures of slim models on the fridge and put the running trainers out ready by the door.

And then what happens? Ten days in and the resolve we had for New Year is as damp as the socks left on our radiators.

The problem with completing goals is that we meet one or two setbacks and something in us snaps. We think we can’t do it. Maybe we aren’t the fit person we imagined ourselves to be after all. Maybe that resolve was just a lofty other self that never could really exist.

Well, I’m here to reassure you, that fit person is real. You are capable of much more than you think right now. – It’s just the way you are going about getting your goal complete that is holding you back.

So here is some advice for how to keep that goal at the forefront of your mind, even when difficulties set in.

Breaking through your perceived threshold

As explained in the SEAL book^[1], we all have a perceived threshold. But often we can push past this and achieve things we never believed were possible.

When asked how many push-ups Jesse Itzler, who spent time living with a navy SEAL could complete, he managed around eight. The navy SEAL told him that he believed he could do 100. He didn’t believe him, but after some encouragement Itzer began, doing them one by one, until he completed the 100 push-ups, something he never thought he could achieve.

I’m not saying all of us should be navy seals or even have to do 100 push-ups. It’s the principle, that we can make this year the best year of our lives if we just push our boundaries a little further, and accomplish more than we ever have before.

Achieving more than we ever dreamed and pushing through until a task is done can be a huge confidence boost. Most people, however, don’t realize their true potential. Or, they don’t find the focus to continue, and so miss out to doing things that in twenty years time, they will never remember doing.

Just begin

Start by simply asking yourself: ‘what is the smallest possible way I can contribute to my goal right now?’ It could be as simple as standing up. As getting dressed. Once done, you can go from there. Whenever we complete a task, even the smallest one, we feel good. True happiness comes from doing something and doing it well. From your life’s work. And from achieving what you set out to achieve.

Know why you want it

Anyone who knows anything about motivation knows that we are fickle creatures who can be easily swayed by emotions and change. We know that. The list of failed New Years resolutions (ours and others!) tells us that. So you need something that will push you to feel positive about your new habit. This is particularly important because you need to be dedicated to something, even when pain and/or boredom inevitably sets in.

Know that pain is a part of the process

If you fail, or you hate doing it, don’t worry about it, and keep going. This is all a natural part of the process of working towards something. Even if you love something, there will always be hard days. These can be the most rewarding – they show how much you really care.

Focus

Most people these days find it hard to resist the temptations of life. This is a similar idea to the marshmallow test^[2]. Never before have we been so distracted; never before has it been so easy to do a million things all at once. The problem with this is that the quality of work goes down. And as this happens, it’s easy to fall into mediocrity. Those really doing well these days know how to shut their browser down, make a shake, and get to work. So try to shut off any distractions whilst you’re working towards your goal.

Don’t be realistic, dream big!

You don’t have to be realistic about your goals, but be realistic about the steps you take to get there. Most of us think small with dreams, but in order to get totally psyched about a dream of yours, it has to be something that inspires you.

Whatever it is you feel inspired to do, whether it be becoming an acrobatic at the Cirque du Soleil or learning three new languages this year. Go at 2017 with all the foolish optimism you can throw at it. Because the freer we are to believe in our dreams, the more wonderful a place the world will become, don’t you agree?

Featured photo credit: Picjumbo via picjumbo.com

Reference

[1]	^	Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet, amazon.com
[2]	^	The Marshmallow Test, youtube.com

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Science Says Piano Players' Brains Are Very Different From Everybody Else's

The piano is a beautiful instrument. Its players often come across as mysterious; these people who have spent hundreds of hours practicing scales and repeating phrases over and over again to reach sheer aural perfection. To an audience member it can have a similar effect to watching a magic trick or a ballet: it is so skilled and beautiful it almost seems impossible, a feat of the Gods.

But what is going on underneath all of this hard work and magic? It certainly isn’t luck that such an effect can be made.

The little bolts of electricity running through their neurons as they play are not connected the same way as concert goers’. Piano players brains even work differently than the way musicians’ are wired ^[1]. And this is all because of the instrument they are playing. The piano makes them and their brains unique.

So, read on, and don’t say I didn’t warn you (especially if you have a big-headed pianist in the family!)…that pianists’ brains are different than everyone else’s. Here’s how:

They are more balanced

This stands to reason. Pianists are born (like all of us) with one side of the brain being favored more than the other. This is not unusual; everyone has a natural preference for which hand we prefer holding our pen in or eating our cereal with (from a young age). The difference here is that pianists begin practicing using both parts of the brain when mastering the use of each hand whilst playing.

If one hand were to be weaker than the other, playing the piano would not work. Without skill in both it can end up sounding clunky and unbalanced, at best. This necessity to practice and to master both hands means that the brain effectively evens itself out ^[2]. With practice, despite each player having a naturally stronger hand when they begin, by the time they have become an expert, the weaker hand is strengthened to the same degree as the stronger one.

They are more logical multitaskers

A piano player also more easily creates a link between their frontal lobes. But what does this mean?

Basically, this handy part of the brain contains control of emotional responses, social behaviors and even impulses, so it’s handy if you have easier access to it than most.

This also means that pianists are likely to have stronger problem solving and multi-tasking skills and be able to tap into their creativity with greater ease, too.

They are more free to express their authentic selves

One study by Dr. Ana Pinho^[3] found that when playing, the well practiced players would turn off the part of the brain that offers stereotypical brain responses. This allows them to play the true expression of who they are and what they want to ‘say’ with their music, rather than some copycat phrasing. (This could be a very useful skill if transferred to life and everyday situations, where the advice of ‘just be yourself’ might work with these dexterously fingered individuals.)

They are able to use their brain’s energy more effectively

Less energy is used in the motor skills section of the brain. It seems once you have mastered your craft, your brain simply needs less blood and oxygen sent to this section, thus freeing up energy for other parts of playing, like phrasing and emotional connection to the song.

They are well practised at conversing (though not in a language we are used to using everyday)

In the study by Dr. Charles Limb^[4], when pianists improvise, it was found that the parts of the brain containing the language center lit up unexpectedly. Despite being a motor skill, when riffing in a call and response style, players are actually talking to each other!

So, that’s it! Basically, pianists are awesome! And I would encourage anyone to try out just five minutes a day of playing if you ever have a piano or keyboard near you. Who knows, you might become the next Rachmaninov, or even Chopin. Or you might simply remember where you put your car keys.

Featured photo credit: Focus Features Media, The Pianist via focusfeaturesmedia.com

Reference

[1]	^	Science Shows How Piano Players’ Brains Are Actually Different From Everybody Else’s, Mic.com
[2]	^	What studying musicians tell us about motor control of the hand, Music and Health
[3]	^	Scientists shed light on creativity by studying pianists’ brain activity, theguardian.com
[4]	^	Brain On Jazz: Novel Study Puts Pianists In MRI Scanners To Show Link Between Music, Language, huffingtonpost.ca

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Low-Carb Dark Chocolate and Oat Clusters

Step 1

Place peanut butter, milk, and semisweet chocolate chips in a saucepan; cook over low heat until chips melt (about 3 minutes).

Step 2

Stir in oats; remove from heat.

Step 3

With a spoon or melon baller, drop 8 ball-shaped portions on a wax paper-lined baking sheet; let set in refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

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Low-Carb Lemon Tart

To make the crust:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 190 °C.

Step 2

Mix ground almonds, 1 tbsp of Splenda, psyllium husk and salt together.

Step 3

Slightly beat egg whites.

Step 4

Combine the mix in Step 2 with egg whites and melted butter and mix thoroughly into dough.

Step 5

Put the dough into a loose-base tart tin (suggested: 23cm wide).

Step 6

Press the dough into the tin using your fingers to make up a crust.

Step 7

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until slightly golden.

Step 8

Take out and cool completely.

To make the filling:

Step 9

Grate the zest and squeeze juice from the lemons.

Step 10

Beat egg yolks, eggs and 0.5 cup of Splenda together lightly.

Step 11

Add double cream to the egg mixture and stir with a spoon.

Step 12

Add lemon zest and juice and mix well.

Step 13

Place the tart tin with the crust on top of a baking tray (in case of any leaks).

Step 14

Pour filling mixture into the crust.

Step 15

Bake at 160 °C for 45 minutes, or until fully set (wobble the tray gently and watch the filling to make sure it’s not too liquidy).

Step 16

Take out and cool completely before serving

Step 17

Top with powdered sweetener and bits of lemon to serve.

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Low-Carb Apple Pie Tassies

Step 1

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place tartlet shells on it.

Step 2

In a medium pan, bring cider and cinnamon stick to a boil over high heat. Boil until cider has reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in apples, butter and salt. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until almost all liquid has evaporated and apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in cranberries.

Step 4

Divide apple mixture among tartlet shells, using about 2 tsp. for each. (You may have some filling left over; cover and refrigerate. Use to top yogurt or oatmeal.) Bake until shells are golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.

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Low-Carb Crustless Cheesecake

Step 1

Combine cream cheese, Splenda, and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix well.

Step 2

Beat the heavy cream in a separate bowl until it forms soft peaks.

Step 3

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Step 4

Transfer the mixture to a large glass bowl and chill with plastic wrap, for at least 25 minutes. Top with berries if desired. Serve immediately or store, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 °F and grease a standard 12-cavity non-stick muffin tin very well (or line with paper liners, if your muffin tin is not very non-stick).

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Stir in eggs, almond milk, butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Step 3

Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until set and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 4

Remove and sprinkle with granulated sweetener, if using. Let cool 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Low-Carb Strawberry and Coconut Scones

Step 1

Weigh out the strawberries and chop them up into pieces. Set aside for later.

Step 2

In large bowl mix 6 tablespoons of coconut flour, linseeds, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In a small bowl mix cream, eggs, and vanilla with a fork until all combined. Set aside.

Step 4

Cut the cold butter into small cubes and work it into the coconut flour mixture using hands or a pastry blender until it has a sticky, fine texture.

Step 5

Slowly add your liquid egg and cream mixture and mix in with a fork until dough is produced. Save a little bit of the cream mixture for glazing later. A tablespoon should do.

Step 6

Add 2 extra tablespoons of coconut flour and mix until it thickens into a dough. Let it sit for a few moments, and it will thicken as the coconut flour absorbs the liquid.

Step 7

Mix the strawberries into the dough evenly.

Step 8

Put the mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Step 9

Take the cold mixture out of the freezer and make ten small dough balls in your hands. Flatten them slightly and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (to make a scone shape) and then put the tray in the freezer for another 20 minutes. To ensure they stay cold, do this process quickly.