The Procrastination Site

Poor memory is not something for just the aged or matured adult, poor memory can affect anyone of any age.  There are many techniques that are available to help improve your memory, however not all are as easy as they like to make it claim to be.  Some require a lot of time, which in reality is partially the reason people tend to have poor memory, lack of time to pay adequate attention to things they need to store in their memory bank. 

Recall is a developed technique that happens within our brain functioning from an early age.  If honed on, it can be quite sharp.  If one is lackey daisy about their memory, as in saying, I will have to make a mental note of that and although their brain may have taken note, they have not sufficiently gave it enough information for recall later when needed; the old memory bank will fail when drawing upon that particular information at a later date.

One method in helping develop a great memory is using a technique called the Link Method.  It helps you to recall stored information better due to the way you packed it away initially.  The Link method involves the use of mnemonics, an association between two things or items.  This gives the brain clues to later use in recall of that stored information.  This can be done in word association or by story association. 

Say you are studying for a test, any class, and you have to be able to recall all the bones in the foot.  First, you would write out a list of all the bones in the foot.  After writing the list out which would look something like this:  5 metatarsals for each foot, 14 phalanges for each foot (3 phalanges for each toe per foot except the hallux, which only has 2), Talus, Calcaneus, Navicular, Cuboid, Internal cuneiform, Middle cuneiform, and the External cuneiform for a total of 26 bones per foot. 

Next, you would take the words and put them either in a story form or in a word association form, which ever is easier for you to recall.  In a word association it may be something like 5 metatarsals = 5 mega parcels = I am getting 5 mega parcels (metatarsals) tomorrow from 14 philanders = 14 phalanges.  You would continue in this fashion with word association until you have covered all the necessary words in the list. 

In story association, you tell a story using a combination of word association and a story theme.  It may go something like this:  Five little metatarsals took off on a walk when out of the blue 14 scary looking fanged phalanges jumped out of a bush.  Each had three fangs except the little one, Hallux, who only had two.  Again, you would carry on similar to this until you have used all the listed words.  This is what is known as the Link Method.

The Link Method can be a reliable way to recall things, though it depends on the person remembering the story or the word associations.  However, this method with a combination of other methods can drastically help you improve your memory.  If you are having recall problems, improve your memory by learning valuable memory techniques at Memory Improvement

So, what is  depression? Depression is an illness that affects the entire body as  well as your thoughts and mood. It will affect the way that you eat and sleep  as well as the way you ponder things, and also how you view yourself too.

A person who is depressed cannot simply "get a hold of himself or  herself," nor simply will it away with a strong will. The good news is  though, that a person can usually be treated to overcome most depressions, even  those that have been plaguing the person for years on years.

Depression symptoms are vary from person to person, it  depends on depression type and how long it has been allowed to progress. Having  troubles with decision making and concentration is not uncommon during  depression. Many people joined depression quiz to find out their type of depressions.

Many depressed people usually have problems with short term  memory. Mostly always think negative. Some may be said to suffer from poor self  esteem and pessimism. People with a very serious depressions may even have self  destructive thoughts.

They may feel very  tired and very irritable. Many people who are depressed often feel helpless and  hopeless, and they suffer greatly from any work productivity, in other words  they often feel uncomfortable with daily activities.

They do not eat properly, either overeat or do not eat enough, as well as  suffering through sleeping problems, where they either sleep erratically or not  at all, and some oversleep. Others suffer a plethora of aches and pains, while  some are simply increasingly restless.

Depression Treatments: The very best advice is if you feel as if you may be depressed, then at  least go to a psychiatrist once.

Tell your psychiatrist all the symptoms you have, and do  not omit anything out of the ordinary for  yourself, even though you may  feel it is not important, but that will make you receive the correct diagnosis from your psychiatrist.

Depression is one of the human emotions that is most powerful.It is one of those emotions if you leave untreated, could lead to something more serious for those suffering from it severely.

Everyone has moments of feeling unhappy.That is normal. But clinical depression goes beyond that.It is a disease.But you can treat it.

I would like to offer some advice and tips that I have gained from my experience as a therapist in San Diego.

So what makes depression, clinical depression?

First off, the person may feel as if they are hopelessly sad.  Where a person feels everything is pointless.  Or life is not worth living. Which might lead to suicidal thoughts and feelings.

This can last for 2 weeks or more.When the depression starts to last that long, then you are moving into a state of clinical depression.

And when you hit that tipping point, you need to seek out a therapist.  Do not leave your condition untreated when it hits that point.Take my word for it, I have learned this from my experience in depression counseling.

So once you are at that point, you have to do certain things. Because sometimes imbalances in your body or chemistry in your brain can cause depression, you may need to treat it medically.You would use antidrepessant drugs to treat it.

Of course as a counselor, I prefer to treat it through depression counseling.A good counselor helps a person understand and come to grips the the causes of their depression.

They can also try other forms of therapy like cognitive behavior therapy which addresses how you think.  The goal being to question your negative thoughts and turn them positive.

A counselor can also help with relaxation techniques.  If the depression is caused by stress, using relaxation will help combat that form of stress.

Most of all a depression counselor will be the most effective person to find out what is causing the depression.

They can find out if it is caused by some circumstance recently, such as a loss in the family.They can investigate and determine if it is caused by something from the past.  Or they can find out if it is caused by something going on in your body.Whether there was some physiological change.

Depression is a treatable condition.But when you don’t know what caused it, you will not be able to treat it.This where finding someone that is a good counselor or therapist will help tremendously.

There are many concepts that people use for memory improvement.  There are many methods to choose from, but there is one that has been around since the test of time.  The Loci method is so ancient that orators of the Greek and Roman countries used it for memorizing speeches and lists that were lengthy. 

The word loci means location or place.  So to use the Loci method requires you to remember places or locations.  You would have to picture them in your head.  It could be anywhere and it doesn’t have to be somewhere that you are familiar with. 

The Loci method is one of the mnemonic systems that is used for memory improvement.  A mnemonic system is one that helps to improve the memory.  When using this method, you can look at a park, house, backyard, kitchen, or anything that will help you to remember. 

The Loci method works better when you have more than one thing that you need to implement for memory improvement.  You should familiarize yourself with that place or location that you need to remember.

So if you need to remember a house, you may look at grass that surrounds the house.  You may also look at the roof and if there is a gate, you can look at that also.  In order to implement memory improvement techniques with the house, you would think about the grass that needs to be maintained and the roof that should remain sturdy. 

Or, if you feel the grass needs to be cut, you will get the lawn mower and cut it.  You don’t want to have grass that is growing as tall as weeds.  If you want, you can look at a garbage can and connect that with the house. 

You want to know that the house is still there, so associating grass, the roof and the garbage can are ways that you can do that.  You know that they will always be there so you can’t miss their presence.  Plus, you know that you will have to take action on them at some point and time, so you have no choice but to keep them in the forefront of your mind.

Sometimes, using this mnemonic method can be strange, but as long as it effects memory improvement in a positive way, then you would definitely benefit from it.

Sometimes you just want to get out and have fun! Young people love to have fun, middle aged business men love a little fun and the elderly definitely can enjoy a good time! That is why Powerball lottery is such an excellent lottery game. You can even play it from the comfort of your own home. The Powerball drawing is shown on TV every Wednesday and Saturday so that more winners may be accommodated for. Many enjoy playing low stakes twice a week while others make Powerball a special occasion thing. Whatever the case, the truth is, people love Powerball! With odds like 1 in 35 wins, who wouldn’t love Powerball?

In case you are a little leery of the odds, here are some statistics that may enlighten you. In one single Powerball game held in April 2009, there were over 505,000 winners and 1.5 million dollars worth of prizes distributed nationwide. Literally thousands of people won (though none won the jackpot that particular time) and were able to share their accomplishment with their friends and families. This number is quite typical for Powerball games.

A Powerball drawing can almost be like watching the Super bowl or going to your favorite sports game. The intensity and hype when played with several other players draws people together and makes this all the more exciting when one, two or all of the people involved win whether small or big. There are countless stories of long time friends, newlyweds, best buddies and elderly couples winning Powerball and thus being able to afford their dreams. And it’s fun all at the same time!

One of the easiest things to remember when playing Powerball that could really help your odds is to never choose your numbers one right after the other and scatter your numbers through the spectrum of possible numbers. It is more likely that you will have numbers chosen that are scattered rather than bunched. Keep these tips in mind as you play Powerball. Other sources have done much research to determine how to play Powerball the most effectively so be sure to do your research! It could pay off big time in the end and you will thank yourself for putting the extra time in.

Wherever you are and whatever your motivation, whether it be fun, money or social time, make sure you enjoy yourself when you play Powerball. It’s fun and can provide you with excellent tradition in entertainment!

While much has been written about goals little has been drafted about the courage needed to set goals in the first place.

It doesn’t take much digging to see many people are living with fear, frustration and doubt.  Who among us can say we haven’t had a restless night worrying about what disaster could befall us the next day?

The more I read about the science of thought (“The Field” by Lynne McTaggart for example) the more I am convinced thoughts are things.  Our thoughts can serve up dark images of despair or they can paint pictures of joy, laughter and deep abiding happiness.

It is the way we think, rather than our surroundings, which determines our happiness level.  Hold a thought and you will create an emotion.  That emotion drives a behavior which in turn creates an event.To change your events you must first change your thoughts.

For those of us who have spent any time reading Self Improvement literature ‘positive thinking’ is not a new idea.In fact it’s pretty tempting to read the ‘thoughts are things’ message and dismiss it as a cliche?.

The challenge, for the vast majority of us, is to move from the well worn path of pessimistic thinking to a place where your thoughts create feelings of hope and joy.  So how do you do it?

First know that your thoughts and emotions don’t need to rule your life.  They can in fact be harnessed to further your goals.   The more you practice becoming conscious of your thoughts and emotions, the greater your ability to shape and control them. Therefore encouraging only those thoughts that will produce empowering emotions.

Think about the person you want to become.  Picture that person going through their normal day.  What are they wearing?  Where are they going?  How do they get there?  Who do they spend time with and what kind of conversations do they have with others?  What kind of contribution is this person, this “future you”, making?
Get clear on these images.

Now imagine how this person feels.  What emotions do they carry with them?  When you look at them at their very best, what words come to mind?

What kind of thoughts go through their mind?  What thoughts would this person simply not give energy to?  Need some help defining some of the positive beliefs and thoughts your future self will carry?  Check out the StepOne Affirmation Library.  It’s well organized and filled with great quotes, beliefs and positive thoughts.

Once you’ve got clarity on your future thinking, take a moment and write the thoughts down.  Capture both the positive thoughts your future self will carry and the negative thoughts you have today that your future self will discount.

You’ve just taken a significant step forward.What you have just done (or you’re just about to do) lays the foundation on which all your other work will stand.So what is next?

If you’re building a StepOne Vision Board enter these thoughts in the Affirmations section of the ‘My Profile’ page.  If you’re not yet a StepOne member, print out your Positive Thoughts List on a piece of paper and your Negative Thoughts List on another sheet.

Know that we attract to us that on which our thoughts dwell.  If our thoughts are about things we don’t want we will attract those things to us; if our thoughts are about those things we do want, we will attract those things to us just as easily.  So, think about what you want!

Post your Positive Thoughts List in a place where you’ll be able to read them every day.  As for your Negative Thoughts List, print that out too.  Hold the Negative Thoughts List in front of you.Now promise yourself to leave no place in your mind for these thoughts any longer.

The thoughts may pass through your mind again but they will not be allowed to stay.  Ideally, say this to yourself in the mirror as if you were making a solemn promise to your best friend.  Now take that Negative Thoughts List and destroy it.   What do I mean by destroy it?  Crumple it up, cut it up, shred it or burn it over the sink.  

Want to make this experience really powerful?  As you’re writing down your lists put on your favorite motivational music. Crank the volume!  Building your Positive Thoughts List works best when you’re on an emotional high and there’s nothing like great music to get you there.

So you’ve got some clarity on your future self.You’ve defined the thoughts your future self will carry and those it will leave behind.

The next step is to apply all of this and change your day to day thinking….I know this is easier said then done.

Here’s the good news, if you can catch yourself holding a negative thought early enough you can usually stop it from turning into an emotional reaction.  So how do you lift yourself out of negative thinking patterns?  Try out the Rubber Band technique.

Get a rubber band that fits snuggly on your wrist.  Each time you find yourself holding onto a thought that doesn’t serve you, snap the rubber band.And not just a tiny wimpy snap.  You’re looking for a big, ‘SNAP!’.  The kind of snap that makes you wince.  This is where the normal Rubber Band technique ends.

The StepOne version of the exercise takes it…well…a step further (forgive the pun).  As soon as you’ve stopped reeling from the wicked snapping you’ve put on yourself repeat the positive thought you want to carry instead.If you can repeat it three times aloud (ideally you’re not amid friends when all this is happening as you’ll get some odd glances) then you’re hitting the right spot of mental reprogramming.

For example let’s say you are working hard to reach and then maintain a certain weight.You have identified a negative thought you often repeat that goes something like ‘Just eat whatever youlike, you’ll never lose the weight anyways’.  After giving yourself a proper snapping you quickly say ‘I only eat food that strengthens and replenishes my body’.Repeat this three times.

You’ll find that in no time at all you will change your thinking around reaching a given goal.

Do Not forget that it’s actually possible to benefit by using the principles outlined in the secret to achieve everything need to live a great life. Live Courageously!