This is a guest post from my good friend Aaron Braun. Although we have never met, we have been in regular contact on Facebook for a few years. Aaron often posts thought provoking updates on issues such as life, health and society. Check out his bio at the end of this article if you want to find him on Facebook…
I have always been perplexed at the power of the human mind.
We have all heard of the “Placebo” effect. The effect in which produces a result when the subject believes it to be true.
It is such a powerful tool that each and every one of us has at our disposal.
I believe we can virtually heal any ailment or condition via the power of our mind. There have been numerous studies conducted on the mind (hypnosis, meditation), and its effects on various outcomes of our health. Each study has produced remarkable discoveries and findings. Additionally, there have been individuals who have been studied performing deep levels of concentration, who have been shown to substantially influence their immune system via their mind alone.
Back in the 1950’s, there was a physician who also specialized in hypnotherapy. A gentleman had visited this doctor for what they thought was a bad case of warts. The doctor (Dr. Albert Mason) had experience using hypnosis to treat warts in the past. After several hypnotic sessions, the patient was virtually free of all warts. His skin cleared up, and now appeared to be skin of an ordinary person.
Afterwards, it was reported that the patient never had warts in the first place. He had an incredibly rare skin condition called congenital ichthyosiform erythrodermia, which is virtually considered incurable.
When Dr. Mason became aware of this, he attempted to replicate his results with other patients suffering from the same condition. To his surprise, he wasn’t able to replicate the results. He faulted his own lack of confidence in himself in future cases, explaining that on a subconscious level, he had doubted his own abilities; unlike the first time when he truly believed he was treating a bad case of warts.
This is an incredibly powerful example of what our minds and beliefs are capable of. It can reverse ailments, remove anxiety and depression, and block chronic pain.
The following is a video I have posted frequently. It’s Wim Hof, The IceMan, undergoing a scientific experiment to influence his immune system via his mind.
The following are links to studies that confirm these findings on a larger scale:
“Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness.”
The list goes on and on. The mind has been shown to be the most powerful tool in existence. That’s the power of your mind.
Aaron Braun considers himself a student of life. He is a proponent of wisdom literature, meditation and hypnosis, has studied the power of thought, and the great capabilities of the human mind. Aaron is also a practitioner of the martial arts and self defense advocate.
If you’re interested in his writings, you can find his personal Facebook page at the following link…
These are 5 books that have helped change my life for the better – and they could do the same for YOU! They are inspiring, thought provoking, and help you with almost anything in life.
Your life might NEVER be the same after reading these. If you feel that your not living life at its optimum, then I urge you to take a look.
If you manage to read ALL of these then you will see the world in a massively different (and better) way…
“Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
This has to be the most fascinating book ever written. The research took over 25 years to undertake, where Hill personally watched and interviewed legends like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Alexander Bell, John D, Rockefeller, and Theodore Roosevelt.
He found out what common traits they shared to be rich and successful. What made them tick, and how they were different the rest of us. What he produced is an absolute goldmine of information, boiled down to quench your thirst for knowledge.
This book has inspired many people to become successful.
After reading this book, Jim Carey wrote himself a check for $10,000,000 and placed it in his wallet. In just a few short years he surpassed this.
Boxer Ken Norton read this book and upset the boxing world by beating the legendary Muhammed Ali. Bruce Lee also used Napoleon Hill’s principals to become the most successful and well known martial artist of all time.
Bill Gates also read this in his early days, and Donald Trump used it’s principals to reverse his fortunes when he was $400 million in debt.
This book will help you whether you want financial success, or a personal success. It is also a great read…
“How To Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
In you want to be successful in life, work, or business, then you must be good with people. You have to be able to get them to like you, trust you, and cooperate with you. This book shows you how to do this.
This book will help get you out of a mental rut, and give you new thoughts, new visions, and new ambitions. Here’s what you can expect from it…
Enable you to make friends quickly and easily.
Increase your popularity.
Help you to win people to your way of thinking.
Increase your influence, your prestige, your ability to get things done.
Enable you to win new clients, new customers.
Increase your earning power.
Make you a better salesman, a better executive.
Help you to handle complaints, avoid arguments, keep your human contacts smooth and pleasant.
Make you a better speaker, a more entertaining conversationalist.
Make the principles of psychology easy for you to apply in your daily contacts.
Help you to arouse enthusiasm among your associates.
Did you know that Warren Buffet, at age 20, took Dale Carnegie’s course that this book is based on? He has the certificate on his desk to this day.
Be honest – does fear hold you back from doing what you REALLY want to do?
The biggest block to success is fear. Most people have the ability and the ambition to become successful, but are paralysed by fear. This powerful book has helped many people radically change their lives.
Rather than deny the existence of fear, it’s simple message is to acknowledge it, and continue pursuing your goals regardless.
Do you dwell too much on the past, or look to the future all the time?
By staying in the now, you can properly appreciate life and work at your optimum. It will free you from pain and delusion.
Although “living in the now” is not a new concept, it is beautifully explained by Tolle. It is both enlightening and inspiring. You must let go of some cherished beliefs, but your reward is the freedom that most of us are seeking.
If you want to know EXACTLY what living in the now means, then this book is for you…
“The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey
This book allows you think and see things in a new and clearer perspective. It contains 7 simple rules for life that make a powerful difference.
Covey’s concepts will help you grow into a more effective person, both in your private and work life. It points out that if you want to change your life, then you must change your thoughts and attitudes.
These 7 habits help change you, which in turn helps change your fortunes…
The phrase ‘good things come in small packages’ was custom-made for this read, as it is the type of book you can get through in a night, but will think about for years. Don Miguel Ruiz writes on achieving inner peace regardless of how crazy the external world may seem. A classic that has been translated into 38 languages, the wisdom put forth in The Four Agreements transcends times.
One powerful lesson that I was able to extract from The Four Agreements was the importance of not taking other’s actions personally. This is truly difficult, as we are highly emotional and personal beings, but the truth is that other’s actions are simply a reflection of how they feel about themselves and the world, and have nothing to do with you. Absorbing and applying this concept has given me a much more peaceful disposition.
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday is a book did more than change my life, it successfully provided a perspective I very desperately needed, at a time when I most needed it, and subsequently, transformed my life almost instantaneously.
The Obstacle is the Way is a culmination of Holiday’s reading and own perspective on the ancient philosophical discipline of Stoicism. Holiday so incredibly takes the core disciplines of Stoicism and applies them to real life anecdotes of incredible individuals such as Ulysses S. Grant, Amelia Earhart, and Thomas Edison, while adding a perspective only someone who is as well read as Holiday could add.
His unique perspective teaches the reader to not just find sliver linings in negatives, but rather to actually view any adversity, any harm others cause to you, failures, and other obstacles as gifts. Gifts of newfound perspective, because it is only through these adversarial circumstances that we find the true path to success or the answers we truly desire.
I picked up this book when I was virtually bedridden due to adrenal shutdown from overworking myself, and it provided the perfect perspective at the perfect time for me and I’m forever a better person.
I can’t recall when or why I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, but it was one of the three biggest turning points in my life. The others were earning my MBA at 32 and attending the Millionaire Mind seminar in 2013. Together, these decisions helped me build enough knowledge and wealth to retire at age 48. I never learned about money growing up.
The concepts (own a business, invest, don’t be an employee) widened my perspective on money. I learned about real estate and stocks as alternate sources of income. After reading the book, I bought my first multi-family rental property and took stock trading courses. None of this was easy at first – I made rookie mistakes, lost money, and felt like quitting. I persevered knowing I’d eventually make progress. Persistence worked – I retired this summer to enjoy the freedom to do what I want with my time without needing to work.
My passion is to share that freedom with other women so they can live the life they desire, too. I am now a Money Coach who helps women take control of their finances using the same concepts I learned from the book – so rewarding!
I’d like to give the credit to *”The Saint, The Surfer, and The CEO” by Dr. Robin Sharma*. (I’d be referring to it as TS, TS & TC)
Though the most famous book by this author is, The monk who sold his Ferrari, I seriously feel TS, TS & TC is his best write-up so far. The book is about practical wisdom and how, with conscious effort, one can understand life, enjoy it and be happy.
Why I love this book is because of many reasons:
First, I received it at a time when I was at the bottom of my well. Reading it made me realize that things and people are not as bad as they seem and it is only my “tinted glass” perspective of life which is sinking me down. This was the saint’s lesson.
Second, the book very subtly teaches you how to take everything as an adventure and love life in general. That’s the surfer’s part.
And finally, the CEO part is all about putting in your heart in your work and crack deals with compassion. In a corporate world where everyone is trying to encroach other’s business, this book tells you an another way around where you can reap profits and still go to bed in peace and sleep like a baby.
At the age of 19, I started reading a marriage book, “Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus” by John Gray. I was really passionate about establishing a solid foundation within my future marriage and I wanted to learn the differences between men and women. Once I started reading this book, I began to realize that these principles that John shares are a different way of thinking for most couples. Husbands want their wife to be like guys and wives want their husbands to be like girls. Being able to understand that we have distinct differences as men and women was like a light bulb went off in my head. Ever since this book, I look at my marriage from a new perspective and I share this same philosophy with my clients.
Book suggestion: A Guide To Natural Childbirth by Dr. Ina May
Our society today has made it seem as though it is empowering to give a woman all types of choices for child delivery, and that scheduling a C-Section is in some way female-centric and creates a stronger culture. Society will also have you believe that doping a woman up on pitocin and an epidural is the savvy way to give birth. Women who read this book learn and realize that delivery is likely less painful, smoother, and more rewarding when done naturally. It is a breath of fresh air in our artificial world.
Women would be more empowered by realizing the strengths of what they can do alone with their body, without the degradation of todays aggressive medical procedures. In my fitness program, we own the motto “YOUR BODY IS POWER” and this book fits into my mantra!
Book suggestion: The Saint, The Surfer And The CEO by Robin Sharma
I came across you HARO query and couldn’t help but reply to this one. I am not a fanatic reader, so I don’t claim to have piled my bookshelf with the bestsellers.
However, one of them, that I recently read is “The Saint, The Surfer And The CEO” by Robin Sharma, the famous author of “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”.
*About the book:* While I haven’t read the latter, the former read has had a deep impact on me as a person. It is basically about an ordinary guy whose life has been altered by the lessons imparted to him by three great people, a saint, a former advertising genius but a surfer now, and a renowned businesswoman, all of who have achieved the best in their life and are more than willing to share the secret of their wisdom and happiness to the world.
*What I Learned:* While most inspirational books share the philosophies of positive thinking and the ideal way to live life, this book appeals to me because the author shares practical tips and means on how to bring out the best in oneself. The first few chapters did more than enough to make me reflect on my past, present and the unfathomable future.
The lesson that I personally learned is how important self control is in one’s life. And it doesn’t involve the big stuff, but the little shifts that you make toward making a better future for your own self and in turn, for the people around you.
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Maureen Murray
Precise Communications
Book suggestion: Truth Heals by Deborah King
Hi, the book that changed my life is Truth Heals by Deborah King. It brought me back to meditation and some very healing methods for a stressful life. As a long time marketing consultant who has to constantly please clients, I was having trouble sleeping. Also getting first signs of menopause. Reading Truth Heals brought me to Deborah’s workshops and online meditations and has impacted my health greatly. She is a calming voice in the madness of everyday life!
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Author Mary O’Malley
Martha Logan
Book suggestion: What’s In the Way IS the Way by Mary O’Malley
I am writing to you about a book called What’s In the Way IS the Way by Mary O’Malley. It has definitely changed my life, as it brought me from a place of struggle, pain, grief, and sadness (primarily due the decline of my parents’ as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease) to a place of peace, ease and joy. This book is powerful and has resulted in an amazing “Opening to Life”. For that reason, I recently said “yes” to helping Mary spread her message (I have been her student for six years).
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Ben G. Adams
http://www.thecreativeprocessdiet.com Book suggestion: Body-for-Life by Bill Phillips The book that changed my life in a huge way is Body-for-LIFE, by Bill Phillips. I fell in love with Body-for-LIFE because it provided me with a very specific, detailed roadmap for what I need to do to get into good shape.
Also one reason I became so attached to the book is that it was actually very difficult for me to make it through a full 12 weeks of the Body-for-LIFE program. I would succeed for a few weeks, but then I would cheat on the diet part, go off the program for a while, and then start all over again. After several of these cycles, I was finally able to figure out how to succeed.
A lot of what I figured out was psychological and spiritual type stuff, and I used all of those lessons I learned to create The Creative Process Diet. It’s kind of a dummies guide to how to succeed with one’s health and fitness goals. In the book I address why it’s so important for us to find a way to love and accept our bodies exactly as they are in the here and now–to start out from a place of self-love, and then, with that foundation in place, to pursue one’s fitness goals. Body-for-LIFE was a powerful book for me because it played such an important role in my own personal transformation and development–even to the point that it led me to write a diet book of my own.
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Mitch Williams
Book suggestion: A Course In Miracles by Schucman & Thetford
My life-changing book is A Course in Miracles, though to call it a “self-help book” is like calling World War II “a little skirmish”. It’s also not just “interesting reading”. A Course in Miracles is a self-study program in book form that is part modern psychology, part esoteric spirituality (similar in perspective to Eastern philosophies such as the Hindu Vedanta), and part deeply profound insight into human behaviour and relationship. It’s very practical in approach, not merely “theoretical”, but meant to be applied to all areas of life.
Becoming a student of A Course in Miracles dramatically transformed who I am as an individual, how I see the world, my ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, and my ability to access my own creativity and sense of fulfilment in life — in short, it helped me to radically alter my experience of myself into something deeper, more authentic, and more effective. While I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not for everyone (certainly not for anyone who’s not ready for deep and lasting personal transformation) it is nonetheless a brilliant and practical approach to personal growth.
Book suggestion: Out of My Life and Thought by Albert Schweitzer
As a teenager I read Albert Schweitzer’s “Out of My Life and Thought.” In it, Schweitzer writes of his quest to find the right way to use his talents to serve mankind. He summarizes his philosophy as a “reverence for life.” Everything that is alive has value and is worthy of respect. Perhaps more than other book, this shaped my own view of life.
In a class years later, we were asked to write a mission statement for our lives and mine was simple: to use my writing to better the world. And I have tried to live up to that. I have written a great deal about environmental issues. I have written grants that were funded for nonprofits. I wrote about Alzheimer’s disease. My latest book is about teens being bullied and has given me the platform to speak around the country about that timely topic. I knew I did not have the skills to be a doctor, but I could write and have hundreds of emails that attest that my writing has touched people.
Have you found your passion in life? Sadly, MANY people haven’t.
You can have all the self discipline in the world, but if you don’t know what to do with it, then it’s practically useless.
Many people have the problem of what to do, rather than how to do it. If you don’t know what to do, then building the other skills is worthless, as you’ve not jumped over the first hurdle.
Learning how to find your passion in life is VITALLY important. Only then will you gain true value in learning skills such as self discipline, hard work, bravery, focus, etc.
How do you find your passion? Here’s an exercise…
How to discover your passion
This is a method that has its similarities with automatic writing. You need to clear your mind, and get writing (so have a pen and paper handy).
Close your eyes and take 10 slow deep breaths
Imagine yourself in the perfect place for relaxation. It might be a garden, a beach – anywhere YOU like.
After a few minutes open your eyes, take 3 quick but deep breaths, and energise.
Now write a list of possible things you could do. Don’t think, just write. There is no right or wrong. It could be actor, musician, juggler etc. Write as fast as you can – don’t even read what you’ve written, and don’t worry about spelling or grammar.
Do this for as long as you can, until you run out of steam.
A particular thing you write will eventually hit you like a freight train. It may be whilst you’re writing it, or later when you’re reading the list.
You’ll feel powerful emotions towards it – fear and excitement are often the strongest. That’s the one – that’s it.
If none of the list do this for you, highlight the ones that make you feel a moderate amount of emotion. Read them a few times, then repeat this exercise. The moderately emotional ones will lead you closer to “the one”. Pretty soon you’ll get there.
Once you have, you’re away.
The logical choice
Emotion is vital for finding passion. You’re logical choice might be to become a bank manager, since that’s what your father did, and it pays pretty well. However your passion is NOT usually the logical choice…
The logical choice will NOT make you wake up early in the morning, excited to work. It will NOT make you go that extra mile to excel at what you do. And it won’t get you through those tough times when things aren’t going your way.
You’re mediocre when you’re not following your passion.
Follow your passion
Passion Gives You Energy!
Too many of us follow the logical choice. We do what’s easiest, or what’s expected.
However you’re handing your life away to tedium. You’re not doing what you really want to do. Don’t be tempted to play safe, be honest with what’s your passion.
You’re far more likely to excel at what you’re passionate about.
The one on your list that makes you feel the most emotion is also likely to be the scariest. That’s because it’s the thing you feel truly passionate about. Pursuing it is life changing. And that can be unsettling.
If you wanted to become an actor, then you might have to quit your job and go to drama school. That’s obviously a BIG decision. But do you really want more of the same in your life?
Be brave
The thing is, you might fail at becoming a bank manager. A superior might not like you, and block you before you ever reach that level. The bank might close down, or you might get ill. Anything can happen.
Why not risk failing at something you WANT to do, rather than failing at something you DON’T want to do?
People will think you’re crazy for wanting to change your life. DON’T LET THEM STOP YOU. It’s your life, and it’s better to live and die by your own choice, than to live and die by someone else’s.
What’s right for them is not necessarily right for you – and vice versa.
Final thoughts
Life’s too short to spend 40 years working 40 hours per week doing something you hate. Find your passion, then make it happen. No one will hand it to you.
If you value your life, then you owe it to yourself. Break out of your comfort zone and go all out to make it happen. You CAN do it.
Now that you’ve discovered your passion, gain some momentum…
Ever get an empty feeling your life has no aim or purpose? Feel lost with no direction to go? Don’t worry – this is normal and should be embraced…
We all get feelings of emptiness from time to time. We feel we are wasting our lives – existing rather than living. Thing is… you have these feelings for a reason.
You need change
Change Can Leave You Energised And Revitalised!
Feeling empty inside is your mind screaming at you to change. You may have a great life that worked well in the past, but it has become stale, boring and predictable.
We thrive on change. It makes us feel fresh, revitalised, and alive. You NEED change.
Your life may be great on paper, but it’s no longer working for you. It is becoming tired and routine.
The change could be a new job, new relationship, moving house, or inner change. Actually all these examples are inner change. Here’s why…
Inner change
You get a new job, relationship or house and feel excited. You buzz about your future and feel happy and positive. You feel like anything is possible.
This is because it has forced something inside you to change. You have come out of your comfort zone and this has made you HAVE to change. Inner change can be exiting, challenging and exhilarating.
You cannot live on autopilot when things are new. It forces you to open your eyes and mind to the world.
The problem is that after a while you slip into a comfort zone where your life returns to being stale and boring. Your new house no longer provides excitement after a while. You go back on autopilot and close your mind and eyes to the world.
During periods of change is where you most learn and grow. You learn very little on autopilot, following your pre-set routines. You are also at your happiest.
This is why it is important for your growth and health to keep changing things in your life. Be mindful not to get too bogged down into routines.
What to change?
You cannot get a new job, relationship or house all the time. But there are things you can keep changing.
You can get yourself new hobbies, new friends, find new places to go. Try new foods. Watch different TV shows and films. Change your routines. Be more spontaneous.
If you don’t, this could be you…
Get out my seat!
Fear Of Change Can Cause Anxiety AND Conflict!
My sister used to work in a pub and told me the bizarre way some customers acted…
Some people would go to the pub at the same time every night. They sit in the same seat, and do all the same things every night.
They buy the same drink every time they go in. When they changed their drink, it would be in the same order as usual. Smoke a cigar with their third drink. At the end of the night they would leave at their regular time.
This is a true example of living in a rut. Their routine is so ingrained that they find it difficult and upsetting breaking it. They become angry if someone is sat in “their” seat. I’ve seen this before where the landlord politely asks someone to move because a regular customers always sit in a particular seat. They know how upset they’ll be, and ask you to move for the sake of diplomacy.
Imagine living like this. If having to sit in a different seat upsets you. What if the pub runs out of your favourite drink? Imagine if the pub burned down – you’d be distraught!
How much is that person enjoying their repeated experience? Do they learn new things each time? No they don’t. They get a level of comfort from it, but each time they ingrain these behaviours a little deeper. They get the comfort now, but will be more distraught when the pattern is disrupted in the future.
Surely there’s more to life than repeating experiences in a cycle? How can your days be memorable if they’re all the same?
Final thoughts
Be mindful of your repeated behaviours and learn to shake them up. You will be warned when your life becomes stale by those empty feelings we spoke about. Ignore them at your peril! These unpleasant feelings are here to help you. They are here to nudge you into action. Take notice of them and act.
Change will make you feel uncomfortable, but it usually leaves you feeling invigorated and alive. It expands your mind and keeps you healthy and sane.
Don’t turn into a drone that mindlessly drifts through life. Embrace feeling empty inside and make changes. Keep your life varied and interesting and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Need some help creating inner change? Want to ease your mind out of its comfort zones? I can help you…
You spend about one third sleeping (8 hours), one third working (8 hours), and one third to yourself (8 hours).
Of the 16 hours awake, half is spent doing something you hate.
If you could find something you loved doing to earn money then you’d be doubling your enjoyment of life.
Do you know why so many people spend so much of their lives doing jobs they hate?
Social conditioning
We are conditioned to live this way. At school we are rarely encouraged to seek out our passions. To take risks and find what we enjoy.
We are advised to get qualified and pursue a safe career. Enjoyment is barely a factor. Once we are qualified, we are locked into that career for the rest of our working lives.
It’s no wonder so many people feel the need to go on holiday. Being trapped spending half your life doing something you hate is enough to make anyone want to run away.
Maybe you should have a great life that you don’t need to run from? You shouldn’t NEED a holiday. WANT yes. What sort of life is it when you only enjoy 2 weeks per year?
Find your passion
Look deep into your soul and ask yourself, what would you really want to do to earn a living? Don’t use your head, use your heart. What would excite you?
Grab a pen and a piece of paper, and write down ideas. Once you have a list, see which one resonates with you most emotionally. Does it excite and overwhelm you? Does it make you feel emotional? That’s the one.
Once you are clear what it is, why not go about getting it? Have faith in your abilities to learn and adapt. If you love something enough, you will excel at it.
Jack Nicholson was once an aspiring actor. Paul McCartney was once an aspiring musician playing pub gigs. You have to start somewhere and learn and grow – the same is true for everyone.
Earning a living
Maybe you’re not bothered about something so grandiose. That’s fine.
If you are sick of your job, there are many ways to earn money. We limit ourselves from seeing opportunities because we are conditioned to see jobs as being the only way. Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Buying and selling using second hand shops, Ebay etc.
Dog walking
Create a website or blog
Private tuition
Odd jobs
Freelancing
Open a café
Open a market stall
Make creative items to sell
There are many ways to earn a living. Even if you find one that doesn’t pay a full time wage, it still helps enormously. It can allow you to reduce the hours you work in the job you hate.
Make money with HypnoBusters
If you’re sick of your job then you can make money with HypnoBusters. Hundreds of people are making money with HypnoBusters. Some have quit their jobs, and some have nice subs to their income.
There is no money to outlay, so you cannot lose. Here’s how it works…
You sell HypnoBusters products and receive 50% commission.
You get a unique affiliate link, which is yours. When someone clicks on your link they’re taken to the HypnoBusters website. When they make a purchase, you are automatically credited with 50% of the amount they spend.
You receive this in real cash that you can spend on whatever you want.
Your link can be shared on Facebook and on your blog or website if you have one.
You don’t need to worry about delivery, stock or anything. It’s all handled for you. Just send the traffic and I’ll do the rest.
I have always been perplexed at the power of the human mind.
Aaron Braun considers himself a student of life. He is a proponent of wisdom literature, meditation and hypnosis, has studied the power of thought, and the great capabilities of the human mind. Aaron is also a practitioner of the martial arts and self defense advocate.
A particular thing you write will eventually hit you like a freight train. It may be whilst you’re writing it, or later when you’re reading the list.
ver get an empty feeling your life has no aim or purpose? Feel lost with no direction to go? Don’t worry – this is normal and should be embraced…
Sick of your job?