Self Pursuit Helping you grow, think, create and live a life of perpetual development.

"How many brain scientists have been able to study the brain from the inside out? I’ve gotten as much out of this experience of losing my left mind as I have in my entire academic career."

Jill Bolte Taylor

Jill Bolte Taylor was a 37-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist when a blood vessel exploded in her brain. One day, she woke up and realized she was having a massive stroke…

(Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 18:44.)

She spoke at TED (which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design – three wide-ranging subject areas that are, collectively, shaping our future.) Every year, 1300 of the world’s leading thinkers and doers gather together for four days of networking, education and exposure to new ideas. Past speakers and performers have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Paul Simon, Richard Branson, Frank Gehry, Philippe Starck, James Watson, Billy Graham, Jane Goodall, Al Gore, and Bono.

However, TED is about much more than famous names, Jill says. It is about passion, laughter, beauty, and ingenuity. It is about ideas capable of changing the world, and she was given 18 minutes to share her personal story and an idea that she believed was worth spreading. She says her experience at TED was both phenomenal and life transforming. Her story is a powerful one of recovery and awareness.

"So who are we? We are the life force power of the universe, with manual dexterity and two cognitive minds. And we have the power to choose, moment by moment, who and how we want to be in the world. Right here right now, I can step into the consciousness of my right hemisphere where we are — I am — the life force power of the universe, and the life force power of the 50 trillion beautiful molecular geniuses that make up my form. At one with all that is. Or I can choose to step into the consciousness of my left hemisphere. where I become a single individual, a solid, separate from the flow, separate from you. I am Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, intellectual, neuroanatomist. These are the "we" inside of me.

Which would you choose? Which do you choose? And when? I believe that the more time we spend choosing to run the deep inner peace circuitry of our right hemispheres, the more peace we will project into the world and the more peaceful our planet will be. And I thought that was an idea worth spreading."

(Read the transcript of her amazing speech here)

Here’s some good news to cheer up your week. I was definitely pumped after reading this article from ABCNews!

Autism Breakthrough: Girl’s Writings Explain Her Behavior and Feelings

Doctors Amazed by Carly Fleishman’s Ability to Describe the Disorder From the Inside

By JOHN MCKENZIE

Carly Fleischman has severe autism and is unable to speak a word. But thanks to years of expensive and intensive therapy, this 13-year-old has made a remarkable breakthrough.

Two years ago, working with pictures and symbols on a computer keyboard, she started typing and spelling out words. The computer became her voice.

“All of a sudden these words started to pour out of her, and it was an exciting moment because we didn’t realize she had all these words,” said speech pathologist Barbara Nash. “It was one of those moments in my career that I’ll never forget.”

Then Carly began opening up, describing what it was like to have autism and why she makes odd noises or why she hits herself.

“It feels like my legs are on first and a million ants are crawling up my arms,” Carly said through the computer.

Carly writes about her frustrations with her siblings, how she understands their jokes and asks when can she go on a date.

“We were stunned,” Carly’s father Arthur Fleischmann said. “We realized inside was an articulate, intelligent, emotive person that we had never met. This was unbelievable because it opened up a whole new way of looking at her.” This is what Carly wants people to know about autism.

“It is hard to be autistic because no one understands me. People look at me and assume I am dumb because I can’t talk or I act differently than them. I think people get scared with things that look or seem different than them.” “Laypeople would have assumed she was mentally retarded or cognitively impaired. Even professionals labelled her as moderately to severely cognitively impaired. In the old days you would say mentally retarded, which means low IQ and low promise and low potential,” Arthur Fleischman said.

Therapists say the key lesson from Carly’s story is for families to never give up and to be ever creative in helping children with autism find their voice.

“If we had done what so many people told us to do years ago, we wouldn’t have the child we have today. We would have written her off. We would have assumed the worst. We would have never seen how she could write these things, how articulate she is, how intelligent she is,” the grateful father added.

“I asked Carly to come to my work to talk to speech pathologists and other therapists about autism,” said Nash. “What would you like to tell them? She wrote, ‘I would tell them never to give up on the children that they work with.’ That kind of summed it up.”

Carly had another message for people who don’t understand autism.

“Autism is hard because you want to act one way, but you can’t always do that. It’s sad that sometimes people don’t know that sometimes I can’t stop myself and they get mad at me. If I could tell people one thing about autism it would be that I don’t want to be this way. But I am, so don’t be mad. Be understanding.”

(source)

It can take just a passing smile to turn someone’s day around. Or a gentle pat on the back to pick up the pieces.

Johnny had one small idea he thought might help.

It didn’t take consultants or "experts."

It took a little creativity and a lot of care.

Watch the short Johnny the Bagger video here and see how 1 simple idea in a grocery store made a significant difference to hundreds of lives.

How can you be a Johnny?

The Top Productivity Blogs Collected by Social Rankings!

An incredible new website, Productivity Zen, identifies the top 15 productivity stories and blogs of the day by monitoring the buzz of the productivity blog community.

The developers of the site use a software called SocialRank to monitor each of the best productivity sites and determine the day’s hottest articles and bloggers in the field.

According to the SocialRank team:

This is done by analyzing how sites and users link, connect, and discuss each other’s content. Add a touch of math and what we have is a powerful filter into the hottest stories of the day.

Now you can find better productivity stories, learn more, and get updated… much faster and easier than before.

So far great sites like Zen Habits, Life Optimizer, Matt Idea, and Lifehack have been showing up on the top rankings for the site. But also some new faces that I urge all your productivity junkies to go check out!

It’s so nice to be able to find stuff from within the longtail without having to deal with the complications of technorati and the sheer bias some some social networking sites.

Want to know more about these great sites? Visit the links below:

SocialRank
Productivity Zen

DISCLAIMER:

I want to make something very clear before I write this feature . . . Here at Self Pursuit we by no means condone the overindulgence of the consummation of beverages of the alcoholic variety. You should always drink in moderation and responsibly.

HOWEVER, we’re only human when all said and done (myself included). Certain events in your life tend to have rather a free flow of alcohol where it might me rude not to indulge . . . so

If you’ve just been to a wedding, maybe a friend’s 40th birthday, a Stag or Bucks party or a Hen’s shindig or any occasion where you have overindulged this is for you. If you’re nursing a stinking hangover or feel like someone is pounding your head with a hammer you might be asking yourself:

How can I make the pain go away?

Is there an instant fix that will allow my brain to function once more?

30 Hangover Cures

1. The Classic ‘Hair of the Dog’

A light alcoholic beverage could be just what the doctor ordered to get you back on the straight and narrow. Pick up where you left off the night before and you might be fine and dandy.

2. Drink Green Tea

It has been proven that tea is actually a lot more healthy than water for you. Not only does tea hydrate but it also has much needed vitamins and minerals that old H20 doesn’t offer.

Research Has Proved That Tea Is Healthier Than Water

3. Have a Facial

Guys included on this one. Don yourself in a facial mask with cucumber eyes and let your cloudy, throbbing head cool to sub-zero.

4. Down some Energy Drinks

Gatorade and Lucozade are meant for trained athletes for ultimate rehydration. Who’s to say they cannot work for ‘trained drinkers’ or tender souls in the morning after some heavy training.

5. Eat a Vegemite sandwich

“she just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich”

This one mainly works for Australians but give it a whirl.

6. Stay Awake for as long as possible

Your liver is more effective when you are awake, so if you fall asleep without your toxins being washed away be prepared to wake up with a monster hangover!

7. Have a hot shower followed by an icy pint of water

8. Alternatively wash down an icy pint of cold water, then hit the sauna and sweat it out

A sauna will clear out your pores and sweat out the pain.

9. “Black Velvet”

- consists of equal parts champagne and flat Guinness.

10. Last Night’s Takeaway

This probably isn’t the best option but it is an option. Soak up the alcohol with your cold pizza or a mildly greasy kebab.

11. The “Bloody Mary” – a classic remedy

• • 2 parts vodka
  • 3 parts tomato juice
  • Ground salt and pepper
  • 6 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 drops Tabasco
  • 1 tsp. celery salt
  • 1 tsp. horseradish
  • Dash of lemon or lime juice
  • Dash of orange juice (optional)

12. Sleep

If you’re having a lazy Sunday per se this could be your best option. Time’s a healer as they say.

13. A Can of Coke

Caffeine and sugar will sort you out a treat. Remember it has to be a can as well, a bottle of coke simple won’t have the same effect.

14. Take some ‘chaser pills’ with your first drink

More of a prevention tactic than a cure, sorry! But still leaves you the rest of the night to not have to worry about the impending hangover.

15. Go for a swim

if you live next to the sea it’s the most refreshing thing on offer. Otherwise head to your local swimming pool and let your hangover float away with your troubles.

16. A “Red-Eye”

- whiskey, coffee, Tabasco sauce, a raw egg, pepper and orange juice blended together

17. Take medication for Diarrhoea

Provides the vitamins and minerals that need to be replenished

18. Hook yourself up to a Saline Drip

At University, rumours were ripe that the medicine students, when hungover, used to hook themselves up to saline drips to cleanse their bodies in under an hour. Fast and effective if you have a means!

19. Water Binging

Rehydration, rehydration, rehydration!!!!!!!!!

20. Watch Anchorman or Coming to America

Laughter is the best medicine and a hangover can, like so many things, be all in the mind. So laugh your face off and forget about it.

21. “The Thames”

- 1/2 a pint of orange juice, and 1/2 a pint of coke. Known as the Thames for its murky colour

22. Meditate

Close your eyes and visualize life beyond your hangover.

23. Engage in Mindblowing Sex

Have sex the next morning it burns calories, and makes you sweat out the alcohol, and if feels great. Quite a nice side effect indeed! The endorphins will counteract your cloudy head.

24. Clean the House

The buzzing sound emanating from your vacuum cleaner simulates white noise which drowns out other noises and allows you to relax more and forget you ever had a hangover.

25. Prairie Oyster

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Tomato Juice
1 whole Egg Yolk
2 dashes Vinegar
1 dash Pepper

26. Take a Walk

Venturing outdoors might be the last thing on your mind, however a breath of fresh air may prove wonders for your hangover

27. The Fryup

It’s a classic but does the job. Soak up the rum and cokes you had last night with bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, hash browns and toast. Go the whole hog (literally!)

28. Deep Fried Canaries?

Allegedly the Ancient Romans ate deep fried canaries to put an end to their hangovers, and the Greeks to be a little different had a penchant for sheep’s lungs. Blaah! Whatever floats your boat

29. Fire away your hangover

a bowl of hot and spicy chili works for some people. chilli peppers help the body fight the free radicals that come from booze.

30. Pickle Juice

Not for the faint-hearted! If you can stomach it go for it, it works. Don’t ask us why.

The Verdict

Have you tried these methods? Which ways do you know to destroy a hangover we haven’t mentioned here?

More reading:

5 Battles To Overcome Procrastination

18 Wonders of the Human Body

Life Is a Ride! Enjoy It

Increase your Brain Activity with 15 Ideas

8 Words that will guide you on the Road to Success

Richard St. John Video on the Road to Success

 Over the past 7 years Richard St. John dedicated his life to guiding you on the road to success. He has interviewed over 500 successful people and from this he presents this slick slideshow and talk that outlines if you follow these 8 steps you’ll be well on the way on the road to success.

Amongst these successful people are familiar names such as Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch.

Check out his feedback:

“Richard St John shows that some things seem more difficult than they are. He is right when he says that there is no reason to worry if you fulfill these 8 points. The most difficult thing is to make yourself clear that you are on the right way. It is nice to see, that successful people do have selfdoubts and “didn`t think they`d make it”. He shows that it`s okay and necessary to have selfdoubts, but that it is not a reason to think, that you`d never come to success. Perhaps there are many people out there, who would pay for what you do. Thank you for your wisdom, Mr. St. John!!”

“Bravo Richard, within 8 words and 3 minutes your version of Secret of Success sounds and looks obvious.”

“Simply wonderful!”

What other words would you add to the list to get on the road to success?

Watch another great speech on the road to success by Tony Robbins

Anything is Possible in Old Age

Retired 71 year old teacher proves that anything is possible in old age by climbing Everest!

Katsusuke Yanagisawa’s story of how he was inspired to climb the summit despite his old age is truly remarkable.

The key to how you lead your life in old age lies in ATTITUDE! Keep a positive attitude and you can still achieve dreams that you’ve had from your childhood despite your lofty age.

Attitude can also go a long way to achieving happiness in old age, recent studies have shown that attitude has more of an impact on happiness in old age than actual health itself.

Why not adapt an attitude like Katsusuke Yanagisawa?

Japanese ‘oldest man on Everest’

A 71-year-old man from Japan has reportedly become the oldest person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest.

Retired teacher Katsusuke Yanagisawa scaled the 8,850m (29,035ft) Himalayan peak, breaking the record set by a 70-year-old Japanese man in May 2006.

“I was pretty much at ease mentally at the summit, like I could sing a song,” he told a Japanese TV station.

Mr Yanagisawa said he climbed the Tibetan side of the peak with a team including New Zealanders and Japanese.

“I was glad to reach the summit because, after that, all that was left was to climb down,” he told a Japanese newspaper, adding that he spent 30 minutes at the top.

‘My next dream’

He was inspired to attempt the climb, after scaling Mount Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth highest mountain, which lies about 20km west of Mount Everest.

He was inspired to climb Everest after glimpsing it from Mt Cho Oyu

“It was my dream to climb Cho Oyu, a peak which was higher than 8,000 metres, when I reached the age 70,” Mr Yanagisawa told Associated Press news agency.

From the summit of Cho Oyu, he caught a glimpse of Everest.

“I found my next dream,” 

Read the Full Story >>

This leads to the question . . .

What dream are you going to pursue in old age?

Read more on:

Happiness in Old Age >>

 My Bill Hicks Tribute

Bill Hicks is one of, if not the greatest comedian who ever lived in my opinion. This is also an opinion held my many others (Spike Magazine).

His style of comedy was what set him apart from the rest, he wasn’t afraid of speaking his mind and you could almost describe him as a preacher. This is maybe an extreme view but his style of the sophisticated rant was thought provoking to say the least. His observations about life are mindblowing and can be applied to all the modern failings in the world today.

Whatever your belief system is  it’s a powerful message to follow.

He has a view on life that we should embrace, after all life is a ride . . . so Enjoy It!

“I was told when I grew up I could be anything I wanted: a fireman, a policeman, a doctor – even President, it seemed. And for the first time in the history of mankind, something new, called an astronaut. . .

But like so many kids brought up on a steady diet of Westerns, I always wanted to be the avenging cowboy hero—that lone voice in the wilderness, fighting corruption and evil wherever I found it, and standing for freedom, truth and justice. . .

 And in my heart of hearts I still track the remnants of that dream wherever I go, in my endless ride into the setting sun.” – the great Bill Hicks

Read More Information on:

- Bill Hicks: Love All The People >>

OK, I admit this might not be the best bit of advice in the world BUT . . . there is an element of truth in it. If you don’t believe me see what Sir Ken Robinson has to say on the matter – he was after all knighted by the Queen in 2003 for services to education, culture and the arts.

I discovered this video on a great blogpost called Do Schools Kill Our Creativity?

Ken shares some thoughts:

Picasso once said:

All children are born artists, the problem is remaining an artist as we grow up.

It’s so important that you allow your children to be the most amazing, creative, little rascals that they clearly have the potential to be.

Let Ken Inspire You To Think Differently

Human creativity is a truly remarkable thing that never ceases to amaze.

Read more information on:

- Creativity >>

Video Tribute Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007)

On April 11th the great Kurt Vonnegut passed away. Kurt Vonnegut will always be thought of first as the author of the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, which expressed the Sixties’ American generation’s rejection of war as a means of achieving either state policy or human good.

Vonnegut’s work — though consistently ironical, distanced and even flippant in tone — was haunted by strong feelings about the insanity of the war in which he had participated as an American infantryman, and of the grotesque nature of the cruelty practised upon mankind by itself.

See for yourself:

His work, in my opinion, took on the role of being truly inspirational preaching in what has become in many respects a mad world that we live in today.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Words

“Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt.”

“If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”

“Just because some of us can read and write that doesn’t mean we deserve to conquer the Universe.”

“A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.”

“There is no reason good can’t triumph over evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the Mafia.”

Glowing Tributes

“He was the voice of sanity in an insane world.” – Gary Poole, Spartanburg,, SC

 

“I can still clearly remember the words of Vonnegut and Hunter S. Thomspon in the months leading up to the Iraq War, warning as loudly as they could of the corpse-soaked nightmare to come. They were rare voices in late 2002, as they were such rare voices in their lifetimes.

Vonnegut said what he wanted to say, because he believed it, because he wanted to provoke, to excite reaction, to educate, and to remind us that the greatest of all human attributes is a simple one : kindness. Nothing is more important, not even love. “Just be kind,” he used those words as a mantra and a warning to all humanity, but in particular the war gods of the West.

He was right, they were all wrong, and he now he’s gone.” – Darryl Mason, Sydney, Australia

My Thoughts

Kurt Vonnegut is a truly inspirational voice and everyone in the personal development field could learn to grow and develop by living his messages. Although he has sadly passed his legacy of work will live on generation after generation, his awe-inspiring nature will shine on with everyone who embraces his fundamental message of kindness.

Read More on:

- Kurt Vonnegut Obituary

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