Tag Archives: Life Hack

Future Of Happiness Will Be Brain Stimulants

Happiness…..I popped the pink pill into my mouth and waited for the expected feelings of ecstasy.  No, the pill wasn’t the drug XTC, but rather a legal and safe “hacking” alternative. Then I put on my trans-cranial stimulation device, known as “The Thync,” and waited to see what happened. Wow! After five minutes, it felt like my brain was flooding me with endorphins. Finally, I placed the scalp stimulator known as the Tingler on my head. When I did this, an orgasmic wave of intense pleasure rippled through my entire body.

 
After a few minutes of this euphoria, I took off the devices and went about my day. Having just been catapulted into sweet ecstasy, my day became both incredibly productive and happy.
 

This is not a future scenario.

This is how I like to start my mornings. Nowadays, there are new and improved ways to feel good-even ecstatic-that most people don’t know anything about.  In an age when depression is rampant and dangerous drug use is epidemic, amazing new ways to feel peaceful, euphoric, and just plain happy are popping up all over the place. However, people miss out on these amazing methods because they simply don’t know about them. From safe drugs to “happy apps,” to high tech brain stimulation devices, a whole new world of ways to feel good is blossoming.
 
We live in an age where everything is shifting and accelerating.  Yet, most people still pursue an ancient path for finding happiness.  Their formula for being happy is to try to control all the external events and people in their lives to be exactly the way they want.  This is a tiresome activity at best, and there are always some events and people that we can’t control.  However, there is a new model for finding more joy and peace of mind: find it within your self.  Of course, this is a not a new idea.  Everyone from the Buddha to Jesus has said that heaven can be found within, but now there are cutting edge and more efficient ways to tap into this magical inner kingdom. 
 Buddha
As invited to talk to Google employees about “The Future of Happiness.”  I described new ways to control their minds and emotions that were more effective than trying to be happy by controlling all the events in their life.  The reaction was intense.  Everyone wanted to know what some of these innovative ways to “hack happiness” were, and how they could get them.  That led me to write a book on the subject.
 

In my research I learned that different things work for different people. 

For example, there are a lot of supplements known as “cognitive enhancers” that can dramatically increase your focus, energy, and mood. Yet, you have to try out many of them in order to find the one or two that really rock your world.   I also learned that people define happiness in unique ways.  Some people want a gadget that increases their pleasure, while other folks want a tool that improves their relationships or makes them feel totally peaceful.
Gary Numan “Complex” from The Pleasure Principle
 
As with all technologies, “inner” tech keeps getting better.  In fact, some of them are so good that it’s possible to get addicted to them. Ultimately, one has to discern whether a given gadget is truly a friend that helps them find the joy within–or is just another WMD-Widget of Mass Distraction.  Since there are many tools that do different things, there’s no simple answer as to whether  something is beneficial to you. 
 
For example, people become addicted and dependent on coffee.  Yet, on the other hand, caffeine can prevent many types of cancer, and helps people feel good and be productive. So, is coffee a “good” thing?  It’s up to you to decide…
 
In my own case, I decide if a specific technology is truly my friend by asking myself two questions.  First I ask myself,  “Does this tool lead me to being dependent on it?”   It’s always better when technology acts like “training wheels” on a bike-meaning that the tool exists so that you can eventually do without it.  If instead a gadget fosters a sense of dependence, then that’s a warning sign it may ultimately not be worth it.
 
The second question is, “Does this technology help teach me how to better connect with a sense of peace, love, or joy within?”  Even the Dalai Lama has reportedly said that if there were a pill that duplicated Buddha’s awakening, he would take it immediately and prescribe it for all living beings. If a tool helps me learn how to get to a more peaceful, loving place more efficiently, I think that’s a good thing.
 
WargamesIt’s hard to say exactly what the future holds, though Steve Jobs was seemingly pretty good at predicting it. In 1972 I had the unusual opportunity to be in a computer class with Steve Jobs.  Of course, at the time he was just a nerdy teen and I was four years his junior.  He and I would vie to play Tic-tac-toe on a 500 pound “computer” that our High School had recently purchased.  Steve was obsessed with this machine.  One day I asked Steve why he was so fixated on this refrigerator sized computer.  He turned to me and said in an intense manner, “Don’t you see?  This machine is going to change everything! It’s going to change the world!” 
 

It turns out Steve Jobs was right. 

Well, nowadays it may not seem like the latest brain supplement, neuro-stimulator, or mood enhancing app is going to change the world, but technology has a way of discreetly slipping into our lives. This “technology of joy” will only accelerate until the entire way we pursue happiness is transformed in the next few years.  I’ve seen that when people try out enough of these new gadgets, apps, and supplements, they inevitably find something that feels good–and is even good for them.  When that happens, their lives are never the same.  For the Silo, Jonathan Robinson.
 

Click me! Music for Scientists and their friends!

Great Tips On How To Vary Your Meals

Do you get tired of eating the same or similar food every day? No matter how creative you might be in the kitchen, you cannot avoid repeating some recipes over and over again.

Healthy eating is usually linked with habits, as only in that manner you can keep your health in balance and keep diseases away.

Still, what to do when you get bored eating great all the time? Should you go after that burger? Should you indulge in high-sugar food?

Or you should do something completely unexpected? The answer is very simple as all you should do is vary your meals.

If you eat broccoli on Monday and don’t place it on your plate before Friday again, you are spinning your meals and your body will love it.

Here is how to vary your meals, so you can still eat healthily.

Do Not Ignore Sweets

Healthy eating doesn’t mean that you should completely forget about eating sweets, ever again.

No, eating well is more about balance and finding ingredients packed with high-quality products and no sugar or with a more natural sugary option. This is why vegan frozen desserts are always a great idea when you want to continue eating great, but enjoying that taste that homemade treats offer.

Frozen desserts are always easy to store and great to have around when you have unplanned guests.

Add Greek Yogurt To Your Diet

Ok, this is a life hack. Greek yogurt is not only great to store, and easy to carry with you, but it is also very beneficial when it comes to your health.

Greek yogurt is famous for its creamy and thick texture, making it great for salads or a nice addition to fruit salad.

Greek yogurt can be used alone, as a snack on the go, and you can choose between plain and flavored options.

Increase Your Protein Intake

When you include protein-based food into your diet, you will immediately start eating healthier and more diverse.

Nuts are packed with protein and snacking them throughout the day sounds great, right?

Food that is naturally rich in protein is usually great to eat as a snack, to mix with other ingredients, and serves perfectly for weight loss.

Here are some sources of protein that should make your diet more diverse instantly:

  • dairy products
  • nuts
  • peanut butter
  • eggs
  • beans
  • lean meat

Last But Not Least… Drink Water

Did you know that people are often just thirsty when they need food? This is because when a dehydrated body sends signs that it needs to be filled, the brain doesn’t dissolve immediately if you need water or food.

This is why people tend to overeat and later on realize that they just need more glasses of water.

Plus, drinking water regularly is important for your overall health so stick to it.

Five Extra Tips On Keeping Your Meals Diverse

  • Choose baked potatoes
  • Eat your greens first
  • Cook at home more often
  • Eat fresh fruit instead of dried one
  • Choose popcorn instead of chips

One extra tip: Get enough night’s sleep.

Toronto Inventor Tackles Awkward Toilet Paper Holders

Toilet paper … it’s one of life’s necessities. Then why is the roll so difficult to replace? The problem lies in the awkward spring tube holder that always leaves you fumbling. No one wants to deal with it. We all know of that one person that always fails to change out the toilet paper roll. They’ll leave the empty roll on the holder and put a brand new one on top of the toilet or counter. The ZeNa attachment will solve that bad habit. Thanks to Alex Li, a thinker and inventor out of Toronto, Canada, this bathroom conundrum has finally been solved.

You can now change a roll out in a matter of seconds. It’s faster, easier and cleaner than the traditional spring tube method.

The ZeNa Attachment is an incredibly smart solution that fully modernizes your toilet paper holder. Its peel and stick design securely attaches (in seconds) to your existing TP dispenser, so there’s nothing more to install or buy. ZeNa Attachment’s patent pending swing design lets you swap out toilet paper rolls with one hand and it keeps it all in place with zero fuss.

Design

The patent pending design is an easy attachment to add to your existing toilet paper holder. No need to hire a contractor. The heavy duty double-sided foam tape on the underside of the base is super strong. Simply stick this on to your clean existing holder and you’re good to go. Both sides are the same so there’s no getting this wrong.

The arms always fall back into place from a tension mechanism that forces the arms downward. So it doesn’t matter if your ZeNa Attachment is not level as long as you have installed it properly, it will work.

The ZeNa Attachment is super durable, comes in several colors and is the perfect bathroom assistant for the disabled, kids and seniors too.  Learn more and support this initiative by visiting the ZeNa Kickstarter page. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

 

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