Health & Wellbeing – Anton Dee

22nd August 2019 — No Comments

Genius Without Purpose – Sarawak, Malaysia

Much has been written on the subject of genius. It appears in all forms, in all walks of life and yet the mere act of describing it inevitably falls short. Genius lies in the cracks, in the space between notes, in the involuntary situations one had to experience in their life. It inspires but is impossible to imitate, it transcends time yet does not feel out of place. Some of history's greatest artists tapped into core emotions such as love and suffering to create truly resplendent work. Genius chose their art as much as they were chosen by it. They wrote, painted, drew and sculpted and turned their pain into a blessing. People tend to simplify everything, put it into easily digestible boxes, they expect genius to be splendid and solitary. Inversely, genius is called upon to resemble all. Fortunately for us, reality is infinitely more complex. (Albert Camus, Create Dangerously 1957).

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The Cave You Fear to Enter

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Numerous connotations to the word 'genius' may be running through your mind and as much as we all admire Johann Sebastian Bach or Leonardo da Vinci it would be impossible to fully live on their level. When I talk about genius I'm talking about a skill that includes aspects of temperance, self-awareness and intuition. A skill that cannot be perfected yet is always full of surprises. Can one be skilled at living? I guess if the answer were simple we would have discovered it a long time ago.

With that paragraph, you may be wondering what I'm getting at. I feel that to an extent we are all artists. We choose the paintbrushes with which to colour our lives. An artist constantly lives in a state of ambiguity, incapable of understanding the real yet eternally bound to question it. So how do we live in a reality that's ever-shifting, ever just out of reach yet within our narrow spectrum of understanding? We start with our thoughts and our attention.

One of my favourite Alan Watts quotes says: “A purposeless life misses nothing, for it is only when there is no goal and no rush that the human senses are fully open to receive the world.” It takes tremendous skill to be present, to observe, to listen to one's intuition and feel at ease not knowing the outcome of things. By relinquishing control to the universe you actually get more order and understanding in your life. And meditation is all about relinquishing control, being a passive observer of one's own thoughts and reality. Meditating in such a way that allows us to discover our inner genius.

To identify with a higher self we start by carefully watching all our thoughts, our feelings, our emotions. We begin to build up a sense of separation between the watcher and what is watched. You remain the witness, impassively, impartially, suspending judgment and watching it all go on. And the beautiful thing is that this is available to anyone. You just have to make a conscious effort to do so. It's utterly liberating to realise there's nothing you can do. All that's left to do is dance. Dance in the street or just join the dance of life, don't fight against change. After a while, you become aware without judgement or comment of what is actually happening in this moment, both outside yourself and within. Listening to your involuntary thoughts as if they were no more than the sound of rain.

This is possible only when it is clear that there is nothing you can do. There is nothing else to do because there is no time to do it. There is no way on or back from here as there is no past or future. The answer is close and tomorrow it will be no closer. And precisely at the point where we realise this, we cease using the present to get 'somewhere else' and thus we awaken to what Ananda Coomaraswamy called 'a perpetual uncalculated life in the present'. A moment's awareness is sufficient to reveal to us the fact that this perpetual uncalculated life in the present' is exactly the type of life we are always leading anyways, whether we realise it or not.

The genius behind this skill is unknown to those who know it and known to those who know it not. The mere act of talking about it is as effective as trying to move the ocean with cupped hands. Yet we see hints of genius in everyday life, in people, in nature, but only if we take the time to observe. Through our observations, we can create an optimum model of the world within which our unique character traits can flourish. We develop an optimum model over time, we put it into our own terms while the brain sprinkles it with billions of unconscious signals. This is where we learn to trust our intuition as deep down it's aware of our strengths and blind spots.

But life isn't a math problem to be solved. There isn't a formula to follow as a rigid way of thinking can constrain your viewpoint. There are no objectives unless you consciously set some for yourself or unconsciously download the cultural programming of the world. Genius is being one of a kind, working on ideas that are unique to you and constantly challenging your own perspective. There is beauty in observing others as everyone's model is different and unique to them. Newton, Mozart and Da Vinci nurtured their natural talents but like everyone, their lives contained imperfections that made them distinctly human.

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As you become more comfortable with this mode of thinking you begin to see how far you can push a certain line of thought. We can look for genius in new areas that satiate our morbid curiosities and challenge our comfortable modes of thinking. You begin to see the timeless interrelationship of black and white, how evil is necessary for good to exist. You become aware of the good times and appreciate them to the fullest because you'll be completely present in the moment. You're gonna have bad times and your mind will be your friend in those times. Mental toughness is underrated and any joy or fulfilment you wish to extract out of life has to start from within.

“It takes a lot of time to be a genius. You have to sit around so much, doing nothing, really doing nothing.”
― Gertrude Stein

I touched upon Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey in one of my previous posts. There comes a point in everyone's life where they have to enter the cave of uncertainty and face their fears. The very cave you are afraid to enter will turn out to be the source of what you were looking for. The damned thing in the cave that was so dreaded has become your center. And all it took was a conscious decision to change one's perspective. Our inner genius has the potential to shape our destiny and it's a waste of life to squander its development.

Being present with your own genius is an art, a skill which is nothing without reality and without which reality is insignificant. Life is not a competition but a beautiful dance, a play. You are lucky to be able to have a front-row seat to the greatest show on earth, complete with everything from comedy and laughter to tragedy and betrayal. Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, playing things safe, but honest in the knowledge that you squeezed out every last drop.

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Published by antondee in Art & Design, Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Photography, Travel

12th November 2018 — No Comments

72 Hours in Singapore – A Lesson in Stoicism

There's a simple game we all play called the “social hierarchy game”. We constantly compare ourselves to our closest friends or co-workers to make sure we're doing as well or better than them. We use self-promotion as a tool to climb the social ladder. This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective as our ancestors had to avoid rejection from the group to stay alive. Status was directly connected to survival and access to basic life resources. This ancient habit is deeply embedded in our psyche and manifests in the brands we choose, virtue signalling on social media as well as our eating and reading habits.

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You Are Not Your Thoughts

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You would hope that as we get older we stop wasting time and energy on the comparison game but in reality we wear our accomplishments like medals. Your salary, the value of your home, the views on your YouTube video. Letting arbitrary numbers get to your head can be a serious impediment to happiness. I’ve been pondering this thought for a number of years which has led me to dive deep into the ancient philosophy of Stoicism. Over 2,000 years ago philosophers such as Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius taught that devoting mental resources to things outside of one’s control, like what other people thought of them, is a supreme waste of time.

Stoicism isn’t about happiness per se, but rather about living in a state of tranquility and peace with ones inner world. The Stoics recognised that for many people, the social hierarchy game was a hindrance to this state of mind. William Irvine, a professor of philosophy at Wright State University explicitly says you shouldn’t care about the opinion of most people. It is in fact a sign of progress if you get more condemnation rather than adulation. Thinking about thinking isn’t just an energy-draining distraction. Getting lost in this game actually makes it easy to be led astray from your personal priorities and look for leadership outside of yourself. Rather than idolising super-achievers, look for meaning in the transcendent. One can find great personal importance in a creative pursuit or sacrificing leisure time to something greater than yourself.

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You will of course continue the comparisons. Yet comparing up leads to feelings of envy and low self esteem. Comparing down only leads to a brief moment of satisfaction with one’s own achievements . The trick is to catch yourself in these moments and observe your thoughts. Just be completely present. Realise that you are not your thoughts. You are simply the observer of them. And like picking what clothes to wear when you wake, you get to choose which thoughts you pay attention to and act on. Even the anxious ones. Because the point of anxiety is to let you know that something is wrong. So by taking a step back you get to be honest with yourself. You get to see whether that thought is true and relevant. And if it is you can then analyse the circumstances that are within your control and act decisively.

"The greatest obstacle to living is expectation, which depends on tomorrow and wastes today." - Seneca

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The four cardinal virtues of Stoic philosophy as derived from the teachings of Plato are wisdom, courage, justice and temperance (self restraint). A stoic individual must apply these in all walks of life and practice them on a daily basis. Knowing is just the first step, acting on this knowledge and taking the road less travelled is half the battle. Working through the pain of life nets you intangible benefits in the future and just because you're not seeing results does not mean your efforts are futile. The race is long and in the end its only with yourself. Seeking comfort is one of the worst things a person can do in terms of finding overall happiness so start each morning with a smile and observe any thoughts that arise. Decide which ones are a priority and which ones to throw away. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Travel

21st October 2018 — No Comments

Recipe for a Joyful Life

There was a recent survey of millennials asking what they considered to be important life goals. Over 80% said that getting rich was a major goal while 50% said that 'becoming famous' was top of their priority list. Getting rich and/or famous should be a bi-product of a life well lived and the arbitrary measure of happiness does not hinge on either of those two things. If it did the rich and famous would be dancing in the streets all night. Before pushing harder to achieve more and setting down this lonely and unfulfilling road, take a word of advice from our elders. As the saying goes 'those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it'. Having a moment of clarity now will save you a tonne of heartache and unhappiness in the future.

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A Study of Happiness

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The Harvard Study of Adult Development may be the longest study of adult life that's ever been conducted. For 75 years, Harvard tracked the lives of 724 men (and later on their wives), year after year, asking about their work, their home lives and their health. There was no way of knowing how each of those lives was going to turn out but the data and patterns that revealed themselves showed strong correlations in a number of areas. The first is that social connections are really good for us, and that loneliness kills. It turns out that people who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier. They're physically healthier, and they live longer than people who are less well connected. The experience of loneliness turns out to be toxic. People who are more isolated than they want to be from others find that they are less happy, their health declines earlier in midlife, their brain functioning declines sooner and they live shorter lives.

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You can be lonely in a crowd and you can be lonely in a marriage, but the second big lesson that was learned is that it's not just the number of friends you have, and it's not whether or not you're in a committed relationship, but it's the quality of your close relationships that matters. It turns out that living in the midst of conflict is really bad for our health. High-conflict marriages, for example, without much affection, turn out to be very bad for our health, perhaps worse than getting divorced. And living in the midst of good, warm relationships is protective.

The third big lesson learned about relationships and our health is that good relationships don't just protect our bodies, they protect our brains. It turns out that being in a securely attached relationship to another person in your 80s is protective. The people who are in relationships where they really feel they can count on the other person in times of need, those people's memories stay sharper longer. And the people in relationships where they feel they really can't count on the other one, those are the people who experience earlier memory decline. And those good relationships, they don't have to be smooth all the time. Some octogenarian couples could bicker with each other day in and day out, but as long as they felt that they could really count on the other when the going got tough, those arguments didn't take a toll on their memories.

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You may be reading this and thinking that this information is obvious but knowing something and putting it into practice is a challenge in itself. We're human. What we'd really like is a quick fix, something we can get that'll make our lives good and keep them that way. Relationships are messy and they're complicated and the hard work of tending to family and friends, it's not sexy or glamorous. It's also lifelong. It never ends. If you're serious about change you have to go through uncomfortable situations and stop trying to dodge the process. It's the only way to learn and grow.

It all starts with your mind which can seem like an unapproachable concept and yet your mind is totally within your control. Your mind is both an unstoppable force and an inescapable curse so understanding it should be your main priority. You are the master of your universe, but knowing this is just the first step. There is no avoidance of hard work. Humans are pleasure seeking creatures and as stated above we'll do anything for a quick fix. The argument for working on yourself is that it'll lead to more pleasure in the future. Start by making small changes in your daily routine. Do one press-up, write one paragraph, call one close friend etc. Eventually the small changes snowball and become life long habits that you wish you started earlier.

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

13th August 2017 — No Comments

Feeling Nice in Nice, France

Although I consider the Italian Riviera to be one of the most stunning places in the world I have to say that its French counterpart is sure to give that accolade a run for its money. Nice is considered the unofficial capital of the Côte d’Azur and its year-round sunshine and stunning seaside location has been attracting wealthy visitors for centuries. Nice was the last location on our cruise before heading back to Rome but instead of writing about the town itself I want to go on a different tangent and explore the topic of happiness (something I touched upon this time last year during my visit to Durdle Door in Dorset).

SANTORINI // MYKONOS // NICE // ROME

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Pursuit of Happiness

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One of the things I've learned - especially in more recent times - is how much we can over worry and over think decisions. Whilst nothing should be taken lightly, I feel that there's very little we can do that will have a catastrophic effect on our lives. Even if things don't go as we expect, and times can get dark there is always a new dawn if we are resilient and keep pushing on. To be truly happy we need to look after our souls. Buy Cialis online 20 mg and Cialis daily 5 mg http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/buy-cialis-ed-pills-online/ learn more. More than anything I feel people should strive to do something that makes them happy. Money isn't everything and spending time working in a passion area will provide riches beyond anything raw cash can deliver.

Yes, the bills need paying, so there's a balance, but you shouldn't be scared to walk away from situations/work/careers if deep down you know it's making you unhappy or unfulfilled. After that, it's family and friends. All too easy to take them for granted and expect they'll always be there. It's important we make time to cultivate those relationships and just do things with them. Even the mundane stuff like breaking bread with people is so so valuable. It's healthy for the soul. Happiness is a state of mind that anyone can achieve but the road won't be easy, and that's ok too. If it wasn't a challenge then getting fulfilment from it would be increasingly difficult if not impossible.

“No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

Phew, that was a intereting read wasn't it? Sometimes it's nice to get the philosophical stream of consciousness out of the way and reflect on the things you do have in life. Changing your perception from wanting to having will undoubtedly produce great results in your personal lives so why not give it a try. It's free! Also a big thank you to Andrea, Toni, Jim, Abdel, Eshan and Annabel for joining me on this random adventure, hopefully there will be many more to come.

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

7th July 2017 — No Comments

Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine 02

It's crazy how a change of scenery can influence your thinking and become a catalyst for new ideas. Waking up every morning, surrounded by nature, without any professional obligations is a situation many people dream of and yet I found myself completely lost. There's an old saying that goes "Be careful what you wish you, you might just get it". I pondered this quote during my long walks around the Carpathian Mountains and realised that in the long run, wishful thinking can only lead to negative consequences and living in the moment is the only true recourse.

PART 1 // PART 2

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Thinking About Thinking

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Allow me to elaborate. Wishful thinking is different to future planning (although there is some overlap). Wishful thinking is looking to the future with rose tinted glasses and desiring something to be true without prior research and analysis. Wishful thinking can skew evidence and cause one to evaluate it very differently based on the desired outcome. This bias can be seen in all walks of life whenever one has to make a long term decision (changing jobs, romantic partners, university courses etc.).

In ones mind a situation will unfold how they believe it will but due to factors beyond their control the reality is wildly different. This leads to a cognitive dissonance between expectations and reality even if a situation is one that an individual set in motion and was looking forward to experiencing. This leads me back to the classic advice of living in the moment. For years I didn't really understand what people were talking about. I mean I knew in principle but could never put it into action. I kept wondering, 'Do you just force yourself to have fun?'. I'm a logical thinker so all it took was following my train of thought and deconstructing the sentence to its core.

Since we're not defined by our past and the future only exists as a concept the only thing we have is the present moment. It doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank because moments happen once, pretending like you are guaranteed a chance to relive everything is a vicious circle. Enjoy the moment for what it is and go along for the ride. A moment doesn't have to be a split second either. The age we're living in is just a moment in time but how many people do you know who wish they were born in the 80s or have a romanticised view of the past?

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"This denial is Golden Age thinking - the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one we're living in. Its a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present." - (Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen)

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I Don't Know

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If you're constantly in your head you're thinking about thinking. There is no room in your mind for any new ideas nor do you give your brain a chance to digest any information you've been feeding it. My advice is to practice meditation, spend time surrounded by nature or just go for a run. This allows your subconscious to start making sense of your environment and your subconscious is much smarter than you will ever be. Put your trust in it.

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During my time in the mountains I listened to a lot of Akala - a UK hip hop artist who really has a way with words and the song 'I Don't Know' is filled with literary gems. Ignorance is bliss but a wise man will admit that he still has a lot to learn and his education is never complete:

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"So we chase the questions seeking direction,
Every time we think we’re right get a swift correction".

"Truth you gotta seek it, wherever its hidden,
Or else you’ll find yourself dancing to someone else's rhythm"

"Mental prison is the worst kind,
The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it’s open"

"Everybody knows a rolling stone gathers no moss"

"Face to face with the cold-hearted facts that there are no answers"

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A lot of these lyrics are basically Philosophy 101 but they do leave you thinking. There isn't a 'right' direction in life and you gotta be constantly searching for the personal truth that makes sense to you. Don't take things at face value, question everything, even yourself. It's important to follow your train of thought, not spontaneously agree with everything that pops into your mind. Expand your worldview, read some books and talk to as many people as you can.

The last line is a take on existentialism which is a philosophical belief that our world is apparently meaningless or absurd. That statement can be viewed pessimistically but I believe it's the polar opposite. In a meaningless universe you have to find your own meaning and that journey of self discovery is unique to every individual. What will your story be?

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Published by antondee in Creative Blog, DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

3rd July 2017 — No Comments

The Hidden World of Urban Exploration

Urban exploration (aka. urbex, UE, bexing, urbexing) is the exploration of man-made structures, roofs, abandoned ruins or not usually seen components of the environment. During my travels around Ukraine I had a chance to meet some amazing people who welcomed me with open arms and took time to show me around their amazing cities. Volodymyr is a musician and photographer from Lviv while Roman is a programmer from Ivano Frankivsk, both of whom share my growing passion for urban exploration.

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Face Your Fears

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What are you afraid of? We all have fears about one thing or another and it takes courage to overcome it. Whether its talking to that girl at the bar, trying something new or travelling somewhere you've never been before - fear is inevitable. Falling in love with those butterflies in your stomach is key, it means you're trying something new and unpredictable and its sure to surprise.

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"Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid? That is the only time a man can be brave" - Ned Stark

You may think its stupid or crazy to climb buildings with no safety equipment or trespassing in places you're not supposed to but I don't see it any different to jumping out of an airplane, cliff diving or rock climbing. Bravery consists in overcoming fear, not in the absence of it. The adrenaline rush you feel cannot be bought or replicated. It's a feeling so unique you will spend hours feeding off it, all the while planning the next excursion.

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Go Explore

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At first your urbex escapades will be spontaneous. You will hear about a certain place through word of mouth or the mood will strike you as you walk past an unguarded ladder. After a while there has to be a certain element of planning as you dare to push your own boundaries. Staking out places you wish to climb, finding building blueprints and even social hacking are tools that all urban explorers should have in their tool belts.

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In terms of personal development overcoming a fear of heights while ticking an item off my bucket list feels like a great achievement. It put the fear in perspective while showing my why people from all walks of life choose to do this as a hobby. While I'm still young I look forward to taking many more risks and ensuring that the feeling of regret for things I was too afraid to try is a distant memory.

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Thanks for reading my latest article. Give it a share using the links below so others can enjoy it too. For more check out the full article from Lviv, my trip to Malta or some great life advice that you can use today.

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

25th May 2017 — No Comments

Best Advice You’ll Read Today

Life is a beautiful adventure and it would be a shame to waste it on things of little importance. If you're finding yourself surrounded by drama, negative people or useless information, you need to cut that out of your life. It's harsh advice and will not be comfortable but it must be done for your own long term benefit. You can only take in so much information in a given day. So if you WhatsApp 20 people the minute you wake up, get worked up about political issues in another country before scrolling mindlessly through Facebook, guess how productive you're going to be over the course of a month?

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Be The Hero

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To get my attention and productivity back from the claws of procrastination I developed a little role playing game. I imagine my life as a movie in which I'm the main protagonist. It's easy to trick yourself into thinking this. Everything you see and do everyday is already from your point of view and all your friends and family are secondary actors (who are living lives just as rich and vivid as your own).

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Now we all love a film in which the hero overcomes adversity. It would be a very short movie if our hero is presented with a challenge and deals with it right away. There has to be a learning process, something to get our hero out of their comfort zone. The first steps are the most difficult but slowly and surely our hero adapts to the situation and overcomes the obstacle. The fun is in seeing how the problem resolves itself but taking that first step must be down to you and you alone.

This doesn't just translate into creative work but exercise, relationships and everything else life throws at you can be seen as a challenge that must be overcome. Taking the first step without worrying about step 20 is key. And when finally you're at step 20 and can jog for miles without running out of breath or are in a happy relationship you'll wonder why you didn't take that first step sooner. Challenge your comfort zone and you'll be surprised at what you can achieve.

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Information Diet

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As I mentioned above it's very important to cultivate information you take in on a daily basis. You may think its important to read newspapers every day, have alerts set up on your phone so you know about that crisis in Venezuela the second it happens but trust me, these are all distractions from the main objective - improving yourself. I have not watched the news in years and have managed to travel the world, run a small business and learn numerous skills that are helping me in new ways every day. Getting angry about something Donald Trump did which will have zero impact on your life is a monumental waste of energy.

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"If you're not progressing, you're regressing - Elon Musk 2017"

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Buddha Wisdom

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I have been dabbling in Buddhism recently and it has ways of teaching you lessons using little stories and analogies that are easy to understand and apply to your own life. Instead of fighting everything try going with the flow. Imagine yourself as a piece of wood that's been thrown into a stream. Do you try and fight and go against the current or relax and trust that the stream will take you somewhere better? The journey is long and worrying about something / someone you're probably not going to remember in a few years is also a waste of personal time and energy.

I wrote this post because I'm finally seeing the fruits of my labour even though the seeds were planted a long time ago. When I took the first step I had no idea this is where it was going to take me but I'm grateful that I did. I paid a heavy price for changing my ways but now with the power of context I can look back over my decisions and realise that I should continue to trust my judgement and continue to challenge myself and others.

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Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

22nd November 2016 — No Comments

Change Your Body, Change Your Mind

Ever wish you could increase your confidence levels on demand? Or relieve a stressful feeling in a moment? Using your body differently can be an easy way to give yourself a quick boost in the feeling happier department. Fighters don’t walk into a cage wearing an expression of serenity, neither do world leaders deliver their speeches hunched over and looking small. And most of us have felt the feel-good benefit of a belly laugh, a little dance or even a good cry. So how can we use our bodies to influence our thoughts and feelings?

Words: Carolyn Ranson // Photos: Anton Dee

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Looking Up

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Things are looking up, cheer up, bringing me down, feeling down – language can often provide us with a bunch of clues about ourselves, if we’re listening. Looking downwards is easily associated with depressing, draining emotions while looking upwards is often connected to happier, lighter feelings. In the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), eye movements are considered linked to thought patterns in the brain. Looking upwards usually relates to imaginative and creative ideas - rather than strong emotions - so if you’re feeling down in the dumps, you know where to look.

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Take Up Space

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Amy Cuddy’s excellent TED talk explains how our posture can affect our mood. Adopting a stronger, larger posture can make someone feel more powerful - in minutes. For some, this is hands on hips, legs apart while for others it may be sitting up straight and relaxing the arms. You’ll appear more confident and capable to others, but more importantly you’ll be communicating to yourself that you’re in control and there’s nothing to stress about. Remove stress from the brain and you’re free to do your best thinking – especially handy in a job interview.

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Walk This Way

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Our feet are intricate, complex things with 26 bones, 19 muscles and thousands of nerve endings; they were never designed to be wrapped in leather or plastic all day. Going barefoot might not be for everyone but ‘rolling’ through the balls of your feet as you walk will put a natural spring in your step – making you feel good and reducing the risk of pulls and strains. Speed is important too. To generate a sense of purpose, try walking 25% faster; for a more relaxed feeling, try slowing the pace down by 25%. The key here is to make a conscious decision; rushing for the bus or shuffling along mindlessly isn’t going to cut it.

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Shake It Off

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Too often we carry tension in different parts of our body: shoulders, solar plexus, stomach, even our face. Many people feel anxiety as a tightening in their chest. Football legend Paul Scholes often did a ‘silent scream’ when he ran onto the pitch – stretching and relaxing those face muscles. Even Taylor Swift has gotten in on the action. Shaking our stress off can be done with big or small movements. Let the shoulders drop and literally dust yourself down – all over or anywhere you feel tight. This works in two ways: it interrupts the brain’s autopilot function of always looking for the next threat and it draws your attention to any muscles that might be in need of a rest.

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Smiles and Smiles

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It may seem obvious but simply smiling, whether you feel happy or not, can have a profound effect on your day. Even holding a pencil between your teeth has been reported to boost mood and yield health benefits. Smiling can also help prevent the brain from absorbing negative feelings when in the presence of a perpetual complainer. You might want to consider Orphan Annie’s advice and decide that you’re ‘never fully dressed without a smile’.

by Carolyn Ranson

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It may take practice but the more you use your body to generate positive feelings. The more accustomed to a happier way of thinking your brain will become and the better you’ll feel. It’s simple, it’s free and - as long as you don’t try all these tips at the same time – no one will suspect a thing.

*Thank you to Carolyn for contributing this awesome little article. Leave us a tweet and let us know if any of the tips above have helped you in any way. For more check out our latest lookbook with Bench, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra. As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

10th November 2016 — No Comments

London I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down

London, it’s over, and it’s not me, it’s you. At what point do we say enough's enough and actually realise we'd rather live in affordable cities? This isn't a 'goodbye' though, this is just a see you later as I'm not done with you yet, not by a long shot. The problem with your dream city is that they have a habit of becoming real. You may look at London, New York or Paris as cities bustling with opportunity, and to some extent that is true, but real life problems are never too far behind. At this time of writing I have had to leave London and reevaluate what I actually want out of life because breathing smog and spending half of my earnings on rent was never going to be a long term solution.

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Alan Watts Wisdom

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The universe is always sending you signals, it's just a matter of recognising them. I'm quite an athletic person but one morning I woke up and felt truly terrible. Both physically and mentally. I cannot narrow it down to just one thing but a combination of stress, diet, personal issues and environment must have played a part. The solution was simple - change my routine, return to basics and give my body a much needed detox. In times like these unconditional love from friends and family is invaluable.

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I also began listening to a lot of Alan Watts, a British philosopher best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. He outlined concepts of love, work and pleasure in such a simple way I wondered how I got through 25 years of life without them. Below I have transcribed one of his talks in the hope it jolts your mind into action in a way it did for me.

"In music one doesn’t make the end of a composition the point of the composition. If that were so the best conductors would be those who played fastest, and there would be composers who wrote only finales. People would go to concerts just to hear one crashing chord; because that’s the end!

But we don’t see that as something brought by our education into our every day conduct. We’ve got a system of schooling that gives a completely different impression. It’s all graded. And what we do is we put the child into the corridor of this grade system with a kind of “come on kitty kitty kitty”, and now you go to kindergarten. And that’s a great thing because when you finish that you get into first grade, and then come on; first grade leads to second grade and so on, and then you get out of grade school.

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Now you’re going to go to high school, and it’s revving up – the thing is coming. Then you go to college, and by Jove then you get into graduate school and when you’re through with graduate school you go out and join the World! And then you get into some racket where you’re selling insurance. And they’ve got that quota to make, and you’re gonna make that. And all the time that thing is coming. It’s coming, it’s coming! That great thing, the success you’re working for. Then when you wake up one day at about 40 years old you say “My God! I’ve arrived! I’m there”. And you don’t feel very different from what you always felt.

And there’s a slight let down because you feel there’s a hoax. And there was a hoax. A dreadful hoax. They made you miss everything. We thought of life by analogy with a journey, with a pilgrimage which had a serious purpose at the end and the thing was to get to that end. Success or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and we were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played."

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You Are Enough

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I'm glad I cracked the game when I did and didn't spend any more years chasing this arbitrary recognition or fame or whichever name one chooses to call it. My drive and determination have not diminished, in fact this learning experience has made me stronger. There is also a weight that is lifted off your shoulders when you realise the only person you're in competition with is yourself.

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The most important things in life such as friends and family and social connections are free. They're also really good for us because loneliness kills both figuratively and literally. I don't wish to dissuade anyone from following their dreams or their heart but do so without sacrificing important things and people in your life. So London, thank you for teaching me this invaluable lesson and the next time we see each other I hope you welcome me with open arms.

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Thanks for reading my latest article. Give it a share using the links below so others can enjoy it too. For more check out my latest lookbook from Paris, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra.

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As always stay classy and if you have a story you wish to share please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Photography

9th November 2016 — No Comments

My Morning Detox Routine // Journal 76

I refuse to believe the myth that there are productive and unproductive people. Everyone can be productive but it all stems from how you start your day. If you love the snooze button then congratualtions, you have begun your day by putting things off for another few minutes. You will reach a point where you simply run out of excuses and carry on out of habit rather than necessity. Where can i find really cheap Viagra https://surgicaleducation.com/viagra/ here. If you need a cup of strong coffee every morning just to wake you up and another a few hours later then try my morning routine out for size. Do this for one week and if you don't like it feel free to go back, but the first step is trying.

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5 Step Morning Routine

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Once in a while you need to completely detox yourself from everyday stresses of work, relationships and life in general. My time in London was fun and productive but it also took a massive toll on my health. Instead of trudging on I decided to visit some relatives in Latvia and switch off from the world for a week. On my doorstep I had fresh sea air and lush forests to stroll through which helped collect my thoughts. There was also no internet or phone signal which eroded the temptation to check Facebook every 5 minutes. Instead I focused on my health and tried to completely switch off from the outside world.

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1 - As soon as you hear the alarm clock, roll off the bed. If you love the snooze button either switch it off or place your alarm / phone on the other side of the room so you have to physically get up to turn it off. Since you're already standing do 10 push ups or star jumps. This will get the blood flowing through your body.

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2 - Continue by going to the bathroom and doing one of these things; take off all your clothes and take a cold bath or shower for 5 minutes (you won't want to stay for longer as a beginner) or wash your face with cold water. If the thought of a cold shower sent chills down your spine start out slower. Have a normal shower but for the last 30 seconds turn on the cold water. The initial shock is unpleasant but just count to 30 and you'll be fine.

3 - Go to the kitchen and boil some water. Make some green tea. I prefer Yerba Mate as recommended by my 'spirit animal' Tim Ferriss. Yerba Mate includes three xanthine alkaloids that are found in smaller quantities in coffee and have been proven to enhance biochemistry and creative writing.

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4 - Sit down on a mat and do some light stretching or if you have time, 15 minutes of meditation by closing your eyes and focusing on your breath. Try to slowly count to 10 without a thought entering your head. Eventually you will find that this is impossible and that's entirely the point. You can never switch off your mind but realising that thoughts are just that, thoughts. They don't have any effect on what you do so pay no attention to them. In one ear and out the other.

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5 - Write down one thing you wish to accomplish today. It can be a large task, it can be a small task. It just has to be important in the grand scheme of things. I find the Chrome add-on Momentum really helpful with this. Do not check social media or emails right now, these things can wait. Unless you're a doctor I'm sure the world won't stop spinning if you forgo social media for a few mornings. The importance of a good information diet cannot be underestimated.

Do this every day for a week, and you'll ask yourself why you thought you needed masses of caffeine to begin with. Starting your day with enhanced awareness and calm focused energy that lasts throughout the day is beneficail in ways you cannot even imagine.

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Thanks for reading my latest article. Give it a share using the link below so others can enjoy it too. For more check out my latest lookbook with Bench, street style from London Collections or my trip to the magical city of Coimbra. As always stay classy and if you wish to be featured in one of our roundups please contact editorial@thestyledivision.com or tag your social posts with #DVSN

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Published by antondee in DVSN Updates, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle

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