Thriving – University of Life

Pain is a Problem (and your brain loves problems)

by Shaun Roundy

Today’s podcast discusses the ups, downs, and outs of the problem of pain. Without problems to solve, life would get dull fairly quickly, but when you don’t know to address problems productively, then all you get from them is stress, anxiety, and depression. Adding one more secret ingredient changes everything, so listen up and find out what it is!

With practice, you’ll develop the one character trait that makes life easier and more enjoyable, despite challenges.

Are You Living an Inspiring Life?

by Shaun Roundy

Today’s podcast asks whether you’re living an inspiring life, then explains how to do that by choosing the better of the two motivations (hint: I’m not referring to love and fear). You also get a story of walking with young pioneers in disappointingly pleasant weather and you’ll learn a little bit about self actualization.

P.S. one of the “family” groups spent much of their walking time solving riddles, so I made up a brand new one. See how quickly you can figure this out:

I carry life on my back between the stars,
I’ll fight you both ways, my arms against yours.
No matter how far you walk, or how fast you run,
We’ll never reach our next destination.

Click here for hints

Hint #1: what do you need to keep you alive? Hint #2: stars have rays shooting out from them. Hint #3: what’s the farthest you can ever see (not counting the sky)?

Click here for the answer

A handcart. It carries your survival gear. The wheels and spokes are like stars. Both ways = uphill and down. Our next destination is the horizon, and we’ll never reach it because it keeps moving farther away….

Love 301: How to Love Yourself

by Shaun Roundy

$13.99 $12.99 Save $1 off retail price, and save even more on shipping (free for orders over $25). Your book will ship as soon as it arrives from the printer.

After five years of researching the nature of love and designing effective ways to teach it, The University of Love is pleased (and relieved) to present Love 301: How to Love Yourself, now ready for you to order.

Change your world as you discover what it means to love yourself and how to implement love’s magic into your daily living. Each chapter includes examples, explanations, and several types of application exercises to personalize your learning experience. Read Chapters 3 and 4 here for a small taste of what’s coming your way…

Read Chapters 3 and 4 for a small taste of what’s coming your way.

Love Quotes: Love Changes Everything

by Shaun Roundy

“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Q: Why does Teilhard de Chardin compare harnessing love to discovering fire?
A: Because fire changed everything, and so will love, if we ever learn to understand it, teach it, and thus drastically increase its presence in our relationships and institutions.

Q: Which institutions will it change?
A: All of them.

Consider these insightful quotes about education:

“Students who are loved at home come to school to learn, and students who aren’t, come to school to be loved.” – Nicholas Ferroni

“The fact is, people learn from people they love.” – David Brooks

And these about business:

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs

“No person who is enthusiastic about his or her work has anything to fear from life. All the opportunities in the world are waiting to be grasped by people who are in love with what they’re doing.” – Sam Goldwyn

Imagine what a politician could do when motivated by the highest, most satisfying ideal:

A man died and went before God. The man said, “Don’t you know what is going on down there?! There’s poverty, crime, racism, war, hatred, and sickness! Why didn’t you send help?!” God replied, “I did. I sent you.”

Even the pain of addictions, which is really a struggle to find peace, can be eased and replaced by love’s connecting power.

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love.” – Sophocles

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” – Victor Hugo

“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small. My judgement called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.” – Kim McMillen

Q: When will this happen? When will we learn to “harness the energies of love”?
A: Why not right now? It’s high time. The University of Love will show the way. That’s our goal.

Love Quotes: Love Attracts Love

by Shaun Roundy

“Life is kinder to those who love themselves, because love attracts love and light, and repels and dispels darkness.” – Shaun Roundy

Have you ever watched someone walking down the street, smiling and happy, a bounce in their step, and thought, “I bet they’re in love”? Have you ever observed the way a person’s countenance changes as they fall in love? Suddenly they become happier, their eyes shinier, and the weight on their shoulders seems to float away and vanish in the clear blue sky.

That’s what love does to us. Not only does it pour more dopamine and other positive chemicals into our blood streams and brains, it shifts our focus to the positive and hopeful. Worries fade away. We become more willing to risk and invest in ourselves and play. Merely being alive becomes a continual pleasure.

The benefits of being in love don’t stop there, because our bright, shining aura naturally attracts all other living beings who long to bask in its light. Sure, a few jaded souls (we’ve all been there) may feel envious as our happiness highlights their contrasting emptiness, but if they can get past souring something sweet, our cheerful, lively presence will lift them as well.

How unfortunate, don’t you think? That when we’re not in love, when we’re alone and lonely and need to look more happy and shiny in order to increase our attractiveness and, perhaps, draw love into our own lives, that when we need it most, we may lack that brilliant, happy, optimistic glow shining from behind our eyes?

But wait a second – stop and read that quote again. Notice that it doesn’t say “life is kinder to people who are in love” – which, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t – but “kinder to those who love themselves.”

Sure, we like to think that being in love or being loved by someone else is what gives us value and self esteem and happiness, but if you don’t love yourself first, then those things provide only a pleasant band aid over a festering wound.

“If you don’t love yourself, no other love can save you.” – Shaun Roundy

So if you’re looking for more love in your life, begin by loving yourself better. Study up on what that means and how to accomplish it here at the University of Love and put those steps into practice immediately! You’ll have a bounce in your step before you know it; then watch as you attractive higher-quality love into your life than ever before!

Addicted to Love

by Shaun Roundy

It seems like everybody’s addicted to their smart phones these days, and we feel as if we’d suffocate if we can’t sneak a quick glance to check our messages and new likes. Some of us are addicted to food, shopping, gambling, video games, drugs, porn, and other substances/activities that momentarily soothe our nerves.

This happens because of neurotransmitter rewards. In other words, each time we get a new like or take another hit of our favorite “drug,” our brain rewards us with a quick shot of dopamine. That hit – the message, food, new shoes, etc. – isn’t what we’re actually addicted to, it’s the dopamine. All those activities are merely methods to stimulate its release.

What would happen to our world if we became addicted to loving behavior instead? To kind words, generous gestures, acts of courage and nobility, healthy self care, kindness, acceptance, and spiritual growth? Read more “Addicted to Love” →

Open Up Your Heart

by Shaun Roundy

You may not even know it, but your heart is not all the way open and you don’t know what you’re missing. This article shows you how to open your heart wider and explains why you should want to.

Let’s get started with a variety of exercises, and you can continue practicing until you get comfortable with your new & improved state. Note which exercises you find most difficult and practice them with any images you find throughout your day until they get easier and come naturally.

To open your heart, begin by opening your eyes and seeing all the good that exists. Let positive emotions follow and allow them to soften the walls that dampened your ability to feel.

	Look at this father and son and imagine how they feel about each other, one at a time.For example, the boy may feel secure and happy, playful, trusting, etc.The father may feel proud, caring, patient, the joy of loving, etc. Note that whatever feelings you project onto these models are actually experienced by yourself. Also note that experiencing such positive thoughts and emotions builds and strengthens them inside your own brain and heart. Experience them long enough, even vicariously, and they will become yours. They will become your new norm. Allow them to replace older, harder, more cynical thoughts and feelings.
	Observe this attractive couple enjoying themselves and dancing and note your reaction. Are you happy for them? Would you like to join them? Are you ambivalent? Envious? Do their youthfulness and happiness remind you of what you lack? Whatever your reaction, now turn it love. Look at each individual and imagine what their life might be like – it’s struggles and successes, their confidence and doubts, hopes and fears. Whatever you imagine, feel empathy for them and wish them all the best. Following this pattern, begin to notice your reactions to people all around you and in the media, and each time you note a negative reaction, consciously choose to change it to love.
	How do you react to conflict? One at a time, imagine you’re each of these people, obviously having a disagreement. Each appears to believe their position to be correct and their partner to be unreasonable and wrong. Once you’ve imagined what they may be feeling, open your heart and try to experience feelings of love for yourself (or, rather, for the person you’re imagining). How does this affect your willingness to communicate and cooperate better with your other half? Also practice loving the partner – see the good in them, desire their happiness and growth – and observe how that affects the imaginary interaction.
	How easy is it to love this attractive couple who appears to have everything – youth, money, health, and attractive bodies? Remember that while it may be nice to feel attracted to such things, that attraction is only the first step on the way to true love. Don’t let yourself stop at admiring only their outward physical traits; practice seeing them as people with similar thoughts, feelings, hopes, fears, and other experiences as the rest of us.
	If you think these imaginary scenarios don’t “work,” note that your brain doesn’t distinguish well between reality and imagination. Look first at the adorable little girl and generate a feeling of love for her, then switch to the cartoon boy and note that you can harbor similar feelings for each. Your imagination provides a safe practice area to try on new feelings and exercise and expand the best ones. Whichever thoughts and feelings you choose to focus on will grow stronger and manifest themselves in your actual, real, tangible, non-imaginary life…so choose wisely!
	Note also that your experience of love and open heartedness is not limited to yourself and other people. Try opening your heart to beauty, nature, and any other commendable thing and enjoy the happiness that your perspective draws into your life. If you can’t bring yourself to love spiders yet…don’t worry, perfection takes time.
	How easy is it to love people who you don’t find attractive and who have nothing to offer you? Older people in our culture often get forgotten because on the surface, they may appear to have nothing of value to share – as if love were more like an economic exchange rather than a skill whose practice brings its own rewards. If you sometimes feel this way, practice opening your heart to this image of an old man until you experience the infinite value of any human connection and perhaps perceive various values like wisdom, interest in his life experience, etc.
	Here’s a guy wearing shades, looking cool, and possibly protecting his vulnerable heart with a tough facade. Open your heart and love him anyway, see if you can break through his protective shell. If this image doesn’t work, imagine people you know who wear masks, who don’t feel good enough, who overcompensate for their insecurity with arrogance and false bravado.
	Now imagine people who feel superior to you, who are intentionally cruel to you, who leave you out of the popular “in” crowd – or who you imagine would exclude, despise you, fear you, or shut you out of their hearts for any reason. Open your heart and love them and note how that places you in a position of power, and how you no longer need to react to their perceptions but become free to be your best self at all times.
	Do you find this expensive sports car attractive? If so, that’s perfectly fine, but note the difference between loving a car and loving people.When you love a car, it’s primarily selfish, based on the desire for enjoyment or prestige. When you love a person, it’s primarily selfless, based on your desire for their well being and progress. If you “love” people primarily based on your desire to consume and use them selfishly, then boy, are you missing the boat! The best part of love comes from what you give, not what you get.

As you practice opening your heart, you’ll learn that love and happiness truly aren’t about the other person, they depend on YOU and your ability to be a loving, happy person.

SLIDER

Where do you fall on the “Open Up Your Heart” love slider?


1: The only value I get from anyone or anything else comes from how it satisfies my appetites.	3: I’m too scared or hurt to open my heart. I’ll open it when someone loves me enough that it heals all my wounds and proves that it’s safe to come out.	5: I love myself, my family, and my friends. Everyone else is competition for scarce resources, including happiness and love.	7: I’m trying to love everyone, but it’s not always easy!	10: The world is so filled with beauty and joy that I want to share it with everyone I see!

11. Going to extremes: if you’re new to opening your heart to everyone, BE CAREFUL! You’ll discover that it’s much easier than you thought to love everyone, and you may often experience feelings that you once reserved only for intimate romantic relationships. JUST BECAUSE YOU LOVE SOMEONE DOES NOT MEAN YOU BELONG IN A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP.

FOR DISCUSSION

Which heart-opening exercises do you find more difficult? Why?

How much would you LIKE to open your heart? What are the biggest barriers to doing so?

HOMEWORK

Practice opening your heart to people and beauty wherever you go. You don’t need to do anything about it – at first – just observe. Eventually, courage, vision, and actions will follow.

You Are Needed

by Shaun Roundy

I once heard a story wherein a fairy had become entangled in a hedge. A kind girl set her free and the fairy granted her a wish.

“I want to always be happy,” the girl declared, at which the fairy flitted up to her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. The girl looked surprised, and the fairy flew away, never to be seen again.

Well, the girl lived a long, satisfying life, and her wish came abundantly true. The tale of the fairy’s wish circulated among her family and friends, but no one knew what the fairy had whispered in her ear.

As she lay dying with her adoring family gathered around her hospital bed, a granddaughter took her hand and asked what several of them had wondered for years. “Grandma, what did the fairy tell you that made you so happy all your life?”

The old woman turned toward her granddaughter and caressed her cheek lovingly. “She told me,” she said slowly, “‘Everyone needs you.’”

With that, she closed her eyes, expelled a final breath, and passed from this life with a contented smile on her face.

When you understand that everyone does need you, when you start looking for what you can give and how you contribute to the lives around you by simply being yourself rather than imagining their criticisms and complaints, then you let love instead of fear permeate your life, and that guarantees more love and abundance than any outward blessing could ever accomplish.

[This article comes from chapter 5.49 “You Are Needed” of Heal Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Speaking Your Brain’s Languages and Turing Pain into Power by Shaun Roundy]

SLIDER

Where do you fall on the “You Are Needed” love slider?


1: Nobody needs me. In fact, the world would be better off if I didn’t exist.	3: Sure, people need me, but only for the work I do, and anybody could replace me if I was gone.	5: Some people sorta need me, but they don’t really care about me. They just use me because I’m convenient.	7: Only my close friends need and love me. That’s good enough.	10: Everybody needs me whether they know it or not. They’d be okay without me, but their world would be diminished without me to brighten it up!

11. Going to extremes: some people glean their sense of value from being needed. They continually check how others react to them (and project their worries onto others) and how many “likes” they get on Facebook to determine whether they’re safe and accepted. Your sense of value should be intrinsic for best effect. Accept yourself unconditionally and go forward from there.

FOR DISCUSSION

What’s your most valuable contribution to the world? How does with your mere presence influence others?

How could loving yourself more make you even more important and needed to others?

HOMEWORK

Serve strangers in small or large ways and notice the difference you make. What would happen if everyone did that?

Serve yourself – do something that makes you truly happy – and notice how your cheerfulness affects others.

Pivotal Moments: Confidence

by Shaun Roundy

blondeprofilewind What moments have changed your life’s direction, for better or worse? What events shaped your future and turned you into the person you are now? Have you ever created major changes in life without some external impetus to force your hand?

What if you could change anything about your life right now? What would you change? Think it over!

One of the most important traits you can develop is confidence. It makes you more attractive. It gives you the courage to live your dreams. It smooths out dozens of small bumps in the road of life and helps you progress much faster toward your inherent potential.

With that in mind, here are a few stories of confidence-related pivotal moments to help you process the concept. PLEASE SHARE your own pivotal moments in the comments sections below! Everyone would love to hear and learn from them.

A Scout is…Confident?

I went to scout camp the summer before 9th grade, and sitting around the fire one afternoon, Coy started spitting watermelon seeds at me as he ate. Coy was one of the “cool” kids and I was not. After several seeds, something in me snapped – something small at first, then bigger. “If you spit one more seed at me,” I warned, “I’ll beat the crap out of you.” Coy calmly took another bite of melon, chewed, then spit a seed at me. Read more “Pivotal Moments: Confidence” →

Are You Really In Love?

by Shaun Roundy

Spring is in the air, and with it, people all around you are falling in love – including yourself.

Lucky you! Congratulations! The ecstatic bliss you now feel is the most joyous experience you’ve ever known. The sun shines brighter, birds sing more sweetly, and you’re about to live happily ever after!

But hold on for just a second – because you just realized how utterly sappy all that sounds to everybody else who’s not in love, and how much you sound like a Disney princess, which you know – or at least you used to know – is not exactly realistic.

So which is it? Are you in love or aren’t you? Will you live happily ever after or are you setting yourself up for heart break? Does True Love exist or is it only an appealing myth? You’d like to know for certain so you can plan accordingly.

Okay, great, let’s find out! Read more “Are You Really In Love?” →

Spirit & Peace

by Shaun Roundy

Spirituality means many things to many people, yet most spiritual traditions have much in common regarding the experience of spirituality, even when beliefs and interpretations differ. One such commonality is the Principle of Peace.

We live our lives much like a sailboat on the ocean. We may think we’re in control of our lives, yet most everything around us – the sky and sea shifting above and below – remains largely a mystery. Winds and currents shove us this way and that. We can set our sails and grab the tiller to steer a course, but storms and doldrums can upset the best laid plans.

Yet despite the inherent uncontrollable nature of life, and even in the midst of the storm, our spirituality can bring us immense peace.

I once took a 5-week, 2,500 mile ocean voyage from Aruba to Acapulco as first mate aboard a 53′ sailboat. While crossing the stormy Gulf of Tehuantepec, a gale blew for 14 hours and several times, the 50 knot winds and 15′ waves flipped our boat on its side.

To make a long story short, I was getting worried and said a little prayer. I then instantly knew two things – that the storm would continue for a while yet, and that we’d make it through just fine. From that point on, my worries ceased completely.

How does this work? How can we obtain peace and joy even when the world around us is in turmoil?

For one thing, the Divine, no matter what you call it – the Creator, a Heavenly Father and Jesus, the Universe, or otherwise – has such power and wisdom that from its perspective, everything is okay, or at least it will turn out okay in the end.

Our most difficult challenges and trials could be compared to a child who sees life as most certainly not okay when it has to go to bed or when you don’t buy it candy. As an adult, you know it’s not the end of the world.

As adults, our trials seem just as serious as they did as children, and we continue to lack an even more advanced perspective to evaluate them from. The Divine certainly doesn’t enjoy watching us suffer, but from its perspective, our struggles are often no more serious than the short-sighted child’s.

When we make a connection with the Divine, which forms the basis of personal spirituality, we often capture of glimpse of that viewpoint and experience a portion of its peaceful perspective. With experience, we learn to trust that assurance, and we continue forward with greater courage and hope even when all we see are storm waves from horizon to horizon.

Homework: seek a connection with the divine, and when you attain it, reconsider your sense of self and perspectives on the world around you in light of that peace. What does it teach you about ultimate reality? How does it change your perspective and encourage you to trust that everything is ultimately okay despite temporary challenges?

Ruthless Self Love

by Shaun Roundy

Today’s podcast discusses overcoming self doubt and insecurity and features this quote from Don Miguel Ruiz: “Love is ruthless; it doesn’t feel sorry for anyone, but it does have compassion.”

We discuss how this reveals an important way to love yourself by not putting up with your brain’s silly doubting games and swap that in for unapologetic belief in yourself and devotion to your well being.