And behold, that is where I am making some of the biggest mistakes of my life.

To illustrate, I started to play this game in which you have to arrange various geometric figures into complete lines so they disappear and make room for more objects that keep coming in. You can take as much time as you want before you place each piece. But you lose the game if an object comes in with no room left on the board for it to fit into. I am very good at this game, but I made an interesting observation. I tend to score highly in this game only when I take my time and think carefully about every piece. And place those pieces in a conservative manner to maximize the use of empty spaces. I can literally go on for hours before making a mistake.

But when I start a new game, sometimes I feel a little impatient. I have to play for an hour or more before I reach the level I normally reach. So I start placing the pieces faster to get to my usual level.

However, no matter how skilled I become at this game, when I don’t take the time, I invariably get a piece that surprises me and I cannot place it anywhere. Then I lose the game early on.

What happens when we pay attention?

It became clear that the only way I could do really well at this game was to take my time and think carefully about where I place each piece. Even when it is early on in the game. Even when I have lots of space and time to be able to make a small mistake or two without much consequence.

I see the same pattern in my life. I don’t take the time to think very carefully about every move I make. Especially when my activities seem mundane, repetitive and inconsequential.

For example, I don’t pay enough attention to the foods I buy or allow into my house. And then I wonder why I snack on unhealthy foods when I don’t want to! I need to pay close attention to make sure that everything in my house is pleasing, satisfying and reflects what I want for myself.

Likewise, I don’t take the time to make sure that I do the most important things that I need for optimal health, mindset and my connections with people. In my haste, I forget to thank people. I don’t remember to wish them well on their birthdays. Or I end up regretting saying or doing hurtful things, even though those things didn’t seem that important at the time.

As a result, just as in the game, I get surprised by mishaps that I wish I could have foreseen and avoided. Or I see them after it is already too late and there is nothing I can do about it.

Success via slowing down

As with that video game, good things happen to me when I have patience and take my time to execute every one of my daily activities with calmness and focus, and without distraction.

That’s a challenge for me. I’m both lazy and impatient and want to just get on with it! But that’s where my failure is. I’m not always calm, patient, careful and deliberate in the way that I live my life, or with every decision that I make.

I’m sure that for many, changing this habit may sound onerous or unnecessary. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Life is not a race. It’s an amazing journey, especially when we slow down and remember, every minute, to give everyone and everything in our lives the attention it deserves.

The post I Make Hundreds of Mistakes Every Day appeared first on Charles Hanna.

Even though we may have different ideas on how to solve our issues, we are all very similar; we’re fearful about our future and view Trump as either a savior or a destroyer.

What is making us so afraid?

The key point here is that our fear is amplified because of the unprecedented turmoil in our world. We are literally raping the earth’s resources, with consequences that no one understands and everyone fears.  Our environment is shifting in dramatic and scary ways, and whether the changes are manmade or not, they are frightening.

Our population is exploding and may overwhelm our resources. Rising political powers in different parts of the world are creating conflicts and dangers that can move quickly in unpredictable and unprecedented ways. Moreover, the turmoil brewing in many parts of the world is seeping through our borders, making matters much more tenuous than they already were.

Technology has permeated every aspect of our society and despite the huge benefits, the resulting risks and dangers are terrifying. Even our huge financial infrastructures are as fragile as a house of cards, as we have already experienced.

We fear new deadly diseases, or re-emergence of old diseases, either of which can spread rapidly and have devastating effects. There is the fear of fanaticism and terrorism, with people holding very different opinions about what is right and what is wrong. Whether those opinions are based on race, religion, geography, economic status, sexual orientation or political differences, all sides feel strongly that it is not fair to them, and that something must be done to makes changes that match their point of view.

All of these threats are moving faster and faster, with less and less control

When we start to see these threats affecting our loved ones, including our children, through violence or mental illness, it makes us even more hypersensitive.

Every twist and turn is like a sudden shriek or thump in a scary movie that keeps us on the edge of our seats. We startle to the point of exhaustion and anger, wondering if we will ever be able to navigate our way safely through these dangerous waters.

So when Trump is as definitive and extreme as he is, right or wrong, people react strongly.

In other words, we are not turning against each other because of Trump, but because of extreme fear and uncertainty about our future.

It helps to remember that we are all on the same side

We all want the world to be a safe place. We all want to live with dignity and respect and provide for our families. We want to be able to control our immediate environment, with opportunities for growth and prosperity. We want to be able to dream and achieve our goals.

But how can we achieve any of these things in the face of the fear and mistrust that is so prevalent in this age?

Let’s stop thinking of each other as the enemy.

I have found that when I trust that we will eventually find the best way forward from these trying times (even if the solution is completely different from what I would have chosen), only then can I let go of my fear and anxiety.

Otherwise, my fear and anxiety will make me react in irrational ways that harm the process and jeopardize the outcome.

Let’s allow the people in charge to work it out and let us accept whatever outcome results, without reacting (or overreacting) to every bit of news and every twist and turn of what is said. The bigger the issues, the bigger the lessons learned in the end. And as in any dispute, matters resolve only after honest communication, resulting in a better understanding of each other’s’ perspective and how to move forward in harmony.

We can harness our ingenuity and enrich our own lives by embracing our diversity rather than by judging the ‘other side’ as being ignorant or misguided.

So, why not express your view as passionately as you want, and vote with your heart, then let it go and trust the process without judgment, fear or animosity?

The post Why We Struggle to Agree on Loving/Hating Donald Trump appeared first on Charles Hanna.

We’re very excited to release Charles Hanna’s first audiobook – Higher: Awaken to a more fulfilling life – co-narrated by Charles and the wonderful Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning actress, Joan Cusack. You can download the audiobook on Audible. And, if you’re not already a member of Audible, your download is free!

What’s in the audiobook?

During this 5-hour audio journey, Charles’ soothing voice guides you into a higher state of self-awareness and serenity. You will come to understand why and how addictive behavior (gambling, sex addiction, substance abuse, eating disorders) develops. You’ll also learn how you can use simple mindfulness techniques to change your perspective and dissolve addictive tendencies.

In this audiobook, Charles shares his life story with humility and honesty.  He describes the 8 years he spent addicted to cocaine. Even as his family grew and his business succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, his addiction continued to worsen.

When repeated near-death experiences failed to stop his drug use, he realized he was in trouble.  But six trips through rehab still didn’t create lasting change. He spiraled more and more out of control.

It was only a chance trick of perception during his seventh trip through treatment that led to an emotionally devastating surrender. That surrender finally gave him a route toward freedom and health.

No matter what your current state of mental health – anxiety, depression, addiction – this audiobook will challenge your perceptions and give you practical tools to help you reset your life, and heal emotional traumas and mental health challenges.

For more about addiction, mental health and perception, please read Charles’ latest post on Medium.

And in the meantime, here’s a free, quick and uplifting preview of the audiobook (1.5 minutes) – let us know your response in the comments below – thanks!

The post Higher Audiobook Now Available! appeared first on Charles Hanna.

Most people grasp how crucial it is for children to not miss out on their childhood. But we miss that it’s equally crucial not to miss out on all of life – adolescence, middle age, old age, single life, married life, parenthood, or any other phase. Every stage is an incredible gift that must not be wasted or compromised in any way.

Whether you believe we live one or many lives, it always starts with birth and infancy. Then childhood and so forth. If we are lucky we live a long life, but it is not always possible. In fact, the older we get the lower is the probability of our survival.

This means that old age is a very rare occurrence, whether we live one life or many. If we live one life we may never see old age, or only a few select will. If we live many lives, as I happen to believe that we do, we will see ripe old age in far fewer lifetimes than we will see childhood, the most abundant life phase.

That makes old age very special indeed. But sadly, most of us are too busy being afraid of getting old. So we miss that most beautiful phase of our lives.

Sure, old age has its disadvantages, but every age has its advantages too

That is why we need to enjoy every one of our ages for what they are. The only thing we can do to ensure maximum fulfillment is to follow our Higher Purpose of taking good care of ourselves – body, mind and spirit.

The other day I was watching a movie about a little boy. He was roughly 10 years of age when he escaped from a very oppressive boarding school where his father had left him. The boy had been rejected and abandoned by his father because he was ‘different’.

The boy was impressionable and needed guidance. So he went searching for his estranged grandfather. The old man had been yearning to find him. They finally connect in a charming scene and the grandfather explains to the boy the great legacy of their family and the magic of being who they are.

I found myself is awe as I watched the beauty and purity of this old man providing inspiration and guidance to that little boy.

I had watched similar scenes many times before.  I had always identified with the little boy and wondered what it would be like to be empowered like that.

This time it was different

This time I realized that the beauty of this nurturing moment was made possible by the old grandfather. The kindness and wealth of knowledge and resources that the grandfather offered are the most valuable and beautiful gifts that he could give to that child.

I was overcome with feeling and the vision that it is the grandfather who had the power to make that experience so beautiful for the child. It made me see the incredible beauty of that phase in our lives.

I’m becoming conscious of what an incredible gift it is to be able to give guidance, inspiration and magical imagination to young budding minds. This opportunity is ideally suited for the latter stages of our lives, provided we live long, healthy and happy lives, rich with spirit and knowledge and resources to give meaningfully to the younger generations.

In other words, by following the principles of Higher and becoming the best we can be, we enjoy life to the fullest and become the most valued givers.

This is the first time I’ve seen and felt the real beauty of old age, and appreciated its unique and priceless gifts.

I think most of us live our lives in fear of becoming old

We’re afraid of losing our youth, our health, and all that we love without having any idea what comes next.

But the more I feel connected to the Higher Perspective and being part of a continuum that is good and exciting, the more I can let go of that fear. And that allows me to enjoy every phase of my life to the fullest, and realize that the latter part of this lifetime could be the most exciting part of the ride.

I’m not living there yet, but I feel serenity and joy knowing that, from the glimpses I’ve seen, some of the good things are yet to come.

The following publications have reprinted this article: 

Third Age: Healthy Living for Women + Their Families

SelfGrowth: The Online Self-Improvement Community

New Spirit Journal: Inspiration and Practical Spirituality

New Age Journal: Latest News and Insights for the New Age

Fabulous at 50: Celebrating Baby Boomer Women

The post The Beauty of Old Age appeared first on Charles Hanna.

How do you turn this frustration around?

How can ‘wasted’ time possibly be a good thing?

In fact, this time is a golden opportunity for them to focus on re-seating their own perspective and their connection with their higher power and higher perspective.

By keeping focused, for example, they can spend a lot of time in meditation, thinking about re-establishing their priorities in life.

Prison is an amazing opportunity to elevate oneself in a way that could never happen in a busy life ‘outside’, with a family and all kinds of distracting things going on.

There’s always a silver lining. And if you look at life that way, nothing is really bad.

How do you feel right now?

When I look back at my life and I think of the moments that I was most upset about, moments that I felt were great losses for me…I find that some of those events were actually the best things that happened for me.

Some of those moments were bad. Truly bad.

But many of them were, as I eventually saw, the best things that could have happened to me. And even with those truly bad moments, I can feel good about them because of where I am today.

It all depends on how you are feeling today

If you feel good today, the negative events in your past were part of the journey that got you here, no matter how bad they seemed at the time.

So it doesn’t MATTER what happened in the past. You can look at any event in a new way. It all depends on how you feel about yourself today, and that’s the magic of life. It ALL depends on how you view your life.

Now, if I could only remember that when it’s happening to me! And the only way I CAN remember, is to have faith that no matter what happens, it’s going to be okay.

The post Banish Your Anguish: There’s No Such Thing as ‘Wasted’ Time appeared first on Charles Hanna.

Higher answers those basic questions that we all ask growing up

• What would make me happy?
• Which path should I take?
• How can I make the most out of this life?

I grew up in very humble beginnings. And then I experienced great success at an early age. But I fell to complete loss and almost died.

And during the process, a lot of things became obvious to me. Does material wealth make you happy? What about good relationships, looks, fame? Is being popular, respected and admired a source of happiness?

Well, obviously they weren’t for me, because I had them all and I still fell. What I had to go through allowed me to see the value of life from a new perspective.

How I hope my readers will benefit

I’m hoping that Higher will inspire people to be happier. To see more out of life. To realize that, in fact, life is much more magical than we realize.

It’s as though we’ve been living in an illusion — chasing careers and buying things — and we miss the very beautiful part of life: to just live it as it is.

So what I want people to get from this book is a way of finding a happier state of being. A way of being turned on and inspired about what life is.

In fact, what I really would love to hope is that this book inspires a few people.  And that those people help inspire others and offer insight into some of the difficulties that they might deal with in life.

My hope for this book is that it will help people realize that their difficulties are tiny in comparison to all the gifts that we have been given.

I feel life is an incredible gift. It’s magical. It’s unbelievable that it happened to us. And it’s such a shame when we miss it because we’re so pre-occupied by petty things.

My hope and my belief is that this book could be valuable to pretty much everybody.

The post Why I Write (and who it’s for) appeared first on Charles Hanna.