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Vitamins for Your Soul, Part I

Giving vitamins to your soul might not have a direct, noticeable effect on your bottom line. However, these vitamins could prevent a disaster and they certainly will make you a lighter and happier person. Lighter and happier people usually make better traders and investors.

Several years ago, I began the year with a resolution to do a lot of spiritual work. I was planning on doing a lot of meditation during January and February. I had a one-week spiritual retreat planned. In essence, this was the year to nurture my soul. Instead, what happened was that I spent December through February taking antibiotics for a bug that was resistant to antibiotics, yet seemed to turn into chronic bronchitis or pneumonia if you didn't do something about it. It was awful. It took all the energy out of me and the last thing I wanted to do was a set of spiritual exercises or meditations.

I believe in taking full responsibility for what happens to me. In most situations, I can explain exactly how I managed to create what happens, but not for the first few months of that year. I honestly had no idea how I went from wanting to do spiritual work to going through physical exhaustion, but I did.

Anyway, during that time I still had a strong urge to do things that might give my soul a charge - to feed it and nurture it. At the same time, I've really had no idea how to do that - until this weekend when I found a book called "Vitamins for the Soul."1 The book was just what I needed, but more importantly, it has helped me classify soul enrichment activities. As a result, I plan to focus the next tips on soul enrichment. Some of these activities I'm very strong in, but many of them are areas I've totally neglected. And over the next set of articles, I'm going to cover a new "vitamin" each time. They'll help your soul and anything that helps you lighten up will help your trading. This week's topic is to focus on the moment.

Focus on the Moment

Mark Twain used to say, "I've had many fears in my life, most of which never happened." Lately I've noticed that I've had many worries, most of which never happen. Nevertheless, I can spend a lot of time being concerned about them. Yet, the simplest solution is to concentrate on the opposite: what are your blessings, right now?

Here are some interesting exercises you could do, just to concentrate on the wonders of this moment. It's summer now. Spend some time outside and really stretch your senses. For example, smell the flowers. Take in the smells and just enjoy them. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature. Hear the birds. Listen for the wind. What other animals do you hear? Take in the wonder of it all. Or go to some magnificent place and just take in the scenery. What do you see? Look everywhere and take it all into your soul. Notice the magnificence of the moment.

I can remember a six-month period when I used to meditate outside. I went for a 20-minute walk into the woods where there was a park bench. I sat on the park bench and practiced various meditation techniques. I played with my energy. I went inside and noticed the silence. I watched my breath and used various mantras. However, during that phase of my life, I spent very little time noticing the magnificence of everything around me. And this is what we are talking about here. Notice the magnificence of the moment. Take it all in and give thanks to God for all of these wonders you can experience. Just enjoy them.

Everything you think about is in the past. Even if you are feeling excruciating pain, what you are actually experiencing happened milliseconds ago. It's not what happens now. Everything you think about everything you worry about is all in the past. When you release that and concentrate on the now, you'll find that everything is beautiful and peaceful. It's only our thoughts, based upon our interpretations of what happened in the past that cause upset and struggle. When you realize this for yourself I believe that you'll have an enormous breakthrough in understanding who you really are.

This month take 15 minutes each day to enjoy the magnificence of the moment. Find something beautiful and just take in the sights, sounds, smells, etc. Notice how wonderful it all is and spend the full 15 minutes taking it in. And when you are finished, give thanks. Notice what this does for your soul, how you feel and ultimately your trading. You'll be surprised! So just try it.

Dr. Van K Tharp
TradingEducation.com