Do you want to feel happier, more positive and less stressed? Do you feel anxious or overwhelmed by your fast-paced life? Do you want to break the cycle of unhappiness and achieve inner peace? If you answered ‘yes’ to one of these questions, then this book is for you. Manuel Villa, Spain’s Mindfulness and Zen expert, and Marc Reklau, author of many international bestsellers, have joined forces to bring you Mindful Zen Habits. Can we really change our life in 30 days? Yes, we can—by changing our habits and doing little things a little bit differently day after day. Changing the habit of excessive thinking, of not giving enough room to our emotions, breaking the routine of not listening to our body—all of this and more can indeed transform our life. IN THIS BOOK, YOU WILL • How to enjoy the present moment • How to calm down your thoughts • How to improve your focus and productivity • How to finally find peace of mind • How to create lasting habits AND SO MUCH MORE… You will find teachings and tools that your mind, your heart and your body need to undertake. We are eager to accompany you on this exciting journey.
“ Life is not black and white, but rather it is comprised of a thousand and one shades and nuances and the grace, the secret, is in the contrast, the games played by light and shadows. As in the breath and the heartbeat, our vital processes of inhaling and exhaling, systole and diastole, tension and distension, and the feelings of joy and sadness, courage and fear, anger and calm, fullness and emptiness - all these pairs come together to make up an inseparable whole.”
I enjoyed the bit sized information which was put together. I’ve taken some tips for daily practice and I seem to enjoy it - be it gratitude journal or way to wind up at the end of the day. I’ve also learnt a thing or two about What does Zen mean, concept of Useful thinking, concept of Wu Wei from Taoism, Japanese Art of Wabi Sabi ( do check this out with a google search)
Does it have something different to offer? That is a tricky question. I seemed to have enjoyed reading this book and also the process of reading one chapter a day and making one specific goal on what I want to try out over a period of the week. I would recommend it for people trying out new self help or productivity focused books.
Mindful Zen Habits delivers exactly what it promises-30 Zen Habits over 30 days that, if practiced, can change your life. But here's the catch. You won't find any new phenomenal idea in this book. It's the same old practicing gratitude, meditating, smiling more, stopping worrying, and planning your day.
Personally, these bite-sized daily motivations are exactly what I needed to pull my life together at the start of the year. Reading a chapter before going to bed every day relaxed and recharged me for the next day. The language did get a bit verbose and awkward at times, but, considering how the book did its job, I don't mind it.
I consider this a worthwhile read, but if you're looking for an answer to a more specific problem or a miraculous idea that will transform you even as you sit on your ass, then this book is not for you.
Here are my top 3 takeaways from it.
1. Your phone is for your convenience, not for the convenience of the one calling you. 2. Putting effort into solving your problems is much better than spending time dancing around them. 3. You need a goal for future direction and purpose so you can enjoy the present more.
Manuel Villa and Marc Reklau's "Mindful Zen Habits" reveals 30 scientifically-backed secrets to enjoying the present moment, calming down the thoughts, improving focus and productivity, finding inner peace, and creating long-lasting habits.
The title is packed with practical tips for creating habits that will make one feel mentally & emotionally happier.
This title dives into and how it can help us live better. The author gives many firsthand examples of attitude being the key to the change & the real change happens once we defeat the four horsemen of the Apocalypse which are:
This book delves into opening the door to change and how it can help us live better lives. The author provides numerous firsthand examples of attitude being the key to change, and true change occurs once we defeat the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, which are:
Idealized perfectionism (It will not work out well) Senseless arrogance (I do not need to hear or learn anything else) Bitter doubt (I do not know if it's worth trying, so I will do it half-heartedly) Eternal wait (Now is not the time, maybe later)
To establish winning determinations and enduring habits, we must have absolute and unshakable faith in ourselves, as well as a great lot of clarity on values, strengths, and shortcomings, as stated in the title.
By the end of the title, you’ll be equipped with the tools to build thinking and relationship habits that will lead to long-term happiness.
Some of my key takeaways frow the title are:
Reset your attitudes, revise your beliefs, and react to become more committed to the present. It's the same as letting fresh air in through a window to refresh the interior atmosphere.
Our values are the DNA of our soul; they allow us to draw strength from weakness, to forgive, and to enjoy the evanescence of life.
Enjoy every emotion, whether positive or negative. What matters is what we do with what happens to us, not what happens to us. So disconnect from the catastrophic beliefs and stay connected to the peace of the present.
You are not liable for other's behaviour. You are only accountable for your own behaviour. So be the change you want to see in the world.
"when 'the heavens want, the moon illuminates us with a its clarity, not a moment before nor after."
BOOK: MINDFUL ZEN HABITS : From suffering to happiness in 30 days AUTHOR(S): Marc Reklau & Manuel Villa GENRE: #selfhelp RATING: 4.5
First of all, in todays world of technological possibilities and depressed populations , people try alot to find happiness and peace constantly through many mediums people, talks, books, therapists etc whichever medium we choose, we choose them because we feel optimistic enough that we are in constant search of a solution for our own well being. And like physical wellness, so is mental wellness. Maybe all of us need to put our mental wellness as goal of top priority. This book is very insightful and let me tell you all we already know but put together well by people who have given much thought about mindfulness and mental health. We can live anyway we want to but not all ways give us happiness.t Through this book, the emphasis is put on what is within our control, what we can do or pursue, instead of focusing on the hinderances.
Smile More, Say No when needed, Give yourself the top priority, Show kindness & uplift others, Be supportive, Exercise, Keep a Journal, But most importantly be consistent in whatever you do.
I know I am being a little generous with these 3 stars even. This book is a simple and routing self-help book that asks you to wake up early, exercise, drink green tea, write a journal, practise gratitude and meditate. Not that these are not worthy habits. Just that these have been repeated on all self-help books a million times and there is nothing new from these authors except some sprinkling of platitudes. Also, there is not an iota of Zen anywhere in the book. Not sure why they decided to call this book 'Mindful Zen Habits', which I feel a bit misleading. Well, I maybe wrong, but if you have already read a bunch of self-help books and are practising the above habits, then you can safely skip this book. An OK read!
I am giving it 4 because there is very less related to Zen. But this book contains the content of most of the books out there. Non-fiction books out there talk about one particular things in extensive manner. This book contains the content of most of the self-help books. It talks about productivity, happiness, health, depression, moving on, problem solving, beliefs, and attitude. A good read if you are a beginner.
This book pretty much sums up some of the good self help books so it's very beginner friendly but zen wouldn't be the right title for the book. It emphasis is more towards meditation but doesn't teaches the techniques on how to meditate. It could be a good read for anyone struggling with anxiety and setbacks in general.
This book is a nice short read that you can finish reading in no time..
Though the book is really nice but I felt the book could be written better. I felt a lack of connection with the authors but also appreciated their attempt to explain their POV of zen habits.
Es un libro realmente interesante y bueno con consejos prácticos y faciles de realizar, el como está estructurado y diseñado para entenderle es muy bueno, siento que es un 📕 libro para todos 😊, y los mejor fácil de llevarlo a cabo.. es un tremendo librazo
This is a very well-rounded book. It's whatever everyone is looking for as it has a bit of everything in it. It's wise, inspiring, motivating and concise.
🌼A 150-page guide to mindful living, spelling out 30 practices in a simple and clear manner, that are easy to adopt and follow steadily. In a quite affable yet interesting way, Marc Rekhlau explains small changes and habits that can transform our attitudes and belief systems and grow us through even the worst of hardships.
🌼Definitely a book to be reread many times, possibly one chapter per day, as in given in day-wise format. And Repeat after the 30th 🔁