Mindfulness and the SAT

Mindfulness and the SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In this article, we'll discuss how to use mindfulness to crush the SAT (and everything else that stresses you out!). On Test Day â€Å"Our mind is constantly evaluating our experiences, comparing them with other experiences or holding them up against expectations and standards that we create, often out of fear.† -Jonathan Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are When you walk into the gym/classroom/cafeteria on test day, it’s likely that you’ll be feeling anxious and scared. Even though you might have prepped for the SAT with all kinds of courses, you may be nervous. All kinds of important, but unpredictable, life situations produce these feelings. But here’s the thing: anxiety and fear actually impede (get in the way of) your ability to perform your best on the SAT. In fact, they impede almost everything we try to get done in a day. To boost our performance, the best thing we can do (besides personalized SAT prep) is try to minimize our anxiety, but most people have no idea how to do this. There is a simple solution: mindfulness. What’s mindfulness? â€Å"You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf.† -Jonathan Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are Mindfulness, according to the Oxford New American Dictionary, is: 1: the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something; 2: a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. So, it’s possible to be mindful in any given moment, not thinking about anything but the present time and place. But the practice of mindfulness is cultivating the ability to be mindful more frequently and more easily, and is the secret to the inner peace of Buddhist monks, among others. However, while monks meditate for hours every day to cultivate their mindfulness, it is possible for high school students (and, in fact, anyone) to use the power of mindfulness. Given any amount of time, but especially if you start well ahead of test day, you can harness the power of your own inner strength using mindfulness to get your best possible score. // What can mindfulness do for me? Life is stressful, especially for teenagers. There’s school, sports, extracurriculars, social life, family time, andon top of it alltest prep. Mindfulness is a scientifically proven, thoroughly researched way to reduce stress and provide a calm state of mind that can help you get through any situation, especially one as potentially anxiety-producing as the SAT. Read on for details of what exactly this means. Practice: how and when? Meditation, or mindfulness practice, is nothing but sitting, standing, laying or even walking while focusing only on the present momentwhat you see, hear, and feel right now. There are a million websites and books that discuss when, where and how to do it. But the great thing about mindfulness practice is that, while 30 minutes or an hour of daily practice can do wonders, even 5 minutes of intentional mindfulness every day (or even every few days, or every week) can seriously improve your ability to stay calm, focus, and perform better. If you follow our recommendation to do 100 hours of focused online SAT prep (it’s not as bad as it sounds!), you’ll end up with 250-500 minutes, or 4-8 hours, of mindfulness practice. That’s more than enough to boost your emotional and psychological readiness for the SAT, as well as the crazy stuff college is going to throw at you. We recommend that, before you start your SAT prep session, sit (on the floor, ideally) or lay down and focus on nothing but the present moment. Many people find that it helps to focus on the breath moving in and out of their body. Try to do it for 5 minutes, even if it is difficult or frustrating. By associating your mindfulness practice with your SAT practice, you’re training yourself to be mindful on test day. Discipline concentration â€Å"Discipline provides a constancy which is independent of what kind of a day you had yesterday and what kind of a day you anticipate today.† -Jonathan Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are In addition to its other benefits, regular meditation improves discipline and concentration, which are key for any academic pursuit. You don’t have to do anything to gain this benefit: just do nothing for 5 minutes before every session of SAT prep you do, the more often the better. Try it out Right now, just sit cross-legged on the floor, close your eyes, and focus your attention on your breathing. Count the breaths, if that helps. When other thoughts pop up, acknowledge them and let them go, bringing your attention back to your breath. Try it for 5 minutes, and see if you don’t feel calmer and more centered afterward. If you found this helpful or interesting, please take a moment to sign up for our email list at right: we’ll never sell your email address, and we crank out great posts on SAT-related topics every week. Also, check out our Free SAT Guide:

Ethical Lens Inventory Results Essay

Ethical Lens Inventory Results Essay Ethical Lens Inventory Results Essay Ethical Lens Inventory Results Odessa Whitehouse US/101 March 15, 2013 Kendra Justice My Ethical Lens Inventory tells me that my preferred lenses are the results and reputation lenses because I tend to listen to my intuition to determine the greatest good for each individual and which character traits and virtues will best serve my community. I value autonomy and equality equally while seeking interdependence with a moderate value sensibility, following my heart to make prudent choices, using rationality and reasoning to find the rules of life. In practical matters I use wisdom and foresight as I act with enlightened self-interest, managing to avoid rash actions while staying optimistic, imaginative, and courageous in the face of obstacles. Tending to assume that everyone operates from a clear sense of their own values and positive character traits required by their role, I define ethical behavior as creating the greatest good by living out role responsibilities such as making responsible choices that benefit many different individuals at the same time. People who demonstrate strong leadership and encourage others to do the same exemplify ethical behavior in my eyes. The tools I use to analyze problems are experience and tradition. I see current situations in the light of experience and use a combination of intuition and imagination to incorporate new information and solve problems. I focus on what is going on in a situation, considering options that both reflect excellence in my role and make people happy. I consider multiple perspectives and am comfortable with ambiguity. I am self-reliant and accountable, not afraid to pursue my delights and freedom for all in my community. I am able to put myself in the shoes of others and tell their story. Ensuring that all have free will lessens the risk of reducing decisions to a narrow and purely financial cost-benefit analysis. Should my compassion fail I may believe that I am entitled to perks or privileges because of my role. If I fail to exercise free will responsibly, my pursuit of good for all can devolve into an excuse for taking as much for myself as I can get away with. If I become hard-hearted, I may apply capricious and inappropriate solutions. I may be prone to sudden unpredictable changes in attitude or behavior such as impulsiveness. I must develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection or I may face failure. I may lose friends because my acquisitiveness or obsession with responsibilities can drive them away. Ethical Lens Inventory Results My ethical lens directs my academic behavior in that I am able to see other people’s points of view with an open mind. I am able to put myself in their shoes to really

Schmidt Surname Meaning and Family History

Schmidt Surname Meaning and Family History The surname Schmidt is an occupational surname for blacksmith or metalworker, from the German word schmied or the Danish smed. Schmidt is the German equivalent of the English surname SMITH. SCHMITZ is another German variant of this surname. SCHMIDT is the 2nd most common German surname  and the 31st most common Danish surname. Surname Origin:  German, Danish Alternate Surname Spellings:   SCHMID, SCHMITT, SCHMITZ Famous People with the Surname SCHMIDT: Kendall Schmidt - American actor and singerOtto Schmidt - Soviet geophysicist and polar explorerHelmut Schmidt - Chancellor of West Germany from 1974–1982 Where is the SCHMIDT Surname Most Common? Despite its German origins, the SCHMIDT surname today is most prevalent in the United States, according  to surname distribution from  Forebears. It is more common  based on population percentage, however, in countries such as Austria (where it ranks 22nd in the nation), Denmark (31st), Greenland (41st), Switzerland (43rd) and  Liechtenstein (48th). According to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, Schmidt is found most frequently in Germany. The surname is common throughout the country, but used by the greatest number of individuals in Thà ¼ringen and Sachsen-Anhalt. Schmidt is also extremely common in  Sà ¸nderjylland (Southern Jutland), Denmark. Genealogy Resources for the Surname SCHMIDT: Common German Surnames Their MeaningsUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to German surnames meanings and origins. Schmidt  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schmidt  family crest or coat of arms for the Schmidt surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Smith DNA ProjectOver 2400 individuals with the Smith surname- including variations such as Schmidt, Smythe, Smidt and Smitz- have joined this DNA project to use DNA in combination with genealogy research to sort out over 220 distinct groups of Smith descendants. Schmidt Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Schmidt surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Schmidt query. FamilySearch - SCHMIDT GenealogyExplore over 3.6  million results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Schmidt surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SCHMIDT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Schmidt surname. DistantCousin.com - SCHMIDT  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schmidt. GeneaNet - Schmidt  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schmidt  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Schmidt  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Schmidt  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Database Secuirty Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Database Secuirty - Coursework Example As such, the company ought to put in place structures that will ensure information security in two main ways, (1) authentication and authorization, and (2) general policies and procedures. The firm’s database containing all information pertaining to tenants and other aspects of the business will be stored in two main servers. These servers will be accessible by all tenants and building managers. Every database user will have a login account that will allow them access to the database. There are two general types of accounts, (1) tenant accounts for tenants, and (2) manager accounts for building managers. Each account will determine the scope of information that the given user is allowed. While manager accounts will have administrator privileges, tenant accounts will have very limited access to the database. Each login account will have a password that will be created by each user upon creation of the account. A firewall is in essence a baseline control for the securing of any network environment of any enterprise. Routers are usually integrated with a firewall. Examples include software based packet filtration and Network Address Translation. A distinct firewall that is hardware based is recommended. This is due to the disturbing fact that hackers in this time and age employ advanced technology and methodologies that they use to breach networks. A good example of this is APT (Advanced Persistent Threats). These employ advanced phishing techniques and complex algorithms. The threat posed by such security menaces may damage a company’s reputation or compromise the integrity of its confidential information, causing it to lose clientele as banks would in the case where credit card numbers are leaked. The use of a firewall supplemented by an antivirus is not sufficient to ensure information security. An intrusion detection system will be put in place. An intrusion detection system is vital for the

Analyse and assess the factors behind the motivation of American Essay

Analyse and assess the factors behind the motivation of American soldiers in the Civil War - Essay Example In the reconstruction era most of the issues raised in the civil war were settled however, some of the issues remain unsolved but people got the solution of their major causes and problems1. The American Civil War has been regarded as one of the earliest industrial war fought in America. During the war mass produces weapons, railways, telegraphs streams and roadways were widely employed. It was also the deadliest war in the history of United States because over 620,000 soldiers were killed during the war and numbers of civilian casualties were also reported from all over the country. The war concluded with the desired outcomes for the North in term of termination of Confederacy and slavery. The demand of free men society was approved and all the slaves were freed from the slavery and were bestowed the rights to live freely in the country2. Factors behind the Motivation of Soldiers The identification of the factors behind the motivation of the soldiers to fight in the Civil war is an important issue that has been explored extensively by the historians and social scientists. The social and political situation of the country has been assessed in detail to understand the perspectives of people and soldiers. In addition to this, the letter, dairies and life stories of different soldiers participated in the war are also widely read and analyzed to understand their motive to take part in the war. Since, Civil War soldiers were the most literate soldiers in the war history they had strong intellectual base and thoughtful motivations behind their fight that they widely expressed through their letters and personal diaries3. Understanding the thinking style and direction of the Civil war soldiers is a complicated and challenging task that became easy by reading the diaries and letters of these soldiers. This understanding is very important to identify the factors that actually worked to motivate them at that time and to understand what the soldiers were thinking and feeli ng at the war time. Due to this reason, their personal writings have been regarded as most important source to list out the factor behind the motivation of soldiers during the civil war. The letters and dairies acted as major source to understand the thoughts and actions of the soldiers during the Civil war. On the basis of this analysis the historians and war experts have listed out numbers of factors that encouraged the soldiers to fight in the war. The American Civil War lasted for four years during which thousands of soldiers were dead but war was fueled by more soldiers came forward to take part in the war. There are several factors that motivated the soldiers to take part in the Civil war. Most of the soldiers participated in the Civil War were volunteer from the civilian life and they were not professional soldiers. They don’t have professional training of war but their motivation kept them fighting throughout the war just like the professionally trained soldiers. The motivation of the soldiers during the Civil war is a golden part of the political history of America because people were fighting for their cause with full dedication and potential. The traditional thoughts affirm that the soldiers were motivated to fight during the war by the factors like patriotism, ideology, religious issues and quest for glory however, the in depth studies have pointed out towards some close and real reasons

Does the EU have negative impacts on small states in the EU Does it Research Paper - 1

Does the EU have negative impacts on small states in the EU Does it fringe them The divide between the north and the south - Research Paper Example Additionally, it is hard to identify the similarities among the foreign policies of these small states. On the other hand, it is a challenge to enhance the influential factor on their international relations. It comes to a point that we need to plan and strategize what we know and what we need know to identify and understand the challenges facing the small states. This article confirms such doubts by giving answers to four questions: what is a small state according to the European Union? What is the behavior of a small state in the European state? What are challenges facing the small states in the European Union? What are the general effects of European Union on the small states in the European Union? This paper adopts the thesis statement that European developments have brought out many alterations on small states. However, these alterations occur in both positive and negative measures. Smaller states are in consideration because their economic development happens to less than compared to other bigger states such as Britain and France. Additionally, the population level in small states happen to be low than the bigger states. In most cases, such small states have less influence on the decisions made by European Union. Such happenings happen to be in existence because decisions made by European Union during different summits affect these small states in general. For example, the regulations set to regulate the interest levels have affected the small states both positively and negatively. This research is beneficial since it initiates better understanding on the policies affecting small states either positively or negatively. Additionally, this research identifies the major reasons as to why such small states are affected by the policy developments made by European Union. In general, the research will offer differential weight on the benefits and effects of policy development by the European Union to the small states. The relevant question at hand

HISTORY( read carefully and then start writing the paper) Essay

HISTORY( read carefully and then start writing the paper) - Essay Example Democracy in real sense does not have 1 singular meaning. It is made of parts or components in order for it to be complete. Many countries have not experienced democracy especially Africa, Middle East, some Asian nations and so on. In this essay I will dwell on America’s democracy, I will devour the origin and the steps it took in order to build up the democracy. Democracy is made up of four parts-: That is democracy as known by most Americans. Before all these freedoms that populace enjoy came about, there were processes. America has crawled for years to where it is now, and along the way it was fortunate enough to have presidents like Lincoln who by all might and wisdom had the guts to safeguard democracy when logic defied this. The civil war was democratic journey undertaken painfully. This Civil War of 1830s that was feared in America was a conflict between liberal and the conservative factions.   Each side had the potential of field militias and European-style armies.   The incredible similarity on the opposing sides, in each region, directed them into blood loss and bitterness. The conservatives and the liberals fought it out in 1830s. This war spread in every part of North America. However, the bloodiest fighting was centered in Mexico. Their enemy answers to the question revealed what those parties were actually fighting about:  Ã‚   That was in the 18th century, but the match to full democracy matched on to 21st century, martin Luther led a revolution of sorts in fighting for equality, it was also bloody and unethical but the match had to continue. This was done in pursuance of the above named components which we can say, they have been achieved. For democracy to exist some cultural beliefs, such as the responsibility of women in society and the role of the poor in society, had to change indefinitely (Richard & Gaston, 56-58). Back then around 18th the rich were gods while the poor were not viewed as people