Watch Me Paint- Binaural Beats

If you're reading this, you probably know me from my writing...but did you know I also love to paint? I am an amateur and self-taught (along with the help of Bob Ross videos!) but I really LOVE to paint and I want to get better at it. So this year I have made the goal of creating a different painting each week. Then by December 31, 2018 I should have 52 paintings done!

I finished week 1, and I decided to try something different with it. I recorded myself painting it, because I know some people find watching people paint to be very relaxing. As I was editing the video, I thought "What could make this even more relaxing?". Then the answer came to me: Binaural beats!

I was introduced to binaural beats in massage school by a classmate who had been using them. The experts can explain it much better than I, but basically binaural beats are sound waves that play slightly different frequencies in each ear (so you must wear headphones) and cause different reactions  in our bodies. These effects happen naturally in us (for example, alpha waves are produced almost as soon as we close our eyes) but by listening to binaural beats, we can speed up that process. I have used binaural beats to relax, to feel energized, and even to get rid of headaches!

So I have added some music to this video to cover up the binaural beats (which sound like a "hum"). The waves used here are alpha waves (10hz) which is known to decrease depression, increase creativity and a sense of well-being.

I hope you will enjoy! This is a new thing I am trying. My goal is just to give people free avenues they can use to relax and meditate. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

-J. M. Degamo

3 Reasons You Should Make Resolutions This Year (Even If You Fail)

It's that time of the year again. We're packing away our holiday decorations, shaking off our hangovers and breathing in the air of a New Year. One of my friends posted this meme the other day, and the sentiment seemed to be a popular one amongst my peers and loved ones. We've come to expect it at this point- with the new year comes hoards of people making resolutions, feeling pumped with the excitement of starting fresh only to slowly (or suddenly) quit. In fact, the act of giving up on resolutions is almost as much of a tradition as making them. Many of my friends said they don't make resolutions, because if they really want to change, they can do it any time of the year. And while this is true, is there something different about making New Year's Resolutions?