Start Here: Master the Lifelong Habit of Wellbeing

Excellent practices that are accessible to everyone for managing stress and increasing happiness and productivity.

Start Here has officially been added to my favorite books to re-read list. After having read countless self-help and improvement books over the years, I must say Start Here is certainly up there for me. Not only was the content incredibly digestible, but it was also very thought-provoking(a major plus for me). On several occasions, I caught myself having to stop, really think about what I just read, apply it to my life, and begin to create action steps to implement soon after. The Life Cross Training (Life XT) program was very impressive. From the meditation routine to the movement, I started to notice more and more improvements in my daily habits. However, the Inquiry part really made THE biggest difference for me. I greatly enjoyed sitting there, thinking deeply about my thoughts, their origination, their impact on my life, my beliefs, and even having hour-long conversations with them. Soon enough, it almost started to feel like a fun game that I'd play between myself and my own mind. Lastly, I'll add, both Eric Langshur and Nate Klemo did a fantastic job at delivering their message in a practical, yet innovative manner that really just about anyone can apply to their lives. It was filled with great testimonials and personal stories, which just added that perfect extra layer of human element to it all. Highly recommend!

The authors accomplished the difficult task to put all the most important advice together into a program that is easy to follow.

Start Here is one of those transformational books that comes along maybe once a decade in life. The book is chock-full of extraordinary wisdom about how to live life well. It is simple to read, understand, and consume, and yet the content is anything but simplistic. Langshur and Klemp do a terrific job of bringing together and synthesizing ancient wisdom, modern science, and remarkable practical insights and suggestions on how to put into practice the ideas discussed. The book is broken into three stages, beginning with "Train" (i.e., Meditation, Movement (Exercise), and Inquiry). This is followed by "Be" (Presence, Gratitude, and Compassion), and, finally, "Do" (Engagement, Relationships, and Contribution). The book provides vast resources to go more in-depth on any or all of the concepts discussed (personally, I found the section on Inquiry to be compelling, and the resources offered spot-on in my desire to go deeper​). In a nutshell, this is an important work and indeed can change one's life. You want to own and read this work.

So here's the thing: I've start/stopped mediation now for about 5 years. At various times, and under different motivations, I'd decide that I needed to explore meditation and began to practice with enthusiasm. For many reasons, I struggled to integrate meditation and mindfulness and the myriad other aspects of being present into my day to day routine. It just never stuck. That is, until I read Start Here. What drew me to the book were two things: 1) that it is deeply rooted in the literature of thought, providing a sort of a drive-by buffet of insights from the great works of philosophical inquiry and religious meditations; and 2) that it brings many of these concepts forward to the present day by linking them to the science that underlines them. As a scientist by training and inclination, I was fascinated to read and learn that "re-wiring the brain for happiness" is not some far out idea, but in fact, a real and attainable outcome that can be achieved by anyone. This book shows how, and it does so in a easy to read, easy to follow and easy to understand style. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Having got my hands on an advance copy of the book, I have been putting the LifeXT principles to work daily since the beginning of the year. I realize and feel the benefits and look forward to my early morning routine where I am quiet and still. It sets me up perfectly for the day.