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September 8, 2010
It’s Springtime in Australia and it’s interesting how the change of season to Spring often brings with it a sense or need for renewal. Â When you think about the role of Spring as a season it is when the climate is beginning to warm significantly causing growth to “spring forth”. Â Many plants for example bloom this time of year.
Growth, renewal, new life. Â These are all themes we can apply to the cultivation of our minds. Â We are all mind gardeners and it’s a good time to consider what we have been cultivating. Â What seeds have we planted in the past that are now blooming? Â How can we “spring forth” the growth of our 100 billion neurons and their connections ?
Over the upcoming weeks repeat the statement “I am a mind gardener. Â What does my mind need right now?” and see what affect this has. Â Do you do anything differently? Â Do you experience anything new?
If you need any inspiration remember that the Mind Gardener Guides are designed to help you “spring forth” the growth of your mind on a daily basis. Â Enjoy!
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September 6, 2010
I had the pleasure of seeing Dr Norman Doidge present on Friday for the 4th time. Â We are lucky that he enjoys coming to Australia! Â And I can see why an invitation to him to participate in the Queensland Writers Festival during the first week of Spring would be irresistible!
I actually saw him at the UQ Business School’s CEO Summit where he was one of a number of speakers who made Friday a great day for stimulating the mind.
I often wonder why a book on some extreme cases of brain damage and, more importantly, repair has struck such a chord across the world. And I don’t doubt that it has something to do with proving that hope truly has a place in our lives. In situations once thought irresolvable, we now see that it is possible for people to return to a life worth living because the brain can be trained to adapt and grow.
But please don’t wait for an extreme situation to affect your life or those of loved ones. Â Start living with your brain in mind now! What is it that makes you unhappy, what is it that holds you back from living with meaning, what is it that harms your relationships? Â You’ll be surprised how much of it is all in your mind! Â So instead, pay attention to what makes you happy, what motivates and inspires you, and to engaging fully with those in your life. You may not feel your brain rewiring, but it really will, and life changes accordingly.
“Anything inside that immobilizes me, gets in my way, keeps me from my goals, is all mine.” Wayne Dyer
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September 1, 2010
It has felt like Spring all week to me, and I have been saying to everyone I meet “Isn’t it lovely?”. But I just noticed a trend today that seemed such a shame as this most wonderful season begins. Â “Oh, I don’t like how hot it will get soon” is something I’ve heard more than 3 times from various people.
Now I’m definitely one who does not like the heat, but let’s be honest, it does not get sticky hot in Brisbane until December. So we’ve got 3 months of the loveliest weather and everything that comes with it: birds nesting, gardens blooming, airy clothes replacing jeans and jackets, longer days, and no more chilly breeze.
So let’s not wish our life away by worrying about how uncomfortable we’ll be some time in the future. Instead let’s indulge in the gentle warm breeze on newly uncovered arms, the blossoming growth all around, and the hum of energy that accompanies this season of renewal. Be happy with how it feels now, not unhappy about how it might feel later. Welcome to Spring!
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August 27, 2010
Virgin’s Richard Branson and MAP Magazine’s Carl Lindgren – a global and local example of what we consider Great Business Brains. Â They steer their businesses in a way that is purposeful, creative and adaptive. Â For the past 10 years we have studied the secrets of successful business people and at the very foundation is the ability to lead with the brain in mind.
If you have a business or are thinking about starting one, our Business Brains Program is for you. It will provide you with all the information you need to set your business on the right track. From the uncertainty that can hinder your first tentative steps into your own business, through to steering your business through a major change, the practical guidance offered in this program will cut through the theory and give you clear steps to build momentum.
Join with other motivated business people over 12 weeks from 1 September 2010 and for just $AUD49.50 you will receive a weekly fact sheet and support via email from us to guide you through a proven process of building a healthy business. Â You don’t need to attend a course, just give yourself the permission to focus on your business for 12 weeks and try our practical activities to unlock pathways to great success.
Find out more and register online at www.businessbrains.com.au.
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August 25, 2010
We’ve been off air for a while so apologies for that. Lot’s of exciting things happening with new stockists and a distributor to get the Mind Gardener Guides out to gifts shops across Australia. We’ll update you on the new stockists shortly.
For those who were working on creating positive new habits, how have you gone? Â Don’t worry if you have struggled at times, just keep on implementing the steps and things will get easier. Â We’ve listed the full 10 steps here so refer to it regularly and trust the process!
Step1 Imagination + Will – create a positive habits vision board, and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day.
Step 2 Visualise + Buddy-Up -Â form a clear picture of the new habit you are creating, and buddy up with someone to give you the support and motivation you need.
Step 3 Daily Practice + Intent – do a nightly visualisation exercise, and when you wake up set your intent for the day.
Step 4 Excuses + Just Do It! – be watchful for your mind’s little traps, and when you are hesitating or putting things off, just do it!
Step 5 Positive Ratio – do 2 actions that move you towards your goal for every 1 action that does not.
Step 6 Positive reinforcement – focus on the things you have achieved, not on the “slip ups”.
Step 7 Celebrate + Reward – celebrate your achievements, and link positive experiences with your positive habit.
Step 8 Repetition – persevere by repeating the above steps over and over to build the neural pathways that reinforce your new habit.
Step 9 Pause + Choose – when faced with temptation, pause at every decision point and ask yourself what the wise choice would be.
Step 10 Good Company – surround yourself with the right environment, people and resources to support your new habit.
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August 8, 2010
Creating positive habits needs imagination, will and perserverence!
You’ve pictured your new positive habit in your life, you’ve created a vision board, and you’ve tried a few things to reinforce the importance of the new habit in your brain. Now it’s time for perserverence.
Repetition is one of the important things for embedding new habits and breaking old ones. By repeating things over and over, you train your brain for the new mindset that supports the new behaviours. Until you have repeated it enough times to make it your default response, it will not become a habit. At least 1 month is the suggested minimum length of time recommended for this phase of repetition, although it will vary from person to person and habit to habit. Sometimes your old habits have a strong hold and can draw you back!
So start your repetition commitment now and move your positive habit forward in leaps and bounds! This week keep alert for every opportunity for repetition and Just Do It!
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August 5, 2010
When you are creating a new positive habit it is important to associate it with positive experiences. By rewarding yourself when you do actions that are consistent with your new habit, you are reinforcing in your brain that this is something you want to do more.
Your reward should be something consistent with your new habit, and something that helps you form more positive mindsets about it. I’m buying myself some new yoga clothes (which I have not done for a very long time) because that will make me feel more committed and that I really am now a yoga practitioner. Â If you are saving money, how about a pretty money box in which to save your coins. Â Or maybe a bunch of flowers for yourself as a reward to taking the first step towards your habit.
Celebrations and rewards can be very motivating, but beware the celebration that undermines your new positive habit like a glass of wine, block of chocolate, or a sleep in!!
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August 3, 2010
How is your positive ratio going today?  When you evaluate your success, do you focus on the two positive things you achieved or the one “slip up” you made?  A common mindset trap for changing habits is the tendency to focus on what went wrong instead of what you successfully achieved.
Thoughts that fill our mind tend to transform themselves into action.  In other words, what you focus on is what you get and also what grows.  If we focus on the things that haven’t gone well for us in our habit changing then it is likely we will get more of those things occuring.
As you continue your positive ratio this week, keep your focus on celebrating the two things that were positive and letting go of that one “slip up”.
Watch how those positives grow and transform themselves into a new habit before you know it!
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August 2, 2010
We hope everyone made it through the weekend with some focus on the positive habit they would like to create.
Did you notice any excuses that pop up in your mind? Â Maybe you even challenged them and worked out why they were arising? I found out that I can easily come up with the excuse of sleeping in by thinking “a bit more sleep will be good for me” but what my brain was really saying was “it’s too cold, stay in this warm bed!” Â My sneaky mind used something that sounds sensible and logical, but the truth was I had a decent 8 hour sleep and did not need more. That’s a clear sign it was just an excuse.
The next step is to “Just Do It”. Â Surprisingly easy if you stop thinking and simply act. Â It’s just a little hard to stop thinking…!
The action for today is something that might help you “just do it”. Â Try this action all week. It’s called positive ratio and this is the challenge:
Do 2 actions that move you towards your goal for every 1 action that does not.
Consider these examples that show it may not be as simple as counting 2:1. There are other ways to apply the positive ratio:
- If your goal is to create a positive habit of spending quality time with your kids, for each time that you recognise you are not really listening to them or giving them your full attention, double the quality of your attention for the next 24 hours.
- If your goal is to create a positive habit of regular exercise, for each time that you skip it, do 2 things over the next 24 hours that are good for your body eg. do some stretches to make you more body-aware.
The positive ratio will help you to turn a situation in which you could be negative about your actions into something positive. Give it a go and see how much progress you make this week.
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July 30, 2010
It’s Friday and your commitment to your new positive habit may already be waning! Â Energy in = energy out, so when you are just getting started, energy needs to be put in again and again to get you on a roll.
Excuses are the mind’s way of justifying why you should slip back into the comfort zone. This morning I justified missing my yoga class by saying to myself “I need to finish this work before 9am so I’ll use the extra time to get it done.” The mind is very clever at coming up with seemingly valid reasons why you shouldn’t do something new and different, so be watchful for these little traps.
Your challenge over the weekend is to notice how often you come up with excuses, not just for the habit you are working on, but for anything. Â Ask yourself honestly whether the excuse is really a justification for choosing your comfort zone rather than the new positive habit. Â And at least 2 times this weekend, when you are faced with a choice of doing something that is consistent with your new positive habit, don’t think about it, just do it! Â Don’t put it off till next pay day, don’t miss something just to get your ironing done, don’t stay in just because it’s a little cold or rainy, and don’t listen to your mind’s clever little excuses!
These actions reinforce in your brain that the new neural pathways are important, and they starting breaking down the old neural pathways that are getting in the way. So stay focused and aware over the weekend and you’ll be proud of the results.
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Carolynn 
I haven’t got any cash out at the ATM, so I haven’t been tempted to spend.
Kiki-K, has a cute product for keeping track of your habits called the Weekly habits pad http://www.kikki-k.com/shop/product/weekly-habits-pad