Category Archives: Your Brain

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Control What You CAN Control. . .

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Control what you CAN control.We spend lots of time trying to control our Fears, Feelings, and Thoughts.  But, we can’t.  We can decide how long they will keep us stuck, but we just can’t stop them from popping up.  And yet, we spend LOTS of energy trying to avoid them.

Why not spend your time on what you CAN control?

You do have a choice about your Aspirations, Attitude, and Actions.  Focus there.

Let go of the things you can’t control and then choose to control what you CAN control.

Listen below for details.

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Thrivers Care For Themselves

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ThriversCareForSelvesYears ago, I was learning all I could about resilience, personal development, and how to thrive.

I forgot one very important element:  my physical health.  My body, it would seem, I just left out of the equation.

My body did send me a loud “wake up call.”  When the doctor told my wife I was headed for disability and eventual death, due to a diagnosis he had made, I woke up.

Well, to be honest, it still took me several months.  During those months, I was just struggling to move forward, one plodding foot at a time.  But about 4 months in, I was starting to get better — and realize I was NOT where I needed to be, physically.

As I discovered, it was my body that needed to cart around my thriving mind.  And, in fact, it was much easier for my mind to be thriving when my body was thriving.

Let me be clear:  this is not about being in optimal, ready-for-magazine cover, shape.  It is about taking care of your body, so that you can truly thrive.  We all have a different level of what is possible.  For most of us, though, there is room for improvement.

Learn about the 4 areas I recommend, and the very simple recommendations I make in this week’s podcast.

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What Thriving People Know About Gratitude And Appreciation

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What Thrivers Know About Gratitude And AppreciationSome people seem to just know how to thrive.  For the rest of us, we need to learn the skills of thriving.

Today, we discuss one skill easily learned, with incredible impact.  And it is one I work to incorporate into my life.

Thrivers practice gratitude and appreciation.

Gratitude is the attitude and mindset of noticing what is right, what is enough, and what is in abundance in our lives.  You see, our brains naturally look at the world through scarcity — “I don’t have enough.”  But there is another mode, one that switches the brain to love — Gratitude!

When we focus upon and look for the pieces of life for which to be grateful, our brain begins to switch modes.  It re-wires to look for more evidence of abundance.  And when we show appreciation, we carve out stronger bonds with those around us.

Practicing gratitude leaves you more satisfied and happy, healthier, better connected, less depressed, and less anxious.

And you can practice gratitude in just a few minutes each day!

Learn how in this week’s podcast.

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You Feel Your Focus

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You feel your focus.What is your focus?

Do you focus on the threats and dangers, the “what’s wrong” of life?

It is seductive.  The “news” surrounds us with stories that can lead you to believe we are in danger at every turn.

The “self-help” world tells us all the things that are “wrong” with us.

And our brain latches on to those messages.  Our brain gets sucked into the fears and threats.

So why do we seem to miss all that is “right,” going well, and good?

The “Amygdala Hijack” is to blame.

Unless we choose our focus, we will become focused on the fearful, the dangerous, the threatening.

And we will miss the beautiful, the hopeful, the meaningful, and the inspirational.

Let’s talk about how you limit your exposure.  Let me tell you about 5 ways to take back your brain and your mind from the Amygdala Hijack.

 

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Is It REALLY Depression?

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Is this really depression? Conditions that look like depression.“If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.”  Or so the saying goes.

With symptoms of depression, it is not quite so clear.

Years ago, I had a client in my office who had been working to resolve her depression for years.  Medicine after medicine, doctor after doctor, therapist after therapist, all tried to resolve her depression.

There was little to no improvement.  In fact, it just seemed to be getting worse.

I asked a simple question:  “Have you had your bloodwork done?”

I sent her back to her doctor, and had her request one specific blood test.   My guess was right.  Her thyroid was not working correctly.  Many mental health professionals were so fixated on her depression that they missed the fact that it was an easily treated medical condition.

In this week’s podcast, I cover 8 other issues, medical and psychological, that look like depression — but are not depression and do not need to be treated like depression.

Here is why this is important:  before you treat “depression,” you want to make sure it is depression.  Medicine and psychotherapy do no good, if you are aiming at the wrong target.

Listen in as I discuss some “look alikes” that appear to be depression, but are not.

Other Podcasts in the Dealing With Depression Series:
Truths and Myths About DepressionWhat IS Depression?

 

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What IS Depression?

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What IS depression?Disclaimer:  The information I provide in this blog and podcast are not to be construed as medical advice.  Before making any changes, you should consult with your doctor.

This material is my opinion, based in research and experience.  It may or may not apply to you.

In the last podcast, I discussed some myths and truths about depression.

But what IS depression?

This is a simple question.  But the answer is complex.

Part of the reason for the complexity is because we are still unclear on what causes depression, what defines depression, and how depressive symptoms can be a part of life.

This week, I want to provide a multidimensional view of depression.  It is not simply a medical condition.  Nor is it a “moral failing.”  Nor is it “all in your head.”

Depression does have a medical impact, does affect one’s thoughts, and has symptoms throughout the body and mind.

Before we take a look at how to address depression, we want to be clear on what we are addressing.  Listen below for my understanding of depression.

 

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3 Tools for Dealing With Your Anger: #44 Thriveology Podcast

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Anger is the external emotion of the internal emotion of hurt. Anger.

It can be frightening.

It can push you away.  It can push others away.

And expressing anger does little to resolve anger.  In fact, it often only feeds the anger, stoking the fire until it is dangerously out of control.

Anger is a misunderstood emotion.  In fact, it is in not the true emotion.  Anger is the outer expression of the inner emotion of hurt.

When we are hurt, we can feel vulnerable, scared, and hesitant.  So, we don’t express the hurt.  We erupt in anger.

The anger serves to push the source of the hurt away, but does nothing to soothe the hurt.

We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that the hurt persists and the anger grows.  Resentment takes root, creating more destruction and damage.

Is there another way?

In this week’s podcast, I provide you with 3 simple tools that will help you resolve the anger, once-and-for-all.

Join me for this podcast.

Then let me know what you think below!

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This Moment Matters: Interview with Shawn Ellis, #42 Thriveology Podcast

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Shawn-400x600We fill every day up.  In fact, we often fill every moment of every day up.

And the moments pass.  The days pass.

We move from crisis to crisis, event to event.

We try to do multiple things at the same time, and pretend it is a skill.

In the process, we miss out on the richness of this moment.  We miss out on being truly engaged in the world.

Today, I have a special guest, Shawn Ellis.

Shawn offers a different perspective.  What if THIS moment (and this one, and this one. . . ) matters?

To be more clear, what if WE realize that this moment matters?

Shawn, like me, is always learning and growing.  One day, he realized the moments were passing him by in a blur.  An entrepreneur, business owner, husband, and father, Shawn was pulled in all directions — defaulting to the myth of multi-tasking.

One day, he realized that life was passing him by, even as Shawn was trying to live.

What Shawn discovered is something he is now sharing with people and companies all over:  This Moment Matters.

After listening to our discussion, you can visit Shawn at This Moment Matters (http://thismomentmatters.com).

 

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Bad Habits? Change Them! (An Interview with Josh Matthews-Morgan): #41

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Our brains can work for us or against us.  We can live, stuck in the loops of poor habits.  Or we can create rituals (habits of choice) and transform ourselves.

Bad habits are often habits that worked at one time, but no longer serve us.  Unfortunately, they are wired into our brains.  And we likely go there automatically.

Josh Matthews-MorganBut what if you want to be in peak performance?  How can you make some simple (very small) shifts that not only break old habits, but create new ones — rituals of choice?

Today, I interview Josh Matthews-Morgan.  Josh is a trainer, speaker, author and coach.  Along with his partner, Josh offers training internationally, helping teams and individuals shift to peak performance.

Josh and I cover some pretty amazing stuff, helping you shift your life to a thriving space, aimed at peak performance.

Learn how to break those pesky habits.  Learn how to create better ways of thriving in your life.

And learn how to master your fears that keep you from moving forward!

If you want to learn more about Josh and his work, please watch the free video training he is providing to the Thrive Nation.

You can find the videos here:
http://LearnYourBrain.com/thriveology

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3 Steps to Dealing With Doubt: 40 Thriveology Podcast

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Dealing with doubt.That tiny little voice whispers to us:  “Don’t do it.  Don’t try it.  You can’t do it.  You won’t make it.”

That little voice of doubt.

Do you have it?

You do.

How do I know?

We ALL have it.  We all believe we are the only ones suffering from those feelings of doubt.

But those doubts are universal.  Nobody is immune.

When you look at someone and see confidence, you might believe differently.

That confidence is the outward emotion.  It doesn’t mean the internal feeling is of self-doubt and fear.

The very talented and famous actor, Sir Laurence Olivier, suffered from stage fright.  Yet his performances sparkled.  His great acting was not because he had no doubt, no fear.  It was in spite of his fears and doubts.

Sometimes, we find it easier to give in to the fears and doubts.  We decide to “play it small,” to avoid the challenge.  And in the end, we allow the self-doubt to win.

In this week’s podcast, I offer a 3 step process to stop self-doubt in its tracks.  Don’t let self-doubt keep you stuck!

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