Shareable: There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so ~ William Shakespeare
We live in a world of contrast and in that experience our minds create meaning and form judgements: good-bad, right-wrong.
If 80% of the time the brain focuses on what’s going wrong (spiking cortisol) and 95% of the time we are subconsciously relying on programming that is 70% faulty, then feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and even burnt out is inevitable.
Both Jonas Salk and Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis had their breakthroughs after they distanced themselves; spent time away from the stress of their problems. Often when we distance ourselves physically, we relax mentally. Cortisol levels drop and the success hormones become more activated. During these interesting times, we quite fortunately can practice mental distancing from the convenience and comfort of our own homes.
Consider this two step power activation process for strengthening your ‘executive’ brain. Get intentional with it and make it your new habit. When you do, you’ll experience some of the powerful benefits listed below in your business and your life.
And remember, just like any work out, it takes time to build muscle. Be patient. We’ve lived with these programs for most of our lives.
1. Recognize how often you go into self judgement or criticism. If you’re too busy or distracted to recognize this within yourself at first, simply notice how often you’re judging or criticizing another and it best not be this correspondence! The level to which we judge others, is the level to which we also judge ourselves. You can also take it a step further as Marcus suggests below: “ Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” ― Marcus Aurelius
2. Experience deliberate and supportive contrast:
Instead, of continuing to experience life from this place of uncomfortable contrast, consider getting in touch with a kinder, more benevolent part of yourself. You know, the one that does such a great job lifting others up, helping and doing for them, sometimes to the detriment of your own happiness. When you do, you’ll not only feel more whole, you’ll find less of a need to judge others and others will judge you less. That’s called a power play under the Courageous Leadership platform.
• In a recent survey I conducted, 0% percent of participants practiced saying, “I love you” to themselves.
Powerful benefits you create when practicing mental distancing:
• You strengthen the biochemistry of our success hormones thereby extending the amount of time you feel good and activating the executive brain.
• You reduce that 80% focus on what’s wrong and increase focus on what’s working. In turn, you experience greater ease and flow in your business and in life.
• The quality of your experience improves naturally.
• You feel more satiated, content, even energized.
• Balance and well being becomes your way of life.
• You become a stronger leader, one that others want to emulate.
Now you consider just what else might be possible?
