Thank goodness for that!
New research quoted in Science Daily (Sep. 22, 2010) and featured on Radio 2, found that talking to yourself can aid self-control. For the full article follow the link below.
Role of the inner voice in self-control: http://bit.ly/bBF1km
Friday, 24 September 2010
Talking to Yourself is NOT the First Sign of Madness
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Improving the Marginal Performers
The latest research (August 6th 2010) by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) reveals that "half of managers misjudge their workplace performance".
In their own words this results in "hindering the performance of the UK’s already struggling businesses and public sector organisations". (Mike Petrook)
Coaching is invaluable as a tool to therefore improve performance. It is key to get people to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. Allowing people the space to identify what they need to do to improve is essential.
read the article in full at http://www.managers.org.uk/news/half-managers-misjudge-their-workplace-performance
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
New Year's Resolutions - words are not enough
Saying you'll do something needs more than just words and that's why most new year's resolutions don't last long.
The good news is that if you tell yourself enough times at regular intervals, the brain will start to take notice. (For more detail on getting things into long term memory see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/your-business/start/business-planning/techniques-for-training-the-aging-brain/article1430038/)
The brain is a creature of habit so will want to revert back to what it knows, your old habits. If you want to do something new therefore you need to teach the brain. You need to create new pathways.
Ever had the light bulb moment, the moment something clicked in your brain and it made sense. That's a new pathway being created in the brain. Just like the branch of a tree, it needs a new shoot to start it's growth. Our brains are the same, they need a starting point, which can be your resolution. You're all fired up!
The good news is that if you tell yourself enough times at regular intervals, the brain will start to take notice. (For more detail on getting things into long term memory see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/your-business/start/business-planning/techniques-for-training-the-aging-brain/article1430038/)
The brain is a creature of habit so will want to revert back to what it knows, your old habits. If you want to do something new therefore you need to teach the brain. You need to create new pathways.
Ever had the light bulb moment, the moment something clicked in your brain and it made sense. That's a new pathway being created in the brain. Just like the branch of a tree, it needs a new shoot to start it's growth. Our brains are the same, they need a starting point, which can be your resolution. You're all fired up!
Watch in just over 1 minute the brain in action making new connections http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ3401XVYww
To keep fired up however and keep the momentum going, you need to feed this new brain connection. Make it from a new shoot to a strong branch.
This is were your new year's resolution needs repetition. Once started, the shoot needs to be strengthened to grow stronger. This is where you need to keep repeating the new behaviour so it becomes a new habit.
A lot of us will give up early on and wonder why it hasn't worked. That's because it takes approximately 6 weeks to build a new habit, so it becomes habit (we don't even have to think about it as much).
A lot of us will give up early on and wonder why it hasn't worked. That's because it takes approximately 6 weeks to build a new habit, so it becomes habit (we don't even have to think about it as much).
We need to strengthen the new connection. It's worth it, because after the first bit that feels strange, hard, not going to work etc it then becomes second nature and it can have lasting effects.
So if getting more exercise is your new year's resolution. Start with small steps. Gradually build it and keep at it. This way it becomes a new habit and will get easier and easier. You have more chance of lasting change this way.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit" Aristotle
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit" Aristotle
Monday, 5 October 2009
What Motivates You?
Think of a time when you achieved something. What was it that got you to achieve it? What was your motivation?
I recall running the New York Marathon. It was my first marathon and I was terrified! I had my goal however and just went for it. My motivators were plenty. A trip to New York. Going with friends and family and the thought of drinking cold beer with them when I crossed the finishing line! My training was in the summer and I love being out doors.
Compare this with the London Marathon where i had fewer motivations, especially as the training was in the Winter. I realised i love being outside, but not in the cold!
Being aware of whether you are internally or externally motivated can have a big impact on you. I know that I'm internally motivated to set my goal and motivate myself. I wasn't motivated by the medal (well maybe the goodie bag!) it was more about the social aspect and the buzz of doing it.
Are you internally motivated or externally?
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Pain Relief and relaxation
a contradiction in terms!
Using deep relaxation or Hypnosis can help. Hypnosis allows you more control not less, it is your desire to change that is the key strength.
Hypnosis is a state we have all been in before, that's why it feels so familiar. It is basically deep relaxation. Have you ever day dreamed? Have you ever driven a car and got part of the way or to your destination and can't remember all of the journey? That's hypnosis!
Allowing yourself to completely relax allows the window from your conscious mind (you reading this now) to your unconscious (deep relaxation) to open and make that change.
Get yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. As you inhale through your nose, move your tummy out and allow the breath to then wave up your rib cage and to your chest. This is a really deep breath. Enjoy the sensation of this wave. Imagine all the clear air filling your lungs. Exhale through your mouth. Aim for you inhale to be at least 3 seconds and your exhale 5. You can increase this with practice.
Slow, deep and rhythmic breathing triggers relaxation. it's the opposite of the fight or flight response (Alman. B & Lambrou. P. 2008)
You can deepen your relaxation by imaging every part of your body becoming more relaxed. Focus on every body part, tighten it and then release and relax it. Start at your toes and move all the way to your head, (please contact me if you need further instructions on this).
One technique for pain relief is to focus on it. It may seem like a contradiction, but in order to have more control of it, you can visualise it as a "thing/entity".
In your relaxed state, describe your pain to yourself. Locate it. Where is it? is it burning, sharp etc? what does it look like? is it a large stone, a colour or a pool of water for example. Find an image that works for you.
Keep your deep breathing. Ride the waves of deep relaxation and focus on your pain image.
With each out breath imagine your image reducing by a tiny proportion. with each breath a tiny part escapes and reduces the image in your mind. If it is a solid object, imagine with each out breath it reduces. If it is a colour, with each out breath the colour fades a shade.
in order to have full control of your pain, image with each inhale you then bring the pain back. Yes back! make it bigger and brighter. THEN repeat the reduction of pain again. This time with each out breath you reduce your pain more deeply. With each breath the pain's image and colour reduces more.
This allows you to control your pain. In the future you will have more control. You will be able to enter into relaxation quicker and reduce the pain quicker.
When your pain has reduced, bring your awareness back to your body and wiggle your toes, arms etc to be fully conscious and aware.
Practice this as many times as you can, so you can have more control of your pain and reduce it for good.
Good luck and let me know how you get on
x
References:
Alman. B & Lambrou. P. 2008 Self hynosis
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Empowering Beliefs
Belive in yourself that's what they say.
had an interesting session with my client, who ended the session saying they just needed to believe they could do it and then they could.
Loved the great summary and if my clients could do this, the limiting belives would go away, and they'd be able to leave the self doubt.
this summed it up quite well "There are times when we believe in everything and everybody but ourselves. There is a constant search for mentors and role models when they exist within us" (http://www.depression-helper.com/believeinyourselfarticle.htm)
and this little check list from http://www.terrydean.org/why-believing-in-yourself-will-change-your-life/
Maintain A Positive Attitude.
1. Say something positive to every person you meet.
2. See something positive in every situation.
3. Force yourself to always think "It might work."
4. Become a champion of the "why not" club.
5. Act on all positive ideas.
6. Expect positive practices.
7. Be positive about things.
8. Apply positive thinking to all things you can control.
9. Do not allow negative thoughts to derail you. Re-fuel your positive thinking periodically.
this is also a good one
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/installing-empowering-beliefs/
it talks of changing limiting beliefs to empowering ones for example; "Asking for donations would make my web site look amateurish and unprofessional." He (steven pavlina) decided to challenge this assumption, so replaced it with the belief, "Many of my visitors want to help support me financially, and they'd be happy to donate if I gave them the opportunity to do so."
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Positive Psychology and the Conscious Mind
Positive thoughts lead to positive actions. I think therefore I am (Rene Descartes)
Our habits are stored in our unconscious mind. Think of driving to work and sometimes you "Zone" out - this is you unconscious taking over (luckily it's good at driving!)
To change habits we need to practise the new "habits". At first we'll be really aware doing them (our conscious mind) but after time, they'll become second nature and go into our unconscious. So "good habits" are worth practising as we'll then be doing the things we want to do naturally.
This is how we learn new "good habits" - I'm the best time keeper ever!
Start at the bottom and work up to the top
Conscious incompetence
Unconscious Incompetence
Conscious competence
Unconscious competence
This is the "bad habit" ie: poor time keeping. The person is unaware of it(This is NOT you as you are aware you want to make a change.
Now aware of habit - oops know I need to improve my time keeping
I can change my habit when I think about it. Aware I'm not snoozing.
This is it! I'm a good time keeper and don't even think about it!
