My #1 Tip to Make This Your Best Year
In this podcast (episode #448) and blog, I talk about a helpful way to approach 2023: starting each morning with a few minutes of directed mind management!
It is important to remember that whatever you think about the most will grow. Your mind drives your life, which is why mind management is so important. Your mind drives the functionality of your brain, which drives the functionality of your body. This means that the mind is embodied. It impacts your mental and physical health and how you show up in life.
The great news is that you can learn how to navigate the challenges of life with more efficiency and resilience through mind management. You don’t have to fall victim to the vicissitudes of life. Yes, life is hard, and things can be tough. But you can learn to accept that it’s okay to have a mental mess but still have tools in place to manage this mess!
One way to do this is to get into the habit of neurocycling every morning when you wake up, which I discuss in detail in my latest book, Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess, and my app Neurocycle. The Neurocycle is a way to harness your thinking power through mind-management that I have developed and researched over the past three decades; any task that requires thinking can use it, which means everything can, because you’re always thinking!
This is great to do first thing in the morning because the way you wake up can impact how the rest of your day turns out, which can impact your week, which can impact your month—you get the picture. Waking up on the “wrong side of the bed” is about so much more than a bad day. It really can have a ripple effect in your life.
Staring your day off with a quick Neurocycle is a great way to get your mind in a calm and collected state for the rest of the day. It has 5 steps:
1. Gather awareness. Step into what is called your multiple perspective advantage (MPA) first thing when you wake up by standing back and observing yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is my perspective? How am I looking at life right now?
- What emotions are attached to my perspective?
- What does my body feel like in this moment?
- What are my behaviors? What do I feel like I am about to say and do?
Do this for around 40 seconds to a few minutes. Although it may sound complicated, it will get easier as you practice doing this, and it will help improve your self-regulation skills. Remember, when you become aware of what is going on your life, then you have more control over it!
2. Next, reflect on your answers to the questions above. Why do you feel the way you do? This shifts your mind into a curious state, which opens you up to the possibility of change and gives you some insight into what is going on.
3. Write down how you feel to help organize your thinking with short summary statements.
4. Recheck what you did in steps 1-3 and think of ways you can shift this thinking and change how you feel for the better. What are your thought “antidotes”? What do you need to do to make things easier for yourself?
5. Lastly, practice implanting what you thought about in step 4 throughout your day. What will help you get through the day and make things better for you? A reminder app is a great way to make sure you practice this through the day! I call this the active reach step.
For more on using mind management to start your year on a good note, listen to my podcast (episode #448). If you enjoy listening to my podcast, please consider leaving a 5-star review and subscribing. And keep sharing episodes with friends and family and on social media. (Don’t forget to tag me so I can see your posts!).
You can now also join me on Patreon for exclusive, ad-free content! Sign up for a membership level that suits you, and receive access to ad-free exclusive bonus podcasts. These episodes will include more targeted, step-by-step guides for specific mental health issues AND some fun, more personal podcasts about topics like my favorite skincare products and favorite books, as well as live Q&As, fan polls and requests, and exclusive digital downloads!
My latest ad-free podcasts on Patreon include:
Podcast 447: Addressing Adolescent ADD & ADHD with Child Psychiatrist Dr. Sami Timimi
Podcast 444: How to Not Let Other People’s Words & Actions Negatively Impact Your Mental Health
This podcast is sponsored by:
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Podcast Highlights
2:20 Whatever you think about the most will grow
3:00 Why mind management is so important
3:51 How the Neurocycle can help you manage your mind
5:40, 8:40 Why the way you wake up is so important
9:35 The power of mind management & journaling first thing in the morning
This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional.