Teaching Little Brains: Recent Episodes
Sarah Nykoruk
Engaging students and teachers in learning that matters. From reading and writing to outdoor inquiry-based exploration and mindset. Join us for simple, actionable brain-based tips and strategies that will save you time, and optimize engagement and achievement.
Do you suffer from "should itis"?
I should exercise more
I should be more productive
I should spend more time with my kids
I should spend more time outside
I should go to bed earlier
I shouldn’t drink so much
I should eat better
I shouldn’t eat so much sugar
I should be happy
I should be more grateful
I shouldn’t be so greedy!
It shouldn’t take me this long.
I should do better
I should know better
I should BE better
Whatever the “should, or shouldn’ts” are on your list, they always add up to the same thing: “You should be better, you should know better, you’re not doing it right.” It leaves you feeling like you’re not enough as you are.
We have been taught, mistakenly, that if we don't "should" ourselves into action, we will become lazy, useless, worthless lumps. And worse, if we don't "should" ourselves into being good, we won't be good!
The irony is that while we think by shoulding all over ourselves, we’ll get ourselves into action, the opposite happens - we end up feeling overwhelmed and guilty, which causes us not to do any of the things we think we “should”.
Feeling guilty and overwhelmed breeds inaction and stagnancy…it keeps you stuck. So, the more you feel like you “should” do something, the less likely you are to actually do it.
There are exactly zero circumstances in which “I should…” is the most specific, accurate, powerful, and useful language to express a thought.
You could literally stop saying the word should forever, and you wouldn’t be missing anything. There is always a better, more accurate and more helpful linguistic choice.
So, when you hear yourself saying, or thinking, "I should...", get curious. Where did you learn this should? To whom does this should really belong? Whose voice do you hear when you “should” on yourself this way? Do you actually agree with this should? What are you afraid will happen if you don’t do this thing you’re telling yourself you should do?
It has been drilled into us what we "should" want - by parents, peers, media, society - to the. point where we no longer know what we actually want, and often confuse the two.
Rarely do we say “I should” about stuff we feel totally aligned with, so let the word be a red flag indicating where you’ve internalized something that doesn’t quite feel right, or aligned to you.
Uncovering and exposing our automated “shoulds”, digging into them, untangling ourselves from the web of self-imposed obligation by getting clear and honest about what you want, is how we become the conscious creators of our lives, the bosses of our brains, the authors of our own stories, and the thinker of our thoughts,
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ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But, as my guest Coach Lara Dawn helps us understand today, that label is somewhat of a misnomer. The truth is that ADHD is neither a deficit of attention (actually, people with ADHD have an abundance of attention), nor a disorder. In fact, some people consider ADHD to be a superpower.
Lara is the founder of the wonderful ADHD Village, a community that offers brain-based, science-backed support for families raising children with ADHD.
She supports moms in learning how to eliminate stress while navigating their children’s ADHD, so that they are calm, confident and deeply connected to their children.
ADHD is often misunderstood by the general public. Kids with ADHD are not lazy, or stupid, or slow, or bad. And, ADHD is not a result of poor parenting. It is simply a brain difference - a neurological diversity.
Today, Lara shares some of the intricacies of ADHD in the brain, and some insights into what it is like to live with it - about which she has first-hand knowledge. She also shares some tips for parents and educators (again, from her own first-hand experience parenting her 2 boys, who also have ADHD, and her 20+ years as an educator & Special Education Resource Teacher).
Lara also shares details about her upcoming FREE 8-day virtual event, featuring 35+ ADHD experts, Calming the ADHD Family (March 21-28, 2022). This summit will:
- Provide the tools and strategies to stop the fighting and quiet the yelling
- Restore your confidence as a parent
- Strengthen your connection as a family
Register through the link below. I am honoured to be part of this event! My interview will be air on March 22nd. I look forward to seeing you there.
Register for the FREE Calming the ADHD Family Summit
LINKS
Connect with Lara here: https://theadhdvillage.com/
Join the ADHD Village Facebook Group
Connect directly with Lara via email: coachlarad@gmail.com
Teaching Little Brains private Facebook Group
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
If you've ever felt discomfort over a decision you've had to make, tried to justify a choice you've made, or regretted something you've done because you thought to yourself "I don't know why I did that, that's not me!" you have likely experienced cognitive dissonance.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory was presented by a social psychologist, named Leon Festinger, in 1957.
Cognitive dissonance is a term for the state of mental or psychological discomfort we feel when two or more modes of thought (beliefs, values, or attitudes) contradict each other - when our modes of thought are out of Alignment.We are averse to inconsistencies within our own mind. It’s not comfortable to be at odds, to feel resistance. Our brain does not like discomfort. It feels threatened by it.
So, when we experience this dissonance, our brain goes to work to try to adjust when our thoughts, words, or behaviours seem to clash with each other.
In this episode, we learn about how exactly our brains work to restore alignment, and you'll experience this for yourself in real time as we play with it a bit.
Enjoy!
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Have you ever found yourself staring into the fridge, looking for something that was right in front of your nose all along?
Do you ever wonder why your kids, or students, can't seem to just focus on one thing, or can't hear you when you call their name 100 times, but can remember all the details of what you told them 4 1/2 years ago?
It may have something to do with Selective Attention and Inattentional Blindness.
Adults are quite skilled at focusing on one thing, and disregarding all other "unimportant" information, but it turns out that kids don't share the same level of skill in that area.
Find out more in today's episode.
Happy New Year!
LINKS:Give it a try for yourself. Click on the videos below, and see how you do.
The Monkey Business Illusion
Selective Attention Cups
Teaching Little Brains Facebook GroupCoaching with Sarah Nykoruk
What does "play" mean to you? Do you consider yourself a playful person?
Do you engage in play on a regular basis, or are you resistant to play?
Many of us understand that play is good for children's development, but do you know how, or why? Do you know that play is also good for adults?
Play reduces stress, helps strengthen relationships and trust, enhances imagination, develops social skills, and even increases productivity and creativity.
And, it doesn't have to be extensive or extravagant, simple things like putting on a silly hat, making goofy faces, playing fetch with the dog, turning your child's sock into a puppet, sending a funny meme to a coworker, playing charades, or having a laugh with your friend all count as play, and can offer many of the benefits listed above.
Find out more inside today's episode!
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What expectations do you have of your students? Of your partner? Your family? Your friends? Yourself?
I expect my kids to be polite. I expect my students to listen to me. I expect my partner to remember my birthday. I expect my friends to be on time. Sound familiar?
What happens when your expectations are not met? How do you feel?
The problem with having expectations is that they are all about other people. They often originate from a place of wounding, fear, and lack. We impose expectations because we think they will prevent us from being let down. But, in so doing, we relinquish our power to another person. We hand them our happiness and hope they don't drop it.
And, while awaiting the outcome of the expectation, we put ourselves in emotional limbo. "If you meet my expectation, I'll be happy. But, if you don't, I'll be disappointed. In the meantime, I'll sit here in limbo, not knowing what to feel." It doesn't make much sense, does it?
But, if we don't have expectations of people, won't they walk all over us?
Today, as always, I invite you to examine the stories and beliefs you have about expectations, and I offer you an alternative. I invite you to play around with it, try it on, see how it fits. And, if you like it, and/or find it helpful, please consider leaving a review, to help share it with others who might find it helpful as well.
LINKS
Writers' Workshop Masterclass
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
Coaching with Sarah Nykoruk - Book your free 20 minute Discovery Call
This week, I was invited onto the Create a Life You Love video podcast hosted by the amazing Chantal Cox. Chantal is a fellow educator and Master NeuroCoachTM, an author, a friend, and a wonderful human being doing great things in the world.
We had a delightful conversation about creating a life we love, and collaborating on an incredible project!
Enjoy!
LINKSComplete the application to join the Create a Life You Love Coaching Program
Free RRT tapping resource - PDF
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Create a Life You Love with Chantal Cox
Wait, what?! Positivity is toxic?
It can be.
Positivity can become toxic when it is used to mask, suppress, avoid, or cover up negative emotions. It's the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset, or put a positive spin on all experiences. It's a "good vibes only" approach to life.
Toxic positivity denies people the authentic support that they need to cope with what they are facing. It paints negative emotions as a failure or weakness.
The problem is that denying certain emotions doesn’t make them go away. In fact, it just causes them to fester and clog up our system - like on a cellular level - causing pain, discomfort, illness, disease, etc.
Persistent reminders to reflect on ‘how good we have it’ in the midst of strife and struggle don’t make sadness, fear or anxiety dissipate. They discourage, stress out, and piss us off. They make us feel like something is wrong with us because we can’t keep a positive outlook, when (it seems like) everyone else can.
The way that we’re treated gets played out in the way we treat others (for the most part). For example, when educators are being told to have patience and grace and understanding for their students, but that’s not what is being extended to them, they subconsciously perpetuate the false toxic positivity that they are being offered themselves.
Or are you slapping on a happy face, and what for? AND how’s it working for you?
Some tips include:
- Manage your negative emotions, but don't deny them. Remember, the only dangerous emotion is a suppressed emotion.
- Your feelings provide important information that can lead to beneficial changes in your life.
- Be realistic about what you should feel. When you are facing a stressful situation, it’s normal to feel stressed, worried, or even fearful. Don’t expect too much from yourself. Focus on self-love and taking steps that can help improve your situation.
- It’s okay to feel more than one thing. If you are facing a challenge, it’s possible to feel nervous about the future and also hopeful that you will succeed. Your human emotions are complex
- Focus on listening to others and showing support. When someone expresses a difficult emotion, don’t shut them down with toxic platitudes. Instead, let them know that what they are feeling is normal and that you are there to listen.
- Notice how you feel. Following “positive” social media accounts can sometimes serve as a source of inspiration, but pay attention to how you feel after you view and interact with such content. If you are left with a sense of shame or guilt after seeing “uplifting” posts, maybe consider limiting your social media consumption - at least from those accounts.
LINKS
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
Join my Facebook Group
Connect with me about Coaching opportunities
Join the Hey U Human Community
RRT Tapping Masterclass
What makes you angry?
What really makes your blood boil?
How do you feel about anger itself?
What do you do when you feel angry?
We’re taught to avoid, is anger. We learn that anger is bad. It’s scary. It’s destructive. But, the truth is, that anger is just an emotion, like any other we experience as humans. It’s a vibration in our body. It’s neither good, nor bad. It’s just energy in motion.
I talk a lot about feelings and emotions in my coaching, and here on the podcast because feelings are what drive us to do all the things we do in life, to want all the things we want, and to be all the things we want to be.
Today, I talk about anger.
Mahatma Gandhi saw anger as a good thing, as “the fuel for change”, but that takes maturity and wisdom... and is up against the intoxicating allure of the immediate gratification we get from lashing out violently and mindlessly.
Anger feels powerful, and so we often choose it over guilt, shame, insecurity, jealousy, or vulnerability.
In her book, The Way of Integrity, Martha Beck offers some fascinating insights into anger that I share in this episode.
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Hello Teacher Brain!
Good news: I'm Open For Business!
Do you believe in signs, or nudges from the universe - or God, or whatever you might call it?
Oprah calls them whispers from the universe. She says that, for example, when we have an idea, or desire on our heart, first, we may hear a whisper of that idea or desire. She says, when we ignore that little whisper, which we often do, the universe then starts speaking more loudly to us.
And this is when we may start to get little “nudges” (that feeling that I should do a certain thing and you don't know why), or we experience “synchronicities” (which are sort of like coincidences, but from the position that there are no coincidences, but rather hints that things are all lining up for us to make that thing that we want to happen happen). We get more clues. Patterns start showing up.
Have you ever had that experience where like you hear someone’s name somewhere, and then you hear it again from someone else, then maybe you have a dream about that person, or you run into them somewhere? That’s what I’m talking about - synchronicities.
I’ve been noticing lately, is this question: Now what?!
And, I've learned that when I notice these things - repeated words and messages, etc, I should pay attention.
Because when I ignore them, especially the nudges, the universe tends to then deliver a big ol' slap in the face. And I don't particularly enjoy being slapped in the face.
So, when I heard the question "Now what" in those words, from a bunch of different people, in a bunch of different contexts, I looked inward. What's my "now what?"
Today I talk about moving out of, what Dr. Joe Dispenza calls, the familiar past, and into a new desirable future - and, as always, it starts with a thought.
If you want something you've never had, you have to think something (possible) you've never thought (possible).
Mine is (are): I am a sought-after coach. I take action. There are people who want my help, who are waiting for me to invite them into my coaching programs. I am open for business!Here is how you can get in touch with me to book your FREE 30 minute consultation call, to find out if and how I can support you, coach you, collaborate with you, to finally start getting this out and into schools and classrooms!
https://sarahnykoruk.com/
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Hello Teacher Brain
Heads Up: this episode may trigger (or as I like to refer to it, "activate") you. I encourage you not to shy away from your feelings. Allow them to come. Sit with them. Get curious. Don't be afraid of your emotions - whatever they may be. They are clues to what drives you (in either direction). Remember, the only dangerous emotion is a suppressed emotion.
With this being National Indigenous History Month, and the recent discovery of mass unmarked graves at some of Canada's residential schools weighing heavily on my mind and heart recently. I didn't think I could do an episode on anything else this week.
Below are some resources I've learned about recently - PLEASE share any that you know!!
LINKS to Resources, People, Books, and Organizations I've Learned About Recently to Support Indigenous People, Groups, and Calls to Action
94 Calls to Action - Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Indian Residential School Survivors Society
Indigenous Peoples Movement
Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum - Voices From Nunavut
Native Women's Association of Canada
Good Reads List Books
BOOK TITLES
They Called Me Number One - Bev Sellars
Five Little Indians - Michelle Good
The Education of Augie Merasty - Joseph Auguste Merasty
Dear Canada, These Are My Words - Ruby Slipperjack
Broken Circle - Theodore Fontaine
Up Ghost River - Edmund Metatawabin
Indian Horse - Richard Wangamese (Also a movie on Netflix)
Sugar Falls - David A. Robertson
My Name is Seepeetza - Shirley Sterling
Have you ever been in an audience of something and someone coughs, and it seems to start a chain reaction of coughing. Or, you’re talking to someone, and they scratch their nose, so then you scratch yours?
Ever wonder why?
Well, it may be, at least partly due to something called, mirror neurons. Mirror neurons were discovered accidentally, in macaque monkeys in 1992.
A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. They are neurons inside your mind that mirror what’s happening outside.
They allow us to run a sort of virtual reality simulation of what it would be like for ourself to perform that action.
The scientific community got very excited about the discovery or mirror neurons and the possible implications of their purpose and function, hypothesizing their significance in empathy, learning, evolution, healing, and even autism.
Can anybody truly be themselves, or are we all just a bunch of Copy Cats?
Today, we dive into the fascinating world of mirror neurons.
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Hello Teacher Brain!
If I told you I'd give you $1000 to work out every day for a year, do you think you'd do it?
The answer might surprise you! Studies show that external rewards (like money), can actually have negative effects on motivation! Not only that, but they squelch creativity, encourage cheating and can result in exploitation of the reward-based system.
Like most things, the answers are within.
Intrinsic motivation is long-lasting, and has positive benefits to self-esteem, resilience, achievement, and engagement.
In the 1940s, Professor Harry F. Harlow discovered intrinsic motivation while he was studying rhesus monkeys. Up until then, it was believed there were only 2 types of motivation, and external rewards were believed to offer the greatest motivation for behaviour. Harlow proved that untrue.
However, his discovery didn't become validated until 2 decades later when Edward Deci picked up where Harlow left off. He discovered that not only did extrinsic reward not increase motivation, it actually decreased it.
In 2011, Daniel H. Pink published the book, Drive, on the matter. In it he identified the 3 pillars of intrinsic motivation as:
- Autonomy
- Mastery
- Purpose
Today we dive in!!
LINKS
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LIGHTS ON. - Be the Boss of Your Brain
Modern Classrooms Project -Self Paced Learning Series
We are all just in this human experience, trying to figure things out as we go.
And sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes we get it REALLY wrong. And when that happens, we can be hard on ourselves.
And when the coin is flipped, and it’s about other people, we can be really hard on them! We throw the baby out with the bathwater, as they say. We judge the whole by some of its parts.
And we do this all the time, in big ways and small.
Someone cuts us off in traffic, and we yell (internally, if not out loud), “A-$h*le!”
Someone makes a mistake, or says something, or does something, thoughtless, or unkind, or even maybe racist, and we peg them as “an idiot”, “a jerk”, like that’s their whole being.
We’ve created this binary, where we expect all or nothing - you’re either a good person, or bad, you’re either batting a thousand, or striking out. There’s no middle ground.
We’ve created this impossible standard of perfection where anything less than perfection means you’re a bad person.
We need to move away from the idea that being a good person is a fixed characteristic, and shift toward seeing being good as a practice that we carry out by engaging with our imperfections.
If an apple has a bruise, we don’t throw the whole thing out, we just cut out the bruise, or eat around it.
We can hate something someone did, and still love them as a person.
Everybody makes mistakes.
Even monkeys fall from trees.
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Have you ever sat down to get a moment's rest, take a "brain break", or meditate, or even gone for a "peaceful" walk in nature, and all that starts running through your mind is all the terrible stuff that has happened in your past, or all the terrible things that might happen in your future?
What's up with that?!
Well, it turns out, we have a "demon" in our brain. Our DMN (Default Mode Network), like most other functions of our brain, is designed to keep us safe by running all the negative programming - scanning through our memories, and projecting them into our future - when our brains are at rest, in order to alert us of possible danger.
A human mind, is a wandering mind. And a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.
But don't worry, today I'll explain what exactly the DMN is, what it does, and how to conquer it, so you can increase your emotional intelligence (and that of the Little Brains around you), and gain more Bliss into your life!
LINKS
Coaching with Sarah
Teaching Little Brains
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You are the boss of your brain!
We are sleepwalking our way through life. 80-95% of our daily decisions and actions, are made on autopilot - by our subconscious... without our having to think about them consciously - without our permission, even. We are letting our subconscious run the show - and we don't even know we're doing it.
Those automations are formed by the repeated thoughts and feelings we had as a child - based on what we saw and experienced of the people around us.
Your beliefs run the show. You make decisions and take actions based on those beliefs. And then, the results you see in life, the things you have (and have not), the reality you live, is a result of those decisions and actions.
It all starts with a thought.
And the thoughts and actions I've seen from "Little Brains" around me, are heartbreaking. 6 year-olds calling themselves stupid, 10 year-olds committing suicide. THIS is why I started Teaching Little Brains! To help those "Little Brains" (and the big brains who love and teach them - YOU) that you are not your thoughts!Your brain is programmed to search for threats, and present you with negative thoughts, in order to keep you safe. Your brain is just doing what it's been programmed to do for millions of years - it's why you're alive now, in fact.
And the good news is that now that you know this, you can hack the system. You can choose what thoughts we have, and which we repeat, and therefore which beliefs we want to keep, and which ones we want to rewire. You are the true master of your mind. YOU are the boss of your brain! You can physically rewire the networks in your brain to automate the thoughts and beliefs you want to have - the ones that serve, and move you toward being, doing, and having the things you want in life - and prune away the ones that do not.
Everything I've learned, and everyone I've learned it from, emphasizes the importance that "We need to learn this in school!" And so, I created a video learning series to help make that a reality.
My Be The Boss Of Your Brainvideo series is ideal for classrooms and families! It breaks down the neuroscience into bite-sized pieces that are easy and engaging for "Little Brains" (and big ones). Each video is accompanied by a creative brief / challenge to apply the learning, and some prompting questions, to help you dig deeper into the concepts. GET IT HERE!!!
LINKSBe The Boss Of Your Brainvideo series
Coaching with Sarah Nykoruk
Facebook Group
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When was the last time you had a good cry?
Did you know that our tears contain natural pain-killers?
Emotional tears are made of higher concentrations of toxins that accumulate during stress. The hormones, including adrenocorticotropic hormone & leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller), get excreted from the body through crying, suggesting that crying helps in balancing stress hormone levels.
Additional studies also suggest that crying stimulates the production of endorphins, another of our body’s natural pain killers, and “feel-good” hormones.”
Stress tightens muscles and heightens tension. Crying helps to purge those pent up emotions, so they don’t lodge in your body as stress symptoms such as fatigue or pain. Crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system and restores the body to a state of balance. Typically, after crying, our breathing, and heart rate decrease, and we enter into a calmer biological and emotional state.
Some cultures consider crying to be undignified, or that it’s ok for women and girls, but not men and boys, or that it should be done in private, not public
The good news is that you get to choose what you believe. If you don’t like the idea that crying is shameful, then you can choose what you believe about it, instead.
Tears also express a need for help and foster willingness to help in an observer.
Many of us have been brought up to believe that you need a REASON - and not just any reason, but a GOOD REASON to cry.... Do you remember being asked as a kid “Why are you crying?” “Don’t be sad” or being told “There’s no reason to cry!” Have you caught yourself saying those things to yourself, or the Little Brains in your life? I have - and have since shifted my language.
But, sometimes we just don’t know why. Haven’t you ever had a moment where you just want to cry, and you don’t know why? You don’t have a reason? You just want to, or need to, or feel inclined to cry.
Because emotions are not logical.
When we try to apply our grown-up logic and reason to illogical, un-reason-able emotions, we perpetuate the notion that you have to have a reason to feel something, and if you don’t have a reason, and a good one at that, you shouldn’t feel that emotion.
That some emotions are good, and justified, and some are not - they’re frivolous or shameful.
The truth is, for both men and women, tears are a sign of courage, strength, and authenticity. They are a sign of release of stress and toxins.
We need to let go of outdated, untrue, conceptions about crying. And we need to become comfortable in our discomfort when we cry - especially in front of others, or someone else cries in front of us.
It is good to cry. It is healthy to cry. It helps to emotionally clear sadness and stress.
LINKS
Rise of the Passion Led Learner Video Series - Julia Black
Coaching with Sarah
Teaching Little Brains:
Facebook Group
Instagram
A few weeks ago, Roni Habib from EQ Schools, co-hosted an incredible and interactive (virtual of course) keynote event for educational staff in our area.... and beyond.
Roni shared his genius with us around Emotional Intelligence, mental wellness, and rest, and engaged us in some simple, fun, and impactful activities and techniques that we could easily implement daily for ourselves, and with our students to benefit our wellness.
Our mutual purpose and vision is so aligned that I knew I had to invite him here to talk to us asap! Even the catalyst for each of our work has a very similar, and unfortunately tragic, foundation.
Roni is an expert in helping leaders, educators, and parents, become happier, more resilient, more connected to their purpose, and more playful. The founder of EQ Schools, he leads workshops and speaks in organizations nationally and abroad.
Early in his career, Roni struggled with the high stresses and demands of teaching even losing touch with why he wanted to be a teacher in the first place. It was so painful that he finally discovered the power of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology in his own life as well as in his classroom and felt called to share this new approach with the world.
In the first four years of establishing EQ Schools, Roni has taught and inspired thousands of Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, and Parents.
Prior to earning his Masters of Education and teaching credential at Harvard University, he lived in Israel and Belgium. Most importantly though, Roni has a huge heart and loves helping people.
I'm so excited to share this episode with you, and would love to hear your takeaways! Enjoy!
LINKS
RONI HABIB
EQ Schools - https://eqschools.com/
Find Roni Habib on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
Educators' Online Summit - April 21st. REGISTER HERE **Cost: $10 (with 50% of the proceeds going to the No Kid Hungry Organization)
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Do the "Little Brains" in your life love watching, listening to, and/or doing the same thing over and over...and over...and over again?
What's up with that?
I decided to ask an expert, 6-year-old, Zoey Nykoruk why she loves hearing the same book, same podcast, and watching the same movie over and over... and over again. She had some interesting things to say about repetition.
And then, I did some research and found out even more interesting things about our affinity for repetition.
It turns out, it's not just Little Brains who love it - us big kids love it too.
It's how we learn new skills, how our brains seek connection, what makes songs so catchy, and how we build beliefs... and we're sensitive to it even before we're born!
Join me inside to learn more!
This week's episode is dedicated to my friend and colleague, Matt Coleman, who posed the focus question that inspired this episode, and whose son, Quinn, shares Zoey's affinity for repetition (whose podcast Zoey likes to listen to... repeatedly!)
Special thanks to Claire Gillespie, who sent me lovely encouraging message right when I needed it most! Thank you, Claire!
LINKS
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Coaching with Sarah Nykoruk
The Sprout and Stem Podcast - hosted by Quinn and Matt Coleman
Today we're going to get uncomfortable in the uncomfortable. We're going to give your brain a workout.
Has someone ever said something to you like “Oh my goodness, thank you so much, that was so helpful!” and you respond with something like “Well,I didn’t do anything!"
Or, “Congratulations on that award! That’s so great!” and you brush it off with a “Oh my gosh! No, So-and-so should have gotten it. I didn’t do anything to deserve it”
Or even “Oh my gosh! You totally smashed your goal!” “No, that doesn’t COUNT, I didn’t earn it!”
So, what is that? What’s that about? Why do we do that?
Why do we not feel we deserve the praise or acknowledgement people give us? I mean, we crave it - we tie our worth to IT, but then we don’t ACCEPT it when it comes. Crazy!
When we come into the world, all naked and squirmy and giggly (or screaming), we have one frequency. One vibration. Love. And, that has been scientifically proven by the way, like with tools and gear and gadgets and smart people.
We emerge head first (or in some cases feet or bum first) adorable little bundles of love and wonder.
We have no doubts about our capabilities, reservations about our worth, no concerns that we didn’t DO anything to EARN the nourishment that is given to us, that we are not deserving of the love, or clothing, or bath from the people caring for us.
That is all learned. And it’s all bull$h!t!
BOTH of these concepts (worth and deservingness) are human constructs. Do you know what that means? It means, humans made them up. They're completely made up concepts.
So, YES! You are you deserving of everything you want. And.. NO! No one is deserving of anything, because being deserving is not even a real thing.!
WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!
Join me today as I share some mind-bending perspectives and ideas that will stretch the edges of your comfort zone, and possibly blow your mind wide open!
CONNECT WITH MECoaching with Sarah: https://www.sarahnykoruk.com
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Hello Teacher Brain,
Do you ever worry that someone is going to discover that you don’t really know what you’re doing? That you’ll be found out or exposed as a fraud? That you’ve been pulling the wool over everyone's eyes, and that any minute someone is going to out you for the con artist that you are?
Are you ever anxious about saying or doing the wrong thing because then everyone will find out that you actually aren’t that smart, or you aren’t good enough, or you don’t really deserve that job, or award, or responsibility, or attention, or praise?
If this is ringing true with you, you are definitely not alone.
AND, there is actually even a name for this condition. It’s called “Imposter Syndrome.”
Imposter Syndrome is essentially when you attribute your successes or accomplishments in life to some external factor or factors - like chance or luck, connections that you have, possibly even your physical appearance, or really anything else that’s not your own talent or drive or intelligence or work ethic.
And you decide that that success is highly unlikely to be repeated, since it is attributed to a rare lucky break - one that comes along less often than the ice cream truck in winter.
Everyone experiences self-doubt from time to time — especially when they’re trying something new. It’s also possible to doubt your abilities without believing that you ultimately succeeded because of some sleight of hand or that you are fooling others.
A person could have normal jitters before, say getting up to give their first speech, do well, and then draw from this experience to feel more confident about the next time.
But impostors don’t think this way. Because “impostors” have insanely high self-expectations, the self-doubt is chronic. No matter how well they did, or how loud the applause, they find a way to explain them away.
Would you be surprised to learn that Maya Angelou experienced Imposter Syndrome? She was once quoted as saying, “I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out”, Albert Einstein described himself as an “involuntary swindler, whose work didn’t deserve as much attention as it had received.” Mozart, David Bowie, Howard Schultz (the Starbucks guy), Tina Fey, Sonia Sotomayor, Tom Hanks - all experience(d) Imposterism.
Today we talk about where Imposter Syndrome comes from, what it results in, how to recognize Imposter Syndrome in yourself, and how to overcome it.
Because, the truth is that you are 100% worthy and deserving of all the success, no matter how easily or quickly they came, or how much support you rallied to achieve them, and no matter how loudly your brain is telling you you aren’t!
Thank you for joining me today! I love that you're here. Let's dive in!
FIND AND WORK WITH MECoaching with Sarah: https://www.sarahnykoruk.com
Teaching Little Brains Website: https://www.teachinglittlebrains.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaching.little.brains
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeachingLittleBrains
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
Did you know that your handwriting reveals your personality traits, thought patterns, and blocks you have?
Did you know that when you fall in love, survive a serious illness, or change careers, your handwriting patterns change?
Did you know that letters have energy?
It's all connected to your subconscious. Your handwriting is a tool that can rewire your brain, and even help you overcome past trauma.
Changing your handwriting can help you get rid of bad habits and limiting beliefs that are holding you back from your fullest potential! Intentionally altering just a few letters, or your signature, can dramatically transform your entire life.
Today, I am talking to Misty Cogdill, a certified graphologist and coach who has been analyzing people's handwriting for over a decade, helping them achieve incredible growth and expansion in their personal lives and businesses, by helping them understand how their handwriting is holding them back, and showing them a few tips and tweaks to unlock their power and potential!
Misty shares with us a bit about her personal journey, how she got into this work, some of the most common letters that are inhibiting people from their greatest success, and some of the incredible breakthroughs her clients have made simply by adjusting a few pen strokes, or their signature.
Get out a pen and some paper for this one! You're going to want to take notes... and then analyze your writing within them!
Enjoy!
WHERE TO FIND MISTY COGDILL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mistycogdillsupport
Handwriting Soul Academy: https://www.facebook.com/Handwritingsoulacademy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cogdill_misty/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistycogdill
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/cogdill3464/_saved/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWLbGEDmQxEMoCns9yjZ5w
CONTACT SARAH NYKORUK & TEACHING LITTLE BRAINS
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeachingLittleBrains
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaching.little.brains/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/teachinglittlebrains/
Website: https://teachinglittlebrains.com/
Words have power.
Words can start, AND END, wars. They can create AND HEAL disease. They can inspire AND HALT change. They can unite, or divide us. They can raise us up, or pull us down. They can perpetuate love, or prompt hate, inflict pain, and incite violence. They can educate, enlighten, specify, persuade, dissuade, influence, manipulate, evoke emotion, insult, provoke, uplift, break down, coax, motivate, move, and even kill… AND more. Words create our reality.
Words count. Language matters.
But what are words anyway? I might define a word as a single sound part, or combination of sound parts together. Words consist of vibration and sound.
The words of others can easily affect our personal vibration. BUT ...the most important words are the ones we say to ourselves... in the form of thoughts.
You have about 60-70 000 thoughts a day. Most of your thoughts (90% of which are negative) come in the form of conversations. 95% of the conversations you have during the day, are with yourself. Do the math. That’s a LOT of negativity running through your brain all day long.
How many times a day do we throw our words away? Think about how many times you catch yourself thinking, or saying “I hate my hair,” “I’m so stupid,” “I’m such a klutz.” “I’m just not good at…” We never think that these words bring negative energy into our vibration and affect us on a physical level, but they do.
The good news is that the same voice that tells you you’re not good enough, can be trained to tell you you are. I mean, it was trained to tell you you can’t in the first place, so it’s completely possible to retrain it to tell you you can.
Remember, YOU are the boss of your brain! You get to decide if a thought is true, or not. YOU get to choose which thoughts you believe, which ones serve you, and move you toward your goals and desires, and which ones don’t.
Today, I talk about how words can influence your mind - and body - and what you can do to ensure you're automating thoughts and words that serve you, and help create a reality that you want!
LINKS
Facebook Group
Instagram
Book a FREE Discovery Call - Coaching with Sarah Nykoruk
Download the free PDF activity
In your wildest dreams, what have you dared to imagine that school could be like?
A system that is truly committed to staff and students physical, mental and emotional wellness?
Free breakfast, lunch, and even dinner?
The majority of the day spent in passion-led exploration and learning?
Free before and after care?
Partnerships and internships with local community and global organizations who are doing good for the planet and its inhabitants?
Financial literacy and entrepreneurship?
A small "teacher" to student ratio?
A truly collaborative and supportive team environment free from hierarchies?
It almost sounds too good to be true... except it isn't.
Heidi DeCoux is an educational visionary (some may call her a "radical") with the determination and audacity to bring her vision into reality. She likens her Illuminated Life School model, to that of Uber - not trying to take on the taxi system itself, but rather offering an (elevated in this case) alternative to the current system available.
Every minute detail of the system, the school day, the planning and execution has been scrutinized through a lens of equity (from the fabric of the uniforms for those with tactile sensitivities, to the whole-food, home-grown free meals, to the 1.5hr drop-off time, to the instructional practices, gender, cultural, financial and religious inclusivity and equity) and mental and emotional wellness.
The spaces are open, shared and foster collaboration. Students groups are fluid, based not on age, but by interest and/or ability (depending on the task/project)...
And well, I'll let Heidi herself describe the rest.
Prepare yourself, Teacher Brain! This is going to blow your mind!
LINKSIlluminated Life School Website: https://illuminatedlifeschool.org/
Virtual Open House
DONATE to the Illuminated Life School: https://illuminatedlifeschool.org/donate/
Heidi DeCoux Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heididecoux/
Illuminated Life School Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/IlluminatedLifeSchool
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
Hello Teacher Brain!
Do you ever have moments in life when you have to pinch yourself, because you can't quite fully believe where you're standing and experiencing?! THIS was one of those moments for me! Dr. Shannon Irvine, herself is here!
If you've been here before, you've heard about my journey into this world of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience, and NeuroCoaching - and my graduation as a Master NeuroCoach - Dr. Shannon Irvine is the lady who has guided me through this journey, and facilitated my own personal transformation.
Today, Dr. Shannon shares a bit about the science, the NeuroCoaching model, our shared dream and vision of getting every teacher certified in this work - that's right! - Teacher Certification Program!! BOOM!!!
Imagine learning how to help those Little Brains actually understand that they can create the beliefs that will then create the decisions and drive the actions to get the results they want?! What would the world be like if every teacher was certified... and parents as well?!
As always, we use the term "teacher" to represent anyone involved in the educational space, anyone who is involved in the education of children - administrators, homeschool educators, support staff, classroom teachers, Special Education teachers, Educational Assistance, and parents!
Hear for yourself, the genius of Dr. Shannon Irvine!
LINKTEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM!!!support@drshannonirvine.com- Put "Teacher Certification" in the Subject line
Register for the FREE Unleashed Entrepreneur video series+ Live Training
Dr. Shannon Irvine’s Instagram
Dr. Shannon Irvine on Facebook
Epic Success Podcast
Teaching Little Brains Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaching.little.brains/
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindsonmembership/
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Do you have any resolutions or goals for this year? Do you have a system for achieving those goals? Do you make it mean something about you if/when you don't achieve them?
Statistically speaking, most people have abandoned their New Year's Resolution (the thing they thought they wanted most in the world) by January 19th! That's less than 3 weeks into the first month of the new year!
Why?
Because, they are letting their subconscious talk them out of even trying - without even knowing it!
In today's episode, we will work through a truly transformative "goal-setting" (although I don't like to use that term) system that works WITH your brain, and trains it, to move you toward what you want with joy and ease.
Join me - as we work through the first steps together. CLICK HERE for the FREE pdf to work along with me, and to write your goals down - which engages more parts of your brain, and increases your likelihood of success by 42% right off the bat!
I will also be hosting an interactive workshop where we will go deeper to really accelerate your success! Find out how, inside the episode!
LINKS
Instagram
Facebook
Freebie PDF
Well, this is almost a wrap on 2020!
Almost a year ago, I released my very first podcast episode about celebration. Today, we come full-circle as we celebrate what this year has brought.
Can you think of a list of 10 things to celebrate about 2020? How about 20?
You may have to dig deep on this one, but it's important to celebrate. It's important to your brain, your health, your heart, your energy, and your future. What you focus on grows - the more things you find to celebrate, the more you'll find you notice things to celebrate!!
Today I share some tips and tricks to help you celebrate, plan celebrations and ways to celebrate in order to be ready for those moments - big and small. Micro celebrations are just as important as massive ones.
Find a group of supportive friends and family to keep you accountable to your celebrations.
I share my 20 things, in hopes of inspiring you to find your 20 - starting with this podcast!!
AND, I celebrate YOU! Every download, I celebrate, and send loving energy. Every review, every rating, I celebrate. THANK YOU!
What are YOU celebrating in 2020? LINKS
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
Book a Discovery Coaching Call with Sarah
Be the Boss of Your Brain Mini-Series
What do you think of when you hear the term "hypnotherapy"? Just like my incredible guest today, I used to picture the entertainers in Las Vegas "hypnotizing" people on stage and making them do crazy things. And, I had even been pulled up on stage myself when I was a kid at a resort one time, and "hypnotized" (I was totally acting).
This is NOT what hypnotherapy is - FAR from it!
Today, my magnificent guest, Maegan Aleece demystifies HT & RTT for us, explains the neuroscience behind how it works.
She also offers us a FREE Manifestation Meditation, along with many other resources - see the links below.
This is an episode you're going to want to listen to more than once!
LINKSFind Maegan on Tik Tok , Instagram, Facebook, and her website Level Up Everyday
Maegan's FREE Manifestation Meditation
Teaching Little Brains
Facebook Group
Do you meditate? Have you ever tried it? What do you think of when you hear the word, "meditation"?
Most people don't meditate because they think they don't have time. But, meditation takes just 2% of your day, and can improve the other 98% in majorly significant ways! That's an insane return on investment!
Meditation helps to reduce stress by kicking in our relaxation reflex. Meditation also reduces anxiety, fear and sadness. 15 mins of mindfulness meditation before making important decisions can result in better choices. Meditation also lowers blood pressure, increases resilience, improves sleep, focus, sexual performance, concentration, and productivity. It even changes gene expression, which is what dictates our optimal health or wellness (by improving batteries in your cells, better managing blood sugar & slowing aging) Mediation can even reverse the effects of aging by 8-15 years!
I told you, 2% investment, to benefit the other 98% of your life in return!
As humans on the planet Earth, our cells are getting beat up - like potholes being beaten into a road - the blue light from our devices, UV rays, free radicals, microwaves, radiation from phones, etc.
As we learned in episode 26, sleep helps to fill in those potholes - as does meditation! And when we give the body the rest it needs, it knows how to heal itself. It smooths over that road.
The three main types of meditation include: Focussed Attention, Open Monitoring, and Self-Transcending.
In this episode, I outline each type, and talk about the one that my family practices - Transcendental Meditation. It's effortless and pays out BIG TIME!
Schools are even implementing it as part of the "Quiet Time" initiative, and gaining massive results!
Learn more, inside this week's episode!
LINKSContact me through Socials to join the waitlist for Coaching Opportunities
Instagram
FREE 5 Day Rapid Manifestation Accelerator Program with Sara Longoria
What did you dream about last night? Do you remember? Do you ever catch yourself twitching as you fall asleep, or making noises? Do you sleep walk? Do you have nightmares?
Have you ever had a lucid dream?
For a number of reasons, it’s difficult to definitively conclude much of anything around dreaming. But, the speculations and insights are fascinating, and thought provoking, to say the least - as is the scientific data we do have.
Today we dive into all the things about dreams and dreaming. Why do we dream? How? What happens in our brains when we dream?
I'll give you some tips on how to remember your dreams, and share some of the inventions and discoveries that came as a result of dreaming - some of which have impacted human kind as we know it!
LINKS
Follow me on Instagram or Facebook
Join my Facebook Group
I used to (not that long ago) believe that money was hard to come by. That I had to work hard for my money. That nothing comes for free. That it was a struggle to earn money. That wanting money made me greedy and selfish. That it was not ok to want money. That money would change me, and that rich people were lucky, and knew some secret I don't.
I have done a complete 180 on my money mindset. I now see it in a different way, and it comes to me much more easily. I have learned the "secret" to it. I have unlocked the door. I have totally shifted my beliefs, and it's so freeing!!!
In this unscripted episode, I'm just sharing my shifts, and how they came about, and you can shift your money beliefs as well!
Do you even know what your beliefs and stories are about money? How do you feel about money? What stories and beliefs do you have about it? Do you know? Try asking yourself these questions to find out.
Fill in the blanks:
- Money is ________.
- Having money means ________.
- Not having money means __________.
- In order to make money, I _________.
- Rich people are ___________.
- Wanting money means __________.
I'd love to hear your stories and beliefs... and shifts!! Share them with me!!
@snykoruk or @teaching.little.brains or Teaching Little Brains
LINKSKathrin Zenkina's 24-hour Manifestation Game
Kathrin Zenkina's Book
Manifestation Babes Podcast
Sara Longoria's Money Vibes!
Dr. Shannon Irvine - Your Brain & Money
We've all seen optical illusions - they offer so much fun for us, and our students. But, have you ever heard of audio illusions?
Instead of tricks of the eye - they are tricks of the ear (or brain, more accurately). Today we explore a few, and learn about how to make our voices more engaging and memorable!
LINKS
Instagram
Facebook
Audio Illusions:
Phantom Words
Mystery Melodies
Jumping Transmission Towers
Have you ever had a brain orgasm?
Have you ever felt a tingling in your scalp after hearing a certain sound? Maybe the gentle tapping or dragging of long finger nails on different, bumpy or rough surfaces, clicking of the tongue or fingers, crackles or fizzes like that of candy in your mouth, falling of dry rice, rustling of leaves, or fabrics, whispering...
ASMR, also called “brain tingles” or “brain orgasm” is felt as deep relaxation and pleasant head tingling that is often stimulated by gentle sounds, such as these - and/or also light touch and/or personal attention (from someone with a caring disposition - according to research) - either direct personal attention, or recorded.
Today we look at ASMR, and what is happening - neurologically and physiologically speaking - the benefits, and the Little Brains in your life, and how to find out if you (or they) are ASMR-sensitive.
LINKSOcean's ASMR Youtube Channel
My ASMR Trigger video
Sara Longoria's FREE 5-Day RMM Tapping course
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
Instagram @teaching.little.brains @snykoruk
What is your favourite sound? One that really lifts your spirits and lightens your heart - maybe even gives you tingles or goosebumps - one that brings a smile to your face every time you hear it? Chances are... hopefully… you can name a few things that fit that category. Baby giggles, waterfalls, wind chimes, certain musical instruments, a cat’s purr, rustling leaves in the breeze...
what about the other end of the spectrum. What’s your least favourite sound? One that sends shivers down your spine, that makes you grit your teeth, or cringe and plug your ears?
Chances are, you’re also able to name a few unpleasant sounds that you really don’t like. AND, it’s likely that they are sounds that annoy other people as well - “universally disturbing sounds” - like the scraping of a fork on a plate, nails on a chalkboard, screaming babies, clicking pens, jingling change in someone’s pocket, grinding teeth, tapping pencils on the table…
Is there a sound though, that physically triggers you. And what I mean by “trigger”, is not just like a severe annoyance - I’m talking a sound that rocks you to your core, that kicks up your fight or flight response and enrages, and/or distresses you - probably illogically, and likely is a commonplace sound that most other people don’t even notice, or can seemingly ignore, such as someone’s breathing, or chewing, but can be impairing to your daily life.
If you were easily able to think of a triggering sound that fits that description, one that really sends you to the extreme, over the edge, that distresses you, or impairs you (or maybe you’re thinking of someone you know and love) then you (or they) may suffer from something called, Misophonia.
People with Misophonia, also called “Misophonics”, experience a heightened autonomic nervous system response (fight or flight) to specific trigger sounds - of any decibel, but usually soft sounds.
The areas of the brain responsible for noticing stimuli and paying attention to them, go into hyperdrive. That then leads to higher activity in other areas responsible for long-term memory, fear, and emotional regulation - suggesting that people with Misophonia aren’t processing those particular sounds the way they should.
When a trigger sound is detected, people with Misophonia experience immediate symptoms that can vary in severity, but typically include: muscle tension, headaches, stomach issues; emotional distress, the urge to flee, anger, disgust, rage, panic, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy; they worry,
They have difficulty focusing, they blame others of themselves; they try to escape, avoid, or withdraw from others, they may ask the person to stop the noise (sometimes not in the most friendly way - remember they are in a state of distress), and they may experience physical aggression toward themselves, others or objects. They may storm out, throw things, yell at others, lose control. And mostly feel guilty afterward because they realize it’s not the other person’s fault, and they think something is wrong with them.
Today, we'll learn more about Misophonia, how it presents, what's going on, and how to help.
Once again, I am reminded that we really have no idea what other people are dealing with at any point in time. So, just be kind. Be compassionate, empathetic. Be curious. Be supportive.
LINKS
Breaking the Sound Barrier: Teens With Misophonia
Misophonia test
FREE 5 Day RMM Tapping course
A couple weeks ago, I missed International Daughter's Day. My first thought was "I am the worst mother EVER!"
Why? Because I was comparing myself to all the "perfect" moms on Facebook and Instagram (from where I learned about International Daughters' Day in the first place) who posted beautiful photos of themselves with their daughters, gushing their affection for their daughters in the captions.
Theodore Roosevelt said that "Comparison is the thief of joy." But, it can also be our greatest motivator. Social comparison has an upside and a downside - like most things in life.
Today, on World Mental Health Day, we learn more about social comparison, and how it can affect our mental wellbeing.
What are YOU going to to for your mental wellness today? Here are some ideas to get you started in case you're unsure:
- Get outside in nature - even for 10 minutes
- Stand / Walk barefoot on the grass
- Write down 10 things you are grateful for
- Write a card or message to someone to tell them 3 wonderful things about them
- Make a similar list about yourself.
- Floss your teeth
- Celebrate something (big or small)
- Get some exercise - move. your body for 30 minutes
- Listen to your favourite song
- Dance
- Give someone you love (in your bubble) a hug
- Laugh
- Do/play something you love
- Drink lots of water
- Take 4 slow deep breaths (through your nose)
- Listen to a guided meditation
- Daydream about a place you would love to go - in beautiful detail
- Spend 30 minutes reading a book
- Write down some of your favourite inspiring quotes and/or affirmations
- Stand in front of a mirror. Look yourself in the eye, and put your hand on the mirror - touching your reflection’s hand. Tell your human that you love her or him. Say it again. Tell your human that you love you no matter what. That you love you when you are angry, frustrated, anxious, failing, thriving... No. Matter. What.
- Repeat 3-5 of your favourite affirmations to yourself while standing in a superhero pose
- Step away from social media for an hour - or 2
- Do a puzzle
- Eat some brain-healthy foods: avocado, blueberries, broccoli, walnuts, leafy greens, dark chocolate, etc
- Tap (the FREE 5 day tapping course is back starting Monday the 26th - or message me directly if you’d like more info about tapping)
- Listen to the Teaching Little Brains Podcast 🥰
LINKS
FREE 5 Day RMM tapping course with Sara Longoria
Instagram
Facebook Group
Sources & Resources
CAMH - Mental Illness Statistics & Facts
CMHO - Facts & Figures
World Health Organization
When was the last time you had a good, solid, deep belly laugh?
As children, we used to laugh hundreds of times a day, but as adults, life tends to be more serious and laughter more infrequent.
In fact, did you know that the average 4 year old laughs 300 times a day. The average 40 year old? 4. Just 4.
So, what's the big deal? Why is it important to laugh, and how is it good for you?
Well, it turns out that laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. It brings your mind and body back into balance, lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, burns calories, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. Oh, and it also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Laughter is the best medicine?” Have you ever wondered what it actually means? It turns out, it’s more than just a matter of keeping a positive attitude to help get through something.
When you hear a joke, the left hemisphere analyzes the words and structure of the joke, the frontal lobe - which is responsible for social emotional reactions - becomes active, and the right hemisphere performs the necessary analysis in order to “get” the joke. When the punch line hits home, your heart rate rises, you jiggle with mirth, and your brain releases “feel good” neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and an array of endorphins.
We know all about the positive effects of these hormones and neurotransmitters from episode 1 about celebration. Which makes sense, because laughter and celebration often go hand in hand.
So, let's have a good laugh together, shall we?
LINKS to Make You Laugh, and moreHDSB The Shift Pop Up EventHDSB The Shift Youtube ChannelLaughing Quadruplets video
FIND US HERE:
@teaching.little.brains - Instagram
Teaching Little Brains - Facebook Group
By the end of this episode, you can increase your reading speed by up to 50%!
As Jim Kwik always says, "Leaders are readers". Most of the people you look up to, are strong and rapid readers. While the average person reads 4 or 5 books a year, the average CEO reads 4 or 5 books a month!
There is a HUGE amount of information out there, and if you want an edge, you need to be able to absorb it quickly. Reading is on of the best ways to do that! PLUS, it improves memory, focus, understanding, vocabulary and imagination.
Today, I teach you some effective techniques to help you drastically improve your reading speed and comprehension, and we practice them together.
While you're listening, ask your brain our 3 key questions:
- How can I use this?
- When will I use this?
- Why must I use this?
Grab a book, and a pencil, and let's get started!
LINKS
Lights On Education Evolution - Register Now! Do not get left behind!!
Facebook Group
Big things are happening in the educational world. The world of "school" is evolving - and my fabulous guest today is leading the charge!
Julia Black is the founder of Explorium - a British company that has developed a transformative framework called Lights On®, which reconnects, and keeps, children engaged in learning through their own unique pathways - or "switches" as she calls them.
Julia is offering a powerful FREE video mini-series and Live Event where she’s sharing how parents and educators can prioritize their children’s mental health in this current climate so they can actually start to really excel academically no matter what.
I'm so happy to be welcoming Julia back on the podcast with me to talk about our shared vision of the future of education - and her exciting and illuminating (keeping in line with the Lights On terminology) Education Evolution FREE video series.
Today, Julia and I discuss our shared passion for a system of education whose main objective is nurturing the mental wellness of its learners... and educators... and exploration, discovery, and participating in learning that taps into our strengths, talents & interests.
The Education Evolution is here! Are you courageous enough to evolve with us?
LINKS
Register for the FREE video series
Explorium
Julia Black - The Lights On Mum - Facebook
Fear is just an emotion. One of many emotions we experience as humans. And, in fact, fear is a useful emotion because it signals danger and real threats to our safety and survival.
Feeling fear is a good thing. It indicates that your brain is functioning as it should. Thank you, brain!
Unfortunately, fear also sometimes prevents us from doing something we want to do, or from following our dreams, taking risks, trying new things, even introducing ourselves to someone new at a party. Crazy!
The truth is that fear is just an emotion. A vibration in your body. And, you have all the tools to process and manage fear at your fingertips - literally and figuratively - and today, I share some more.
Fear is NOT the boss of you!
(shout out to Jennifer Allwood, whose book title inspired this episode)
LINKS
Instagram
Facebook
Explorium
What habits do you have? Would you consider them good habits or bad habits? Do you know how they got formed? Have you ever tried to break a bad habit? Did it work? If so, do you know how you did it? If not, do you know why you weren’t successful?
About half of the things you do in a day are habits.
- Brushing our teeth
- Getting dressed
- Switching on lights when you enter a room
- Your car-entry routine
- Working Out
Today I a talk about habit formation, habit pruning (or more accurately, habit replacement), of course how our brains are involved, and how to make mega gains with tiny shifts.
Join me to learn why old habits die hard, and how we can hack the "habit loop" to create new, better habits. If your habits are running half your day, don't you want those habits to move you toward what you want? I know I do.
LINKS
Instagram
Facebook Group
Facebook Page
Have you ever tried to memorize a speech or presentation? How did you do it?
You likely spent hours repeating and rehearsing line by line, for hours and hours. Unfortunately, rote memorization is one of the most inefficient ways to remember information.
Today I teach you an ancient memory technique, called the Loci method (or "Mind Palace" for Sherlock fans) that will save you time, and help you become a master of your memory.
Loci is the plural of Locus, which means location. So, the history behind the loci method, or memory palace takes place 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, where an orator named Simonides (sy-MON-i-deez) was giving a speech inside a stone banquet hall. Just after stepping outside to chat with someone, the giant stone building collapsed, and everyone inside perished. And, their bodies were unrecognizable.
But, Simonides realized that he was able to identify the remains because he remembered where each person was sitting - he could associate each person with a location.
As a human, your memories are wired to be associative. That means, we store information based on what it is associated with. It’s called elaborative encoding. it’s how our short term memories become long-term - by connecting a new memory with a pre-existing one. Every memory has another memory attached with it. And, the stronger the attachment, the more easily that memory can be recalled.
In this episode, we build a mind palace together, and try this out for ourselves!
Transcript of today's episode
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LIGHTS ON
Creativity is all over the place. It is all around us. You can see it in artwork, or music, or poetry, or even in architecture, science & engineering, and nature.
But, where does it come from? And what is happening in our brains when we’re being creative?
I explore that today, and how we can learn, hone, and teach creativity and innovation.
Episode transcript
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Explorium
I can’t even tell you how excited I am to be hosting my guest today! Sara Longoria is an energy medicine practitioner with a background in biomedical science & neurophysiology. Today, she explains how her RMM tapping works on a biological level to get deep into the root of your emotions to clear out all the gunk and get you what you want rapidly.
This conversation is jam packed with value. You are definitely going to want to listen to this more than once!
LINKS
Sara's FREE 5 Day Rapid Manifestation Accelerator Program
Sara's book - The 1 Thing That Changed Everything
Find Sara Longoria on...
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Teaching Little Brains
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Let's talk about sleep, baby!
How did you sleep last night? Were you "out like a light"? Or, is your bed a magical place to go to remember all the things you were supposed to do that day? Why is that? Do you suffer from "Exploding Head Syndrome"? What is your brain even doing while you're sleeping?
That's what we talk about, and more, in this episode!
LINKSSome Exciting News from Teaching Little Brains and Lights On!Instagram
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
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Transcendental Meditation
We don’t know what September will look like at this point. And, even if they did have a set plan for us now, it will most likely change a number of times before (and after) we start back to work. And that unknown is an uncomfortable place for many people to sit. The unknown can be scary for people. Especially if it is a place where the looping thought track is narrated by the news or social media, or other fear-based, stress-perpetuating source. Stressing about it, is not only unhelpful, but is actually harmful to your health, and can compromise your immune system.
Where your focus goes, your energy flows, so focus on the things you can control. Because there are lots - what you consume, how you spend your time, what thoughts you have. AND, there are some practical things as well to help us prepare for a successful return to school.
We go over all of that and more inside this episode!
LINKS
Facebook Group
Sara Longoria FREE 5-Day Course
Facebook Page
MINDS ON membership
Which do you think would take longer:
Kicking 10 soccer balls - one at a time - down a field into the net,
OR
Kicking all 10 balls down the field and into the net at the same time?
You may be surprised at the answer... and the consequences of holding onto that belief and practice. Multitasking costs us dearly. It costs us our 2 most valuable asset - our minds, and our time! Find out how Multitasking can actually cost you precious hours of every day!
Monotasking is the new Multitasking! Get with the times!
LINKS
Follow me on Instagram
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The One Thing
James Clear - Atomic Habits
People say, "If you don’t know where you’re going, you may not like where you end up." Having a vision of what we want for our future, is the first step in the journey.
Vision priming helps us set that destination, that “where we end up” point, and keeps it squarely in our sights in our conscious and subconscious brain. It puts our brains to work to help us get there.
It's like how the picture on the box of the puzzle helps us know where and when to put in the pieces to complete the puzzle - to match the picture/vision.
What kind of puzzle-doer are you?
- A reluctant puzzler?
- A puzzle enthusiast?
- A casual puzzler?
- An on-special-occasions-only puzzler?
Today, we'll create the picture on the puzzle box - set your future vision, and learn how to prime it into your brain to help you step into your future self. Be prepared to become a Puzzle Master!
PLEASE VOTE for me and Teaching Little Brains HERE
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When you hear the word, "gunk", what do you think of?
Our brains and bodies are full of it. Today, we learn how to clear that all out to open up space for the shiny, sparkly, healthy thoughts and feelings to take its place.
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), or "tapping" is an incredible and effective technique for clearing out all our stored gunk. I'll share with you what it is, why it works, the brain and health benefits, and how to do it. We'll even try it out for ourselves. And, of course, we'll talk about how it can be used with the Little Brains in our lives to help them thrive.
LINKS & Resources
The Tapping Solution
FREE 5-Day Rapid Manifestation Course with Sarah Longoria
Books about EFT - Children's books and resource books
Google Image search - EFT Tapping Points & Meridians
Find me here:
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
Coaching Opportunities with Sarah Nykoruk
Love is our most fundamental, base energetic vibration as humans. The heart is the organ most often associated with the feeling of love, and the brain is often associated with thinking, and logic. But, did you know that your heart has its own brain? A "heart-brain" AND it's connected to our... head-brain. WOAH!
Today we'll talk about how that works, what that means, and the implications for the creation of your future.
All you need is love!
LINKS
Coaching Opportunities With Sarah
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
Facebook Group
Join the Teaching Little Brains "Minds ON" Membership
What is it that gets you out of bed and keeps you going every day? What do you believe is important for yourself? What is important for students? What do you value most? What do you want them to leave their time with you having learned?
Your why will help you push through when things get rough - really rough. On the other hand, if your why is not strong enough, you’ll likely give up when you run into any kind of resistance. Today, we dive deep into our whys - 7 levels deep, in fact.
Areas to start investigating your whys:
Ask yourself, "What do I believe about.."
- Health
- Fitness
- Love
- Household "chores"
- Parenting
- Teaching
- Getting Outside
- The environment
- Social Emotional Learning
- Children
then, keep asking yourself "Why is that important to me?" to each response until you get 7 levels deep.
LINKS to Things Mentioned in This Episode
National Indigenous Peoples Day
11 Ways to Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day
Interview with Dean Graziosi - 7 Levels Deep
Coaching Opportunities With Sarah
Mommy is trying to do work, daughter interrupts her train of thought (maybe for the 14th time that hour) asking for a snack or playtime (or demanding it, or whining about it). Mommy loses her cool, snaps at daughter, stomps to the bananas, rips one open, shoves it at her daughter and grunts “There. Have a banana! Mommy is working!” Mom-guilt ensues, creating an unsettled pit in the stomach for the rest of the day - further distracting her from her work - and creating tension between mother and daughter.
How do we interrupt this cycle? Find out in today's episode!
LINKS Mentioned in the Episodeinfo@teachinglittlebrains@gmail.com
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
Facebook Group
Join the Teaching Little Brains "Minds ON" Membership
This is not an episode I ever wanted to (and one hoped I would never have to) record. But, this is important.
I have been reluctant to say anything on this issue for fear of saying the wrong thing. But, this is too important.
blacklivesmatter
LINKS to Resources & Things Mentioned in This Episode8 Can't WaitCapaign Zero
Community School info graphic
Black Lives Matter Toronto
Anti-Racism Resource List
Resources for Big Brains
Me and White Supremacy - Layla Saad
How to Be An Antiracist - Ibram X Kendi
White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
So You Want To Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Beverly Tatum
Resources for Little Brains
Embrace Race - 26 books that support conversations about racism
Hearty Kids - Virtual blog & reads
Something Happened in Our Town - Youtube series
Good Places to Send Your Money
Color of Change - @ColorofChange
Fair Fight Action - @FairFightAction
The NAACP - @NAACP
Equal Justice Initiative - @eji_org
Town Hall by Obama
@teaching.little.brains - Instagram
Facebook
What is something you want most in life? Is it money? Accolades? An achievement? A life partner? A new job? To lose weight? A certain home? A pet?
Why do you want that money, or person in your life, or job, or home? I’ll give you a hint. It has to do with your feelings.
Feelings are just vibrations in our body, and yet everything we do in life is to either feel a certain feeling, or avoid a certain feeling. But, life is 50-50. If we want to live a full life, we need to embrace all our human emotions. AND learn to release the unwanted emotions healthily.
Follow me:
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
Teaching Little Brains Facebook
Have you ever heard "I'll believe it when I see it"? Well, when it comes to getting the life you want, you have to believe it first in order to see it. The good news is - you don't have to believe a thought just because it enters your brain. You have complete control over what you believe, and what kind of life you want to live!
Links
Teaching Little Brains Instagram
Teaching Little Brains Facebook
Have you ever heard the phrase Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus? No matter what you may interpret that to mean, the bottom line is that men and women are different - in many ways - but today we’re going to talk specifically about the differences between the male and female brain.
LINKS to Things Mentioned in This EpisodeFollow me on Instagram
FacebookDr. Joe Dispenza
Infradian Cycle - Alisa Vitti
Batman is not really a superhero. He doesn't have superior speed or strength. He is just a man... who, despite experiencing personal tragedy, uses his resources to fight against corruption, and protect those who are most in need.
And that’s the key right there. Batman, despite repeated adversity, continues to fight for good. He is the epitome of resilience, persistence and courage.
Building resilience gives us the tools to combat, effectively manage, and cope with, stressors we face on a daily basis. Resilient people have the ability to adapt successfully in the face of stress and adversity. And, someone who hasn’t built up their resilience, has a decreased ability to combat stress. And we've now made the link between virtually all chronic illnesses and stress. So, having tools to combat stress is critically important!
In this episode, I share about something super cool called, "The Batman Effect" and how it can help the Little Brains around us (and ourselves) build resilience and help strengthen our brain health and mental well-being.
LINKS to Things Mentioned in This Episode
Join the Membership!! Email: info@teachinglittlebrains.com
Follow me on Instagram
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The Batman Effect experiment by Reflection Sciences
Snickers Commercial
Flossing sucks! It’s uncomfortable to the gums, which often bleed, you never cut the right length piece of floss - it’s always either too short to hold onto, or way too long to do your whole mouth. By the time you’re done, your fingers are purple because you’ve got the floss wound so tightly around them that you’ve cut off all circulation. Then, you have to wipe down the mirror after, cuz you’ve launched bits of white sh...stuff all over it - what is that even anyway?! PLUS, there’s like ZERO gratification in flossing. There’s no visible difference in your mouth - except for the fact that your spitting out blood. Your gums are throbbing. And, for what?!
Teeth and our brains are very similar - if we neglect them, they will rot. Mindfulness and other practices that improve mental health, are things we need to practice on a regular basis - like flossing. And like flossing, it is not something we can do the night before, and week after our bi-annual dentist appointment. Also like flossing, it is a preventative health measure, and one that can be uncomfortable at times, and hard to remember to do. it’s one of those things that you don’t see the benefits of until much later, often when it’s too late and there’s a serious problem, so, while it may seem tricky or even forced at first, stick with it, because the benefits will compound, and the consequences of not taking care of your dental or mental health, are dire.
This coming week is Mental Health Awareness Week in Canada. What are you going to do to celebrate it?
Here are some ideas:
Get outside
Practice mindfulness
Write in your gratitude journal
Get some exercise
Call a friend or family member
Contact Carly Lowis
Read a book
Watch a movie...or two... or five
Put on some fancy clothes
Enjoy your favourite treat
Listen to some music
Dance
Bake - if you like that kind of thing
Do some yoga
Listen to your favourite podcast
Floss your teeth!
Take care of your mental health!
Tag me on Instagram @teaching.little.brains and/or Facebook
LINKS To Things Mentioned in the Episode
Canadian Mental Health Association - Mental Health Awareness Week
Carly Lowis - Life Coach - carlylowis@gmail.com
Kristina Bothmer is someone who truly, genuinely values her students as human beings, and treats them as such - and they know it. They know that they are valued and important. Kristina understands that the little brains in her classroom are far more competent, capable, and self-aware than they are sometimes given credit for.
Currently teaching in a grade 1/2 split (or “combined”) classroom, Kristina helps her Little Brains learn about how their brains and minds work, she teaches them strategies to manage their thoughts and emotions, and has built her program around the core and practice of mindfulness.
Today, Kristina shares how she has created this mindfulness-centred program, and some tips she has for educators for their classrooms, as well as parents now at home with their children, in a time when it is so needed.
LINKS & Things Mentioned in the Episode(not affiliate links - just sharing because we love them)
Mind Up ProgramLove Powered Co. Affirmation cards
Cosmic Kids Yoga - YouTube
Once Upon a Mat - Yoga & Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness Jars - Google it
Singing Bowls - Google it
Find and Follow Kristina Here:
Classroom Website
Twitter: @ms_bothmer
Instagram @livinglifeatmyownpace
Follow Teaching Little Brains Here:Facebook Page
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Instagram
Another super fun "Kwik" Brain Trick for remembering lists of items like the Top 10 Foods to feed your brain for optimal health!
JOIN ME
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Let's have some fun hacking our brains with this super cool memory trick from my favourite brain coach, Jim Kwik!
We're going to use some exciting and clever tools to help us memorize a list of random words... or are they?!
While we do this, as yourself:
1. How can I use this?
2. Why must I use this?
3. When will I use this?
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The quality of our questions determines the quality of our life. Our thoughts happen in the form of Questions and Answers. On average, we have 60 000 - 70 000 of them a day. It's the job of our Reticular Activating System to only allow in the things that align with what we already believe. Happily, we get to use our conscious mind to instruct our RAS to allow in the thoughts we want. Especially in times when things are difficult, and uncertain (like this current time with COVID-19), it is very important for us to do so.
In this episode, we explore how to identify the question(s) we ask ourselves most often, and how to choose questions that serve us better.
Some questions that serve us ...
- What opportunities does this time afford me?
- What if this is happening for me, not to me?
- What are 3 things I’m grateful for?
- How can I make this moment more magical?
- Where can I notice beauty in my day?
- What are 3 acts of kindness I can do today?
- What do I get to do today? (vs. What do I have to do today?)
- What if I have puzzles rather than problems?
- What is one thing I can do today to get me closer to my goal?
- What am I not seeing here?
Julia Black is an Education Changemaker and Social Entrepreneur from the UK, who helps parents empower their children to be highly motivated, self-directed, switched on learners to help them succeed in life. She is the founder of Explorium and the creator of the transformative educational framework, Lights On®, and an all-around lovely human being. She is also a fellow Neuro Coach who teaches people how to use brain-science to uplevel their learning and life potential. I am so honoured and excited to have Julia as my very first guest on the Teaching Little Brains Podcast!
JOIN US Thursday, April 2nd 2020 for the Education Evolution Summit (link also below)
LINKS to things mentioned in the episode:Facebook page - Register for the Summit on Thursday April 2nd 2020 @ 11am EST
Lights On Jams PopUp (affiliate link)
Explorium Website
Creative Writing Digital Course - taught by Julia's daughter, Esme
Filmmaking Digital Course - taught by Julia's son, Seb
Today we discuss the science of stress, why & how it can be different for female brains, and how to combat stress during uncertain times like these. You are not alone!
LINKS mentioned in the episodeHarvard Study - 2000
Teaching Little Brains Facebook Page
Teaching Little Brains - Instagram
The Tapping Solutions
RTT - Maegan Aleece - Level Up Everyday
Did you know that simply writing down your goals and affirmations can increase the likelihood of your achieving them by up to 87%?!
Our thoughts drive our attitudes, our actions, and our behaviours. We can use this powerful chain reaction for empowerment, achievement, success, and self-actualization by writing them down. The only barrier to achieving our personal goals is ourselves and we often need to retrain our thought patterns to see the joys, opportunities, and possibilities in life rather than the limitations.
In this episode, I share some incredible benefits of writing down goals and affirmations, and practical tips in phrasing them to maximize success!
LINKS to things mentioned in this episodeThe ONE Thing
Join my Teaching Little Writers Academy
Writing has been proven time and again, to be a key contributor to success in terms of goal-setting, gratitude, memory development, various cognitive and emotional therapies, increasing creativity and productivity, neural plasticity & network development, self coaching, mental well-being, thought processing, fine motor development, overcoming depression, and even fighting dyslexia and psychological disorders. You name it. There is evidence proving that writing enhances success all over the place - it is not simply a means of communication or expression.
Our Little Brains, need to know how to write!
In this episode, I share a model of Writers' Workshop that has proven successful in 100% of the over 30 classrooms I have coached it in. Students are more engaged, confident, resilient, take more risks, start loving writing, and the quality of their writing drastically improves! PLUS, teachers gain hours back into their lives, rarely need to take writing home to mark, develop a deeper connection with their students, and are able to improve their own writing skills!
Intrigued? Join me, for episode 5.
Also, register here for my Writers' Workshop Masterclass where I dive even deeper into the Writers' Workshop and get you set up for a program you, and your students, will love!
LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
Sign Up for my Teaching Little Writers Academy
Join my Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
No More, "I'm Done!" by Jennifer Jacobson
No More "How Long Does it Have to Be?" by Jennifer Jacobson
The Writing Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo
Make Writing and Hacking the Writing Workshop by Angela Stockman
Grateful people are healthier, happier, sleep better, make more friendships, participate in more acts of kindness, are more resilient, and are less likely to seek revenge for wrongful doings. WOW!
In this episode, we explore the physical, emotional, social and mental health benefits of gratitude, and I share some simple habits you can easily adopt, and integrate into your classroom.
Thank you for joining me today! Remember to subscribe to the podcast, so that new episodes will automatically come to you, saving you time.
Here are some handy links for this episode:
FREE Gratitude Journals and Prompts on Teachers Pay Teachers
FORBES article
Reticular Activating System (RAS) video
If I said “You should take a trip to Hawaii this year!” or “Have you ever thought of starting a podcast?” or even “There’s a staff meeting tomorrow”, what is your reaction? An objection, groan or eye roll? Likely that's because of a Negative Thought that Automatically came up for you, when you thought about stepping out of your comfort zone. It's a sign that your brain is functioning as it should, protecting you from perceived threats.
In this episode, we learn how to squash those ANTs, (Automatic Negative Thoughts), and replace them with more positive thoughts that serve you. As always, I offer the neuro, and evolutionary explanation for these ANTs, and some teaching resources, references and tools for the classroom.
Thank you for joining me again - remember to subscribe to this podcast so that you don't have to search for the episodes, they will come to you!
Links to things mentioned in the episode:
Dr. Daniel Amen - https://www.amenclinics.com/
Dawson Church - https://dawsonchurch.com/
Kathrin Zenkina - https://manifestationbabe.com/blog/
EFT - Tapping - https://www.thetappingsolution.com/
The 8 Step ANT Squashing process - Thank you, Kathrin Zenkina:
1. Identify the limiting behaviour (or belief, or thought)
2. Isolate the underlying belief (write it down)
3. Identify the source - where did this belief come from?
4. What have the benefits been to holding onto this belief?
5. What have the consequences been to holding onto this belief?
6. Is there any ultimate truth to this belief, or is it just a story you've been telling yourself?
7. What is the actual truth about this? (refute) Find evidence to dispel the belief
8. Replace with a new belief.
Practice repeating the new belief over and over, acting as if you believe it. Your subconscious doesn't know the difference between reality and make belief. It only listens to what you tell it.
This episode is all about how our thoughts create our feelings, which drive our actions, which produce our results. This is actually scientifically observable on a brain scan!
Our super efficient brain wants to automate as much as possible, to save energy. So, it takes the thoughts x feeling combinations we repeat over time, and stores them in our subconscious.
While this can be a good thing, because it allows us to focus on the tasks that require concentration, like lesson planning, driving on the highway, and solving super fun brain teasers in our Facebook group, it also means that 80-90% of our daily choices and actions are being run by our subconscious. Unchecked, our thoughts can inadvertently lead us to negative actions and results.
The GREAT news is that we can choose our thoughts. We don't have to believe everything that passes through our brain!
My call to action for you this week is to notice the 3 most frequent feelings you have during the day, and then write down the thoughts that are creating those feelings. Are they serving you, or hindering you in some way?
I've also included a FREEBIE Plan for a lesson you can do with your students.
Teaching Little Brains came about because I feel like this is the important stuff of life that we should be teaching our kids in school (and at home). These are the lessons, tools and strategies that will serve them, and benefit their mental health and well-being, no matter what they do, or where they go.
Thank you for tuning in!
LINKS mentioned in the episode:
FREEBIE Lesson Plan - Choosing Your Thoughts
Join the Teaching Little Brains Facebook Group
https://www.teachinglittlebrains.com
Kwik Brains podcast hosted by Jim Kwik
The Life Coach School Podcast by Brooke Castillo
Dr. Shannon Irvine - The Epic Success Podcast
Hello, and Welcome to Episode 1 of the Teaching Little Brains Podcast!
Today I am celebrating the launch of my podcast - And I'm so excited you're here. Thank you for joining me!
Did you know that celebrating is actually good or your brain? Your brain LOVES reward! It’s wired for it. And celebration is an exceptional form of reward. When you do something, and celebrate it, that fires off feel-good chemicals (dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin), and endorphins, like fireworks! It lowers damaging levels of cortisol, and calms your amygdala. This burst of reward information, signals to your brain, to do more of whatever it is that caused the reward. If these words sound foreign to you, worry not. We will be exploring all kinds of enchanting neuro vocabulary and concepts in this, and future episodes.
Dopamine gets fired when there is a reward sensation - you check something off your to-do list, and/or have positive conversations with others during celebration time. It accompanies a feeling of accomplishment and positivity. The benefit of dopamine is that it communicates with various areas of our prefrontal cortex (that’s our conscious, thinking brain, the part that makes us human - the part that allows us to choose our words and actions, think about our thinking). So, when dopamine is released, it allows us to pay attention to important tasks, ignore distracting information, and access our working memory during problem-solving tasks.
The second chemical released during celebration is Oxytocin - also known as the “bonding hormone”, “cuddle hormone” or “love drug”. It gives us a sense of closeness, intimacy, well-being and safety.
Serotonin helps change your mindset. Amongst other things, it increases motivation and innovation, helps people become more focused and determined to change, and can reduce stress.
And here’s the beautiful thing about this: When we celebrate something, the brain does not know the difference between you celebrating for yourself, or for someone else. It only experiences the positive chemical reaction, and links it to what you think caused it. For you, as the teacher, it could be helping a student. And, for the student, it could be using the strategies she’s learned to solve tricky words. Now both your brains want more of that, so you will be more likely to help students, and your student will be more likely to apply her reading strategies to try to solve new words with increased resilience, confidence and risk-taking.
In other words, celebrating with someone else, like say….someone who is launching their first ever podcast episode has brain benefits for you as well as them! How AWESOME is that!?!?
So….what are you celebrating today?