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Welcome to The Focus Cast Episode 105, where we dive deep into the realms of self-discovery and personal growth. Join Jonathan and I to explore the transformative power of intentional inner work and the profound effects it can have on reshaping our inner narratives.

In this episode, Jonathan and I peel back the layers of our subconscious minds, uncovering the stories we've been telling ourselves and how they shape our realities. We discuss the liberating experience of rewriting these programs, shedding labels of inadequacy, and embracing a fresh perspective on life.

Venturing into the depths of emotional processing, we reflect on the frustration of untapped potential and the significance of living in alignment with our intuitive selves, especially in the entrepreneurial world. Our conversation delves into fear-based reactions and the importance of operating from a state of calm and curiosity.

As we wrap up, we celebrate the resilience and clarity that emerge from personal growth journeys, highlighting the universal human experiences of love, choice, and freedom. With humor and intentionality, we contemplate the symbols that unite us and the power of community in our pursuit of fulfillment.

Join us on The Focus Cast as we embark on a journey of introspection, empowerment, and endless possibilities for personal development. Tune in to craft a narrative of intentionality and fulfillment that resonates with anyone eager to expand their horizons.

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With being creative and curious while reflecting unconditional love and gratitude, we can learn to be radically present.

Welcome to The Focus Cast, where we navigate the intricate tapestry of life's journey, breaking free from the constraints of societal expectations and embracing the profound beauty of the present moment. In today's episode, we embark on a heart-to-heart exploration of self-discovery, transcending the stereotypical midlife crisis and finding purpose in the seemingly mundane.

Join me as we peel back the layers of life's supposed milestones and the relentless pursuit of the perfect soulmate, delving into a narrative that prioritizes growth through choice and shared experiences. In our intimate conversation, we unravel the complexities of societal pressures and offer a refreshing perspective on savoring the flavors of each moment.

Discover why judging a stranger's shopping cart reveals more about ourselves than them and how adopting a lens of radical non-judgment can liberate us from self-imposed limitations. Let's explore the joy in the mundane, learning to meet ourselves and others with a kinder, more accepting gaze.

In this episode, we confront the pervasive issue of judgment, examining its impact on daily interactions, from personal struggles with addiction to simple acts of service. Through poignant stories from the trenches of individual challenges, we illuminate the transformative power of replacing judgment with radical acceptance.

This isn't just a discussion; it's an invitation to join me in a commitment to presence. Our purpose may reside within the moments we often overlook. Let's embark on this continuous practice together, sowing seeds of love, gratitude, and non-judgment with every step we take. Tune in to The Focus Cast and let's shape a life awakened to the richness of the present.

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As the gentle hum of everyday life gave way to a weekend of chaos, I found myself grappling with the kind of upheaval that brings unforeseen wisdom.

Major Insight One: Learning to Observe without Judgement
In the first part of our episode, we unravel the profound practice of observing without judgment. Through meditation and mental exercises, we discover the art of disconnecting emotions from our identity. Instead of being consumed by our emotions, we learn to experience them objectively, allowing us to simply observe without attaching them to who we are.

Major Insight Two: Documenting the Positive over the Negative
In the second segment, we delve into the transformative practice of documenting the positive aspects of our lives over the negative. We discuss the potential pitfalls of projecting trauma and how it can inadvertently become a part of our identity. Our exploration focuses on breaking free from the cycle of trauma addiction, letting go of the identity of past hardships, and embracing a more positive self-image.

Tune in to The Focus Cast for an insightful conversation that aims to empower you with practical tools and perspectives for a more focused and fulfilling life.

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Welcome to Episode 102 of The Focus Cast! 🎙️ Join us for an inspiring journey as we explore a groundbreaking approach to setting goals that encompasses the mind, body, and soul.

In the realm of the mind, we delve into the power of presence and the art of observing without judgment. Learn how these mindfulness practices can reshape your approach to goal-setting, fostering a mindset of growth and self-discovery.

Moving to the body, we uncover the importance of balancing serotonin levels and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Discover practical strategies to enhance your overall well-being, providing a solid foundation for achieving your physical goals.

The soul takes center stage as we explore the realms of curiosity and creativity. Embrace these elements to infuse your goals with passion and purpose, creating a deeper connection to your life's work

Measuring success takes on a unique perspective in this episode—embrace pain and self-grace. Explore the transformative power of acknowledging challenges while extending compassion to yourself along the way.

And remember, in the pursuit of your goals, there is no finish line. This is life's work. Join us as we discuss the ever-evolving nature of personal growth and achievement.

But that's not all! We share insights into our own physical goals, discussing the additions to our routines that are propelling us toward success.

As a special treat, we draw parallels to the legendary Mongolian horses and warriors, exploring how their battle strategies hold relevance in today's pursuit of personal excellence.

Tune in to Episode 102 for a dynamic conversation that will inspire you to redefine your approach to goals and embark on a journey of lifelong fulfillment. 🌟 #TheFocusCast #GoalSetting #MindBodySoul

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In our 101st episode, join us as we embark on a transformative journey, shifting our focus from mind to body, exploring the profound link between physical fitness and mental acuity, all while conditioning for the ultimate challenge—a 365-mile mountain biking race, the TNGA

Welcome to The Focus Cast, where we delve into the intricate connections between mind and body. After an enlightening 100 episodes dedicated to sharpening our mental focus, we're embarking on a thrilling new journey. Join us as we shift our focus to the physical realm, exploring the symbiotic relationship between the mind and body.

In this season, we're not just discussing the benefits of physical exercise; we're challenging ourselves to embody it. Our hosts are on a mission to understand how pushing physical boundaries can enhance cognitive abilities and overall focus. We'll be delving into scientific articles that unravel the mysteries of why activities like running, weightlifting, and yoga play a crucial role in optimizing mental performance.

But that's not all – we've set ourselves an audacious goal. Get ready to follow our hosts on their transformative journey as they condition themselves for the ultimate test – the 365-mile mountain biking race known as the TNGA (Trans North Georgia Adventure). Scheduled for August, this race will be a testament to the power of focus, determination, and the incredible potential that lies within the human body.

Join us every week as we explore the intersection of physical fitness and mental acuity, sharing insights, expert interviews, and personal experiences. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, The Focus Cast is your go-to source for unlocking the secrets to a focused and resilient mind-body connection. Get ready to pedal, push, and persist with us on The Focus Cast – where the journey to optimal focus begins in the body.

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Have you ever wished you could read someone else’s diary? Well, we're flipping the pages open on our own lives in this episode. We'll take you on a journey through our 2024 plans, share some raw personal insights and dive into why we're reducing the number of cuss words. All aboard the FocusCast, where we're implementing some mom-approved changes and, more importantly, recrafting some of our previous episodes so they can achieve their full potential.

Our 2024 mission incorporates more than course correction; we're expanding our horizons by honing our storytelling abilities. We'll pull you into a world of timeless tales and connect with 24 founders by the end of the year. It's a digital age, yet we believe in the power of human advice and connection. Think back to the days when you trusted "rate my professor" to make the right choice; that's the kind of informed decision-making we're talking about.

In this whirlwind of planning and connection, it's crucial to remember to focus, and in this chapter, we explore the potential of increased focus to unlock creativity and vision. We’re also discussing the merits of a four-day work week or half-day Fridays because, let's face it, work-life balance is not just about coffee breaks. They say the best ideas come when you step away from work, and we’re living proof of that. In fact, our podcast has become a journal of personal growth, healing and self-discovery. So, tune in and let us guide you through tales of becoming better parents, overcoming our internal voices, and finding the strength in focusing. As we explore the challenges faced by middle-class founders in today's world, we’re reminded of the power of human connection in business and the importance of supporting each other. Join us, as we set sail on this new chapter of FocusCast.

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Ever wondered how a simple idea can blossom into a wildly successful podcast journey? Join us in this revealing episode as we take you behind the scenes of our incredible journey, spanning 24 months, from zero to 1,992 downloads and a staggering 150,000 views on YouTube.

0:00 Podcast Recap and Statistics
13:18 Reflections on the Podcast Journey
26:35 YouTube Channel and Analog Journal

📈 Explore our highest-performing episodes, where we dive deep into the importance of hydration and engage in enlightening discussions with our special guest, Michael Plash. Plus, discover the intriguing world of our YouTube shorts, accounting for a whopping 93% of our traffic. The top performers? Stories about Chicago and prepper food that will leave you captivated.

🎙️ We'll also share our experiences in setting up a home studio and making substantial investments in podcasting gear. Learn from the challenges we faced and the invaluable lessons we gained, providing you with a deeper insight into the podcasting world.

🚀 Hear how our efforts in promotion, marketing, and exciting external collaborations have been instrumental in driving the growth of our podcast. We'll discuss the crucial role of discipline and how it has positively impacted our spiritual, physical, and mental health.

🎧 Lastly, we'll take you on a soothing and mesmerizing journey as we introduce you to DJs spinning records on an incredible YouTube channel. Set against beautiful white backdrops and surrounded by lush plants, this is an experience you won't want to miss.

Tune in, and let's reflect on this incredible journey together. Subscribe, like, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our future episodes. Thank you for being a part of our podcasting adventure!

PodcastJourney #SuccessStory #BehindTheScenes #PodcastGrowth #Hydration #SpecialGuest #YouTubeShorts #HomeStudio #PodcastingGear #Discipline #Collaborations #Music #DJs #YourPodcastName

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Join us for an inspiring episode of The Focus Cast as we explore the profound impact of personal growth on our professional achievements. In this engaging discussion, we reflect on our experiences throughout the year 2023, with a special focus on our transition into the Appleverse and our adventures in music production.

00:00 Year-End Recap and Personal Goals|
07:48 Personal Growth and Future Goals
18:39 Personal Growth and Future Goals
29:06 Future Goals and Life Direction
43:03 The Importance of Adventure and Growth
51:43 Recording and Promoting the Focus Cast

🌱 Discover the power of setting realistic goals and simplifying your workflow to thrive professionally. We'll guide you through our journey across the ever-evolving landscape of personal and professional growth.

💪 Uncover the transformative potential of breaking free from established narratives, and how it can enhance your relationships with loved ones. We share our own experiences and delve into the significance of physical activity, acquiring new skills, and the courage to take risks. You won't want to miss our exciting journey into content creation, which has been a remarkable accomplishment. Get a sneak peek into our future plans and learn why starting today is essential.

🚀 As we wrap up this thrilling episode, we emphasize the importance of inner exploration and doing the inner work. We candidly share our experiences in recording and promoting The Focus Cast. This is also our moment to express gratitude to you, our dedicated listeners, for being a part of this journey.

🎯 We cover it all - from striking a balance between work and leisure, maintaining physical health, and investing in yourself. Get ready to embark on a life-transforming adventure filled with small wins, calculated risks, and personal growth that leads to fulfillment.

Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our future episodes. Your support means the world to us! Join us on this exciting journey of self-improvement, personal growth, and professional success.

PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalAchievements #TheFocusCast #Appleverse #MusicProduction #SettingGoals #ContentCreation #SelfImprovement #InnerWork #Gratitude #BalancingLife

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🚀 Supercharge Your Focus and Productivity with the Right Tools 🧰

Are you overwhelmed by the constant information deluge and desperately seeking a way to streamline your tasks? You're not alone! Join us as we navigate the productivity maze and unveil the game-changing tools and systems that can revolutionize your work and life.

📧 Managing Digital Chaos 📧

Discover how we tame the email beast, conquer digital clutter, and keep our inboxes from spiraling out of control. Learn firsthand from our experiences, so you can take back control of your digital life.

🎙️ The Power of Content Distribution 🎙️

Explore how services like Buzzsprout can be your secret weapon in distributing your content efficiently. Whether you're launching a business, producing a podcast, or simply juggling multiple tasks, we've got you covered.

💿 The Great Streaming Service Showdown 💿

We don our "nerd" hats and engage in a lively debate on streaming platforms. From Spotify's user-friendly interface to its impact on artists, we compare the pros and cons of platforms like Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, and Apple Music. Find out which platform aligns best with your preferences.

🤣 Join the Fun 🤣

Expect a dose of self-deprecating humor, some thought-provoking insights, and a lot of laughs along the way. Together, we'll tackle productivity head-on, leaving you with a clearer perspective and ready to take on your tasks like a pro.

Don't miss out on this enlightening and entertaining discussion! Tune in now to supercharge your focus and productivity. 🚀🧰 #Focus #ProductivityTools #DigitalClutter #StreamingServices

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🧠 Unlocking the Power of Focus and Nootropics ☕

Are you curious about the secrets behind that morning cup of coffee or the potential of cognitive enhancers and nootropics? Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of boosting focus and cognition. We'll reveal the magic of natural compounds versus pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers like Adderall and Ritalin.

☕ Coffee Lovers Unite! ☕

Coffee enthusiasts, this episode is for you too. We'll share our taste tests and personal experiences with Everyday Dose Mushroom Coffee and Better Brand Better Lungs Herbal Supplement. Explore the world of coffee connoisseurs versus casual drinkers, and discover the art of brewing with a French press or a drip machine. On the supplement front, we'll discuss the wonders of Athletic Greens and why it might be the perfect addition to your daily routine.

🌱 Nutrition and Brain Supplements 🌱

Discover the importance of nutrition, from butter-infused coffee to the sweetness of honey. We'll shift our focus to cognitive enhancers and the impact of Everyday Dose Mushroom Coffee and Better Brand Better Lungs Herbal Supplement. To top it off, we'll delve into the carbon tax and discuss whether we should bring back some old-fashioned shunning.

Don't miss this mind-expanding journey! Join us as we uncover the potential of focus and nootropics, and be ready to have your perceptions altered. 🚀🧠 #Focus #Nootropics #CognitiveEnhancers #CoffeeLovers

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🔍 Unlock Your Potential: Overcoming Procrastination and Increasing Focus 🚀

Procrastination and lack of focus can hold you back from reaching your full potential. Whether it's work, school, or personal projects, these challenges can hinder your growth. Discover effective strategies and resources to conquer procrastination and sharpen your focus.

🔔 In this video, we'll cover:

🕒 Procrastination: Causes and Consequences

• Understand why we procrastinate and how it affects your productivity and well-being.
• Learn about proven solutions, including Time Management Techniques, Setting SMART Goals, and the power of Mindfulness and Meditation.

💡 Increasing Focus: Challenges and Benefits

• Explore the obstacles that disrupt your focus, from digital distractions to stress.
• Find out how to reclaim your concentration with Digital Detox and Time Blocking, Adequate Sleep and Nutrition, and the potential benefits of Cognitive Enhancements and Nootropics.

✅ Conclusion

• Discover how you can take control of your life by implementing these solutions and seeking support when needed.
• Boost your productivity, achieve your goals, and live a more fulfilling life.

Don't let procrastination and lack of focus hold you back any longer. Start your journey toward enhanced productivity and success. Watch the full video and take your first step towards a more focused and accomplished you! 🔥🚀 #Focus #Productivity #OvercomingProcrastination

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Are you struggling to focus due to ADHD? In this video, we're here to help. We'll explore five crucial areas to improve your focus, even when dealing with a restless mind or ADHD. Let's dive right in.

🧠 Learning to Focus when you have ADHD 🧠

Our ability to focus is essential for success, but it can be incredibly frustrating for those with ADHD. Here are some quick facts to set the stage:

• ADHD affects 6.1 million (about 8%) children in the US and about 4% in adults.
• Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls.
• Adults with ADHD may struggle with substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and depression.
• In Kentucky, 14.8% of people have ADHD.

If you're dealing with severe ADHD, it's crucial to talk to a doctor or therapist.

Now, let's explore the 5 areas to boost your focus:

1. Time & Task Management Supports
   • Problem: Managing time, prioritizing tasks, and staying organized can be a challenge.
   • Solution: Implement practical time management techniques like using timers and structured methods like the Pomodoro Technique.
   • Studies show that creating daily or weekly to-do lists can enhance task completion and focus.
2. Environment Optimization for Improved Concentration
   • Problem: External distractions disrupt focus.
   • Solution: Create a clutter-free, organized workspace. Research supports that an organized environment positively impacts concentration.
   • For noise sensitivity, use noise-canceling headphones or calming background sounds. Studies have shown their effectiveness in reducing distraction.
3. Mindfulness and Self-Regulation Practices
   • Problem: Impulsivity and lack of mindfulness hinder focus.
   • Solution: Regularly practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to enhance attention and impulse control.
   • Research has shown that mindfulness interventions can improve attention and self-regulation in individuals with ADHD.
4. Incorporating Physical Activity
   • Problem: Restlessness and hyperactivity disrupt focus.
   • Solution: Engage in regular physical activity to reduce restlessness and enhance focus.
   • Studies suggest that exercise releases neurotransmitters that support attention and mood regulation.
5. Nutritional Considerations
   • Problem: Dietary choices influence energy levels and attention span.
   • Solution: Maintain a well-balanced diet, including foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and essential nutrients for brain health.
   • Research indicates that a balanced diet can positively influence attention and cognitive function.

If you're seeking ways to improve your focus despite ADHD, these strategies can be incredibly beneficial. Remember, you're not alone, and there are practical steps you can take to enhance your focus and productivity. Watch the full video to dive deeper into each of these areas and get on the path to improved focus.

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📖 Unlock the Power of Focus and Journaling 🖋️

Are you seeking a simple yet transformative tool to boost your mental wellbeing and conquer life's challenges? Join us as we unravel the magic of journaling and its profound impact on mental health and personal growth.

📚 Expressive Writing for Mental Health 📚

Discover the fascinating findings from a Psychology Science study that highlights the role of expressive writing in curbing anxiety and enhancing mental health. We'll show you how journaling can become your own emotional health advocate, one page at a time.

🌟 Journaling for Creativity and Self-Compassion 🌟

Learn how journaling can stimulate your creative juices and cultivate self-compassion. Drawing from research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, we'll explore how this practice can trigger cognitive resilience and superior problem-solving skills, all while replacing self-criticism with a nurturing narrative.

🔍 The Art of Self-Reflection 🔍

Uncover the potency of journaling in sparking self-reflection and helping you distinguish feelings from facts. We'll provide practical tips on how to make journaling a regular habit, the benefits of a bedside journal, and why it's essential to approach this practice without expectations.

🌱 Writing Your Path to Mental Wellness 🌱

Learn how this simple yet powerful practice can lead to a life lived with intention and purpose, fostering a positive habit of self-reflection. Join us for an inspiring discussion, and start writing your journey to a healthier mental state today. 🖋️🌞 #Focus #Journaling #MentalWellness #SelfReflection

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0:01 Radical Accountability and Success
6:48 Overcoming Victim Mentality and Embracing Accountability
15:09 Radical Acceptance and Responsibility
24:27 Radical Accountability and Continuous Growth

🔑 Unlock Radical Accountability and Say Goodbye to the Victim Mentality 🚫

Feeling stuck in a cycle of victimhood? Overwhelmed by life's uncontrollable elements? You're in the right place. Join us as we peel back the layers of the pervasive issue known as the victim mentality. This mindset often arises from adversity but doesn't have to define your identity. Discover how radical accountability can break this cycle and help you lead a life of intention.

💪 In this video, we'll explore:

🔍 Feedback Absorption and Relationship Dynamics

Learn how to move from feeling like a victim to taking charge of your life. Dive into concepts like feedback absorption and relationship dynamics to empower yourself to focus on what you can control.

🌟 Radical Acceptance and Responsibility

Uncover the transformative power of radical acceptance and responsibility. These are not just buzzwords but essential tools to navigate difficult circumstances. By releasing resistance, refraining from judgment, and building resilience through emotional regulation, you can take control of your life.

📚 The Power of Continuous Learning

Embrace the journey of continuous learning as a tool for self-improvement. It's time to grow and evolve. Get ready to break free from the victim mentality and embark on a path of radical accountability, acceptance, and unwavering growth. Join us now! 🔥🌱 #Focus #VictimMentality #RadicalAccountability

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0:00 Jumping to Conclusions
12:50 The Dangers of Jumping to Conclusions
19:34 Avoiding Assumptions and Jumping to Conclusions
29:03 Career Politicians and Average Americans Disconnect

Imagine you could peel back the layers of your mind, understanding why you make hasty decisions or jump to conclusions when faced with emotionally charged or ambiguous situations. Promise us your time, and we'll guide you through this exploration into your cognitive machinery. Our discussion begins by unpacking the phenomenon of 'jumping to conclusions', a cognitive shortcut often leading to inaccurate judgments. We'll navigate its role in social anxiety and delusional disorders, and offer useful strategies to keep such hasty conclusions in check.

Ever wondered about the different types of mental shortcuts your brain takes? In a fascinating conversation, we address fortune-telling, mind-reading, extreme extrapolation, overgeneralization, and labeling. These automatic responses, while efficient, often cloud our judgement leading to misinterpretations. But we've got you covered. We'll delve into how to avoid these cognitive traps, helping you to question assumptions and make mindful decisions.

Lastly, we tie it all together by examining the influence of upbringing and life experiences on our cognitive systems. Our focus: the disconnect between career politicians and the average American, a gap widened by the biases produced by these mental shortcuts. We challenge you to slow down your thought processes, and question your own assumptions. So, join us to rethink decision-making and judgements. It's a conversation that'll leave you questioning, analyzing and hopefully, jumping to fewer conclusions.

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0:00 Mind Power and Food Labels
9:48 The Power of Meditation and Biofeedback
17:51 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Taking Control
27:49 Rights and Safety in Farming Challenges

Ever thought of how your mind has the power to shape your physical experiences? Well, brace yourself for a revelation as we unravel the astounding link between our thoughts and physical realities. We're taking you through a stimulating journey, starting with the eye-opening Milkshake Experiment that fundamentally changes our understanding of satiety and our relationship with food. Imagine the same milkshake; one labeled low-calorie and another high-calorie, having the same effects on the body. It all boils down to what you believe!

Venturing further into the influence of the mind on our bodies, we explore the practice of meditation and biofeedback. Harvard scientists have found that simply clearing your mind for 15 minutes can alter gene expression and impact inflammation, circadian rhythms, and glucose metabolism. Biofeedback, an intriguing mind-body therapy, could well be the key to changing how our bodies function and boosting our physical and mental well-being. Sounds impressive, doesn't it?

In the last leg of our mind-bending journey, we reflect on how our thoughts, particularly limiting beliefs, and the effects of trauma shape our reality. We also touch on the importance of self-care in maintaining our overall health. Touching on the controversial side of things, we discuss the Dutch agricultural agency's backlash to the burning of a black rock, reminding us that pushing the status quo can have unforeseen consequences. Join us, as we discern the power of the mind and its effects on our daily lives.

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Is the world ending?

This isn’t a fear porn podcast, here a list of times the “world was ending” yet here we are. Humans are like roaches and can survive in a multitude of situations and events.

LIST OF TIMES THE WORLD WAS ENDING:

• Tambora Eruption (1815): The eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia caused the "Year Without a Summer" in 1816, resulting in crop failures, food shortages, and extreme weather worldwide. Estimated 11k deaths from blast and 100k deaths from food shortages
• People thought the world would end when the Mayan calendar "ended" on December 21, 2012.
• Y2K
• Some worried that the Large Hadron Collider could create a black hole that would destroy the world when it opened in 2008
• Black plague
• World Wars, 911, nuclear plant explosions.

So what the fuck are we actually preparing for?

• Disruptions in supply chains, pandemics, civil unrest, economic downturns, layoffs. Shit happens and now we’ve seen it

Making rational decision when living in fear.

• Lerner, J. S., & Keltner, D. (2001). Fear, anger, and risk. Journal of personality and social psychology, 81(1), 146-159.
• This study explores how different emotions, including fear, can influence risk perception and decision-making. It suggests that fear may lead to a heightened sensitivity to potential risks.
• Amygdala hijack: This odd-sounding name is not a medical diagnosis, but rather, a term for times when the amygdala is overwhelmed by stress and takes over the brain's response to the situation. Remember that a major function of the amygdala is to process fear and anxiety. When the amygdala “hijacks” the brain, the frontal lobes (the logic centers) are unable to override it with a rational response. (WebMD)

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Fear is an ancient and conserved response that served humans well enough before the advent of civilisation, but it has become distorted in modern societies where primordial fears can readily transform into phobias. (NLM) This article says it perfectly. One of our great assets as a human has been used, abused, and exploited by institutions of power for thousands of years. This is nothing new, but something we must always keep in mind when consuming ANY media. Tech & mainstream media make money off of attention. More attention = more sponsors & ad revenue, and they’ll use any tool in the box to keep you engaged. We would be wise to understand that fear is one of their greatest assets since it prays on our brains at the deepest level. Bro lets dig into this shit

WHAT IS FEAR PORN: Mainstream Media content that deliberately and enticingly plays on people's fears about disaster, disease and death

IF IT BLEEDS IT LEADS: Negative stimuli draw our attention. Rapid recognition of threat promotes survival (LeDoux, 2012) and selective pressures faced by early hominids did not favor those who ignored the signs of a nearby predator (Oxford Academic)

• Newsmen have exploited this adaptive feature of our brains for their gain, as captured by media maxims such as, ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ and ‘if it burns, it earns’.
• Riding the line: (Direct Threat, Indirect Threat, Merely Negative and Neutral) Direct threats can repel (Someone pointing a gun at you) But indirect threats such as car crashes cause curiosity. Legacy/Social medial know how to ride the line of engagement without fully repelling.

The Algorithm of Fear:

• Pretty much everything you see online, from search results to your Facebook feed, is generated by algorithms. This invisible code prioritizes information that it thinks you’ll like — which can turn your online experience into an echo chamber of identical opinions
• Doom Scrolling: appears as a vicious cycle in which users find themselves get stuck in a pattern of seeking negative information no matter how bad the news is (NLM)
• Moreover, since the online platforms are well aware of what captivates us most by using algorithmic systems, they serve us with the content that will get our attention considering our previous history on the internet (NLM)
• Previous research has revealed a relationship between social media use and increased feelings of depression and anxiety

Solution: Recognizing It’s all bullshit

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The European Chemicals agency estimates there are more than 144,000 man-made chemicals in existence. The US Department of Health estimates 2000 new chemicals are being released every year. According to the Endocrine Society, 1,000 or more of these chemicals could be endocrine disruptors. So let's dive in and see where we can avoid these chemicals when possible

00:46 Music Intro
02:10 Number of Man Made Chemicals
04:28 What are Endocrine disruptors
07:30 Where Are They Found?
09:47 Atrazine
10:25 PFAS
11:20 Phthalates
12:45 Phytoestrogens

WHAT ARE ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS?

• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues. (NIH)

THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

• Endocrine glands, distributed throughout the body, produce the hormones that act as signaling molecules after release into the circulatory system.
• The human body is dependent on hormones for a healthy endocrine system, which controls many biological processes like normal growth, fertility, and reproduction.
• Hormones act in extremely small amounts, and minor disruptions in those levels may cause significant developmental and biological effects. (NIH)

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND (NIH)

• Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, including some cosmetics, food and beverage packaging, toys, carpet, and pesticides. Some chemicals that act as flame retardants may also be endocrine disruptors. Contact with these chemicals may occur through air, diet, skin, and water.

COMMON EDCS (NIH)

• Atrazine is one of the most commonly applied herbicides in the world, often used to control weeds in corn, sorghum, and sugarcane crops.
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of chemicals used widely in industrial applications, such as firefighting foam, nonstick pans, paper, and textile coatings.
• Phthalates are a large group of compounds used as liquid plasticizers. They are found in hundreds of products including some food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, children’s toys, and medical device tubing. Cosmetics that may contain phthalates include nail polish, hair spray, aftershave lotion, cleanser, and shampoo.
• Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring substances with hormone-like activity found in some plants; they may have a similar effect to estrogen produced by the body. Soy foods, for example, contain phytoestrogens.
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are used to make flame retardants for products such as furniture foam and carpet.

Health Risks: Researchers see connections between several other conditions and exposure to EDCs. Clear-cut evidence is lacking, but research continues. Researchers are looking at the effects of EDCs on: (WEBMD)

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Reproductive problems
• Breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer

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01:06 Music Intro
02:00 What is Thinking Energy
07:55 Emotion on Cognitive Function
22:25 How Emotions Evolve
27:55 Positive Outcomes of High EQ

What is Thinking Energy?

"Thinking energy" refers to the mental resources or cognitive capacity required to engage in various cognitive processes, such as attention, perception, memory, problem-solving, decision-making, and reasoning.

• When thinking energy is high, individuals tend to be more alert, focused, and able to sustain attention on tasks.
• When thinking energy is low or depleted, cognitive processes can be compromised.
• Fatigue, multitasking, or overwhelming demands can deplete thinking energy and lead to decreased cognitive performance.

Emotions and Thinking Energy

Emotions can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive functioning and the allocation of thinking energy.

• Attentional Focus: Emotions can influence the allocation of attention, diverting cognitive resources towards the emotion-inducing stimuli or thoughts. For example, when experiencing strong emotions such as anger or fear, attention may become more focused on the source of those emotions.
• Cognitive Load: Intense or prolonged emotional states can increase cognitive load, requiring more mental effort and resources to manage and process emotions.
• Interference with Working Memory: Emotions can interfere with working memory, which is responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information.
• Emotional Regulation: The effort required to regulate and manage emotions can consume thinking energy. Engaging in strategies to regulate emotions, such as reappraisal or suppression, may require cognitive resources and impact cognitive performance in other domains.
• Emotional Influence on Decision-Making: Emotions can significantly influence decision-making processes. Research suggests that emotions can bias judgment and decision-making, potentially leading to suboptimal choices.
• Emotional Enhancement of Thinking: While emotions can sometimes consume thinking energy, they can also enhance certain cognitive processes. Positive emotions, such as joy or enthusiasm, have been linked to increased creativity, flexibility, and problem-solving abilities.

When we Learned to Process Emotions?

• Emotional Modeling Through Mirror Neurons: learn about emotions by observing and imitating their parents or caregivers.
• Emotional Contagion: Babies can "catch" the emotions they observe in others… they may become more likely to experience positive emotions themselves.
• Social Referencing: As babies grow and develop, they start to rely on social referencing to understand ambiguous or uncertain situations. They look to their parents or caregivers for cues on how to respond emotionally to unfamiliar people, objects, or events.
• Emotional Regulation: Babies also learn about emotional regulation through emotional modeling. When caregivers consistently provide comfort and soothing in response to a baby's distress, the baby begins to learn how to self-soothe and regulate their own emotions.
• Emotional Responsiveness: When parents consistently respond to their baby's emotions with sensitivity and empathy, it helps the baby feel understood, validated, and secure. This, in turn, contributes to the development of healthy emotional regulation skills.

For many of us, we never learned or were taught how to regulate our emotions.

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00:34 Music Intro
01:20 What is Ego & Dissolution
03:48 What Happens During Ego Dissolution
21:40 How Can Ego Dissolution Change Focus

In our last episode, we talked about psilocybin and one of the common experiences mentioned is this concept called Ego Death or Ego Dissolution. I experienced ego death… it was a profound experience and it completely changed my perception. On today's episode, we are going to break it down.

What is Ego Dissolution?

• What is Ego: a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
• What is Dissolution: the ending or breaking up of an assembly or a partnership or corporation.
• What is Ego Dissolution: The boundaries between self and the external world become blurred or disappear altogether.

What happens during an ego dissolution Experience?

• Loss of self-identity: The individual may feel a detachment or disconnection from their usual sense of who they are, leading to a sense of selflessness or a merging with the broader environment.
• Dissolution of boundaries: The distinctions between the self and the external world may blur or disappear. This can include a diminished sense of physical boundaries, a loss of the usual distinction between "self" and "other."
• Altered perception of time and space: The usual linear experience of time may be disrupted, and the individual may feel a sense of timelessness or a collapse of temporal boundaries.
• Transcendence and interconnectedness: Ego dissolution experiences often involve a profound sense of interconnectedness with other people, nature, or even the entire universe. This can include feelings of unity, oneness, or a shared consciousness with all things.

How can an ego dissolution experience change our focus?

• What are our ego’s currently focused on? Where does our self esteem and self-importance come from?
  In our current construct our self importance “value” comes from our labor contribution.
• SLAVES WERE PROPERTY: From Ancient Egypt to Colonial America, societies had slaves, and while developed societies had layers of classes, slaves were typically the lowest… not seen as humans, but property.
• NATION OF WORKERS
• John D. Rockefeller “I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers.” — He donated 140M (Estimated to be 6B today) to establish the school board.
• Frederick T. Gates, original members of the General Education Board said, “In our dream, we have limitless resources and the people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hand.

Where does our value come from if not from labor?

• Where does our value come from if it does not come from labor?
  I BELIEVE all humans have intrinsic value regardless of their class, race, sex, ability or disability and that labor contribution is a made up construct.
• If we disconnect from the world’s expectations of self, we can experience our true self. Allowing us to better understand one’s true self in this world.

My Experience

• ReWire The Brain
• Our brains have what is called predictive processing. This goes deeper than breathing and walking, but all the way down to what we perceive our value is.
• DISCONNECT: from our sense of self attached to labor.
• RECONNECT: intrinsic value.

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Roland Griffith is a PhD and the founding director of the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins University. Yep, and we are talking about the psychedelic psilocybin today. What is it, current research and benefits and what Steve Jobs and Mike Tyson has to say about it.

00:00
00:34 Music Intro
01:10 What is Psilocybin
02:10 Current Research on Psilocybin
06:25 Psilocybin and PTSD
13:39 Mood Enhancement
26:01 Celebrity Quotes on Psilocybin

What is Psilocybin?

• Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms. It is chemically classified as a tryptamine and belongs to the group of drugs known as hallucinogens or psychedelics.
• When consumed, psilocybin is converted into psilocin in the body, which acts as a serotonin receptor agonist. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating mood, perception, and cognition.

Current Research of Psilocybin Johns Hopkins University

• Psilocybin and Cancer Anxiety: can significantly reduce anxiety and depression in individuals with life-threatening cancer.
• Mystical Experience and Psychological Benefits: lead to lasting positive changes in attitudes, behaviors, and well-being, including increased life satisfaction, personal meaning, and spirituality.
• Safety and Long-Term Effects: limited adverse effects and lasting benefits.

In working with PTSD patients

• Enhanced Psychotherapy Effectiveness by reducing symptoms and improving mood and well-being
• Neurobiological Effects: Research suggests that psilocybin may modulate brain networks involved in fear processing, emotional regulation, and memory consolidation, which could contribute to the therapeutic effects observed in individuals with PTSD.
• Modulate brain networks
  • “Modulate" refers to the process of altering or influencing the activity of certain brain regions, neural pathways, or neurotransmitter systems.
  • It disrupts the normal patterns of brain activity and communication, leading to the characteristic alterations in consciousness, perception, and thought processes associated with the psychedelic experience.

Other Benefits

• Altered states of consciousness: Leading to experiences such as ego dissolution, increased introspection, and a sense of connectedness.
• Enhanced creativity and divergent thinking.
• Mood enhancement: Shown to have antidepressant properties, with studies suggesting that it may alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.
• Neuroplasticity: Promote neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and form new connections.
• Reduced fear and anxiety: Decrease fear and anxiety responses. It can modulate the amygdala, leading to reduced fear responses and increased emotional resilience.
• Enhanced connectedness and empathy: Promote a sense of connectedness, both with oneself and with others. It can foster feelings of empathy, compassion, and social connectedness.

QUOTES

• “Taking psychedelics was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life. Psychedelics show you that there’s another side to the coin, and you can’t remember it when it wears off, but you know it. It reinforced my sense of what was important –creating great things instead of making money, putting things back into the stream of history and of human consciousness as much as I could.” —Steve Jobs
• “Everyone thought I was crazy, I bit this guy’s ear off…I did all this stuff, and once I got introduced to the shrooms … my whole life changed. To think where I was – almost suicidal – to

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00:00 Intro to Compassion
02:37 Oxford Definition of Compassion
05:30 How Compassion Relates in the Workplace
06:44 Harvard Stats on Compassion
08:35 Stats Follows People for 30 Years
12:34 Personality Traits of People Moving Up
14:55 Small Acts of Kindness from Employers
23:09 Berkley Study on Compassion

Definition: Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

Compassion in the workplace: Why it matters for leaders/employers

• Harvard Business Review: A survey by Harvard Business Review found that employees who felt that their managers showed compassion were more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction, commitment, and loyalty.
• A Canadian study assessed the personality traits of nearly 3,000 kindergarteners and followed them for ~30 years. They found that among men, independent of IQ and family background, those who showed the most kindness to others in kindergarten had significantly higher annual earnings compared to those who were aggressive or oppositional.
• In a longitudinal study from the University of California-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, the authors used validated research scales to assess the personality traits of people entering the labor market. After 14 years, and controlling for demographic and corporate factors, those who were selfish, aggressive, and manipulative were less likely to move up the ranks. Instead, those who were generous and agreeable were more likely to be promoted to a position of power
• A study by the University of Warwick found that employees who receive small acts of kindness, such as a thank-you note or a compliment, are more productive and have higher job satisfaction.
• A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2018 found that medical trainees reported high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, which are indicators of burnout and a lack of compassion.

Positive Effects of Compassion

• Harvard Business Review: Rigorous research supports that being a giving, others-focused person is linked with a longer life, and can buffer the effects of stressful events on mortality risk
• Specifically, kindness can reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including counteracting high blood pressure. Kindness and compassion may also help us maintain vitality and cognitive function as we age

Solutions:

• Start with gratitude: Meta-analytic research shows that gratitude makes us more others-focused and motivates us to serve others
• Berkeley.edu: Contrary to what many may believe, compassion is considered to be like a muscle that, as any other, can be strengthened with relevant exercises—or can deteriorate and atrophy. In other words, your capacity for compassion can expand, if you choose.
• Johns Hopkins study found that giving just 40 seconds of compassion can lower another person’s anxiety in a measurable way
• Notice times where you’re feeling or lacking compassion. (Walking by homeless people when your busy, not helping friends and shit when your “schedule is to tight”)
• If burnout reduces compassion, unburn yourself bitch

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In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, the ability to be agile and resilient is crucial for success. Being rigid and fragile can hinder progress and lead to missed opportunities. In this blog post, we'll explore the concepts of agility and resilience and discuss practical steps to enhance these qualities in our lives.

TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro to Mental Agility & Focus
02:00 Opposite of Agile
07:45 Baseline Agility
08:30 What is Agility
17:45 Avoiding Fragility
23:00 Building Resilience
38:00 Increasing Mental Agility
42:45 Boosting Mental Resilience

SHOW NOTES

Embracing Agility:
Agility is about being flexible, adaptable, and responsive to change. Here's what it means to be agile:

Moving quickly and easily, both in business and personal life, to respond to market shifts, customer needs, and external factors.

Research suggests that individuals with a growth mindset, who believe they can learn and grow from challenges, tend to be more resilient and adaptable when faced with change.

Avoiding Fragility:
Fragility is the opposite of agility, making it important to recognize and overcome. Here's what it means to be fragile:

Being easily broken and struggling to cope with challenges and setbacks.

Low emotional intelligence and impostor syndrome can contribute to fragility, leading to higher stress levels, anxiety, and depression.

Building Resilience:
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. Here's what it means to be resilient:

Recovering quickly from challenges while maintaining a positive outlook and managing emotions effectively.

Resilience is a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time, rather than something people are born with.

Increasing Mental Agility:
To enhance mental agility, consider taking the following steps:

Stay curious and embrace new experiences to expand your perspective.

Develop self-awareness to understand your strengths and areas for growth.

Cultivate empathy to better understand and relate to others.

Boosting Mental Resilience:
To cultivate mental resilience, incorporate these science-backed strategies:

• Build a strong support system of trusted individuals who provide encouragement and guidance.
• Practice optimism and positive thinking to reframe challenges as opportunities.
• Find purpose and meaning in your work and personal life to stay motivated.
• Engage in mindfulness and meditation to foster mental clarity and emotional well-being.
• Take care of your physical health through exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient rest.
• Develop problem-solving skills to approach challenges with confidence.

Conclusion:
Embracing agility and resilience is essential for navigating change and achieving success. By adopting a growth mindset, staying open to new experiences, cultivating self-awareness and empathy, and incorporating strategies to build resilience, we can thrive in the face of challenges and lead fulfilling lives. Remember, strength is not always visible, and by focusing on our own growth, we can overcome battles unknown to others. Embrace agility and resilience, and conquer the ever-changing world with confidence.

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In today's episode, we dive into the topic of energy management—a vital skill for enhancing productivity and achieving goals. Many people constantly feel tired, but by effectively managing our physical, emotional, and mental energy, we can unlock higher levels of productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. Let's explore the importance of energy management and discover practical solutions to improve our energy levels.

TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro to Time Management & Focus
01:30 We Are Not Managing Time But Energy
02:50 The Energy Crisis w. Stats
19:00 What Are We Spending Our Energy On?
24:00 Find Your Energy Rhythm
35:00 ZFG Here

SHOW NOTES
The Energy Crisis:

Statistics reveal the widespread issue of depleted energy levels among individuals, impacting their performance and well-being:

A survey conducted by the Energy Project found that only 16% of employees feel energized and engaged throughout the day.

The National Safety Council estimates that fatigue costs employers $136 billion annually in lost productivity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over one-third of adults in the United States are sleep deprived, leading to decreased energy levels and productivity, along with increased health risks.

A survey by Monster shows that 71% of workers feel tired at work, and 31% admit to falling asleep on the job.

According to the Harvard Business Review, employees who take breaks throughout the day exhibit higher productivity and energy levels compared to those who work nonstop.

The Solution: Energy Management Strategies:
To combat low energy levels and enhance focus, consider implementing the following strategies:

Understand Your Energy Rhythms:
Identify your personal energy patterns by recognizing the times of day when you feel most alert and focused versus when you experience slumps. Schedule demanding tasks during peak energy periods and reserve low-energy times for rest or less demanding activities.

Engage in Energy Renewal Activities:
Replenish your energy reserves through activities such as regular exercise, meditation, spending time in nature, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. These practices help rejuvenate both the body and mind.

Break Goals into Manageable Tasks:
Divide your goals into smaller, manageable tasks to prevent overwhelm. By focusing on one task at a time, you can maintain your energy and motivation throughout the process.

Conclusion:
Energy management is key to boosting productivity, focus, and overall well-being. By understanding your energy rhythms, engaging in energy renewal activities, breaking goals into manageable tasks, and prioritizing sleep and self-care, you can optimize your energy levels and achieve greater success in your personal and professional pursuits. Embrace the power of energy management and unlock your full potential.

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Grief is a natural response to loss, commonly associated with the passing of a loved one. However, grief extends beyond traditional notions and can arise from various forms of loss, including relationships, careers, or significant projects. Understanding the five stages of grief and its impact on the brain can provide valuable insights. In this blog post, we explore a new way to look at grief, highlighting its physical and emotional aspects, and offer practical strategies to navigate through the grieving process.

TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro to A New Look at Grief & Focus
05:00 Five Stages of Grief
09:40 Our Brain's Response to Grief
26:00 The Constant State of Loss
33:30 Practical Strategies for Coping

SHOW NOTES
The Five Stages of Grief:
Elisabeth Ross described the stages of grief, emphasizing that they are not linear and can occur in any order. The stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Individuals may experience these stages differently, moving back and forth between them.

The Brain's Response to Grief:
Grief can have profound effects on the brain, impacting memory, cognition, concentration, and decision-making. The loss experienced in grief rewires neural pathways in the brain, affecting both emotional and physical aspects. Memories associated with the relationship or experience, sensory triggers, and established habits all contribute to the strength of these neural connections. When loss occurs, these connections start to diminish, leading to a sense of absence and change.

The Constant State of Loss:
Loss extends beyond the traditional scope, encompassing abstract losses such as shattered beliefs in societal structures, authority figures, or even personal identities formed as coping mechanisms. We experience constant losses, challenging our perspectives and understanding of the world.

Practical Strategies for Coping:
In addition to traditional grief support, strategies borrowed from grief management can help individuals navigate through challenging times. These strategies include:

Self-care:
Engage in practices like yoga, tai chi, or qigong.
Maintain a healthy diet and prioritize good sleep hygiene.
Incorporate physical movement into your routine.
Regularly monitor your overall health.

Social Support:
Lean on your social circle for emotional support and understanding.

Embrace New Opportunities:
Take on new responsibilities or explore new interests to foster growth and healing.

Reframing the Loss:
Embrace the concept of pruning in plants, removing weak or negative elements to promote strength and overall vitality.

Conclusion:
Grief goes beyond conventional notions and can arise from various forms of loss. Understanding the stages of grief, the brain's response, and adopting practical coping strategies can help navigate the complex emotions associated with loss. By embracing self-care, seeking social support, and reframing the loss as an opportunity for growth, individuals can find solace and regain focus amidst the grieving process. Remember, grief is a personal journey, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

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In our episode on delegation, we discussed the fear of confrontation, which can make it challenging for some people to delegate tasks effectively. Confrontation can be daunting and wrecking for individuals who struggle with it. In this blog post, we delve into the fear of confrontation, its manifestations, the brain's response, and provide practical steps to reframe and master crucial conversations.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro to Fear of Confrontation & Focus
01:35 Delegation and Fear of Confrontation
02:25 Examples of Fear of Confrontation
08:00 Fear of Confrontation & Trauma Responses
20:20 The Brain's Response
32:00 Exploring The Root Cause
35:30 The Mental Game
42:10 Every Problem is a Leadership Problem
47:00 Start With Your End Goal in Mind SHOW NOTEWS
Understanding the Fear of Confrontation:
Fear of confrontation can manifest in various ways, such as avoiding direct communication, becoming passive-aggressive, engaging in gossip, playing the victim, or exhibiting behaviors categorized as FFFF: Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn. Physically, it can lead to symptoms like rash, sweating, shaky hands, elevated heart rate, and chest tightness.

The Brain's Response:
During confrontation, the amygdala, responsible for emotions, particularly fear, is activated, perceiving the person being confronted as a threat. The prefrontal cortex, involved in decision-making and impulse control, may generate negative thoughts and self-doubt. The anterior cingulate cortex, responsible for conflict detection and resolution, can become overactive, leading to excessive worry, rumination, and anxiety. The sympathetic nervous system is also activated, resulting in physical symptoms preparing the body for fight or flight.

Exploring the Root Causes:
Fear of confrontation can have both present and past influences. Present factors include lack of experience, fear of rejection, low self-esteem, and narcissism. Past negative experiences, such as trauma, and social conditioning, such as passive upbringing or race and gender conditioning, can also contribute to this fear.

Reframing Confrontation:
To overcome the fear of confrontation, adopt the following mindset and practical steps:

The Mental Game:
Embrace constructive criticism as a means of growth.
Cultivate a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset.
Understand that confrontation is not about you, but about addressing the issue.

Every Problem is a Leadership Problem:
Recognize that unclear expectations often lead to conflicts.
Take responsibility for your role in resolving conflicts.
The Practical Steps - Crucial Conversations:

Start with your end goal in mind.
Create a safe and respectful environment for all parties involved.
Challenge and reframe the stories you tell yourself about the situation.
Clearly express your point of view while remaining open to others' perspectives.
Explore the other person's path and seek mutual understanding.
Move towards action once you have established common ground.

Conclusion:
Confrontation may be intimidating, but with the right mindset and practical steps, you can overcome the fear and master crucial conversations. Understand the brain's response to confrontation, address root causes, and reframe your perspective. Embrace constructive criticism, foster a growth mindset, and take responsibility for resolving conflicts. By following practical steps like crucial conversations, you can navigate confrontation with confidence, leading to healthier relationships and effective communication.

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Nikola Tesla once said, "Think in terms of energy frequency and vibration" when pondering the secrets of the universe. Although it may sound like "hippy shit," scientific evidence supports the profound impact of vibrations on our well-being. In this post, we explore raising vibrations, their connection to emotions, and provide practical steps to enhance your energetic frequency.

TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro To Raising Vibration & Focus
03:45 The Heart Magnetic Field
05:00 What Vibration Means
06:12 Understanding Vibration States
11:30 How You Can Lower Your Vibration
23:36 Helping People Will Raise Vibration
33:30 Habitual vs. Temporary States
40:30 A Personal Experience Shopping
48:00 Embracing Fluidity in Growth

SHOW NOTES

Understanding Vibrations:
Emotions have varying vibrational frequencies. High vibrations include peace, love, joy, and empowerment, while low vibrations encompass anger, guilt, and powerlessness. Our emotions are reflected in our posture and demeanor.

Changing Vibration:
Factors that lower vibration include negative thinking, fear, unhealthy habits, and toxic relationships. To raise your vibration, practice positive thinking, gratitude, self-care, helping others, mindfulness, nature connection, and surrounding yourself with positive people.

Habitual vs. Temporary States:
Emotional states fluctuate and are not permanent. Cultivating positive states is achievable, despite falling into bad habits or low vibrations. Love, excitement, and joy can be intentionally cultivated.

Embracing Higher Vibration:
To elevate your energetic frequency:

1. Engage in activities that make you feel better.
2. Force smiles to trigger positive emotions.
3. Practice gratitude and generosity.
4. Prioritize self-care and nurture your well-being.
5. Seek laughter and find joy in life.
6. Breathe through your nose for relaxation and balance.

Embracing Fluidity in Growth:
Spiritual growth and raising vibrations are not linear journeys. Embrace change, backtrack, and flow in your unique path.

Conclusion:
Raising your vibration is a powerful tool for personal growth and well-being. By understanding the impact of energy and vibration on emotions, you can consciously choose practices to enhance your energetic frequency. Embrace fluidity in your journey, incorporating activities that bring joy, gratitude, and lightness. You have the power to elevate your vibration and create positive change within yourself and the world.

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On this episode of The Focus Cast, we are talking about Internal Family Systems. Bryan (Co-Host) learned about this model from t he book, The Body Keeps The Score, during one of his therapy sessions. The model has provided some great insight into disassociation and how he has learned to cope.

TIME STAMPS00:00 Intro to IFS Model
01:40 What is IFS Model?
04:00 How Dissociation Forms
08:26 IFS Types Broken Down
22:00 Parts of IFS
33:20 Understanding the Stress Hormones
40:30 The Question We Should Ask

SHOW NOTES
Unveiling the Internal Family Systems Model: Discovering Your Inner Landscape

Introduction:
The Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model, developed by Richard Schwartz, offers a unique approach to therapy and personal growth. It views the mind as comprising various parts or "subpersonalities," and centers around the concept of the true self. In this blog post, we explore the IFS Model and its potential for self-discovery and healing.

The IFS Model: Understanding Your Inner Parts
The IFS Model recognizes three main types of parts within ourselves:

1. Exiles: Young, vulnerable parts carrying emotional burdens, often kept isolated to protect us from overwhelming emotions.
2. Managers: Proactive parts that control and stabilize our psyche, shielding us from the exiles' difficult emotions.
3. Firefighters: Reactive parts that impulsively respond when exiles' emotions surface, using behaviors like excessive consumption or addictive habits.

Utilizing the IFS Model:
To achieve emotional harmony and well-being, it is essential to understand and integrate our different parts. Here are some common techniques used in IFS therapy:

1. Parts Mapping: Identifying and mapping out the various parts within ourselves, gaining clarity about their interactions.
2. Parts Dialogue: Engaging in a conversation with our parts, fostering understanding and integration.
3. Unblending: Separating and distinguishing the different parts to recognize their distinct voices and characteristics.

Validity of the IFS Model:
Research supports the effectiveness of IFS therapy in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related disorders. A survey among IFS therapists showed high usage and positive outcomes in clients' symptoms and functioning.

Taking Action: Embrace Self-Discovery and Empathy
To benefit from the IFS Model, consider the following actions:

1. Seek Professional Support: Consult with an IFS-trained therapist to guide your self-discovery and facilitate healing.
2. Engage in Introspective Work: Read about the IFS Model and explore resources for deeper understanding. Introspective practices like journaling and meditation can aid self-discovery.
3. Cultivate Empathy: As you uncover your own internal landscape, you'll increase empathy for others.

Unlocking the potential of the Internal Family Systems Model can lead to profound self-discovery, healing, and growth. Start exploring your inner landscape today.

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Feeling stuck is a common struggle on the journey to success. We often compare ourselves to overnight sensations, but the reality is that true success requires dedication, perseverance, and time. It's time to unveil the hidden truths behind feeling stuck and discover the path to breakthrough.

TIMESTAMPS
02:05 Music Intro
04:00 Iceberg analogy
07:15 Freud's iceberg analogy
09:20 Bryans ideas/businesses
17:50 HBR article hand stand coach
24:40 CD Baby CEO story
56:57 Outro
SHOW NOTES
Success: The Iceberg Analogy:
Success is like an iceberg, with only 10% visible to the world. The remaining 90% represents the unseen efforts, sacrifices, and hard work. While people may only see the tip of the iceberg, the truth lies in the blood, sweat, and tears that remain hidden beneath the surface.

The Power of the Unconscious Mind:
Drawing from Freud's iceberg analogy, our unconscious mind influences our feelings, motives, and decisions. Past experiences shape our unconscious patterns, which can keep us trapped in a cycle of repeating mistakes. Understanding and addressing these patterns is crucial to breaking free from feeling stuck.

Managing Unrealistic Expectations:
Jeff Bezos shared a powerful story in his 2018 letter to Amazon shareholders. His friend hired a handstand coach, expecting quick mastery within two weeks. The reality? It took six months of consistent effort. Unrealistic expectations can lead us to give up prematurely. It's important to align our expectations with the actual time and effort required for success.

Patience and Persistence Pay Off:
Derek Sivers, the founder of CD Baby, reminds us that success often takes time. Many dreamers become discouraged after only a few months, unaware that breakthroughs may take years. Building a successful venture or achieving significant milestones requires patience, persistence, and unwavering dedication.

Solution:

Embracing Awareness:
Recognize that feeling stuck is not a failure but an opportunity for growth. Harvard Business School highlights that experiencing a psychological impasse is necessary to change our self-perception and redefine our role in the world. Awareness is the first step towards finding a way forward.

Shifting Mindset:
View challenges and setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks. Embrace the belief that progress takes time, and setbacks are temporary. Cultivate a growth mindset that sees obstacles as opportunities for learning, development, and personal transformation.

Conclusion:
Feeling stuck is an inevitable part of the journey to success. By understanding the hidden aspects of success, managing expectations, and embracing awareness, we can break free from stagnation and find renewed focus and determination. Remember, success is a result of perseverance, resilience, and a commitment to continuous growth. Keep pushing forward, and the breakthrough you seek will be within reach.

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**00:46 Music Intro
01:20 Is it hippie nonsense
07:50 Mental grounding
20:00 Ungrounded characteristics
36:25 Grounded characteristics
39:40 How to ground

Is “BEING GROUNDED” some hippy shit?**

• Physically Grounded, Science Direct, “Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding).”
  • Earthing (also known as grounding) refers to the discovery that bodily contact with the Earth's natural electric charge.
  • Some 20 studies to date have reported intriguing evidence of wide and significant physiological improvements when the body is grounded vs. ungrounded.
• Mentally Grounded, Psychology Today,
  • “If you’re grounded, you practice a deep sense of mindfulness and rarely think about “what ifs.”
  • According to author Michael Daniels in his book, Shadow, Self, Spirit (2005), groundedness refers to “a sense of being fully embodied, whole, centered and balanced in ourselves and our relationships.”
• Personal Experience:
  • Talk about being around grounded people
    • They are not codependent
    • They are not in competition with you
    • They are not narcissistic
  • Talk about being around ungrounded people
  • Therapy Experience and what grounded means to Bryan?
  • What grounded means personally to Jonathan

Characteristics of a grounded person according to an article in Inc. Magazine.

• They're unshakeable
• They're reliable
• They possess an unwavering moral compass
• They're humble
• They have a healthy self-esteem
• They don't worry
• They stand up for what's right
• They don't conform to make people like them
• They encourage others to succeed
• How Do We Ground Ourselves?
  • Psychology Today, “Grounding Techniques for Trauma and Anxiety”
  • Soothing Strategies
    • Self-Talk
    • Meditation
    • Music
    • Pets
    • Visualization
  • Mental Strategies: Activate the part of your brain required for higher-level “thinking” rather than emotional instincts.
    • Subtract seven from 100, and then keep it going.
    • Spell your first and last name backward, then repeat this with a few names of family members or friends.
    • Look around your environment to describe the objects and colors you see
    • Watch something that makes you laugh
    • List four things that bring you joy or that you’re grateful for, briefly imagining each in your mind.
  • Physical Strategies
    • Cold water.
    • Take a walk outside.
    • Focus on your five senses.
    • Savor food or drink.
    • Touch an object and describe it in detail.

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00:00 Intro
01:41 Intro music
03:10 What is the fawn response
08:00 Why revert to fawn response
10:00 Enmeshment
16:00 Characteristics of fawn response
37:15 Why are we talking about it
INTRO TO FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE & FAWN

• Intro freeze episode and how it came up
• What is the Fawn Response?
  • Pete Walker, psychotherapist and author of Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving wrote: The fawn response is “a response to a threat by becoming more appealing to the threat.”
  • Psych Central:
  • Fawning refers to consistently abandoning your own needs to serve others to avoid conflict, criticism, or disapproval.
  • Fawning is also called the “please and appease” response and is associated with people-pleasing and codependency.
• Why do we revert to Fawn Response?
  • Childhood Trauma
  • Complex Trauma (war trauma)
  • Fawning is particularly linked with relational trauma or trauma that occurred in the context of a relationship
    • Abuse: harmful experiences that could be physical, sexual, or emotional in nature
    • Neglect: trauma as a result of things that didn‘t happen, such as physical or emotional neglect
    • Enmeshment: a lack of boundaries between family members that can impair a child’s independence and sense of self
• Let's talk about Enmeshment
  • Enmeshment is a description of a relationship between two or more people in which personal boundaries are permeable and unclear.
  • You grow up in this environment and then you go to a job where there is no clear direction on what is required of you but you get yelled at if you fuck something up.
    • eFactory, “50% of employees across all sectors currently lack role clarity in the workplace.” (source is selling something, so…)
• Is Fawn Your Response?
  • stifling your own needs
  • finding authentic self-expression challenging
  • flying under the radar
  • having trouble saying “no”
  • over-apologizing
  • holding back opinions or preferences that might seem controversial
  • experiencing chronic pain or illness
  • having depression, which can be linked with trauma
  • trouble with personal boundaries
  • assuming responsibility for the emotional reactions and responses of others
  • fixing or rescuing people from their problems
  • attempting to control other’s choices to maintain a sense of emotional safety
  • denying your own discomfort, complaints, pain, needs, and wants
  • changing your preferences to align with others
• Why Are We Talking About This on a Focus Podcast?
  • Well, we are talking about it because of a therapy session, but…
  • Bryan… I wonder… out of all the people who stop and start businesses, I wonder how many just mentally murder themselves because of childhood trauma….
  • The Fawn response is absolutely sucking your focus. You literally are losing yourself trying to appease others.
  • National Institute for Children’s Health and Safety: Nearly half of American children—are exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can severely harm their future health and well-being. As a manager or owner, half of your employees experienced real trauma…

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When To Exercise

We mention how important exercise is in 90% of our episodes, but you know wheat we’ve never considered. When the fuck to do it. Do certain times yield different or possible better results when exercising? The whole purpose of this podcast is to talk about staying focused so we can get this done.  Just like keeping a business efficient it helps to be efficient in all aspects of life.

Real quick lets hit a few benefits of exercise. MayoClinic

• Controls weight
• Combats health conditions and diseases
• Improves mood
• Boosts energy
• Promotes better sleep
• Puts the spark back into your sex life

Does working out at different times lead to different results? Here’s the results of a 12 week study from researchers at Skidmore College (Study)

• Women who worked out in the morning lost more fat, while those who trained in the evening gained more upper-body strength and power. As for men, the performance improvements were similar no matter when they exercised. But those who did so in the evening had a significant drop in blood pressure, among other benefits.

Working out in the morning Pros

• Forbes Health: In a study of 51 healthy adolescents, those who ran 30 minutes in the morning three days a week reported improved sleep quality, mood and concentration during the day, as well as decreased daytime sleepiness, compared to the control group (who did not engage in any running).
• Research also suggests morning workouts can curb appetite throughout the day. A small study from Brigham Young University compared food intake and brain responses to food images in a group of 35 women. Those who completed 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise in the morning had a lower response to food images and didn’t consume extra calories during the day to make up for the calories burned during exercise

Working out in the evening Pro

• When it comes to exercising in the evenings, the most significant benefit is that most people have more time. This can lead to better focus, longer workouts and better exercise adherence if you’re working out with friends or participating in an exercise class. Evening exercise can also be a great way to de-stress, boost endorphins and leave your workday behind you.

Does working out to late affect sleep? (Harvard Health)

• The researchers examined 23 studies that evaluated sleep onset and quality in healthy adults who performed a single session of evening exercise compared with similar adults who did not. They found that not only did evening exercise not affect sleep, it seemed to help people fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep. However, those who did high-intensity exercise — such as interval training — less than one hour before bedtime took longer to fall asleep and had poorer sleep quality.

SOLUTION:

• Any

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Through therapy, Bryan finally learns the name for how he's been feeling for decades. Disassociation. **Dissociative disorders are mental disorders that involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions and identity.

00:39 Music Intro
03:20 How Disassociation Can Feel
12:15 Potential Causes
16:56 Types of Disassociation
25:50 What Can We Do?
36:59 Music Outro

DO YOU FEEL THIS WAY?**

• Memory loss (amnesia) of certain time periods, events, people and personal information
• A sense of being detached from yourself and your emotions
• A perception of the people and things around you as distorted and unreal
• A blurred sense of identity
• Significant stress or problems in your relationships, work or other important areas of your life
• Inability to cope well with emotional or professional stress
• Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors

According to an article from the May Clinic, these are symptoms of dissociative disorders.

DISSOCIATION DISORDER

• DEFINITION: Dissociative disorders are mental disorders that involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions and identity.
• POTENTIAL CAUSE: Dissociative disorders usually develop as a reaction to trauma and help keep difficult memories at bay.

TYPES OF DISSOCIATION

• Dissociative amnesia. The main symptom is memory loss that's more severe than normal forgetfulness and that can't be explained by a medical condition.
• Dissociative identity disorder. Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, this disorder is characterized by "switching" to alternate identities. You may feel the presence of two or more people talking or living inside your head.
• Depersonalization-derealization disorder. This involves an ongoing or episodic sense of detachment or being outside yourself — observing your actions, feelings, thoughts and self from a distance as though watching a movie.

QUOTES:

• "I have a form of dissociative disorder that makes the world seem like it's not real, as if things aren't taking place. It's hard to explain, but you feel untethered," said Counting Crows lead singer in Men's Health, going on to explain, "It's hard to care when everything feels as if it's taking place in your imagination."

OPEN CONVO

• Why are we talking about this bro?
• What is your goal?
• What can you do?
  • Encourage ongoing therapy
  • Be patient
  • Don’t play games with the identities
  • Try to understand triggers
  • Practice good mental hygiene together
  • Help with memory gaps

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Michael Plasha is a nationally Recognized Yoga and Ayurvedic Educator; Writer; Workshop Leader; Mindfulness and Meditation Coach and Consultant, Trainer, Keynote Speaker and Consultant for Corporations, Non-Profits, Hospitals, and Schools.

01:10 Music Intro
02:20  Michael Plasha Intro
03:09 What is Mindfulness   
05:55  Why Mindfulness
13:25 4 Foundations of Mindfulness
18:45 First Level of Awakening
30:15  Mindfulness Practice Live
47:11 Being Attached to Expectations
01:16:20 Life Without Substances

Michael Plashas calming and grounded presence is instantly felt as we discuss several topics: mindfulness, meditation, intuitive/divine prompts, expectations, to list a few. During a short mindfulness practice Micheal helps us find/notice the space between thoughts where pure presentness and existence happen. Several nuggets of wisdom are dropped we talk through the causes of suffering, frustrating, and expectations. Towards the end Michael offers a meditation practice for those with hyper active minds who look at any from of meditation as a burden.

Website
Instagram
Linkedin
Facebook

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Bro, I was talking to my therapist, and she mentioned the vagus nerve, which is responsible for the fight, flight and freeze response to stress. Really, in this episode, we will talk about the freeze response to stress, why you should be aware of this response, and why I was talking to my therapist about it.

01:00 Music Intro
01:55 NCBI Article
03:40 Freeze Response in Humans
05:55 The Brain in a Freeze State
10:09 Freeze Response & Stress
14:09 Bryan Elaborates on Therapy
20:15 Talking Trauma
24:30 Interacting with People in Freeze States

NCBI, Exploring Human Freeze Responses to a Threat Stressor

• “Fight or flight” was coined by Cannon (1927)
• FREEZE RESPONSE IN ANIMALS
  Tonic immobility may be useful when additional attacks are provoked by movement or when immobility may increase the chance of escaping, such as when a predator believes its prey to be dead and releases it.
• POSSUM EXAMPLE: Well literally allow themselves to be eaten by another animal

FREEZE RESPONSE IN HUMANS

• In the Guilford Press in 2002, Barlow’s description of an adaptive alarm model suggests that a freeze response may occur in some threatening situations.
• This literature suggests that a relatively high percentage of rape victims feel paralyzed and unable to act despite no loss of consciousness during the assault.
• NICABM: Many times, we see a freeze in response to childhood trauma

THE BRAIN DURING FREEZE STATE

• NICABM: When we’re dysregulated – whether that be in hyper or hypo arousal – our prefrontal cortex – which allows us to think critically – goes offline, while our limbic system – which drives survival behavior by responding to threat takes over.
• What this means is that any information going into the brain – sensations, words, movements – can’t be processed in a logical, cognitive way.
• Like all trauma responses, freeze is an involuntary response.

WHAT DOES THE FREEZE RESPONSE TO TRAUMA HAVE TO DO WITH US?

• Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by stress, you literally can’t move?
• Introspective work: childhood trauma
• Why were you talking to your therapist about this bro?

SOLUTION

• Get help
• How to Overcome the Freeze Response, NICABM
  • Avoid making eye contact: maybe too intrusive.
  • Don’t offer touch: my feel violating
  • Make sure to ask for permission: trauma is that it strips people of choice and control
  • Work at a slow, gentle pace
  • Don’t mistake a loss of speech for unwillingness to speak: they may be stuck and literally not able to speak. Don’t mistaken for unwillingness to cooperate.
  • Stay away from trying to “convince the nervous system” that it’s safe: The prefrontal cortex is offline, instead: According to Polyvagal Theory, humans communicate with each other via their social engagement systems – or our vocal intonation and facial expressions. So by using calm prosody and inviting body language, we can impart cues of safety.
  • Keep affective expression to a minimum: positive emotion might actually be associated with threat. People have experienced mixed queues from abusers (positive, then negative)
  • Make it clear that going into freeze is NOT a negative thing: It is purely a stress response and has nothing to do with their strength or lack thereof.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2489204/
  https://www.nicabm.com/topic/freeze/

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**Not feeling safe consumes an enormous amount of energy, personally & professionally. Psychological Safety “The belief that one can speak up without risk of punishment or humiliation" which is critical and profitable when creating a healthy work environment, today we talk about this on a personal and professional level with some steps you can take to create a Psychological Safe work environment.

00:44 Music Intro
00:54 Podcast Intro
01:37 What is Psychological Safety
02:40 HBR Article
07:29 4 Stages of Psychological Safety
16:30 Psychological Safety with Yourself
18:00 Providing Psychological Safety

HBR ARTICLE “What Psychological Safety Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace”**

• “The belief that one can speak up without risk of punishment or humiliation"
• WHY IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY A THING?:
  • "In the past, we’ve approached “work” and “non-work” discussions separately.
  • Joint decisions about hybrid work are increasingly being made between managers and employees, allowing them to discuss topics such as child care, health-risk comfort levels, and family challenges.
• THE RESULT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?
  • "When psychological safety in the workplace is present, people feel comfortable bringing their full, authentic selves to work and are okay with "laying themselves on the line" in front of others.

STAGE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

• The 4 Stages framework for psychological safety, authored by Timothy Clark
• Inclusion Safety: the ability to belong in a group, feel safe being yourself, and be accepted for who you are
• Learner Safety: the ability to learn and grow by asking questions, giving & receiving feedback, experimenting, and even making mistakes.
• Contributor Safety: the ability to make a difference by using your skills and abilities to make a meaningful contribution.
• Challenger Safety: the ability to make things better by speaking up and challenging the status quo when there is an opportunity for improvement.

HOW DOES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY APPLY TO SOLOPRENEURS?

• If you don’t have a mentor group, you are often left in your own head to ask these questions? In Episode #24, we talked about the inner critic… that might be a dangerous place where you DON’T feel safe.
• If you have a mentor group, is it a place where you can be safe to be honest, ask questions, learn, contribute and challenge?
  • Toxic family or group of loser friends…

HOW DOES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY APPLY TO FOUNDERS?

• Research from PricewaterhouseCoopers has shown an average of 230% return on every dollar invested in creating a mentally healthy workplace as measured by organizational outcomes such as improved productivity, lower volume of compensation claims and reduced absenteeism.
• Gartner Research, Gallup, & Harvard Business Review, January 2017
  • 27% reduction in turnover, 76% more engagement, 50% more productivity, 74% less stress, 29% more life satisfaction, 57% workers more likely to collaborate, 26% greater skills preparedness

STEPS TO INCREASE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY FROM QUANTUM WORKPLACE

• Promote self-awareness.
• Demonstrate concern for team members as people.
• Actively solicit questions.
• Provide multiple ways for employees to share their thoughts.
• Show value and appreciation for ideas.
• Promote positive dialogue and discussion.
• Explain reasons for change.
• Own up to mistakes.

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**01:10 Music Intro
01:50 Amount of alcohol in a standard drink
03:24 Negative impacts of alcohol
10:00 Drinking socially
14:58 Alcohol and vibration
17:45 Sober curious
24:00 Things you're tying NOT to do

Clear patterns have emerged between alcohol consumption and the development of the following types of cancer Cancer.gov*:* Head and neck cancer*, esophageal***, liver, breast, colorectal. Evidence is accumulating that alcohol consumption is associated with increased risks of melanoma and of prostate and pancreatic cancers

What happens to cancer risk after a person stops drinking alcohol?

Most of the studies that have examined whether cancer risk declines after a person stops drinking alcohol have focused on head and neck cancers and on esophageal cancer**. The cancer risks eventually decline, although it may take years for the risks of cancer to return to those of never drinkers.

• Harvard.edu: It can cause inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis) and lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), a potentially fatal disease. It can increase blood pressure and damage heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
• Nlm.nih.gov: Chronic inflammation is commonly associated with alcohol-related medical conditions.
• Even moderate drinking carries some risks. Alcohol can disrupt sleep and one’s better judgment
• People's perception of “one drink” is usually off with heavy pours or strong beers.

SOLUTION:Harvard.edu In addition, studies suggest that moderate drinking (as discussed below) may be linked with a lower risk of: Heart attack, the most common type of stroke, death due to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, gallstones.

“Moderate” alcohol consumption per the CDC: 1 drink or less per women and 2 drinks or less per day in men

• Quotation from CDC.gov I think sums things up nicely.
  • “Although past studies have indicated that moderate alcohol consumption has protective health benefits (e.g., reducing risk of heart disease), recent studies show this may not be true.6-12 While some studies have found improved health outcomes among moderate drinkers, it’s impossible to conclude whether these improved outcomes are due to moderate alcohol consumption or other differences in behaviors or genetics between people who drink moderately and people who don’t.”
• Don’t drink because you’re bored
• Ask yourself why you’re actually drinking
• The less you drink the less you need
• Shit adds up to go out and drink
• Entrepreneurs don’t have time to be hungover, we have shit to do.

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Welcome to the FocusCast, today our guest is Alex Ballew founder of Secret River Sounds. Alex is a vibrational sound therapist who uses various instruments and techniques to create a vibrational massage. This massage penetrates on a cellular level helping ease the listener into a meditative state, which soothes the nervous system and encourages deep relaxation. Alex recounts stories of his clients having emotional breakthroughs and releasing traumas while in this hyper relaxed restorative state. After covering a range of topic from health, removing vices, and overcoming fear, Alex takes us though a short meditation/sound immersion with some of this instruments. 

00:00 Intro Alex Ballew
01:16 Podcast Intro 
03:10 Breath is the Ultimate Tool
05:10 Alex Breaks Down Vibrational Sound Therapy 
07:44 Stories of Emotional Breakthroughs 
10:20 Learning to Heal Yourself 
21:29 Sacrifices to Level Up
38:00 Reducing Electronics 
52:00 Working Through Fear  
109:35 Breath Work 
120:45 Sound Immersion 

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If you want to accomplish your dreams or grow your company to $100M, being aware of your sugar intake may be a critical step. Sugar has a major impact on our brain function, and overall mental health. And it turns out, we are at war with the sugar industry. Today we will share with you some dirty little (not so secret) tricks the sugar industry played on the narrative, our over consumption of sugar, and what we can do TODAY to increase our focus.

01:20 Stats on Sugar
04:30 Effects on Brain
06:45 Sugar & Mental Health
09:22 At War w/ Sugar
13:30 Sugar Subsidies
20:00 Solution SUGARS & OUR FOCUS

• We eat too much sugar:
• According to AHA guidelines, most men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar.
• AHA - Estimated 17 teaspoons of sugar every day
• Can of Coke - 10 teaspoons
• Iced Tea – 6 teaspoons
• Orange Juice – 6 teaspoons
• Sports Drinks – 3.5 teaspoons
• Sugar & Brain Function
  • Verywell Mind stated, "Even a single instance of elevated glucose in the bloodstream can be harmful to the brain, resulting in slowed cognitive function and deficits in memory and attention."
  • Sugar consumption causes inflammation in the brain, leading to memory difficulties.
• Sugar & Mental Health:
  • 23,245 individuals enrolled in the Whitehall study—found higher rates of sugar consumption was associated with a greater incidence of depression.
  • Journal Scientific Reports, found those with the highest level of sugar consumption were a 23% more likely to be diagnosed with a mental disorder

WE ARE AT WAR WITH SUGAR

• Sugar Manufacturing/Processing Market - $56B
• The U.S. Sugar Program:
  • Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, the U.S. Sugar Program maintains a minimum price for sugar with the goal of protecting sugar-industry growers and processors.
  • Tax payers pay $3-$4B each year in sugar subsidies.
  • According to Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times, the sugar industry—led by United States Sugar and Florida Crystals—gave $57.8 million in direct and in-kind contributions to state and local political campaigns between 1994 and 2016.
  • “the sugar guys win votes because they are better at politics than anyone else.” the industry has retained a core of lobbyists, experts, and other advocates that could ‘fill a stadium,’
• Trust the Science (maybe)
  • Pro Market.org - Historical documents were released showing that the sugar industry paid Harvard scientists in the 1960s to produce research that downplayed the connection between sugar and heart disease, and instead laid the blame on saturated fat.
  • According to The New York Times, the documents suggested that five decades of scientific research into the interconnection between nutrition and heart disease “may have been largely shaped by the sugar industry.”

SOLUTION/HABITS

• When you are feeling hungry for a snack drink water.
• Reduce mindless snacking
• You're on a blood sugar roller coaster, and it's hard to get off it. So STOP the craving before it starts by eating healthy sugars, proteins, fats, etc

**Stress causes you to be hungry, "Stress causes the hormone cortisol to flood your body, releasing glucose from your liver, which in turn raises your blood sugar." Practice healthy stress reducing activities.

FIND US ON**
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focus #dream #stayingmotivated

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00:39 Podcast Intro
01:10 Stats on Hydration / Cognitive Performance
08:00 Warren Buffet Loves Coke
09:30 Market Cap of Beverage Industries
14:00 Negatives of Energy Drinks
17:00 Solutions If You Want to Drink More Water
18:30 Not All Water is Created Equal

**Welcome to the FocusCast, today we’re talking about your body's water balance, hydration and cognitive performance. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, which has a significant impact on your ability to focus. Today we break down and create some guides for your water balance and focus… let’s dig in.

THE FACTS ABOUT WATER BALANCE & COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE**

• NCBI - Water balance is precisely regulated within the body and many methods exist for assessing hydration status.
• Cognitive performance measures an individual’s attentiveness, critical thinking skills, and memory.
• Traditionally a 2% or more body water deficit was thought to produce cognitive performance decrements; however, recent literature suggests that even mild dehydration – a body water loss of 1–2% – can impair cognitive performance.
• Mayo Clinic, the average adult loses more than 80 ounces of water every day through sweating, breathing, and eliminating wastes. So one has to wonder if you drink less than 80 ounces a day, how is that impacting your brain function and overall health?

THE PROBLEM: HYDRATION EFFECT ON FOCUS

• Article in PUBMed by the Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association stated: 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
• Brain & Spine Institute of North Houston, “70% of your body is composed of water. Nearly every body function you have is dependent on water.”
  • The brain itself is made up of approximately 85% water
  • Studies show that you only need to be 1% dehydrated to experience a 5% decrease in cognitive function
  • A 2% decrease in brain hydration can result in short term memory loss and have trouble with math computations.
  • Prolonged dehydration causes brain cells to shrink in size and mass, a condition common in many elderly who have been dehydrated for years.

WE ARE REPLACING WATER (LIFE) WITH SHIT (DEATH)

• Sparkling Water Industry
  • 2021 - $33.43 B Industry and expected to $77B Industry by 2028.
  • Carbonic Acid effects the gut
• Alcohol Industry
  • 2022 - $1.5T and $2.8T in 2028
  • Inflames the brain, causes brain fog
• Coffee Industry
  • 2020 - $450B
  • So far, not much evidence suggest this increases dehydration
• Soft drinks
  • 2021 - $400B
  • Kills you period
• Juice
  • 2023 - $115B
  • Too much sugar and toxins
• Energy Drinks
  • Gives you short term effects of focus, but long term negative side effects, inflammation (from sugar), poor sleep (Harvard School of Public Health), headaches (caffeine causes the blood pressure around our brain to drop by up to 27%, affecting the amount of tension you feel), increase blood sugar levels.

SOLUTION

• “I Don’t Like Water” is like saying, “I Don’t Like Air.”
• Make water more accessible
• Carry a water bottle with you at all times
• Drink water first thing when you wake up
• Filter you water (Tap water has contaminants)

FIND US ON
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focus #dream #stayingmotivated

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Entrepreneurship and Self Care

Bro, does it feel like we live in a self care era of existence. Do you ever wonder if culture in ancient civilizations told people they’re working too hard or if they would look at you like a moron? Is self care really just a cover up for people who work jobs they hate? On this episode we’re looking at self care from a different angle to see what’s going on.

00:00
01:20 Podcast Intro
02:15 Bashing kitschy internet articles
03:25 People project their insecurities onto you
07:00 Modern society is full of conveniences
09:25 Self care when you hate your job
11:50 Self care is not what others project onto us
15:30 We're all going to die anyway
16:30 Finding you're formula/rhythm

Problem:

Bro, so we’re talking about self care and per usually I didn’t want to pull up a bunch of bullshit kitschy internet articles on the internet that tell you you’re working to hard and you need to relax yada yada yada. We’re solopreneurs and side hustlers trying to reach financial freedom.

• Here’s a problem we may face as solopreneurs and side hustlers. People will tell us dumb shit like “hey you’re working to hard” “Your’re not focusing on XYZ”.
• It’s likely people telling you you’re working to hard aren’t satisfied with what they're doing. They can't conceive of a work life that you actually enjoy.
• If you need self care days perhaps it’s time to think about what you can do in your life to flip the script. You don’t need self care days if you enjoy what you do.

SOLUTION:

This is not saying sleep or exercise don’t matter. Real self care is all the shit we do to function at our highest level. The habits that empower us.

• Don’t listen to anyone who says blindly tells you what you “need” or “have” to do
• If you want to work non stop it’s your life, if you want to take days off do it, but do it because it’s your decision and not people telling you what to do. (It’s all about intention)
• Work towards doing things you enjoy doing, we’re all going to die anyway.
• Don’t hang out with people who drag you down
• People love to projects they’re failures and inadequacies on you. It’s you’re life, not theirs.

FIND US ON
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focus #solopreneurs #growthmindset

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Bro, social media and the internet love to romanticize being an entrepreneur, but guess what conveniently gets overlooked? Loneliness. Weather you’re just starting out or trying to make payroll for 500 people, loneliness is something MANY entrepreneurs feel at some point on their never ending journey. On this episode we’re talking about the parts of entrepreneurship you don’t see glamorized.

00:00 Intro to Loneliness and Focus
00:54 Intro to Podcast
01:20 What is Loneliness
02:20 Effects of Loneliness
05:17 CEOs are Lonely
05:45 Stages of Entrepreneurial Loneliness
13:00 Expectations of Success and Loneliness
14:00 Solution to Loneliness

SHOW NOTES
PROBLEM: So what the fuck is loneliness exactly?

• Feeling sad and unhappy about being socially isolated.
• Destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship
• Potential health effects from loneliness CDC:
• Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
• Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia.
• Poor social relationships (characterized by social isolation or loneliness) was associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.
• Loneliness among heart failure patients was associated with a nearly 4 times increased risk of death, 68% increased risk of hospitalization, and 57% increased risk of emergency department visits.
• According to a story in Harvard Business Review, half of CEOs from the CEO Snapshot Survey reported experiencing feelings of loneliness in their role.

Stages for Entrepreneurship & Loneliness: Forbes

• The Solopreneur: Me, Myself And I
• When an entrepreneur hones in on their first business, they often feel like they’re on an island with no one to talk to about their business. Friends and family try, but they usually don’t understand why an entrepreneur is pouring themselves into a project
• Enter Your First Employees
• Traditional wisdom says that when a business and team (also known as support) grow, loneliness subsides. With employees, an entrepreneur isn’t “on their own” anymore. Technically, that’s true. But practically, that’s not the way it works. Entrepreneurs can talk to their employees about business — but only so much.
• Finding Some Success
• Entrepreneurs in growth stages will navigate many types of relationships, and sometimes it gets sticky even when things are going well. Growth was slow at first but you’ve put in the time and hard work and things are starting to click. This is when human nature can rear its ugly head, and people may start becoming jealous of your accomplishments.
• You’ve made it, now what?
• When you get to the seven-figure stage, things look like an overnight success from the outside, while the entrepreneur feels the reality of “the 10-year overnight success story.”
• Unfortunately, there’s another side effect: Everybody seems to have an agenda. Whether it’s family, employees or people in the community, entrepreneurs get tapped for a lot

SOLUTION:

• Reference the long study about meaningful relationships.
• Find like minded individuals
• Self Reflection
• You may be distracting yourself with bad or even good habits. Learn to sit in silence and meditate.
• Connect with nature

FIND US ON
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Welcome to the FocusCast, today we’re talking about a little thing called the growth mindset. Ohhh nice bro, you know I love me some internet buzzwords. You definitely see this popping up more especially in the entrepreneur space. Growth vs fixed mindset definitely seems like a cheese break room motivation poster but lets dissect this and see if we can get some helpful nuggets of information. Let's dig in...

00:00 Intro to the Growth Mindset
00:43 Intro to the Podcast
01:26 Growth Mindset Defined
03:00 Fixed Mindset Defined
06:00 Misconception on Growth Mindset
06:50 It is not black and white, we are a mixture of both
10:30 Focused on Mindset & Outcomes
12:10 The desire to look smart is a fixed mindset
16:20 Solution to increasing Growth Mindset
19:30 You can learn from everyone
20:00 Excerpt from Carols Dweck Book

GROWTH VERSUS FIXED MINDSET

• So today we’re discussing growth vs fixed mindset. American psychologist Carol Dweck known for her work on motivation and mindset really coined the term growth mindset.
• Growth Mindset Summary: Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset
• Bro, that sounds like a great place to be as an entrepreneur since you are learning so many new skills constantly. What’s the opposite of growth mindset because that sounds like it would be a fucking problem.
• Fixed Mindset Summary: Those who hold a fixed mindset believe that they are either good or bad at something based on their inherent nature. For instance, someone with a fixed mindset might say “I’m a natural at (whatever)r” or “I’m just no good at (whatever),” believing that their athletic skills can’t be developed

Misconception on Growth Mindset: Harvard Business Review

• I already have, and have always had, a growth mindset. People often confuse a growth mindset with being flexible or open-minded or having a positive outlook — qualities they believe they’ve always had.
• Everyone is a combination of both mindsets
• “A growth mindset is just about praising and rewarding effort”. This isn’t true for students in schools, and it’s not true for employees in organizations. In both settings, outcomes matter. Unproductive effort is never a good thing. It’s critical to reward not just effort but learning and progress, and to emphasize the processes that yield these things, such as seeking help from others, trying new strategies, and capitalizing on setbacks to move forward effectively.

Problems with Fixed Mindset

• Intelligence is static. This can lead to the desire to look smart which will make you
• Avoid Challenges
• Give up easier
• See effort as pointless
• Ignore useful feedback
• Feel threatened by success of others

SOLUTION:

• Growth mindset leads to a desire to learn which helps with
• Embracing Challenges
• Persistent during setbacks
• Seeing effort as a path to mastery
• Learn from mistakes and criticism
• Find lessons and inspiration in success of others
• (Exerp from Carols Dwecks book: Mindset)[W]e can praise wisely, not praising intelligence or talent. That has failed. Don’t do that anymore. But praising the process that kids engage in: their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. This process praise creates kids who are hardy and resilient.

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You know what founders struggle with bro? Delegation. Letting go. Can one person do it all? Absolutely not. If you delegated more, you would make more money, be happier, and people would probably like you more. Whoa, that sounds obvious, so why don’t people delegate… let’s dig in.

00:00 Intro to Delegation, Trust & Focus
01:00 Intro to Podcast
01:27 Problem with Delegation
03:00 What Happens when we don't Delegate
06:50 What happens when you are not Delegating
09:40 Why are not delegating
15:45 The science of delegation
20:25 Delegate more, make more money
24:10 Delegate more, be happier
26:48 Steps to delegate

SHOW NOTES

PROBLEM: Whether you are a 7 figure founder or a solopreneur, delegation is a critical SKILL required to grow your company. The problem is, people really struggle to delegate, especially when stakes are high and you have aggressive goals.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T DELEGATE?Burnout, Micromanaging, Lack of trust, Inefficiency, Limited growth, Missed opportunities. BIG ONE: Low performers are codependent on you and high performers are annoyed by you!

WHEN YOU DON’T DELEGATE, YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO THINK.

• Harvard Business Review
• CEOs spend average of 62% of their time on strategic thinking and planning, which includes analyzing market trends, identifying opportunities for growth, and developing long-term goals.
• TCEOs read an average of 60 books per year and attend an average of 4 conferences or industry events per year.

WHY WE DON’T DELEGATE

• HBR
• Some are perfectionists who feel it’s easier to do everything themselves, or that their work is better than others’. In the article, this is called “self-enhancement bias.”
• Some believe that passing on work will detract from their own importance,
• Others lack self-confidence and don’t want to be upstaged by their subordinates.
• Fear of confrontation

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN WHEN WE DELEGATE

• The Neuroscience of Delegation & The Science of Delegation:
• Delegation has been found to activate the release of the hormone oxytocin in the brain, which is associated with trust, social bonding and positive emotions.
• This release of oxytocin in the brain is thought to contribute to the positive effects of delegation on relationships, motivation, and well-being.
• Delegation also activates the prefrontal cortex, a brain area that is involved in decision making, problem solving, and planning.

SOLUTION / BENEFITS
DELEGATE MORE, GROW FASTER

• According to some Gallup Reporting:
• Fortune 500 CEOs, Those with high Delegator talent posted an average three-year growth rate of 1,751% -- 112 percentage points greater than those CEOs with limited or low Delegator talent.
• CEOs with high Delegator talent also generated 33% greater revenue

DELEGATE MORE, BE HAPPIER

• The International Journal of Human Resource Management found that managers who delegate effectively have higher levels of job satisfaction and well-being.
• Effective delegation leads to better work-life balance and improved relationships, which can contribute to overall well-being and happiness.

STEPS

• Prioritize your task into the grid (I love, I am good - I hate, I am bad)
• Start with the easy task and use automation when you can (calendly)
• Set clear outcomes when delegating and don’t delegate and ditch

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Welcome to the FocusCast on this episode we’re talking about staying motivated. Bro, I see swaths of motivational videos all over the internet now. Everywhere I look there’s a new person doing crazy athletic shit, talking about hacking the mind, working 15 business at once. Is any of this shit real and how do we stay motivated in the real world and not on instagram fantasyland??? Well, hopefully I was motivated enough to make good notes so we can break this down so let's dig in...

00:00 Intro to staying motivated
01:02 Intro to podcast
01:30 Problem with staying motivated
02:15 What is motivated
05:22 Solutions to staying motived

PROBLEM:

• Hard work is fucking hard, so losing motivation and having to find it can be difficult. Especially if burnout is starting to kick in.
• First lets hit a definition of motivation as it relates to this episode the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something.
• The Neuroscience of motivation (Pubmed) All animals share motivation to obtain their basic needs, including food, water, sex and social interaction. Meeting these needs is a requirement for survival, but in all cases the goals must be met in appropriate quantities and at appropriate times. Therefore motivational drive must be modulated as a function of both internal states as well as external environmental conditions.
• The regulation of motivated behaviors is achieved by the coordinated action of molecules (peptides, hormones, neurotransmitters etc), acting within specific circuits that integrate multiple signals in order for complex decisions to be made.

SOLUTION:

• Huberman Lab #39 End goals and rewards are great however because of the way dopamine relates to our perception of time, working hard at something just for the sake of a reward can make hard work more challenging and less likely to start in the future.
• Experiment done at Stanford:
• Children in nursery school and kindergarten drew pictures simply because they liked to draw.
• The researchers took the kids who liked to draw for fun and began giving them rewards like gold stars for drawing.
• Then they stopped giving them the reward and the children had a much lower tendency to draw on their own., even though they enjoyed it without anyone telling them to do it before the rewards.
• Intrinsic vs extrinsic reinforcement
• When we receive rewards or give ourselves rewards, we tend to associate less pleasure with the activity that evoked the reward.
• When you only focus on the end/reward for effort you actually make it more painful and you’re less efficient. Dopamine makes effort easier and gives you energy.
• If you get a peak in dopamine from a reward, it’s going to lower your baseline dopamine (which kills motivation). Not only that but essentially wire your brain to dislike the activity more and only associate effort with rewards.
• Don’t spike dopamine immediately before or after intense effort.
• This makes you focus on the EFFORT itself. You must learn to access the rewards

FROM EFFORT

• You have to tell yourself the effort is great and pleasurable even if it sucks.
• Over time you can evoke dopamine release from this hard work or “friction”
• You ELIMINATE the ability to create these growth mindset brain circuits of finding pleasure from work if you only focus on the reward at the end.
• When shit is hard you tell yourself you’re doing it by choice and because you love it
• THE EFFORT IS THE FUCKING REWARD!!

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Welcome to the FocusCast, today our guest is Clay Goswick, a 6 figure photographer on his way to 7 figures. We will hear how he changed is pricing strategy to pass 6 figures and what he plans to do to reach 7. Let's welcome our guest…

00:00 Intro Our Guest Clay Goswick
00:22 Intro to Podcast
00:32 Intro to The Focus Cast
01:29 Questions About Clay Goswick Photography
07:45 How Long Have You Been Shooting
10:30 Photography & Social Media
15:28 When Did You Hit 6 Figures
17:20 Time Blocking & 4 Hour Work Week
20:45 Make More Money by Saying No More
22:26 Handling Toxic Clients
31:00 What Makes a Great Photographer
38:49 What Makes a Good Photo
43:00 How Clay Stays Focus
47:00 Got To Have an Outlet

EPISODE NOTES

QUESTIONS ABOUT CLAY’S WORKS:

• Clay, what do you do?
• So when did you hit six figures in revenue?
• We will come back to this, but first…
• Who is your target customer? Small to large size companies that value imagery.
• What problem your target customer is trying to solve? Quality control. Being sold garbage.
• How do you solve these problems? Provide quality with ease of communication.
• How long have you been shooting?
• So there are a lot of photographers, what is your expertise?
• Where does the majority of your revenue come from?
• What steps did you take to pass 6 figures?
• What makes a good photo?
• What makes a good photographer?
• Why should brands have good photography?

PERSONAL FOCUS

• What areas do you struggle to maintain focus personally? Being aggressive in seeking out new clients. (sales)
• What systems/habits do you maintain to stay focused?
  • Exercise it's good for the brain.
  • You have to have an outlet.
  • Proper scheduling and allowing buffer time.
• What is your #1 personal goal for the next 3-6 months? Regain my cycling fitness.

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Welcome to the FocusCast on this episode we’re discussing the imposter syndrome. Damn bro, that sounds pretty heavy. We’ll dive into the how’s and why’s and see if we can find a few solutions to help us overcome the imposter syndrome if it’s affecting our lives.

00:00 Intro to the imposter syndrome
00:25 Intro to the podcast
00:52 Why are we talking about the Imposter Syndrome
01:25 What is the Imposter Syndrome
15:30 Signs you struggle with Imposter Syndrome
20:50 Solutions to the Imposter Syndrome

PROBLEM: We’re talking about the imposter syndrome. This was actually a request from one of our listeners right? First lets get a definition and nail down what exactly this is

• Definition:(Harvard Business Review) Imposter syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.
• (Psychology Today): Imposter syndrome was first documented in high-achieving women in the 1970s. While imposter syndrome is still more prevalent among women, and specifically women of color, men are also susceptible to developing this mindset.
• (WebMD): One study found that about 70% of all people have felt like an imposter at some point.
• (Psychology Today): Imposter syndrome can be closely related to perfectionism, in which people feel pressure to perform at their absolute best 100 percent of the time, and when they don’t, they feel incompetent and anxious
• (WebMD): Studies show that those who are different from most of their peers, such as women in high-tech careers or first-generation college students, are more likely to have imposter syndrome.
• Imposter syndrome is not an official psychiatric diagnosis in the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
• What can Trigger The Imposter Syndrome
  • (Psychology Today): Calling attention to one’s success, ironically, can unleash feelings of imposter syndrome. This could occur when receiving an award, passing an exam, or being promoted. Failure after a string of successes can also cause someone to critique and question their overall aptitude.
  • Signs of Imposter Syndrome (WebMD): Credit your successes to luck, charm, networking, others' misjudgment, or other things besides your abilities
  • Potential Causes (WebMD): Many people who have imposter syndrome grew up in families that stressed achievement and success. If your parents went back and forth between overpraise and criticism, you may be more likely to have feelings of being a fraud later in life.

SOLUTION

• Understand the syndrome. Keep in mind that actual frauds don’t have imposter syndrome. The very fact that you have imposter syndrome shows that you’re not an imposter.Recognise imposter feelings when they emerge. Awareness is the first step to change, so ensure you track these thoughts
• Rewrite your mental programmes. Instead of telling yourself they are going to find you out or that you don’t deserve success, remind yourself that it’s normal not to know everything and that you will find out more as you progress.
• Reframe failure as a learning opportunity. Find out the lessons and use them constructively in future. This is a critical lesson for everyone.
• Quit the comparisons. Don’t measure yourself by other people’s achievements. For example, on social media you only see a highlight reel of someone’s life. This isn’t a good comparison to your own reality. Instead, focus on being a better version of yourself each day.

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Welcome to the FocusCast on this episode we’re talking about a little thing called work life balance. Bro, If you’re a solopreneurs or side hustler your livelihood may be depending on your direct input. So how do we balance work and life when you gotta hustle to make that next check???

00:00 Intro to Work Life Balance & Focus
00:40 Intro to Podcast
01:25 Problem with stress and focus
05:10 Solutions for Work Life Balance

PROBLEM:

• So we’re talking about work life balance. Why do we take work home with us bro, let all the stress creep into the part of the day when we’re supposed to recharge? Let’s start by reading a little excerpt from the CDC about work Stress
• Short-lived or infrequent episodes of stress pose little risk. But when stressful situations go unresolved, the body is kept in a constant state of activation, which increases the rate of wear and tear to biological systems. Ultimately, fatigue or damage results, and the ability of the body to repair and defend itself can become seriously compromised. As a result, the risk of injury or disease escalates. (Link)
• -Encyclopedia of Occupational Safety and Health : conditions from chronic work stress
• Cardiovascular Disease, Musculoskeletal Disorder, Psychological Disorders, Suicide, Cancer, Ulcers, and Impaired Immune Function
• Fun Fact (NLM): The concept of work–life balance is not new to our generation or unique to our profession. The idea that one should limit the amount of time spent at work dates back to manufacturing laws of the late 1800s when the work hours of women and children were restricted. By 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act established a 44-hour work week,

SOLUTION:

• Diminishing Returns at Work: Book by John Pencavel: Summary from Stanford.edu
• The declining effectiveness of long hours is manifested not only in marketable output but also in a rising probability of ill-health and accidents, and evidence of this has been found both for blue-collar workers and for white-collar workers. In short, shorter hours of work might benefit both firms and workers.
• We all have a certain point where maximum work yield has been reached and anything beyond that is less efficient.
• Harvard Business Review Study : 200 interviews with 78 business professionals in stressful highly demanding jobs.
• “30% of the men and 50% of women in our sample appeared to consciously resist working long hours, describing a variety of strategies they developed for maintaining a healthier work-life balance. While the details of every individual case differed, our study suggested a common mental process that consistently helped this group of professionals to change the way they worked — and lived — for the better.”
  • Pause and denormalize
  • Pay attention to your emotions
  • Reprioritize
  • Consider your alternatives
  • Implement changes
• Take breaks to walk or rest your eyes. Try the Pomodoro Technique
• You can’t keep working if you’re completely fucked up so take care of your body.
• The workload never ends and you can’t finish it all so why kill yourself over and impossible mountian of work.
• Finland ranked the happiest county 5 years in a row from the World Happiness Report.
• Statista: Their average work week is roughly 36 hours.

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Welcome to the FocusCast on this episode we’re talking about the pomodoro technique. So bro, pomodoro Italian for tomato, what are making sauce now on the focuscast? Not Exactly, today we’ll dig into this task/time management technique and see if it’s worth looking into.

00:00 Intro to the Promodoro Technique
00:35 Intro to Podcast
01:05 Problem: Solopreneurs struggle with focus
04:45 What is the Pomodoro Technique
09:02 How The Pomodoro Technique helps focus

PROBLEM:

• Mo Fos can’t focus bro, so today we’re talking about the pomodoro technique to see if it’s a task/time management system that may be helpful for the solopreneurs and side hustlers out there. First lets hit a few Stats on our inability to focus.
• (Harvard Business Review): Smartphone and tablet use is spiking, and we now use digital media for an average of over 12 hours per day. This
• hyperconnected state does not allow us to process, recharge, and refocus. We increasingly are overwhelmed with distractions flying at us from various connected devices
• Studies indicate that we spend anywhere from 35%–55% of our time, and sometimes much more, in meetings. (WTF)
• We’ve covered these things before
• Notifications, pointless meetings, cluttered desks, not setting boundaries, constant distractions, poor diet, poor sleep quality.

So what is the Pomodoro Technique: The OG time blocking by Francisco Cirillo: found a tomato shaped kitchen timer and the technique was born.

• Choose your assignment/work to do
• Set the timer to 25 minutes
• Work until the timer rings
• Take a five-minute break
• Take longer breaks (15 to 30 minutes) for every four pomodoro intervals

SOLUTION:

• (NIH) The idea is to break bigger tasks into smaller ones with uninterrupted focused work, followed by breaks to relax your mind. Regular breaks are important to do efficient work. After you finish each pomodoro, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. You will also gain a blueprint of your productivity.
• It helps to plan how many pomodoro intervals you need in a day to finish your tasks. Complete the required number of intervals and, voila, you have accomplished your work within a preplanned timeframe. Use your break time to take a short walk, check on a family member, call a friend, stretch, meditate, deep breathe, doodle, refill your water bottle or do anything that makes you happy.
• (Forbes) A 25-minute Pomodoro session is long enough to get a little work done but not so long that it feels painful or overwhelming. Unlike trying to work without a break for hours, it’s relatively easy to stack small sessions on top of each other. Four Pomodoro sessions can represent a productive morning. It’s surprising how much you can accomplish in short bursts of focused work
• Talk about your experience with time blocking.

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Welcome to the FocusCast, today our guest is TJ SHEDD, Owner and CEO of Hit Network. We will hear how he leads a team that manages multiple content brands, earns millions in revenue and his systems of habits of focus. Let's welcome our guest…

00:00 Intro to Interview w. TJ Shedd
00:20 Intro to Podcast
01:00 Rapid Fire w. CEO TJ Shedd
09:30 What it takes to get to 1 million subscribers on Youtube
11:11 Top 3 metrics
12:30 Why live is the best
16:30 Time blocking
19:00 Always more content
21:00 Accountability in business
22:10 Accountability in life

SHOW NOTES:

ABOUT TJ & HIT NETWORK RAPID FIRE

Q’S ABOUT THE COMPANY
What is the name of your company? Hit Network
What is your title? Owner/CEO
When did you and your business partner launch? 9/1/20
What was your 2022 revenue? $4M
How many employees do you have? 34
Who is your target customer? Individuals with a desire to learn about digital assets.
What problem are they trying to solve? Understanding a new & complex technology and market (Crypto)
How are you solving that problem? We provide free content and education around Crypto and Web3 tech.
I heard free, how the hell do you make money?

Q’S ABOUT MANAGING A CONTENT BRAND
How many "channels/brands" does Hit Network manage?
How many total subscribers do you have across all channels?
What main channels do you use to engage your audience?
What channel generates the most revenue?
What are your top three metrics you track on a weekly basis?
What trends do you see for 2023 as it relates to your business?
What would be the top pieces of advice you would have for someone starting a content brand?

That was great… a lot of people desire to run a successful business or even be youtube famous.. So let’s get into some habits that help you focus.

PERSONAL FOCUS HABITS

What systems/habits do you maintain to stay focused?
Time Blocking (Episode #12)
Routine
Reflection (Episode #47)
Accountability Group
Goal setting (Episode #11)
Journaling

What systems/habits do you maintain to keep your company focused on company goals?

Trello
Slack
Goals
EOS
Everyone responsible for numbers
Regular check in on progress

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Welcome to the FocusCast today our topic de jour is BIOHACKING. Ooooohhh sounds sci fi-sh, like we’re about to merge man and machine. No double, but what the hell is biohacking, is it even worth looking into? In this episode let's see if we can hack the body’s biology. Let’s dig in..

00:00 Intro to Biohacking & Focus
00:32 Intro to Podcast
01:00 Why Biohacking
02:51 Are you a Grinder
04:50 NUTRIGENOMICS and Biohacking
09:50 What is the Solution to Biohacking

WHY BIOHACKING
We’re talking about biohacking. It’s been popping up more with supplements, workouts, health, fitness, tech, whatever it may be to FAST TRACK your body goals. First let’s look at the definition.

WHAT IS BIOHACKING?
From dictionary.cambridge.org: scientific experiments with biological material, especially genes, done by people who are not official experts or scientists.
Attempts to improve the condition of your body and mind using technology, drugs, or other chemical substances such as hormones.
Basically a buzzword for doing things to your mind or body to make them funcion better.

ARE YOU A GRINDER?
Grinders (Wikipedia): are a self-identified community of body hackers. Many grinders identify with the biopunk movement, open-source transhumanism, and techno-progressivism.[3][4][5]

The Grinder movement is strongly associated with the body modification movement and practices actual implantation of cybernetic devices in organic bodies as a method of working towards transhumanism.[3][6]
This includes designing and installing do-it-yourself body enhancements, such as magnetic implants.[3][6] Biohacking emerged in a growing trend of non-institutional science and technology development

TRANSITION TO NUTRIGENOMICS:
While this is interesting we’re talking about the Nutrigenomics side of biohacking
Nutrigenomics (Cancer.gov): The study of how food affects a person’s genes and how a person’s genes affect the way the body responds to food. Nutrigenomics is used to learn more about how genes and diet together may affect a person’s health and risk of developing diseases, such as cancer. It may also help find new ways to prevent and treat disease.

Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Numerous studies in humans, animals, and cell cultures have demonstrated that macronutrients (e.g., fatty acids and proteins), micronutrients (e.g., vitamins), and naturally occurring bio-reactive chemicals (e.g., phytochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids, coumarins, and more) regulate gene expression in diverse ways

Many of the micronutrients and bioreactive chemicals in foods are directly involved in metabolic reactions that determine everything from hormonal balances and immune competence to detoxification processes and the utilization of macronutrients for fuel and growth.

Gene expression is the process by which the information encoded in a gene is turned into a function. ASo this gets pretty complicated but if you fuck with biohacking, do your own deep dive into nutrigenomics and gene expression.

SOLUTION
Here’s song things our body expects or things we can do for overall health

• Eating real food: we literally become what we eat and we need to provide our cells with the proper shit to replicate. Focus on healthy fats
• Reaching States of autophagy (talked about on the fasting teas #52)
• Viewing sunlight in the morning: This sets our circadian rhythm
• Don’t stuff your face all the time: This puts strain on the body and can spike your blood sugar multiple times a day depending on what you eat
• Exercise and meditation
• Not viewing screens before bed
• Cold showers

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Welcome to the FocusCast today we’re talking about fasting teas. What the fuck is a fasting tea, is this just some marketing gimmick to sell more Tea, or does tea actually help you fast? Great question, and that is what we are talking about today. Let's dig in…

00:00 Intro to Fasting Teas
00:30 Intro to Podcast
01:00 How Tea and Fasting can Increase Focus

BENEFITS OF DRINKING TEA
So we’re talking about fasting teas. We’ve talked about the benefits of green tea (Episode #36) and fasting (Episode #40). Lets hit a quick recap of tea / fasting benefits.

TEAS HAVE POLYPHENOL ANTIOXIDANTS
ncbi.nlm.nih.govHerbal Teas are well-known to contain an abundance of polyphenol antioxidants and other ingredients, thereby implicating protection and treatment against various ailments, and maintaining overall health in humans

TEAS PREVENT CANCER
National Library of Medicine Green tea consumption has been linked to the prevention of many types of cancer, including lung, colon, esophagus, mouth, stomach, small intestine, kidney, pancreas, and mammary glands [33]. Several epidemiological studies and clinical trials showed that green tea may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

THE STUDY
WebMD One large study in Japan followed 40,000 adult participants over 11 years, and found that daily green tea consumption was linked to lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. In particular, the study was examining the link between the polyphenols (antioxidants) in green tea and cardiovascular diseases. The minimum daily consumption required to see this benefit was five cups per day.

BENEFITS OF FASTING

FASTING MAY BE BETTER THAN DIETING
Mayo Clinic: Research suggests that intermittent fasting may be more beneficial than other diets for reducing inflammation and improving conditions associated with inflammation, such as: Alzheimer's disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Multiple sclerosis, Stroke

FASTING & EXERCISE CAUSE AUTOPHAGY
Cancer.gov Fasting & exercise causes Autophagy which is the process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation.
AUTOPHAGY PREVENTS INFECTION
Cancer.gov Autophagy also helps destroy bacteria and viruses that cause infection and may prevent normal cells from becoming cancer cells. Basically the body’s way of “Cleaning house”

SO WHAT THE FUCK IS FASTING TEA?
So after researching the internet for “fasting tea” it turns out it’s a label put on basically any type of tea to drink while you’re fasting. Long story short tea can help curb hunger pains and make fasting easier overall. Depending on the time of day you can make caffeinated or non caffeinated types of tea.

TYPES OF TEA TO CONSIDER
Green tea, black, oolong, yerba mate.
Non caffeinated: Giner, tumerica, mint, chamomile.
Pique Tea thoughts (Once I get samples) our code is THEFOCUSCAST
Arbor teas
Consider sourcing to avoid pesticides, micro plastics, all that shit.

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Welcome to the FocusCast on this episode we’re talking about smart exercise equipment. What’s the point of all these machines with screens and paid subscriptions? Does tracking all this data even make us healthier? On this episode we discuss the pros and cons of smart exercise equipment and how it relates to focus in this bitch. Lets dig in…

00:00 Intro to Smart Exercise Equipment
00:28 Intro to Podcast
00:59 Problem: Lack of Exercise & Focus
09:42 Solution: Ways to Increase Exercise

PROBLEM: Exercise is a critical component of focus, but we don’t exercise enough.
So we’re talking about smart exercise equipment and if they make sense for anyone or is it just a marketing ploy? Does tracking this data or having virtual trainers make us more likely to work out?

EXERCISE TO INCREASE FOCUS
CDC: Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

WE DON'T EXERCISE ENOUGH…
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: only 1 in 5 adults in the US meets the CDC physical activity guidelines of 150 min of aerobic activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity per week

BUT WE THINK WE DO
WebMD Article: It’s very common to think you exercise or sleep
more than you do. And many people think they eat less than they do. When you wear a tracker or log data in an app, you see the facts. With that info, you can set a specific and personal goal.

SOLUTION: If Smart Technology helps you Exercise…

TRY SMART EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: It is unknown to what extent this technology leads to increases in activity levels over either the short or long term.
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Overall, fitness technology has the potential to significantly impact public health, research, and policies.

THE STUDY
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:
Goal for two groups: Increase steps over 3 months
Group One: use a pedometer to self-monitor and increase 5% weekly with a goal of 10K daily steps by the end of the program.
Group Two: was given educational materials about health and physical activity.
The intervention group showed a significant increase in steps at 3 months and significant decreases in BMI, body fat, and waist circumference. Importantly, these results remained significant 3 months after the completion of the intervention (38).

MEASURE WHAT MATTERS
“To get started, focus on one thing to track,” says Peter Alperin, MD, a San Francisco tech entrepreneur who does research on QS.
WebMD Article: It can be tempting to have a long list of stats you want to track. Keep it simple.

FIND A FRIEND
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: In addition to behavior change techniques that focus on the individual, it is also useful to examine the effects of social factors for increasing physical activity. Social factors such as social support or competition have been shown to increase engagement, adherence, and completion in physical activity interventions.

FIND A COACH.
Another important strategy for increasing physical activity is coaching. This entails receiving directions or instructions from a peer or a professional. Coaching is often used in interventions and fitness technology to motivate increases in physical activity

FIND SOME SMART EQUIPMENT
Peloton, Peloton Treadmill, The Mirror (trainer), Tonal (personal trainer with resistance equipment), NordicTrack RW900
Bryan’s Peloton Story

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In this episode we talk about our next 50 episodes, what we will change in the future to better help you increase focus. We also talk about ourselves personally and what we have to look forward to in 2023. 

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On this episode, we talk about what we learned after uploading 49 Episodes of the podcast. Our system, why we started and what we changed along the way. 

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Let's close some shit out! Did you know there’s a phycology term for cognitive closure? Turns out seeking closure in a big part of human existence. In this episode we’re seeking closure on how closure affects our lives and relates to mental health.

PROBLEM

• So what is cognitive closure:
• The state in which an individual recognizes that he or she has achieved understanding of something.
• The final stage in figuratively seeing the total picture and how all pieces of it fit together. (APA Dictionary of Psychology)
• Level of Need: If you are at the top of the scale you’ll have some preferences towards predictability, order and organization. If you are on the bottom part, you’ll feel more comfortable in open and ambiguous situations, and you won’t feel that bothered with indecision. Most people though, find themselves around the middle part of the scale, to put it another way, they value order but they can live with a certain level of uncertainty.

PROS/CONS OF COGNITIVE CLOSURE

• The lack of closure leaves a situation in ambiguity. People high in need for closure seek to avoid this ambiguity at all costs where people high in need to avoid closure strive to make situations more ambiguous.
• Some perceived benefits of cognitive closure may relate to predictability, the basis for action, or social status accorded the possessors of knowledge
• Similarly, some perceived costs of lacking closure may relate to the additional time and effort required to attain closure, or the unpleasantness of process whereby closure must be reached
• Occasionally, however, lack of closure maybe perceived to offer various advantages such as freedom from a constraining commitment, neutrality in an acrimonious dispute, the maintenance of a romantic mystery and so on
• Though lack of closure is generally thought of as being negative, it is clear that closure and lack of closure have positive or negative implications depending on the person and situation surrounding them (Wiki)

SOLUTION

• The Need for closure scale: (NFCS)
• Webster and Kruglanski. An updated version of the NFCS, was published in 2007 by Roets and Van Hiel. kruglanskiarie.com
• ‘a’— measure the need for order,
• ‘b’ –- measure the need for predictability,
• ‘c’— measure decisiveness,
• ‘d’— measure avoidance of ambiguity,
• ‘e’— measure closed mindedness.
• Need for cognitive closure predicts stress and anxiety of college students during pandemic (Study National Library of Medicine)
• The unprecedented level of uncertainty associated with the pandemic may be a contributing factor to stress and anxiety, especially among individuals with high intolerance to uncertainty (Rettie & Daniels, 2021). Individual differences in need for cognitive closure have also been linked to mental distress during unpredictable situations (Berenbaum et al., 2008 (Makes sense to me)
• Finding Closure/Summary
• Find your personality type? Maybe you have a high need for closure?
• Reflect: What are you holding onto and why

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Bro!! It’s about that time of year. As we wrap up another year it often becomes a time of self reflection on the past 12 months. So, what’s the point? Does it even help, what are the benefits? In this episode we’re talking about reflection and Mental health.

PROBLEM

• Self Reflection: to turn our attention inward to consider our own thoughts, memories, feelings, and actions
• So many of our habits, patterns of behavior, and pre-set programming are buried in our subconscious. They operate in a sort of “control room”, directing how we think, feel, and act, often times hurting our well-being (psychologytoday.com)
• Harvard Article: They asked 442 executives to reflect on which experiences most advanced their professional development and had the greatest impact on making them better leaders.
• We processed these reflections through the text analysis program NVivo, a software used in fields like sociology and education, to detect sentimental themes
• Three distinct themes arose through our analysis: surprise, frustration, and failure. Reflections that involved one or more or of these sentiments proved to be the most valuable in helping learn and grow. (Harvard Business Review)
• Surprise, frustration, and failure. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Head, heart, and hands. These parts of you are constantly in motion and if you don’t give them time to rest, they will surely fatigue. Like a muscle, your mind needs reflection to re energize and grow stronger (Harvard Business Review)
• Self-reflection vs Self-rumination: However, maladaptive levels of self-reflection, such as ruminative, self-critical thought in depression, can have detrimental consequences for health and well-being (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
• Focusing on depressed mood, problems, and other negative self-experiences has negative outcomes. Increased self-focused attention is associated with depression (Ingram, 1990, Pyszczynski and Greenberg, 1987). In particular, rumination, conceptualized as the tendency to repetitively focus on symptoms of distress and the possible causes and consequences of these symptoms (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991), is known to be a serious risk factor for depression (Science Direct)
• However, in addition to negative outcomes, self-focused attention can also have adaptive and beneficial outcomes. Self-focused attention, even recurrent thoughts such as rumination, can also be conceptualized as a process of problem-solving or self-regulation and can serve to increase self-knowledge and facilitate psychological adjustment (Martin and Tesser, 1996, Trapnell and Campbell, 1999). (Science Direct)

SOLUTION

• Reflection TookKit: (5R Framework, What, So what, What now)
• Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences.
• Description of the experience, Feelings and thoughts about the experience
• Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
• Analysis to make sense of the situation
• Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
• Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find appropriate.
• Integrated Reflective Cycle:
• The Experience: Describe the experience
• Reflection on Action: Look at the experience and identify what went well and what could be improved.
• Theory: Think about the experience in larger context of professional literature and your own learning and personal experience.
• Preparation: Using your reflection to prepare yourself for future
• Keep journal, build weekly practice, meditate, long walks, read, minimal stimulation shit.

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Holidays and Mental Health

Remember when we’d show up our grandparents house and all the food was cooked for the entire week, and we didn’t have to do shit besides eat and enjoy Christmas. Things change when you get older and you’re responsible for hosting 15 people. Or if you’re worried about political drama and outbursts during dinner. It’s no secret the Holidays can mess with your mental health, on this episode we talk about the mental juggling of the holidays, lets dig in.

PROBLEM

• So today we’re starting a little holiday series and, on this episode, we’re talking about Holidays and mental health
• So the Holidays can be stressful depending on your family/life situation and we’ve already talked about the effects of stress on the body in episode #21. But here’s a recap
• Short term stress: Stress is the body's reaction to harmful situations -- whether they’re real or perceived. When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in your body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury. This reaction is known as "fight-or-flight” or the stress response. During the stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises (WebMD)
• Symptoms(Short Term): Feeling overwhelmed, Low energy, Headaches, Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea, Aches, pains, and tense muscles, Chest pain and rapid heartbeat, Insomnia, Frequent colds and infections, Loss of sexual desire and/or ability, Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ears, and cold or sweaty hands and feet, Dry mouth and a hard time swallowing, Clenched jaw and grinding teeth, Constant worrying, Racing thoughts, Forgetfulness and disorganization, Inability to focus, Poor judgment WebMD
• Symptoms (Long Term): depression, anxiety, and personality disorders, Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and strokes, Obesity and other eating disorders, Menstrual problems, Sexual dysfunction, such as impotence and premature ejaculation in men and loss of sexual desire in men and women, Skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, and permanent hair loss (WebMD)
• Misconception: The idea that suicides occur more frequently during the holiday season is a long perpetuated myth. CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reports that the suicide rate is, in fact, the lowest in December.2 The rate peaks in the spring and the fall. (CDC)
• Holidays and grief: Grief in and of itself is bad enough, but it can be magnified when the holidays roll around. That’s mainly because the holiday season is filled with reminders of the one you lost, as you’re surrounded by others who have their loved ones with them and are celebrating a season of joy and togetherness
• The pain you’re feeling is very much at odds with the celebratory spirit that’s all around you, leaving you nothing but quiet moments where you’re faced with the raw power of loss (Ouch) PathwaysHealth.org

SOLUTION

• Decide which traditions you would like to keep and which ones you would like to change, suggests What’s Your Grief.
• Create a new tradition in memory of the person you lost
• Include your loved one’s favorite dish at Christmas dinner.
• Minimize gift-giving, or skip it altogether. With so much on your mind, going to the mall or spending hours shopping online may seem like an unnecessary stress (It's mostly consumerism bullshit anyway)
• Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events or communities
• Exercise, meditate, reduce social. The big 3 to reduce stress.

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This is the 5th episode of our 5 episode series on the hierarchy of needs and how those needs consume our minds and focus. Unfortunately, we leave little brain energy to focus on our future, which leads us right back to the hamster wheel day after day after day. Today we have reached the TOP of the hierarchy!!! We are talking about the fifth level of needs: our Self-Actualization Needs. Let’s dig in…

00:00 Intro to self actualization & focus
00:43 Intro to podcast
01:15 Problem self actualization & focus
11:00 Solution to increasing our focus

PROBLEM

• Our Self-Actualization Needs (simplypsychology.org)
  • The realization of a person's potential, our self-fulfillment, our personal growth and peak experiences. Maslow (1943) describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be.
  • Individuals may perceive or focus on this need very specifically. For example, one individual may have a strong desire to become an ideal parent. In another, the desire may be expressed economically, academically or athletically. For others, it may be expressed creatively, in paintings, pictures, or inventions.
• You ready bro, the big question: How much do we actually focus on realizing our full potential? And when we sit and dream about being a great parent, a rock star, or the CEO of a big company, are we trying to reach our full potential or our desperate need to be respected?
• Are you trying to accomplish your dreams or prove a toxic parent wrong?
• Consumed commodities are a cheap high when meeting our real needs (Cars, houses, clothes, etc.)

SOLUTION

• Time to get a bit introspective and ask yourself, Who are you? What do you want? Why?
• Ask yourself, “Am I trying to live my life or someone else's?”
• Serving others is a true path to finding yourself.
• Take time / Force time to understand your potential and work like hell to personally develop that potential so you can live a life of peak experiences.

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What has been completely removed from our diet? The Fungus Among Us:). Mushrooms have amazing qualities, one of those being focus.

0:00 Intro to Fungus and Focus
0:53 Intro to Podcast
1:28 The problem with Focus
5:38 Solution to Focus

PROBLEM

• The Branded Research Inc.-conducted survey found 75% of people admit that digital notifications lead to procrastination and decreased focus.
• This is the main conclusion from a survey conducted by Barnes & Noble Education the week of March 23, 2020, among 432 college students across the U.S. More than half (64%) of students expressed concern over maintaining focus and discipline
• PERCEPTION: The famous French philosopher Voltaire was once quoted as saying, A dish of mushrooms changed the destiny of Europe. He was referring to the War of Austrian Succession that followed the death of Holy Roman Emperor King Charles VI. The king's untimely demise may have been a result of eating amanita, or death cap, mushrooms.

SOLUTION

• Health Canal: 4 Medicinal Mushrooms To Boost Brain Function
• Lion’s Mane: Lion’s Mane contains erinacines and hericenones, which are crucial compounds that can boost brain cell growth. Growing new brain cells is a great way to improve your brain health.
• ALSO.. Prevents Stomach Ulcers, Has Anti-Inflammatory Benefits,
• Reishi Mushrooms (Ganoderma Lucidum): most notable benefit of the Reishi mushrooms is to boost immunity. The mushrooms increase the production of white blood cells [8] that protect your body against diseases. Also… Fight Depression, Improve Blood Sugar Levels
• Chaga Mushrooms (Inonotus Obliquus): Extracts from Chaga mushrooms are excellent when it comes to reducing levels of bad cholesterol[12] in your body. Also… Fighting Inflammation, protection against these radical cells. You can consume the medicinal mushroom[15] as a preventive measure. It has high potent antioxidant properties that prevent free radicals from harming cells in your body.
• Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus): Oyster mushrooms are full of vitamins and minerals[16] that your brain and body need. They have Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus, Folate, Potassium, Niacin, Fiber, Vitamin D, and Choline. Also.. Improve Heart Health, Normalize Blood Sugar Levels.
• MUSHROOM COFFEE

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Fats and Focus

Bro, you like butter? Well, you better take care of that scull butter because the brain about 60% fat. Certain fats have been shown to improve memory and cognitive functions, while others increase the risk of heart disease. Today on F&F episode… we’re talking about fats and focus.

0:00 Intro to Fat
0:40 Intro to Podcast
1:18 How Fats Effects Focus
13:45 Solution to Increasing Creativity

SHOW NOTES EPISODE #34

• The brain is 60% fat, 40% water, protein and carbs.
• Your brain is not made from “storage fats” but “structural fat” (if your brain was storage fat your body would eat it if it was starving)
• Fats are comprised of a glycerol head with 3 fatty acid tails which is a hydrocarbon chain. (a carbon skeleton bound by hydrogen atoms)
• There are 4 main categories of dietary fats
  • Saturated Fats: When all carbon atoms are fully bound to hydrogen atoms. Because of this structure they are solid at room temperature. (Butter, tallow)
  • Unsaturated fats: Some carbon atoms bind to each other as a double bond, so the fatty acid tail is “bent”. (olive oil, peanut oil)
  • Monounsaturated fats: Fat molecule with only 1 double bond. (Mono for One)
  • Polyunsaturated fats: Fat molecule with more than 1 double bond.
  • Trans fats: (margarine, vegetable shortening)
• The body can synthesize all the fatty acids it needs except for omega-3 and omega-6 hence being called essential fatty acids. These must be consumed.
• Good Fats: Certain unsaturated fats increase HDL levels (good cholesterol) while reducing LDL levels (bad cholesterol)
• Neutral/bad: Saturated fats can raise levels of good and bad cholesterol.
• The worst fat of all: Trans fat. Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that is solid due to the carbon hydrogen structure. Trans fats lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol. They rarely occur in nature so the body does not have the necessary enzymes to break them down.

The function of dietary fats in the body

• In the diet, fat is a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and supports their absorption in the intestine. Consuming sufficient amounts of fatty foods that contain these vitamins is thus essential for adequate intake of these micronutrients. European Food Information Council (EUFIC)
• Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are required for maintenance of optimal health but they can not synthesized by the body and must be obtained from dietary sources. Clinical observation studies has related imbalance dietary intake of fatty acids to impaired brain performance and diseases. (pubmed)
• Beyond their important role in building the brain structure, EFAs, as messengers, are involved in the synthesis and functions of brain neurotransmitters. (pubmed)
• Omega-3s seem to have a stabilizing effect on the heart. They can lower heart rate and help prevent arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). Webmd
• Omega-3s DHA and EPA can lower your triglycerides, a blood fat that’s linked to heart disease. Talk with your doctor before taking omega-3 supplements, because some types can make your "bad" cholesterol worse
• Omega-3 foods and supplements curb plaque buildup inside blood vessels, helping with blood flow. So they may help prevent stroke caused by clots or a blocked artery. WebMD

SOLUTION

• Fatty fish is the best source of Omega 3
• Anchovies, mackerel, herring, sardines, oysters, salmon
• Plant oils: Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil)
• Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)

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Heavy Metal may sound good (when your favorite band drops a nasty breakdown), but heavy metals are extremely toxic for our brains. In this episode, we will talk about a few known metals: Lead, Aluminum and Mercury, how they enter our brain, how these metals impact our ability to focus, and what we can do today to limit exposure, reduce metals in our brains and accomplish our dreams. Let’s dig in…

0:00 Intro to Inflammation
0:34 Intro to Podcast
1:05 How Heavy Metals Effects Focus
10:09 Solution to Increasing Creativity

SHOW NOTES FOR #33

Unfortunately, toxins are everywhere and if you become obsessive about these toxins, you may die from anxiety. So let’s take a look at a few examples of toxins, how they affect us and then some simple steps you can take today to reduce your toxicity and focus on your dreams. Let’s dig in…

• The Atlantic: THE TOXINS THAT THREATEN OUR BRAINS
• In a 2012 paper published by the National Institutes of Health, Bellinger, a professor of neurology at Harvard, compared intelligence quotients among children whose mothers had been exposed to these neurotoxins while pregnant to those who had not. Bellinger calculates a total loss of 16.9M IQ points due to exposure to organophosphates, the most common pesticides used in agriculture.
• Article in US Right to Know: Chlorpyrifos (CPS) insecticides were introduced by Dow Chemical in 1965 and have been used widely in agricultural settings. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide, used primarily to control foliage and soil-borne insect pests on a variety of food and feed crops.
• (CPS) is used on a wide variety of crops including apples, oranges, strawberries, corn, wheat, citrus and other foods families and their children eat daily. USDA’s Pesticide Data Program found chlorpyrifos residue on citrus and melons even after being washed and peeled. By volume, chlorpyrifos is most used on corn and soybeans, with over a million pounds applied annually to each crop. The chemical is not allowed on organic crops. Non-agricultural uses include golf courses, turf, green houses, and utilities.
• Fluoride: According to CDC, “Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally and is released from rocks into the soil, water, and air. Almost all water contains some fluoride, but usually not enough to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride can also be added to drinking water supplies as a public health measure for reducing cavities.”
• "Fluoride is presumed to be a cognitive neurodevelopmental hazard to humans," concludes the US HHS's National Toxicology Program's monograph, Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
• PBDE is used as a flame retardant in textiles, computers, furniture foam, plastics, electronics, automobiles, and construction materials.
• The Atlantic: “California, at the urging of the chemical industry several years ago, put the highest standard in the world on the levels of PBDEs that needed to be included in them,” Landrigan explained. “The result is that people in California have the highest levels of brominated flame retardants in their bodies.”
• The state finally banned PDBEs in 2006, after studies from Columbia showed high quantities of the compound in women’s breast milk and linked it to IQ losses and shortening of attention span. Between 2008 and 2012, PDBE levels in the blood of California residents decreased by two-thirds.

What can we do?

• Awareness is the first step. If it is made by man, it is probably bad. Which should be obvious since everyone hates men right now.
• Look at what you put in and on your body.
• But get a jump start by limiting your intake.
  • Purge your diet of toxins.
  • Purge your house of toxins.

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HEAVY METALS

Heavy Metal may sound good (when your favorite band drops a nasty breakdown), but heavy metals are extremely toxic for our brains. In this episode, we will talk about a few known metals: Lead, Aluminum and Mercury, how they enter our brain, how these metals impact our ability to focus, and what we can do today to limit exposure, reduce metals in our brains and accomplish our dreams. Let’s dig in…

0:00 Intro to Inflammation
0:34 Intro to Podcast
1:05 How Heavy Metals Effects Focus
10:09 Solution to Increasing Creativity

Lead: Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82 which group 14. Lead is widely used for car batteries, pigments, ammunition, cable sheathing, weights for lifting and more.

Article on NLBI: Lead in the brain: At the molecular level, lead interferes with the regulatory action of calcium on cell functions and disrupts many intracellular biological activities which damages the prefrontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum
Which can lead to… brain damage, behavioral problems, nerve damage, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia.
A 2018 study published in The Lancet Public Health suggests that of the 2.3M deaths every year in the US, about 400K are attributable to lead exposure, of which 250K are from cardiovascular disease.
The EPA estimates that 10 to 20% of human exposure to lead may come from lead in drinking water as demonstrated in water testing throughout the United States.

Aluminum: Aluminum is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminum is used in transportation, construction, electrical and consumer goods.
Article found on Rezilir Health: It has been researched for decades that once aluminum enters the body, it bio-accumulates in brain tissue and contributes to cognitive impairment and memory loss.

Significant amounts of aluminum can be found in food emulsifiers, antiperspirant deodorants, hair sprays, baking powder, many types of toothpaste, in our drinking water, and in much of our cookware, exposing us to high amounts over the course of one’s lifetime.

Mercury: Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also a good conductor of electricity, so it is a useful component of electrical switches. Mercury is also used in dental fillings, paints, soaps, batteries, and fluorescent lighting.
Article in NCBI: Many studies show that high exposure to mercury induces changes in the central nervous system, potentially resulting in irritability, fatigue, behavioral changes, tremors, headaches, hearing and cognitive loss, dysarthria, incoordination, hallucinations, and death.

Article found on Rezilir Health: But the major source of mercury is found in our food chain and is responsible for about 1/3 of the levels found in our bodies. Mercury that naturally occurs in coal production is released during burning and enters the air; it is then precipitated into the oceans, lakes, and rivers by rain. According to the EPA, coal-fired power plants in the United States emit about 48 tons of mercury into the air every year. This works it’s way up the food chain to us.

What Can We Do?

• Avoid cosmetics containing aluminum, such as deodorants & beverages in aluminum cans
• Ceramic dental fillings instead of amalgam
• Give preference to organic foods: On average, organic food has 68% less cadmium
• DO NOT EAT FARM RAISED FISH
• Use water filters
• Some foods you can eat that are natural heavy metal detoxes: "cilantro, garlic, wild blueberries, lemon water, spirulina, barley grass juice powder, green tea, tomatoes

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IT IS TIME TO TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Sometimes, you just need to unplug. Life is crazy, and it seems to never stop. Because of this, we never stop, which is killing us. One thing we can do is prioritize a little "ME TIME." Today, we are going to talk about the benefits of being alone and some things you can do TODAY to enjoy a little solitude and increase your focus. Let's dig in....

0:00 Intro to The Creative Space
0:23 Intro to Podcast
0:54 Problems Keeping You From Resting
5:45 Solution to Increasing Creativity

SHOW NOTES FROM EPISODE #29

PROBLEM: We Are Not Intentional About Disconnecting

• Episode #27-28, people are not taking vacations, people are not taking lunch breaks.
• Here is another problem, when people have a few extra minutes, they are going straight to social media. According to Statista, “People worldwide spend 147 minutes a day on social.” Over 2hrs bro.
• Here is what sucks though, “according to an article Lonely Nation on StudyFinds.org, “2 in 3 Americans for more alone than ever before.”
• People are not good at being alone: Article, “What Happens In The Brain When You’re Alone” on Headspace shared research:
• In one study, people were left alone for 6 to 15min with no distractions—except a device that administered electric shocks. Nearly 70% of men and 25% of women chose to shock themselves. In another version of the study, participants were told to sit alone in their home with their thoughts for 10 to 15 min. More than half confessed to cheating by getting up from the chair or distracting themselves with phones or music.

BENEFITS OF SOLITUDE

• Amy Morin, psychotherapist and the international bestselling author wrote in an article in Forbes: “7 Science-Backed Reasons You Should Spend More Time Alone.”
• Alone time increases empathy & Solitude increases productivity.
• Solitude sparks creativity.
• Being alone can help you build mental strength.
• Being alone gives you an opportunity to plan your life.
• Solitude helps you know yourself.

HABITS

• Be intentional about being alone.
• Set times on your calendar to be along.
• Set spaces you go to with the intention of being alone: hiking, running, biking, go see a movie alone, go eat alone, etc.
• Don’t look at your phone (that is your monkey brain).
• Take a notepad and write down whatever you are thinking.
• Read a book about someone who inspires you.

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You Are Creative (Period)Believing you are creative is the first step. Creating a creative space is the second.

For many of us, we believe we are NOT creative which is a FALSE narrative. We even quote general research to validate our belief by saying things like, "I guess I am more of a left brain person." When accomplishing our dreams, there is a LOT of "new" things we have to do that we have never done before. Today we are going to talk about speaking truth to your inner critic, you are creative. We will also cover some simple tips to increase creativity and accomplish your dreams. Let's dig in...

0:00 Intro to The Creative Space
0:24 Intro to Podcast
1:19 Problems Keeping You From Being Creative
9:43 Left Brain Versus Right Brain
14:14 Solution to Increasing Creativity

Problem: People are distracted.

• First, what keeps us from being creative?
• ENVIRONMENT DISTRACTIONS: Article from Teamstage, “Workplace Distractions Statistics: Problems and Solutions in 2022” It takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully recover focus after a distraction.
• INTERPERSONAL BLOCKS: A great article on Angeles Earth wrote, “What prevents you from being creative.”
  • Perceptual Blocks: how we perceive the situation.
  • Cognitive Blocks: Repeat Solutions: I’ve solved it this way before, I should do the same again.
  • Accepting the rules without question.
  • Emotional Blocks: Fear of failure, Thinking we are not creative.
  • Cultural Blocks: lack education, distrust of environment/people

Left Brain Versus Right Brain: We have heard the right brain is more creative, but that is a limited perspective.

• Article found on National Science Foundation, “Where in the brain does creativity come from. Evidence from jazz musicians?”
• Creativity is, in fact, driven primarily by the right hemisphere in musicians who are comparatively inexperienced at improvisation. However, musicians who are highly experienced at improvisation rely primarily on their left hemisphere.

Solution: Everyone has the power to be creative (period).

• HBR Article, “Train Your Brain to Be More Creative” The more we learn about the workings of our gray matter, the better we can train it, control it, and make it do what we want.
• Create an attitude that gives you permission to be creative.
• Create a space free from distractions.
• Add in that space inspirational attributes that inspire you to be creative.
• A study in Psychological Science by Kathleen Vohs, of the University of Minnesota, found: Working in a messy room seems to help them try new things and come up with creative ideas.

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Killing Your Grind TimeWhat keeps us from grinding? Distractions.

When we have a long list of tasks to accomplish our dreams, they often get pushed to the back because of our long list of tasks we have to complete for everyone else. On todays episode, we are going to talk about ways to set up the perfect space for you to grind away at your goals and accomplish your dreams. Let's dig in...

0:00 Intro to The Grind Space
0:22 Intro to Podcast
0:40 How Distractions Kill Your Focus
13:08 How to Create a Grind Space

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #26

Problem: People are distracted.

• Article from Teamstage, “Workplace Distractions Statistics: Problems and Solutions in 2022”
• Companies spend up to 31hrs a month in unproductive meetings.
• As many as 40M Americans suffer from anxiety in the workplace. (Episodes #21 - #23)
• 50% of employees say that they are distracted by their phones at work.
• 98% of the workforce say they are interrupted at least 3 or 4 times a day.
• Distractions can lead to committing twice as many errors as usual.

Stats from Statista, “Leading distractions among employees while working from home - 2020.”

• Social Media - 61.6%
• Smartphones - 53.7%
• Binge-Watching - 42.1%
• Kids - 33.8%
• Gaming - 30.4%
• News Media - 24.3%
• Pets - 18.1%
• Online Shopping - 16%
• Partner - 12.3%

What is happening with the brain? Recap Top Down Bottom Up - Episode #21

• The “bottom up” attention, sometimes called exogenous attention, is when your sensory world is driving what information you notice.
• The “top down” attention, sometimes called endogenous attention. This is where it is your brain which is dictating and directing how you should be focusing your attention.

Solution: A space to grind.

• Grind task are non creative task that you need to crank out
• Create a Grind Space free from distractions. - Episode #6
• Remove Clutter - Episode #7
• Turn off Notifications
• Time Block (Treat your calendar as your Top Down Planner
• Goals - Episode #11
• Task - Episode #12
• Invest in yourself by investing in your grind space.
• Create a “JOB” Space and a “Dreams” Space/Settings if you can.

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PUSH OUT THE PUSHOVER Everyone teaches you to be a pushover, now it’s time to learn how to stand up for your dreams.

The brain is wired to understand the physical boundaries around you to keep you from falling off a cliff, but society has taught you to sacrifice your personal boundaries at the expense of everyone else. And while doing so, you have little time for your dreams.

On today's episode of the Forms and Focus Podcast (EPISODE #025), we are discussing focus and boundaries. And what you can do TODAY to establish healthy boundaries, increase your focus on long-term goals, and accomplish your dreams. Let’s dig in…

0:00 - Intro to Boundaries
0:34 - Podcast Intro
1:02 - Problem/Boundaries and how it impacts our focus.
10:03 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

The Brain Creates a Buffer:Meghan Rabbit in “What you need to know about personal Space.”
There are brain regions that are sizing up the space around you: the parietal cortex (which processes sensory information) and the premotor cortex (which plays a role in generating movements).

“These areas of the brain have neurons that fire to let you know if something or someone is getting too close, and you unconsciously respond, says Graziano. “I call them ‘bubble wrap’ neurons, and they align your vision, hearing, and sense of touch to build a multisensory map of space that helps you create a bubble wrap of safety around your body.”

Why we Suck at Setting Personal Boundaries: Bethany Juby, “Personal Boundaries: Types and How to Set Them.”
From childhood, we’re often taught to bend and mold ourselves to make others comfortable. EXAMPLE: Messaging is implied (as in school dress codes). Direct (“I don't care if you don’t want to hug your grandfather, it’s rude not to!”).

She continues.. We’ve been taught from a young age to put the feelings of others ahead of our own needs, to the point that many of us don’t even know how to answer, “What are boundaries?” How do I set them?”

Annie Tanasugarn in “Personal Boundaries and Building Self Love.” Unhealthy or weak personal boundaries are often identified as having a poor sense of self-identity or limited feelings of self-worth. For many who grew up in a codependent environment, they may be out of touch with their own feelings, or may have not been allowed personal space earlier in life.

How to set personal boundaries.
First and foremost, from the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud, “It is an act of kindness to yourself and those around you to set boundaries.”

Some tips from Ben Hershey, “8 Ways to Establish Healthy Boundaries at Work.” He references Doctor Dana Gionta’s book, From Stressed to Centered, which offers a step-by-step process for assessing personal boundaries at work:

Know your limits

• Pay attention to your feelings
• Give yourself permission to set boundaries
• Consider your environment
• Communicate Upfront: “I don’t answer emails past 7:00 PM
• Create Clear Structures: Structure is important in the workplace. You're the architect of your own boundaries, so build them solid.
• Keep Your Relationships Professional:
• Delegate Work When Appropriate: One important part of establishing boundaries is in setting expectations about the work you will do. Book, Get the Monkey Off Your Back.
• Actually Take Time Off: One Hour A Day, A week a quarter.

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Not everyone has an inner voice, but we all have an inner critic. Through evolution, parental guidance and cultural scripts, we have all been trained how to act, think and perform in a way that benefits others. As adults this leads to a battle between our inner critic and our inner nurturer. For many of us, the critic is winning.

On today's episode of the Forms and Focus Podcast (EPISODE #024), we are discussing focus and Inner Narrative. And what you can do TODAY to put your inner critic in its place, confide in your inner nurturer, and accomplish your dreams. Let’s dig in…

What does science say about our inner narrative?

• This may be shocking, but not everyone has an inner voice.
• Researcher Mark Scott of the University of British Columbia found evidence that a brain signal called corollary discharge plays an important role in our experiences of internal speech.
• Example: Corollary discharge is a kind of predictive signal generated by the brain that helps to explain, for example, why other people can tickle us but we can’t tickle ourselves. The signal predicts our own movements and effectively cancels out the tickle sensation.
• He continues… “We spend a lot of time speaking and that can swamp our auditory system, making it difficult for us to hear other sounds when we are speaking, by attenuating the impact our own voice has on our hearing — using the ‘corollary discharge’ prediction — our hearing can remain sensitive to other sounds.”

The Inner Critic and The Inner Nurturer

• You also have your inner nurture, but your Inner Critic and Inner Nurturer uses two different parts of the brain!!
• Beth Kurland in “How to Build Your Inner Nurturer” reviews a study that found when people experience self-criticism, the parts of the brain associated with increased monitoring of errors, punishment, and behavioral inhibition are activated. When people experience self-reassurance, the brain regions involved in expressing compassion toward others become active.
• She goes on to say, “Despite many people thinking that being too easy on themselves will lead to them straying from their goals, extensive research shows that it is self-compassion, not self-criticism, that is the best motivator.”
• Nathan Chandler in “Inner Speech Speaks Volumes About the Brain.”
• “It does appear that biologically we all hear negativity louder than the positives. This is probably an adaption for survival. Our survival as a species was dependent on us hearing, “Watch out, there’s a snake”, while hearing “You are doing that well” was not so urgent.”

How do we stand up to our inner critic?

• Rick Hanson, “How to stand up to your inner critic.”
• First, try to observe how self-criticism operates inside you.
• Be aware of anger at yourself that seems out of proportion to what happened. Listen to the tone in which you talk to yourself.
• Consider how self-critical attitudes developed inside you, perhaps when you were younger.
• When the inner critic starts pounding away, turn to your inner nurturer as a refuge and an ally.
• Imagine a “caring committee” inside yourself with different characters who represent various kinds of support and wisdom.
• As you go through your days, register when others see decency, capability, effort, and caring in you.

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MODERN DAY FEARFear and anxiety are not the same, but both are killing your dreams.

Whether it’s a bear attack or fear of rejection, our brains may respond the same, run. The psychological impact of generational fear heightened by modern day fear mongering is training your brain to live in a constant state of FEAR. This separates us from our goals and dreams.

On today's episode of the Forms and Focus Podcast (EPISODE #023), we are discussing focus and fear. And what you can do TODAY to reverse the effects of fear on the brain, increase your focus on long-term goals and accomplish your dreams. Let’s dig in…

0:00 - Intro to Fear
0:39 - Podcast Intro
1:12 - Problem/Fear and how it impacts our focus.
14:36 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

What Is Fear?
(APA Dictionary) Fear is an intense emotion aroused by the detection of imminent threat, involving an immediate alarm reaction that mobilizes the organism by triggering a set of physiological changes.

Your body will increase rapid heartbeat, redirection of blood flow away from the periphery areas of the body, tenses of the muscles, and a general mobilization to take action: fight-or-flight response.

How does the brain respond to fear?
(Lacagnina), IMMEDIATE THREATS (BEAR ATTACK): The visual information comes in. It's getting into the visual processing pathway. Then moves into the amygdala, which is the threat-detection center… or the “threat reflex” as Huberman Labs explains.

How the brain stores information to prevent danger. (Anand and Dhikav) The Hippocampus is a complex brain structure embedded deep into the temporal lobe. It has a major role in learning and memory.

What are we afraid of?
It is pretty rare to be attacked by a bear, (1 in 2.1M), odds of shark attack (1 in 3.7M, odds of being struck by lighting (1 in 500K), odds of being killed by any animal ( 1 in 1.6M) odds of being killed by terrorist attack (1 on 30M) odds of being killed by foreign‐​born terrorists is (1 in 104M).

Fear is on the rise.
(Winkelmeyer) 54% said they're more fearful than hopeful about what's in store for the world in 2022, while 44% said they're more hopeful.

What You Can Do TODAY

• Fear has power when you don’t share it. If you suffer from severe anxiety, get help!!!
• But if you are looking for ways to improve your overall mental health, reduce the fear state, anxiety and start working on your dreams, here are some tips you can start today! A great article by (Lebow) in Psych Central pulls quotes from leading psychologist
• Change the scripts: “If you want to focus on thinking and perception, you can develop new anxiety scripts that tell you a different story, one that makes you feel safe,”
• Practice challenges: “In other words, do the thing you’re scared of,” she says. “Start with easy challenges: If you feel social anxiety, your first challenge could be to make one quick friendly remark to someone in line at the coffee shop.”
• Reality testing: Devised by Sigmund Freud, reality testing is a helpful way to shift your perspective around experiences that typically make you feel anxious.
• Meditation: “Meditations with a focus on compassion and kindness can be very helpful as they help reframe thoughts, thus creating new brain pathways.”

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Conflict is around us, conflict is within us, and conflict can keep us from focusing on our dreams. There are several types of conflict, but what we are most familiar with is what we experience on a micro level, a terrible coworker, a bully at school, or shitty family members. But another form of conflict that we are greatly influenced by is on a macro level, global conflict, our culture of conflict, our consumption of charged content and the conflict within.

On today's episode of the Forms and Focus Podcast (EPISODE #022), we are discussing focus and conflict. And what you can do TODAY to reverse the effects of conflict on the brain, increase your focus on long-term goals and accomplish your dreams. Let’s dig in…

0:00 - Intro to conflict
1:02 - Podcast Intro
1:34 - Problem - Conflict is killing your focus.
11:40 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

STATISTICS

• ADULTS IN WORKPLACE:
  • According to a study commissioned by CPP Inc., 85% of U.S. employees deal with conflict. (Hayes)
  • A 2007 Zogby survey reported that 37% of workers have been bullied at work. (Namie)
• STUDENTS IN SCHOOL:
  • According to National Center for Educational Statistics:
  • 2019, 20.2% of students report being bullied.
  • 41% of students who reported being bullied at school indicated that they think the bullying would happen again.
  • The reasons for being bullied reported most often by students include physical appearance, race/ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation.
• PEOPLE ARE ANGRY:
  • According to the latest NPR-IBM Watson Health poll of 3,004 people, 84% of people surveyed said Americans are angrier today compared with a generation ago. (Jonides and Nee)
  • “We’re living, in effect, in a big anger incubator,” said Raymond Novaco, a psychology professor at the University of California at Irvine. (Chang)
• CONFLICT IS MORE THAN THE PRESENT
  • Transference is a psychological phenomenon in which conversational or relational partners activate earlier memories. As a result, we may unconsciously repeat conflicts from the past that have nothing to do with the current relationship.

WHAT MODERN CONFLICT RESPONSE LOOKS LIKE:

• You are not in the wrong: Fight or Flight
• You are in the wrong: Justify or Pacify

SOLUTIONS

STEP ONE:

• Acknowledge Your Emotions
• Acknowledge Your Breath
• Acknowledge Your Body
• Acknowledge Your Value

STEP TWO: Say, “I need a minute.” Take a walk and change settings. Step 1 and 2 pulls you out of your amygdala and puts you back into your prefrontal cortex

STEP THREE: Now you can work through the conflict. Either personally or with the person that you are interacting with.

SOLUTION FOR WHEN FACED WITH CULTURAL CONFLICT

• Reduce the consumption of charged content.
• Get away from toxic relationships.
• Practice mindfulness and meditate on the good.

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focus #dream #stress

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SUMMARY

Chronic stress can literally rewire your brain to focus on the wrong things, and over time, kill your dreams. Stress can influence what consumes your focus. This can reduce productivity & motivation for long-term goals, which can lead to depression, and eventually kill your dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:25 - Problem - Stress is killing your focus.
7:26 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

Problem

• In research from Bernstein (2021), when you experience chronic stress, the body makes more cortisol than it has a chance to release. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
• While stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, it can increase the size of the amygdala, which can make the brain more receptive to stress.
  Christopher Bergland writes in Psychology Today. “Cortisol is believed to create a domino effect that hard-wires pathways between the hippocampus and amygdala in a way that might create a vicious cycle by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight,”
• From Harvard Health (2021), Your brain isn't just a single unit, but a group of different parts that perform different tasks, says Dr. Ressler. Researchers believe that when one part of your brain is engaged, the other parts of your brain may not have as much energy to handle their own vital tasks.

Top Down Attention

• According to The Neurochemistry of Focus, 2020, there are two types of attention, bottom up and top down. The bottom up attention, sometimes called exogenous attention, is when your sensory world is driving what information you notice.
• The “top down” attention, sometimes called endogenous attention. This is where it is your brain which is dictating and directing how you should be focusing your attention

Solution

• Reduce social media Pew Research Center, 2018 reported as many as 59% of teens report having experienced cyberbullying.
• American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2017 reported that using platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat for more than two hours a day is associated with feelings of social isolation among individuals between ages 19 and 32.

Turn up your “Top Down” Attention

• Meditate: (Williams, 2018) in New Scientist, Mindfulness meditation increased thickness in the prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes, both linked to attention control
• Apps like BrainFit
• Read and Thinking Activities
• According to neuroscientist Susan Greenfield and her book Mind Change, when we read a novel, we read linearly, rather than sporadically jumping from tab to tab, and slowly think about the information in front of us
• Physical activities, (Tsujii et al., 2012), found that physical exercise improved behavioral performance of the working memory task compared with the control condition.

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SUMMARYWe live in our monkey brains, the “monkey brain” includes the majority of our tissue, and controls more complex tasks as well as emotions. Most mammals lead with their “monkey brain”, which is fueled by our most basic responses to fear and desire.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
0:55 - Problem - Your Monkey Brain is killing your focus.
8:40 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #20

PROBLEM

• STRESS.ORG: Our brain can be separated into three sections: our lizard brain, our monkey brain, and our human brain…
• The “lizard brain” is found at the base of the brain, and contains the cerebellum and brainstem. Lizards only have these elements of the brain, which controls our most basic instincts.
• The next part of the brain, the “monkey brain” includes the majority of our tissue, and controls more complex tasks as well as emotions. Most mammals lead with their “monkey brain”, which is fueled by our most basic responses to fear and desire.
• The most advanced part of the brain is the “human brain”, which consists of the outer layer. This area allows for logical, emotionless thought, as well as delayed gratification.
• Psychology Today: According to Buddhist principles, the “monkey mind” is a term that refers to being unsettled, restless, or confused. Writer and Buddhist Natalie Goldberg, who teaches many writing workshops, suggests that the monkey mind is the inner critic…
• It’s the part of your brain most connected to the ego, which contends that you can’t do anything right. It’s also the part of you that stifles creativity and prevents you from moving forward with your passions.
• Science.org by TIMOTHY J. BUSCHMAN AND EARL K. MILLER talks about Top-Down Versus Bottom-Up Control of Attention in the Prefrontal and Posterior Parietal Cortices.
• Top-Down (or ‘Voluntary focus’). This is generated mostly in the Prefrontal Cortex. Top-down focus is goal oriented. It’s responsible for seeing the bigger picture and uses your past experiences to figure things out.
• Bottom-Up (or ‘Stimulus-driven focus’). This is generated mostly in the Periential Lobe. When a thought creeps up on you or something around you grabs your attention (like a ping, bing, or notification) you’re suffering from Bottom-Up focus. You can’t help but pay attention to what’s happening.
• According to a University of California Irvine study, “it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task.”

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Do everything you can to stay in the present.
• Reduce involuntary distractions, increase Intentional breaks.
• Apologize immediately and move on.
• Breath and Exercise
• Scheduling seemingly distracting tasks (email: University of British Columbia, checking email 3 days a day reduced stress.

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SUMMARY

Work and money are the top two stressors that are reprogramming our brains. Unfortunately, we have convinced ourselves that it is normal and part of life. In this podcast, we challenge this norm and provide solutions to reduce tension so you can focus on your dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
2:30 - Problem - Stress is killing your focus.
6:40 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #19

PROBLEM

• People stressed out: Work and Money.
• Tension in the brain (Stress)
• TOURO University, Health and Human Services: Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
• (Same as above) While stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, it can increase the size of the amygdala, which can make the brain more receptive to stress.
• “Cortisol is believed to create a domino effect that hard-wires pathways between the hippocampus and amygdala in a way that might create a vicious cycle by creating a brain that becomes predisposed to be in a constant state of fight-or-flight,” Christopher Bergland writes in Psychology Today.
• Tension in the Body
• Back pain (8% world wide), neck and shoulder tension (30%), wrist tension, tight hips, increased heart rate, short breathing, slow digestive system, increased sickness, and just about everything else.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Brian plasticity refers to the ways that neural pathways are able to reform in the brain.
• Get help, counseling, better friends, self care, take a damn break.
• Say goodbye to toxic relationships: Survey of YourTango Experts half or more of all people have toxic relationships in their lives.
• Change your job if you can: 94% of American workers report experiencing stress
• Start Small: 10 minutes a day: Focus on your body, your breathing, your awareness, and focus on your dreams. Then increase it over time. Take baby steps. Add 5 minutes a month.
• Take time to stretch:
• Don’t bounce, don’t aim for pain: Talk to your doctor before you do anything.
• Dynamic Stretching
• Static stretching
• Join a Yoga or exercise Class with positive friends, Karate or a walking/bike riding group.
• Start small (do some simple stretches in the morning, between meetings, and before bed).

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SUMMARY

Take an eye break. Breaks are critical, even your eyes need a break. The average American spends close to 8 hours a day looking at screens and checking their phones 58 times a day. All this without resting our eyes. In this podcast, we will talk about the problems of eye fatigue and some simple solutions to rest your eyes.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:20 - Problem - We don’t rest our eyes.
7:00 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #18

FACTS

• Data Reportal, the average American spends 7 hrs and 11 min looking at a screen every day.
• Most people check their phones 58 times a day. Thirty of those times are during work hours.
• 70% of phone sessions are less than 2 minutes.
• March 11, 2019 – the average office worker spends 1,700 hours per year in front of a computer screen and that doesn’t include our addiction to phones and other digital devices.

PROBLEM

• Why does the computer strain the eyes more than reading print material? Mainly because people tend to blink less while using computers.
• American Academy of Ophthalmology, Focusing the eyes on computer screens or other digital displays has been shown to reduce a person’s blink rate by a third to a half, which tends to dry out the eyes. We also tend to view digital devices at less than ideal distances or angles. Link
• American Academy of Optometry, published an article Jan 2019, concluded that blue light filters are no more effective at reducing the symptoms of digital eye strain than a neutral filter

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Keep your distance: The eyes actually have to work harder to see close up than far away. Try keeping the monitor or screen at arm’s length, about 25 inches away. Position the screen so your eye gaze is slightly downward.
• Adjust lighting: If a screen is much brighter than the surrounding light, your eyes have to work harder to see. Adjust your room lighting and try increasing the contrast on your screen to reduce eye strain.
• Give your eyes a break: Remember to blink and follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Looking into the distance allows your eyes to relax.
• Keep eyes moist: Keep artificial tears at hand to help lubricate your eyes when they feel dry. Consider using a desktop humidifier. Office buildings have humidity-controlled environments that suck moisture out of the air. In winter, heaters on high can further dry your eyes.
• Stop using devices before bed: There is evidence that blue light may affect the body’s circadian rhythm, our natural wake and sleep cycle. During the day, blue light wakes us up and stimulates us.

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SUMMARYJust breathe. Your body demands oxygen to function, especially your brain. Focusing on intentional breathing can dramatically improve your focus.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:30 - Problem - We are not intentionally breathing
7:49 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #17

PROBLEM/FACTS

• Oxygen demand organs are the liver (20.4%), the brain (18.4%), and the heart (11.6%).
• NCBI published in March 2017, A growing amount of evidence has demonstrated an association between cognitive impairment, a pathological condition that acts as a barrier to cognition, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease manifestation.
• PLOS ONE, Sep. 2018: A growing body of research proposes that the act of breathing may shape and disturb cognitive function. Breathing exercises in healthy subjects before performing a task can alter the state of the brain and improve subsequent cognitive performance and motor skills
• Respiration modulates neural oscillations in the neocortex. In particular, the phase in the rhythm of nasal respiration modulates memory performance and gamma oscillation activities in the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and other areas with possible consequences for cognitive function.
• The Breath Effect, Sep 2018: Poor posture leads to shallow breathing. When we take shallow breaths, we over-breathe oxygen and breathe out too much carbon dioxide stressing our body and telling our nervous system to stay on red alert.
• Article found ResearchGate, published in 2010, Research into breathing patterns and emotions has also shown that when you adopt a slumped posture/breathing pattern you experience sadness

SOLUTION/HABITS

• First simple step is to focus on your breathing.
• Start your day taking intentional breaths with a good upright posture.
• Focus on your breathing before meetings, focus blocks, and breaks.
• Breath through your nose: 30 to 50 percent of adults breathe through their mouth.
  • reduce exposure to foreign substances
  • increase air flow to arteries, veins, and nerves
  • increase oxygen uptake and circulation
  • slow down breathing
  • improve lung capacity
  • strengthen the diaphragm
• Use guided apps to help you master the skill: Calm, Headspace, Liberate…

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SUMMARYIt is time to stand up for your dreams.

On average, Americans sit for 11 hrs each day which is slowly killing you. In this episode of forms and focus, we talk about how you should stand up for your dreams by standing the f#$k up.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:10 - Problem - We sit down way too much.
8:30 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #16

PROBLEM/FACTS

• According to the CDC: 1 in 4 American adults sit for longer than eight hours every day..
• On average, Americans sit for about 11 hrs each day, with much of this time spent at the office desk.
• Sitting is the new smoking. That raises your risk for a host of health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
• Article published on May 31, 2019 on Frontiers in Psychiatry found, over a short time period, decreases in the amount of blood flowing to the brain can reduce cognitionThe mental processes by which we think, understand, pay attention, solve problems, learn and remember information.
• UCLA Study found in Science Daily, researchers found sedentary behavior is linked to thinning in the medial temporal lobe, the regions of the brain that are critical to memory formation.
• Found in the archives of internal medicine, In a study of more than 220,000 Australians age 45 and up, people who sat for more than 11 hours daily had a 40% greater chance of dying within three years than those who sat for fewer than 4 hours.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Here is the conundrum, when you stand up for your dreams, you sit down to work on them…
• To quote a Psychology Today Article I read, Stand Up For Yourself.
• Standing Desks, (Ikea - $300) You can go from standing to sitting throughout the day.
• Take frequent walk breaks.
• Find physical activity or sport you LOVE.
• Install an app that forces you to take a break: Stand Up! Break Time, Move, Awareness…
• Put work breaks on your calendar.
• Eat a sammy while walking.

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SUMMARY
It is hard to focus on what we want when we our minds are screaming.

For some of us, our brains never stop and oftentimes leads to chronic stress. In this episode, we talk about calming the mind through meditation to reduce stress and focus on our dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro on meditation
1:30 - Problem - Our attitude greatly impacts our ability to focus.
3:40 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #15
PROBLEM/FACTS

• People are stressed out at work and working at home. In 2019, 94% of American workers report experiencing stress at their workplace.
• 63% of US workers are ready to quit their jobs due to stress.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Small but thorough study of 14 subjects at the University of Pennsylvania. 8-Week Meditation Program: The meditation program resulted in significant increases in baseline cerebral blood flow ratios in the prefrontal, superior frontal, and superior parietal cortices. More research is needed.
• Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, UCLA examined the link between age and cerebral gray matter in 100 individuals. The long-term meditators and control subjects aged between 24 and 77 years. Altogether, these findings seem to suggest less age-related gray matter atrophy in long-term meditation practitioners.
• Study by Yale University found that mindfulness meditation decreases activity in the default mode network, the brain network responsible for mind-wandering and self-referential thoughts.
• Study on the Association for Psychological Science found that Mindfulness training improved both GRE reading comprehension scores and working memory capacity while simultaneously reducing the occurrence of distracting thoughts during completion of the GRE and the measure of working memory.
• Lots of forms/ways to meditations
  • Mindfulness meditation: mindfulness meditation is the basic act of being aware — or mindful — of what you are doing in the present moment.
  • Body scan meditations focus on consciously relaxing different parts of the body.
  • Instead of using the breath as the object of awareness, walking meditation encourages you to focus on each footstep in order to be fully present.
  • Loving kindness is a form of meditation geared towards cultivating compassion for yourself and others.
  • Transcendental meditation involves focusing on a specific mantra or phrase by repeating it during meditation.

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SUMMARYIt is hard to focus on what we want when we have the wrong attitude.

Our “survival brain” is holding hostage our rational brain, leading us to live in a fear of survival. And while limits are learned, fear is a limitation. Today we will talk about how our attitude keeps us in the right mindset to focus on our dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:48 - Problem - Our attitude greatly impacts our ability to focus.
9:30 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

**SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #14

PROBLEM/FACTS**

• RESOURCE: Jim Kwik
• When you’re in your “survival brain” (fear state, fight or flight) you’re held hostage from your rational brain, or ability to make good decisions and see things clearly.
• Limits are learned, and fear is a limitation. It’s a constraint or boundary. Chronic stress shrinks the human brain. A metaphor Jim uses is the transformation of a butterfly. Most of the transformations happen in a cocoon. It’s a struggle to get out of the “cocoon” and fly.
• It’s not just time management, it’s priority management. The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing.
• Our minds have a similar algo. Media knows this if it “bleeds it leads”. If you engage doom in gloom, you’re training your nervous system to only focus on those things. This takes away your bandwidth to focus on life. A large cognitive load is used when you’re in a fear state.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Powerful mindsets that high performing people have (per Jim Kwik). The 3 G’s
  • Growth mindset: Your brain is a supercomputer; it can grow and evolve; you can always learn. Versus a fixed mindset.
  • Grit: in the “superhero journey” struggle becomes your strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger “champions are able to push past the pain period” Mountain biking
  • Giving: The greats learn, earn, then return.
• Little by little, it becomes a lot with good habits.

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SUMMARYIt’s time to create the habit of creating new habits.

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us. People struggle to develop habits that benefit themselves. In this episode, we talk about the Cue-Routine-Reward Feedback Loop and how you can form new habits to accomplish your dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
0:55 - Problem - We have a bad habit of not making good habits.
6:30 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

**SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #12

PROBLEM/FACTS**

• Take it back - Palvo's Dog (hear the bell, the dog salivates).
• A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.
• Psychologists at (MIT) made a landmark discovery in 1999 of a cue-routine-reward feedback loop that Charles Duhigg later coined “the habit loop” in his book “The Power of Habit.”
  • Cue. You experience a stimulus — a trigger.
  • Craving. The stimulus causes you to desire a particular outcome that you find rewarding. It motivates you to act.
  • Response. You engage in behaviors, thoughts, or actions you take to get that outcome.
  • Reward. The outcome occurs and you feel a sense of reward as a result, satisfying your craving. The pleasure or relief you experience reinforces the cue, making the cue even better at triggering craving next time. That’s why it’s an endless loop.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• The Fogg behavior model: Behavior happens when: There's motivation, there is Ability (It can't be impossible), There's a trigger
• Training yourself to fire up positive emotions when starting a new habit is a way to make it automatic more quickly. (feel better versus stop eating bad).
• If there is no emotion attached: If you make the behavior or task more simple, is much easier to do when motivation is wavering.
• If you plan to adopt a new habit, think about the very specific sequence of events to execute that habit.
• In the first 8 hours of being awake you have a norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine tends to be elevated.
• About 9-14 hours after waking, because of the circadian shifts in biology. Focus on more relaxing habits.

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SUMMARY
Multitasking is a myth, and oftentimes keeps you from focusing on your dreams.

The human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously. Individuals almost always take longer to complete a task and do so with more errors when switching between tasks than when they stay with one task. This is called “task switch costs.” The question is, what is the cost of not setting clear tasks and focusing on your dreams?

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Problem - Working on several of the wrong tasks can keep us from focusing on our dreams.
7:34 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #11

PROBLEM/FACTS

• Multitasking is not a thing: ​​Kevin P. Madore, Ph.D. and Anthony D. Wagner, Ph.D. in National Library of Medicine: The human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously. To this end, when we attempt to multitask, we are usually switching between one task and another. The human brain has evolved to single task.
• The effects of multitasking on behavior and the demands it places on relevant brain networks is by analyzing “task switch costs.” Individuals almost always take longer to complete a task and do so with more errors when switching between tasks than when they stay with one task.
• Media Multitasking: We know that American youth spend an average of 7.5hrs a day with various media and at least 29% of that time involves media multitasking.
• Another finding that has emerged is that Heavier Media Multitaskers sometimes perform worse than Lighter Media Multitaskers even when single tasking, and this is most consistently seen on tasks that require sustained attention, working memory, long-term memory, and various forms of impulsivity and inhibitory control.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• Those Who Set Actionable Tasks For Their Goals And Initiate Weekly Progress Reporting To Their Supportive Peers Tend To Achieve 40% More Than Those Who Did Not (Gail Matthews’ Goal Research Summary).
• DO NOT MULTITASKS in your focus blocks.

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SUMMARYNot setting and revisiting your goals can keep you from focusing on your dreams.

Less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis. This may be one of the main reasons you are not focused on your dreams. In today’s episode, we talk about the importance of setting goals, writing them down, and revisiting those goals daily. This could increase the likelihood of your goal performance by 90%.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:17 - Problem - Not goals can keep you from focusing on your dreams.
3:46 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #10

PROBLEM/STATS

• NO SOURCE, Less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.
• Research by the University of Scranton, 92% of people that set New Year's goals never actually achieve them.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• SET GOALS: A study in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews; people that set goals are generally more together than everyone else. That’s because goal setting rewires our brains to make the component parts work more effectively. The study showed that when you set a goal, multiple parts of the brain are suddenly engaged:
  • The amygdala, which is the brain’s emotional center, evaluates the goal for how important it is to you.
  • The frontal lobe, which is the brain’s logical problem-solving portion, defines the goal and digests it.
• Set Specific Goals: Research by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham found that when people followed these two principles -- setting specific and challenging goals -- it led to higher performance 90 percent of the time.
• Write them Down: People Who Write Down Their Goals Are 20% More Successful In Accomplishing Them Than Those Who Did Not. (Gail Matthews’ Goal Research Summary)
• Know The Why: People Who Have A Greater Understanding Of The Goal Purpose Have More Chances Of Accomplishing Their Plans (Personnel Psychology) During the 10-week study on 41 female typists, it was revealed that participants who understood the reason why the goals are necessary turned out to be successful in tackling them.

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SUMMARY

Your posture can negatively impact your focus.

Slouching can reduce your lung capacity up to 30%, reducing oxygen to your brain impacting your focus. On Episode #010, we talk about new habits to improve your posture and increase your focus.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
0:31 - Problem - Your posture can negatively impact your focus.
4:10 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #10 Forms and Focus Discussion on Posture
PROBLEM

• US NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE: “text neck syndrome” forward postures, like we have while studying, emailing, texting, surfing the web, and playing video games, are related to hyper-kyphosis, which is associated with cardiovascular problems and pulmonary disease.
• Harder to take a full breath: "Slouching puts pressure on the abdomen, which can force stomach acid in the wrong direction, when you slouch, you compress the space for your lungs, reducing their capacity by up to 30%. That means less oxygen can get to your brain.
• Mayo Clinic: Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
• Mayo Clinic: those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.

SOLUTION

• Sit Up Straight: Study 100 + Students completing a math problem. SFSU professor Erik Peper, the study's lead author, said in a statement. "You have a choice. It's about using an empowered position to optimize your focus." Seems like sitting up straight really is worth the effort.
• Take regular breaks of sitting if possible
• Studies found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting
• Stand or walk while talking on the phone

SITTING POSTURE

• Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor. If your chair is too high for you to rest your feet flat on the floor — or the height of your desk requires you to raise the height of your chair — use a footrest
• Place your mouse within easy reach and on the same surface as your keyboard.
• While typing or using your mouse, keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows. Use keyboard shortcuts to reduce extended mouse use.
• If possible, adjust the sensitivity of the mouse so you can use a light touch to operate it. Alternate the hand you use to operate the mouse by moving the mouse to the other side of your keyboard.
• If you frequently talk on the phone and type or write at the same time, place your phone on speaker or use a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and neck.
• Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm's length away. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.
• Adjust chair high so knees are about level with hips
• Sit flat on hips and avoid leaning

HABITS

• Sitting is the new smoking, take regular breaks to stand or walk
• Talk about massage and chiropractors? (Not the scammers)
• Use earpiece or speaker if you're on the phone regularly for long periods of time
• Look at your phone less because it screws you up

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SUMMARY

If you are stressed and struggle to focus, it may be the quality of your air.

According to Mana Medical Associates: Actually, the air quality in your home can be worse than the air quality outside. Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors,1 where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. On Episode #009, we talk about ways to increase your air quality, and your focus.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
0:46 - Problem - Your air quality can negatively impact your focus.
5:20 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #9 Forms and Focus Discussion on Air Quality

PROBLEM

• Mana Medical Associates: Actually, the air quality in your home can be worse than the air quality outside. Need plants.
• Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors,1 where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Link
• Immediate effects: Some health effects may show up shortly after a single exposure or repeated exposures to a pollutant. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
• Long Term effects: Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal.
• We can't solve all the challenges with work, but we change our environment.

SOLUTION

• Air filters… Air purifiers… open doors and windows…
• According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, active interaction with indoor plants (like touching and smelling) can reduce physiological and psychological stress.
• Even the potting soil can help you keep a handle on daily stress and anxiety. This is because soil contains microbes dubbed "outdoorphins" (M. vaccae) which work as natural antidepressants. "It boosts your mood by releasing cytokines, which then leads your brain to produce more serotonin.
• According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University, keeping potted plants and flowers around your workspace can substantially improve your creative performance and problem-solving skills.
• Similarly, researchers at Exeter University, UK found that indoor plants improve concentration, productivity and boost staff well-being by 47% at work. Being around plants can also increase memory retention by up to 20%.
• Green' offices with plants make staff happier and more productive. A study examined the impact of 'lean' and 'green' offices on staff's perceptions of air quality, concentration, and workplace satisfaction, and monitored productivity levels over subsequent months in two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands.

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SUMMARY
Light greatly impacts your ability to focus. For example, certain light can disrupt the circadian system, reducing the quality of your sleep. A recent Michigan State University study has found that spending too much time in dimly lit rooms may actually change the brain’s structure and harm memory and learning abilities. On Episode #006, we talk about how to set your lighting to increase your focus.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:41 - Problem - Your lighting can impact your focus.
6:40 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #8 Forms and Focus Discussion on Lighting
PROBLEM

• Light that disrupts the circadian system (Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle.)
• Artificial light results in light exposure at inappropriate times of day, including light at night as well as exposure to light from mobile devices, such as phones, tablet, and computers.
• As a result, there is growing concern regarding the consequences of circadian disruption and aberrant light exposure on human health, including effects on metabolism, cardiovascular function, mental health, and even cancer risk.
• A recent Michigan State University study has found that spending too much time in dimly lit rooms may actually change the brain’s structure and harm memory and learning abilities.

SOLUTION

• Studies have also demonstrated that natural light influences health, well-being, alertness, and sleep quality. Natural light affects circadian rhythm, which dictates memory and attention.
• Making sunlight the most important source for Vitamin D production—by one study written by M. Norval, H.C. Wulf In 2009, it accounted for more than 90% for most people. Over a billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient or insufficient.
• The group with smart windows slept 37 minutes longer than the group working with blinds on the windows, and also scored 42% higher on cognitive tests around decision-making. The researchers found that smart windows have the potential to generate $352B in increased productivity in the US alone.
• Researchers at the University of Greenwich found in a two-month study that the workers they put under “blue-enriched light bulbs” reported feeling “happier, more alert and had less eye strain.
• On the other hand, since warmer tones tend to create a sense of comfort, use this kind of lighting in more intimate settings where you want workers to feel calm and relaxed, perhaps in a meeting room where you want to emit trust.
• Throughout the day, light also needs to change since space acts like a working organism, according to Felderman and Keatinge External link:open_in_new.

QUICK HABITS

• Decrease Your Daytime and Nighttime Electronics Use
• Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Routine - bedroom a screen free zone.
• Take eye breaks and look out windows if you can not walk outside.
• Place your desk by a window.
• Schedule meetings/lunch breaks outside if you can.
• Blue-enriched light bulbs for the first part of your work day.
• Switch to middle tones towards the end of the day.
• When you get home, change to a warmer, yellow color

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SUMMARY

If your space is cluttered, chances are, so is your focus.

From researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, “Multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation by mutually suppressing their evoked activity throughout the visual cortex....” Clutter can have a negative effect on your focus. In preparation of a focus block, make sure you have the tools you need BEFORE your focus block starts.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:28 - Problem - Clutter can negatively impact your focus.
8:25 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #7 Forms and Focus Discussion on Clutter PROBLEM

• From researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, “Multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation by mutually suppressing their evoked activity throughout the visual cortex, providing a neural correlate for the limited processing capacity of the visual system.” This means that when your environment is cluttered, the clutter restricts your ability to focus and limits your ability to process information.
• Clutter: HBR Article: one international survey showed that information workers lose up to two hours a week fruitlessly searching for lost digital documents.
• HRB: Our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions, and behavior, affecting our decision-making and relationships with others.
• Scientists at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute have used MRI and other approaches to show that our brains like order, and that constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources and reduce our ability to focus.

SOLUTION

• Start by decluttering your work environment.
• Then really go all in and declutter your home.
• In preparation of a focus block, make sure you have the tools you need BEFORE your focus block starts.
• Reward yourself at the end of your focus block by sitting back and admiring your decluttered environment.

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SUMMARY

Your space influences your quality and type of focus.

Research from the Pew Research Center that surveyed roughly 10,000 Americans from Jan. 24 to Jan. 30 roughly 6 in 10 U.S. workers who say their jobs can be done from home. 59% are doing work from home all or most of the time.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro

2:27 - Problem - Where you work influences your quality of focus.

5:43 - Solution/Habits for better focus.

WATCH THE EPISODE: https://youtu.be/5UacH1qZFt8

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #6 Forms and Focus Discussion on Work Space

PROBLEM

• Don't underestimate how much your surroundings can influence your productivity.
• Cleveland Clinic: Your bed is not your desk. Medical providers agree that working from your bed could disrupt your sleep schedule and actually make you less productive. And can wreak havoc on your posture – causing you annoying aches and pain that could be avoided from a proper workplace setup.
• A study by Herman Miller found that workplace design had "a small but consistent and real influence" on workers' performance—increasing productivity as much as 16% and job satisfaction by 9%.

DIFFERENT SPACE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS

• Study found in the National Library of Medicine has shown that messy desks can make us more creative. The findings suggest that neat, ordered environments make us more likely to conform to expectations and play it safe, while messy ones move us to break with the norm and look at things in a new way.

SOLUTION

Have different spaces for different things:

• Focused / grind Space: CLEAN, Clutter Free, Well Lite, Your perfect pencil, pin, highlighter, perfect desktop setup, plenty of plants, cockpit setup, plenty of water, fruit and healthy snacks on the ready.
• Creative / Free Thinking Space: Sticky notes, fidget widgets, books, papers, magazines, shapes, tools, pens, snacks, instruments, and more
• Relax / Reward Space: Soft lights, dark chocolate, bourbon, wine, books, journals, blankets, pillows, whatever makes you just relax.

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SUMMARY
Over 50% of Americans reported that they drank in the past month. Alcohol can cause dehydration, trigger an inflammatory response from your immune system, cause your blood sugar to fall, causes your blood vessels to expand, which can lead to headaches, and prevents deeper stages of sleep which of course all of this can impact your cognitive function.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
3:30 - Problem - Alcohol can reduce cognitive function
9:30 - Solution/Habits for better focus

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #5 Forms and Focus Discussion on Alcohol

FACTS

• The earliest evidence that humans were brewing alcohol comes from residues in pottery jars found in northern China that date from 7000 to 6600 B.C
• Per CDC heavy drinking is defined as 8 or more drinks per week in women and 15 or more in men.
• According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 85.6% of people ages 18 and older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime, 69.5% reported that they drank in the past year,2 and 54.9 percent (59.1% of men in this age group and 51.0% of women in this age group) reported that they drank in the past month.

PROBLEM

• Causes your body to produce more urine which dehydrates you.
• Alcohol triggers an inflammatory response from your immune system: Your immune system may trigger certain agents that commonly produce physical symptoms, such as an inability to concentrate, memory problems, decreased appetite and loss of interest in usual activities. - like your dreams!
• Alcohol can cause your blood sugar to fall.
• Alcohol causes your blood vessels to expand, which can lead to headaches.
• Alcohol can make you sleepy, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes awakening in the middle of the night.

SOLUTION/PROS

• A new study led by University of Pittsburgh researchers reveals that moderate amounts of alcohol—consumed in a social setting—can enhance positive
• Results showed that alcohol not only increased the frequency of “true” smiles
• Hungover, drink alcohol.
• Drink less, Drink water between each drink.
• Don't drink on an empty stomach
• Alcohol can reduce blood sugar, eat carbs if you have a hangover

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SUMMARY80% of Americans drink coffee, a stimulant that can readily cross the blood-brain barrier, and is believed to exert its neurocognitive effects by antagonizing adenosine receptors in the central nervous system. Based on the research, caffeine has some benefits, but if it impacts your sleep, it most likely affects your cognitive function.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
3:04 - Problem - Caffeine can affect sleep which can impact cognitive function
8:07 - Solution/Habits for better focus SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #4 Forms and Focus Discussion on Caffeine

PROBLEM

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/ Caffeine is consumed by over 80% of U.S. adults.
• A randomization meta-analysis in up to 415,530 participants by Scientific Reports.
  • Caffeine can readily cross the blood-brain barrier, and is believed to exert its neurocognitive effects by antagonizing adenosine receptors in the central nervous system.
  • Despite the power to detect very small effects, our meta-analysis provided no evidence for causal long-term effects of habitual coffee consumption on global cognition or memory.
• Caffeine may exaggerate your responses to the stressful events of normal daily life.
• Caffeine notably reduces the time of slow-wave sleep, which is the restful stage of sleep that leaves us feeling refreshed and alert in the morning. Sleep deprivation the following day can cause fatigue and problems with learning, memory, problem-solving, and emotion regulation.
• BIG CONCLUSION: If caffeine affects your sleep, you will struggle to focus.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• If you are going to drink, don't drink past 10:00am
• Try a coffee alternative
• Drink less caffeine on days off to reduce tolerance

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formsandfocus #dreams #hydration

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SUMMARY
Americans eat an average of 17 teaspoons of sugar a day when they should consume no more than 9 teaspoons according to AHA. Medically reviewed article in Verywell Mind stated, "Even a single instance of elevated glucose in the bloodstream can be harmful to the brain, resulting in slowed cognitive function and deficits in memory and attention."

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:41 - Problem - added sugars can reduce cognitive function
6:13 - Solution/Habits for better focus
7:02 - What is the blood sugar roller coaster.

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #3 Forms and Focus Discussion on Added Sugars

PROBLEM

• We eat to much sugar: It’s estimated that the average American consumes 17 teaspoons of sugar every day and around 57 pounds of added sugar each year. CDC. According to AHA guidelines, most men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar.
• Medically reviewed article in Verywell Mind stated, "Even a single instance of elevated glucose in the bloodstream can be harmful to the brain, resulting in slowed cognitive function and deficits in memory and attention."
• Some research suggests high sugar consumption causes inflammation in the brain, leading to memory difficulties.
• One of the largest studies to link sugar with depression—an analysis of dietary consumption and mood of 23,245 individuals enrolled in the Whitehall II study—found higher rates of sugar consumption was associated with a greater incidence of depression.
• The study, published in 2017 in the journal Scientific Reports, found those with the highest level of sugar consumption were a 23% more likely to be diagnosed with a mental disorder than those with the lowest sugar intakes.

SOLUTION/HABITS

• When you are hungry, drink water. F%#k the donut. (Ha!)
• You're on a blood sugar roller coaster, and it's hard to get off it. So STOP the craving before it starts by eating healthy sugars, proteins, fats, etc.
• Stress causes you to be hungry, "Stress causes the hormone cortisol to flood your body, releasing glucose from your liver, which in turn raises your blood sugar."
• Stop the madness (sweet tea, sugar drinks, sugar coffee, etc.)

FIND US AT:
https://formsandfocus.com/
https://www.instagram.com/formsandfocus/
https://www.tiktok.com/@formsandfocus

formsandfocus #dreams #hydration

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SUMMARY

An electrolyte imbalance can cause fatigue, confusion, headaches, and many other symptoms that impact your ability to focus. In this episode, we will cover some simple steps to manage your electrolytes so you can stay focused so you can accomplish your dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Electrolyte imbalance can impact your cognitive function
6:04 - Solution/Habits for better focus

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #2 Forms and Focus Discussion on Electrolytes

INFO/PROBLEM

Electrolytes are minerals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. They’re distributed through the fluid in your body and use their electrical energy to facilitate important bodily functions.

If you have an electrolyte imbalance, you may experience some or all of these symptoms:

• fatigue or lethargy
• confusion or disorientation
• muscle cramps, spasms, or twitching
• muscle weakness
• irregular or fast heartbeat
• headache
• extreme thirst
• numbness
• change in blood pressure

SOLUTION/HABITS

Snack on foods with electrolytes: (spinach, kale, avocados, Broccoli potatoes beans almonds peanuts soybeans tofu strawberries watermelon oranges bananas tomatoes).

Drink some water with lemon and sea salt if you'll be sweating

Drink electrolyte packets if you'll be sweating excessively https://drinklmnt.com/ (preferably without shitloads of added sugar)

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https://formsandfocus.com/https://www.instagram.com/formsandfocus/https://www.tiktok.com/@formsandfocushttps://open.spotify.com/show/0NzAT4loRrY02ftoTaeB1b?si=d54992517d2345efhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forms-focuss-podcast/id1607568063

#formsandfocus #dreams #hydration

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SUMMARY
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration can reduce cognitive function. On this episode, we will cover some simple steps to stay hydrated, stay focused so you can accomplish your dreams.

At Forms & Focus, our mission is to increase your focus so you can accomplish your dreams. Many of us have dreams and goals. What keeps us from them is our inability to remove distractions and focus. We will accomplish our mission by providing you with guided forms that manifest radical focus.

0:00 - Intro
2:29 - Problem
5:03 - Solution/Habits

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE #1 Forms and Focus Discussion on Hydration
PROBLEM
According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.
A study from The National Center for Biotechnology Information, 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that mild dehydration can impair cognitive performance, particularly when completing tasks involving attention, executive function, and motor coordination.

SOLUTION/HABITS
Drink more water
Wake up and drink water
When you are hungry, drink water
Always have a big ass water bottle
Snack of foods that are made of water
If you really suck, get a bluetooth water bottle that tells you to drink more water.

FIND US AT:
https://formsandfocus.com/
https://www.instagram.com/formsandfocus/
https://www.tiktok.com/@formsandfocus

formsandfocus #dreams #hydration