Capacity for Change & Growth

Welcome to This Daring Adventure podcast, where we work on bridging the gap between where we are and where we want to be in order to live a bigger and bolder life. In this podcast, we will provide inspiration, tips, and skills you need to make your life the adventure you want it to be. Here's your host, mindset mentor and life coach, Trista Guertin

hey everybody, welcome to another episode of This Daring Adventure. Thank you so much for joining me. This is episode 51. And today I wanted to talk a little bit about Our brain and our capacity to change and to grow, to take ourselves to the next level. It's quite an interesting topic and keep in mind, I am no neuroscientist. but the little that I have learned and from what I have been able to understand is actually quite an interesting topic. And it's even just having a rudimentary basic understanding of how certain parts of our brain work is very empowering and it's very useful and it armed with that knowledge, as little as it may be, and as rudimentary as it may be, it really does provide me with Enough of a direction and skill to make changes, and I think it's very exciting, and it's also very important, and this understanding and possibility that exists for us to make changes to our brains in order to change ourselves and therefore change our lives, And it is some of the most important work that I do in the coaching with my clients. And, I wanted to share a little bit of it with you today so that it may inspire you to learn more, it may inspire you to work with a coach, and it will give you an idea of the possibilities that exist for each and every one of us. And no one is excluded here. Each and every one of us have this possibility for growth and for expansion and for taking ourselves to the next level. So let's dive in. Know that the human brain really is remarkable, and it is capable of some really extraordinary feats of learning, of adaptability, and of transformation. Recently, we've come to understand the concept of neuroplasticity, which is often described as the brain's ability to rewire itself. And this is one of the most exciting discoveries in the field of neuroscience. It shows us, it offers us profound potential for personal growth and self development. And this work by Dr. Carol Dweck, who is a renowned psychologist, has made significant contributions to this field. Especially with her work on the growth mindset, and so I wanted to explore a little bit more about this transformation and what neuroplasticity means for our growth and self development. Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is the brain's ability to adapt, to change, to reorganize its structure and functions throughout our lives. Previously, we believed, and we as a society and as humans, we believed that the brain's structure and function were fixed. And that once we reached our mid twenties, it was no longer able to change. But what they have discovered is that in actuality, our brains are not fixed. They are not set in stone, and we throughout our lives have the ability to shape them to our advantage. Dr. Dweck has played a pivotal role in promoting this idea of neuroplasticity through her work on growth mindset. The concept of growth mindset is that we believe our abilities and intelligence can be developed and improved over time through effort, learning and resilience. And Dr. Dweck's research has shown that individuals who embrace a growth mindset are more likely to take on challenges, persevere through setbacks, have greater resilience, and ultimately achieve higher levels of success in all aspects of life. Now, to understand Dr. Dweck's work, you have to understand that either we have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. And the distinction between the two is What dictates our ability to grow and to change. Fixed mindset means that we believe our abilities are innate and unchangeable. We are stuck with them throughout our lives. But if we believe or if we have a growth mindset, then we see our abilities as something that can be developed with time and effort. it is these beliefs, That will set and in fact, create our reality when we have a growth mindset, we are more apt to embrace challenges. And we will also view failures as opportunities for learning and growth, not something that is a setback, not something that allows us to be discouraged and give up, but that they can be used as stepping stones towards improvement. Dr. Dweck's work also emphasizes the importance of effort in personal development. Knowing and believing that your effort, whatever you put in, can lead to improvement will encourage you to invest more time and more energy in learning and self improvement. It becomes... A self fulfilling prophecy that if you believe that your efforts are going to give you results, then you will continue to put in more time and more effort and therefore you will see greater evidence that you are creating the results that you want. Now, neuroplasticity and the growth mindset will have profound implications for or on our self development because it helps us to break free from limiting beliefs. We realize that our abilities can be developed. So when we have a growth mindset, this will have profound implications on our self development. And here's how. First, it helps us to break free from limiting beliefs. We realize that our abilities can be developed, and therefore it will challenge our limiting beliefs and self doubt. We can start to create new beliefs. We let go of the old limiting ones and create new ones and overcome our self doubt to open ourselves up to greater possibilities and therefore generate greater self confidence. Second, we will embrace lifelong learning. When we understand that our brains can continue to learn and continue to change, then we become more open to lifelong learning. And this attitude will thereby foster personal and greater professional growth. Third, we will have greater resilience and adaptability. The growth mindset encourages us to be resilient in the face of the growth mindset encourages us to be resilient in the face of adversity and adaptable to change. So these qualities alone are essential for personal development and success. For We will experience greater achievement by embracing neuroplasticity and the growth mindset. It will lead us to higher levels of achievement. We are willing to take on more challenges and persist through difficulties because we know that we have the capacity. We can develop the capability and that success is possible. By embracing and understanding the concept of neuroplasticity, coupled with Dr. Dweck's worth on growth mindset, we have a powerful combination that can truly transform our lives. And by understanding that our brains are adaptable and that our abilities can be developed, we can then start to free ourselves from limiting beliefs. and open the door to a world of personal growth and self development. And as I said, this is really the basis of the work that we do in coaching. We understand that it is possible to improve and it becomes an exciting and transformative journey. There, we are full of potential and boundless possibilities. So if you can cultivate a growth mindset you can watch your life unfold in ways that you never thought was possible. And believe me when I tell you that your brain is your most valuable tool. And with the right mindset, you can help it achieve the most remarkable things. it is worth it for you to invest the time and the effort and the money into your brain and your mind, Changing the brain is a complex process. It takes time, it takes effort, it takes work, but the brain is capable of change. And there are several ways that you can help to facilitate this change in your brain. Of course, one is learning and education and continuing to invest in courses and degrees and learning, reading. When you acquire new knowledge and skills, your brain will form new neural connections and strengthen existing ones. So continuous learning will help to keep your brain adaptable and plastic. Mental stimulation, such as puzzles, games, reading, problem solving, can help maintain and enhance cognitive function. So these activities also create new neural pathways and help to improve cognitive abilities. Physical exercise. Physical exercise has been shown to have numerous positive effects on the brain. It can increase blood flow, it promotes the release of neurotrophic factors like brain derived neurotrophic factor BDNF, and enhance the creation of new neurons. A healthy diet, including proper nutrition, is essential for brain health. Foods rich in antioxidants, Omega three fatty acids and other nutrients will help to support your brain function and protect against cognitive decline. And I do want to mention, if you have ever heard, you may not have, but if you have heard of Dr. Michael Greger, he's brilliant. He is a physician who has written a number of books, including How Not to Die, How Not to Diet. And his new book is coming out at the beginning of December, it's How Not to Age. And I have watched a few YouTube videos of him recently. And he does cover some of the ways you can prevent cognitive decline. And a healthy diet is a huge part of prevention against this. So you might want to look that up. It's Dr. Michael Greger. I will put his website in the show notes. Sleep, of course, is critical for brain health and neuroplasticity. During sleep, the brain will consolidate memories, clear waste, and it undergoes various processes necessary for optimal functioning. Getting a good eight hour sleep is always critical. Stress management. We know that having chronic stress will have detrimental effects on the brain. So learning stress reduction techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, which I will go into in a bit. Deep breathing, yoga, tapping, journaling, all of these things can help to reduce stress, build resilience, and therefore help to improve overall brain function. Social engagement making sure that you have social interactions and staying socially connected can be really helpful to maintain cognitive function. This includes engaging in conversations, building relationships, and participating in social activities, which will help. stimulate the brain and support mental well being cognitive training, which includes various brain training exercises and games, which will be designed to improve specific cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem solving. They can be really helpful. Even though their efficacy is debated. Some people do find it really helpful. And things like therapies and rehabilitation, sometimes physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, if you've had any sort of injuries or neurological conditions, rehabilitation therapies can help the brain adapt and recover as much function as possible. Knowing that the brain has the ability to change, While it is most pronounced in childhood, it does continue throughout life. And some of those methods that I just mentioned will help you to foster that change and to advance our personal development. Certainly, the demands of our daily life can be overwhelming. They will leave us feeling stressed and somewhat disconnected from our inner selves. It can be really helpful to spend some time to pause, to reflect, and to simply be. And this is where mindfulness comes in, mindful meditation. It can be one of the best ways to help you to reduce stress. To help rewire and calm your brain in a way that fosters greater development and growth. And when we look at some of the work of Michael Singer, for instance, we see that mindfulness is something that can help us to achieve a state of inner peace and clarity. And What it includes is basically attention to the present moment. It involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, letting them come and go, like just watching them float by, almost like you're lying in the grass watching clouds in the sky. What this practice does... is it encourages you to be fully engaged in the present moment. You accept where you are without resistance and allow your thoughts just to come, to go, and to dissipate. And giving your brain that space to become a little bit calmer and a little bit clearer ways. You can do this includes meditation, just sitting quietly focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts as they arise and pass can be a powerful way to build mindfulness. The purpose of meditation is not to eliminate the thoughts. If your brain wanders, what you want to do is to bring it back. when I am meditating, I am sitting, I am focusing on my breath. There are many times that my brain wanders off to what I'm going to have for dinner, what I should be doing at work, or the coaching call I have coming up. Whatever it is. But I simply just bring it back. Counting the breaths can be a good way to focus the brain. Mindful breathing is a great technique, which means you're just paying close attention to your breath. Inhaling and exhaling mindfully. There are some great exercises. You can find different techniques you can use that teach you how to breathe in different patterns. They will help you to stay present and centered. Mindful walking. If you can take a walk and pay attention to your steps, the sensation of your feet touching the ground and the sounds around you. This can be a great mindful exercise. And there is also the body scan, which is a practice of mentally scanning your body to observe physical sensations, tensions, discomfort. Whatever it is you're feeling in the moment that can increase self awareness and mindfulness. I think it basically comes down to focusing your brain, giving it a bit of a rest, just learning how to focus and let go of some of the day to day chatter that goes on. Sometimes I will do the body scan, the meditation, and the mindful breathing all within the same sitting. I take 15 minutes, do a body scan, relax, start my breathing, and meditate for 15 minutes. As I mentioned, Michael Singer is an author and a spiritual teacher who has made significant contributions within the field of mindfulness and self awareness through his work, particularly his book, The Untethered Soul. These, his work emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in achieving inner peace and clarity. And he argues that by observing our thoughts and emotions without attachments, We can gain profound understanding of our inner selves. Some of his key ideas include the inner witness. The inner witness is the part of ourselves that can observe what we're thinking. It observes what our thoughts are and what we're feeling without getting attached to them or entangled in them. By acknowledging this inner witness, we can detach from negative thought patterns and emotional reactions. Sometimes you can imagine just holding a thought in the palm of your hand or witnessing it, cross your mind and letting it go from one side to the other. Knowing that all of these thoughts we have, it's thousands of thoughts each day and they will come and they will go and we do not need to be attached to them. We can just let them go. The same with our emotions. We can name our emotions. We can think about what we're thinking about and what we're feeling. And if we can focus on that by being the witness, it gives us some space. And it gives us some release from being in it and feeling that intensity and attaching to it. Next, there's release and let go. Next, there's release and let go. He talks about the practice of releasing energy tied to emotional reactions, traumas, and past experiences. By consciously letting go, we can experience a sense of inner freedom and peace. I do this work with my clients by allowing the emotion and processing. Sitting with it, allowing it to be there. You can allow it to be there, it moves through you. That's letting it go for me. Then it automatically creates a sense of freedom and peace, like dropping the baggage. Next, there's living in the present. He encourages us to live in the present moment as if it's the only place where life unfolds. There's no point in dwelling on the past or worrying about the future because it robs us from the joy and the clarity that comes from being fully present today in the moment. Like the power of now. Be here now. Enjoy where you the past. is a waste of time. It's a waste of energy. There's nothing you can do about it. There's nothing you can change. Worrying about the future, again, not a good use of your time, doesn't serve you, drains your energy. Be here now. When you embrace or incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, this is also helpful for stress reduction, improving mental clarity, enhancing emotional well being, helping you to gain control over your emotions, leading to improved emotional regulation and well being. It helps to foster increased self awareness by observing your thoughts and emotions. You can gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your motivations, your reactions. And finally, it will help you to develop better relationships. Embracing mindfulness, developing that capacity will help you to become more empathetic and establish more meaningful connections with others as you become a better listener and communicator. So mindfulness has been, fairly trendy. It's been a buzzword for the last several years. But it is actually a great tool for clarity and calm in our lives. And when we look at how much power, how much capacity, and how much capability we have with our brains and over our minds, To learn, to grow, to foster our personal development, to become more mindful, and to help ourselves become calmer, have greater clarity, more confidence. It really is remarkable. Dweck, Neuroplasticity, Embracing a Growth Mindset. Starts us on this path of understanding that our brain is really a remarkable tool and that we have so much capacity from making changes and for continued growth. And when we couple that with mindfulness, such as what is incorporated into the work of Michael Singer, we see that embracing mindfulness, taking care of our brains, fosters A calmer, better us. There's so much potential. You are not stuck. You are not... The same person you were five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago, and you don't need to be the same person next year or five years from now or 10 years from now, you have the capacity to learn and to grow and to change. And I think that is remarkable. I think we don't put enough time and effort into making those changes. And it makes sense because not that long ago, we didn't know it was possible, but now we do. And I invite you to explore some of this work by Dr. Carol Dweck and by Michael Singer and others. And... Take care of yourself. Invest in yourself. Invest in your brain. Invest in your mind. Invest in your well being. Invest in reducing stress and enhancing your emotional well being and you will reap the rewards over and over again for the rest of your life. If you're interested in learning more about how we can Manage our thoughts, manage our emotions, choose what we want to think and feel in order to create some amazing results in our lives. I invite you to a private one hour coaching session with me. The link to my calendar will be in the show notes. This is your opportunity to try coaching for yourself. Bring any issue you wish. And let's talk about where you are and where you want to go. Because. Whatever it is you want, whatever it is you want to create for yourself, it is possible, and I can help. Thank you so much for tuning in today. I hope you have a safe and peaceful week. If you have a moment to rate, review, share, and subscribe, I would truly appreciate it. If you have any comments, any questions, I would love to hear from you in my emails and the show notes. Thanks everybody, and I'll talk to you next week. Bye bye.

Thank you for listening to This Daring Adventure podcast with your host Trista Guertin. We hope you enjoyed the tips and conversations on how to get excited about life again. As always, you can head to tristaguertin.com for additional resources and to book a one on one coaching session. You can also follow Trista on Instagram at tristavguertin. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple podcasts. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll see you next time.