The Balanced LifeThe Balanced LifeYou Can Change!You Can Change!

Topsy Turvy LivingTopsy Turvy Living

“There is more to life than

increasing its speed.”

“There is more to life than

increasing its speed.”

GhandiGhandi

Building a Better Brain

Building a Better Brain

“Experiences, thoughts, actions, and emotions actually change the structure of our brains.”

“Experiences, thoughts, actions, and emotions actually change the structure of our brains.”

User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17. User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17.

It’s About FreedomIt’s About Freedom

“By viewing the brain as a muscle that can be weakened or strengthened, we can exercise our ability to determine who we become.”

“By viewing the brain as a muscle that can be weakened or strengthened, we can exercise our ability to determine who we become.”

User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17. User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17.

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“Attention is a mental state that allows us, moment by moment to choose and sculpt how our ever-changing minds will work…

“Attention is a mental state that allows us, moment by moment to choose and sculpt how our ever-changing minds will work…

You Can Change!You Can Change!“To choose who we will be

the next moment in a very real sense. These choices are left embossed in physical form on our material selves.”

“To choose who we will be the next moment in a very real sense. These choices are left embossed in physical form on our material selves.”

William JamesWilliam James

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“Genes and environment interact to continually change the brain, from the time we are conceived until the moment we die…

“Genes and environment interact to continually change the brain, from the time we are conceived until the moment we die…

You Can Change!You Can Change! “And we, the owners—to the

extent that our genes allow it—can actively shape the way our brains develop throughout the course of our lives.”

“And we, the owners—to the extent that our genes allow it—can actively shape the way our brains develop throughout the course of our lives.”

Ratey, p. 17Ratey, p. 17

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“With the ability to shape our brains comes the ability to shape our destiny.”

“With the ability to shape our brains comes the ability to shape our destiny.”

Jeffrey Schwartz, Mind and BrainJeffrey Schwartz, Mind and Brain

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“We used to think you were born with all the brain cells you were ever going to have, and all you could do was lose them…

“We used to think you were born with all the brain cells you were ever going to have, and all you could do was lose them…

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“Well, that is wrong. You do make new nerve cells.”

“Well, that is wrong. You do make new nerve cells.”

Guy McKann, MD. Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins

Guy McKann, MD. Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins

You Can Change!You Can Change!

“Emotions, moods, and states such as compassion are trainable mental states.”

“Emotions, moods, and states such as compassion are trainable mental states.”

Richard Davidson, U. of Wisconsin, Dept. of Neuroscience

Richard Davidson, U. of Wisconsin, Dept. of Neuroscience

It’s About FreedomIt’s About Freedom

“The possibilities for change are bounded only by our imagination, our willingness to assess our brains accurately through self-reflection, and our commitment to do some hard work…

“The possibilities for change are bounded only by our imagination, our willingness to assess our brains accurately through self-reflection, and our commitment to do some hard work…

“One necessary precursor to change, though, is often a change in attitude.”

“One necessary precursor to change, though, is often a change in attitude.”

User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 356User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 356

It’s About ChoiceIt’s About Choice

The Ben Hooper Story…The Ben Hooper Story…

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Your Internal EnvironmentYour Internal Environment

The “Fixed” versus “Growth” mindset

The “Fixed” versus “Growth” mindset

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Your Internal EnvironmentYour Internal Environment

Believe that traits such as intelligence, ability, personality, and competence are inborn and basically unchangeable.

Believe that traits such as intelligence, ability, personality, and competence are inborn and basically unchangeable.

“Fixed” Mind Sets: “Fixed” Mind Sets:

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Your Internal EnvironmentYour Internal Environment

“Fixed” Mind Sets: “Fixed” Mind Sets:

Believe that if you have to “work” at improving it means you are lacking in basic intelligence or innate ability.

Believe that if you have to “work” at improving it means you are lacking in basic intelligence or innate ability.

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Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters “Fixed” mind sets view themselves as: “Fixed” mind sets view themselves as:

Smart or dumb

Strong or weak

Competent or incompetent

Winners or losers

Good or bad

Smart or dumb

Strong or weak

Competent or incompetent

Winners or losers

Good or bad

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Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters “Fixed” results: “Fixed” results:

Challenges:

Obstacles:

Effort:

Criticism:

Others success:

Challenges:

Obstacles:

Effort:

Criticism:

Others success:

Avoid them

Give up easily

Fruitless

Ignore

Threatening

Avoid them

Give up easily

Fruitless

Ignore

Threatening

Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters “Fixed” mindset traits: “Fixed” mindset traits:

Negative

Self-pity

Anxious

Depressed

Unforgiving

Negative

Self-pity

Anxious

Depressed

Unforgiving

Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters

Benjamin Barber, sociologist; quoted in Mindset, p. 16

Benjamin Barber, sociologist; quoted in Mindset, p. 16

“I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and failures…I divide the world into the learners and non-learners.”

“I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and failures…I divide the world into the learners and non-learners.”

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Your Internal EnvironmentYour Internal Environment

“Growth” Mind Sets: “Growth” Mind Sets:

Believe that although people may differ in basic aptitudes, interests, and temperament, everyone can change, grow, and improve.

Believe that although people may differ in basic aptitudes, interests, and temperament, everyone can change, grow, and improve.

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Your Internal EnvironmentYour Internal Environment

“Growth” Mind Sets: “Growth” Mind Sets:

Have a passion for stretching and growing, even when they are making mistakes and facing challenges.

Have a passion for stretching and growing, even when they are making mistakes and facing challenges.

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Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters “Growth” results: “Growth” results:

Challenges:

Obstacles:

Effort:

Criticism:

Others success:

Challenges:

Obstacles:

Effort:

Criticism:

Others success:

Embrace them

Persist

Path to mastery

Learn from it

Inspiring

Embrace them

Persist

Path to mastery

Learn from it

Inspiring

Mind Set MattersMind Set Matters “Growth” mindset traits: “Growth” mindset traits:

Positive

Self-forgetful

Trusting

Resilient

Forgiving

Positive

Self-forgetful

Trusting

Resilient

Forgiving

The “Learning” Mind SetThe “Learning” Mind Set

“What we learn to do, we learn by doing. Excellence, then, is not an act—but a habit.”

“What we learn to do, we learn by doing. Excellence, then, is not an act—but a habit.”

AristotleAristotle

“Our own free will may be the strongest force directing the development of our brains, and therefore our lives.”

“Our own free will may be the strongest force directing the development of our brains, and therefore our lives.”

A User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17A User’s Guide to the Brain, p. 17

Finding New FreedomFinding New Freedom

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