Everything you think, learn, see and do shapes your brain and changes your life. You are a mind gardener.
This is a message that has transformed the lives of people around the world and one that Mind Gardener® authors, Susan Pearse and Martina Sheehan have been spreading in both the business and personal development fields for decades. They’re running some workshops around the country and I wanted to share their work with you. In their post workshop follow ups the girls are getting amazing results with nearly 100% of people saying it has flowed onto their parenting. So… I’ve asked Susan to share a bit about what their program is about.
**Mindful Parenting readers can get 25% off workshop tickets by using the code “MGFRIEND” at the checkout!**
Why is it important for people to know how to change the way they think?
It is important because your brain determines absolutely everything in your life – whether you have a good relationship with your partner, your job as a parent, whether you will be fulfilled in your career – you name the issue, your brain determines it. That’s because all of our actions are preceded by thoughts. Our thoughts drive our actions (even when we are not aware of them!) And sometimes your thoughts are not the ones that will take you in the direction you want to be heading.
You’ve been training your brain since the day you were born (whether you know it or not) and the mindsets you’ve wired up based on your past are not necessarily useful for your future. That’s why knowing how to change the way you think is a critical skill and one that we focus on in our Wired for Life Workshop.
What’s the key to changing the way you think?
It’s all about understanding how to work with your attention. Attention is your most powerful resource but most of us don’t look after it let alone know how to use it. Let’s look at one example – parenting. You often hear people say “I wish I could give my kids more time.” But it’s not time they are after – it is your attention. We know this because we have all experienced it. Those times where you are physically there with your kids (time) but not present (attention) and they are quick to remind you “mummy you’re not listening!” When you give full attention to your children you see them thrive – they learn, they grow and they flourish. But these times can be infrequent when we are juggling our mental “to-do lists”, the numerous “what if” scenarios that we obsess about (and they never actually happen) and the unhelpful self talk about our own parenting!
After the Wired for Life workshop where people have learnt how to control their attention and pay full attention, 80% of participants reported an improvement in their parenting (just two weeks after!) This was a result of 100% of people reporting that they could manage their emotions better, deal with stress more effectively and focus better. These results were all from learning how to pay attention. And that’s the thing – it is a skill (that no one ever teaches us!)
What’s one thing I could do every day to change the way I think?
At the workshop we give participants a list of homework exercises to complete each day. Here’s one of them. When you wake up, instead of going through your mental “to do” list, let your first thought be this – “I am a mind gardener. Every day I am cultivating my mind and shaping my life.”
Because we are all mind gardeners and when we focus on stress, worry and busy-ness, we wire up our brain and we create that life. So reminding yourself in the morning that every thought counts, changes what you choose to pay attention to!
How do I find out more?
To attend a Wired for Life Workshop find out more here http://mindgardener.com/the-services/courses-workshops/
See the book: Wired for Life, published by Hay House and available in all book stores
Visit the website
Download the “Mind Gardener” app – available on iphone and android
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