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Module 8: Create Positive Neural Pathways On Your Way to Enlightenment

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I am remarkable.pdf
 

 

Welcome to Module 8

The key to creating neural pathways in the brain is repeating a behavior over and over again until IT becomes automated as a habit.

Objectives:

  1. Examine your values to establish the purpose and meaning you derive from work
  2. Focus on the aspects of your work you love most to get maximal joy out of each day
  3. Overcome limiting beliefs that keep you stuck
  4. Learn mindset strategies for doing your best work
  5. Create a successful meditation practice to refocus your brain and reduce reactivity
  6. Minimize habits that stimulate the fight-or-flight response

Reflection Exercise:

1. What are the values that led you to pursue your career?

2. Are these the same values that keep you there?

3. Are you working to live or living to work?

4. If you don’t like your answer, what needs to change?

5. How aligned your personal goals are with that of your organization?

Summary:

  • It’s important to find a balance between pleasurable and accomplishment tasks by “supercharging your activities” (Christine Padesky).
  • There are four techniques you can utilize for job crafting.
  • Go beyond your job’s essential functions.
  • Tailor your services to your customer’s needs.
  • Avoid negative communication with customers.
  • Conduct your work in meaningful contexts.
  • Your limiting beliefs can lead to fear, perfectionism, and procrastination
  • Your beliefs can affect your interpretations of events

Mindset Strategies For Doing Your Best Work:

  1. Focus on getting to optimal
  2. Strive for balance between good work and getting the job done
  3. Time travel to your achieved goal and reflect on why you were afraid
  4. Appreciate your efforts
  5. Reframe failures as opportunities
  6. Give yourself permission not to know all the answers
  7. Remind yourself that you are enough
  8. Forgive yourself for any wrongdoing
  9. Become self-attuned
  10. Create a system for accountability

How to Set Yourself Up for A Successful Meditation Practice:

  1. Declutter a space in your home for meditation
  2. Get your financial affairs in order
  3. Create a daily routine of meditating
  4. Keep track of your meditation sessions manually or through an app (e.g., Insight Timer) to keep your streak
  5. Focus on the space between your thoughts
  6. Each time you notice that your mind has wandered, drag it back (I mean, bring it back) without judgment. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about noticing where your mind is going. This is a meta skill.

Minimize Habits that Stimulate the Fight-or-Flight Response by NOT:

  1. Holding a low power pose (see Amy Cuddy video to learn more)
  2. Focusing on lack
  3. Drinking caffeine and alcohol (see article for info)
  4. Eating simple carbs
  5. Accumulate more stuff and let things pile up
  6. Staying connected 24/7

Continue:

  • Organizing your space
  • Reviewing your day and jotting down notes
  • Practicing gratitude
  • Eliminating energy drains
  • Focusing on what you can control
  • Prioritize the most important things (you)!
  • Cultivate self-compassion
  • Engage in self-care
  • Implement strategies to overcome perfectionism and procrastination

This Week’s Challenge

1. Watch: The Places You’ll Go. Then write down your thoughts:

  • What have you learned over the past several weeks that have changed the way you show up in the world?
  • What about your relationship with yourself? (You may need to watch it a few times to really absorb it all and jot down some notes for yourself).

2. Watch: You Are Remarkable. Then fill out the accompanying worksheet.

We’re in the final stretch!