by Erin Owen | Jul 1, 2013 | Ezine
We as a species are changing in a way that troubles me.
In daily life in my household, in the lives of my clients, in my friendships and relationships with colleagues, in every human interaction on the street, I see it happening everywhere around me. Do you see it too?
We are too much in our heads, busy with schedules jam packed full of too many commitments and not enough time to pause, breathe and reflect. Our jobs and the cultural expectations of turn-around time to respond to texts, social media posts, emails, and phone calls, cause us to feel compelled in an obsessive way to focus most of our attention downward or straight ahead at a screen.
The Bottom Line?
We are individually and collectively experiencing a huge imbalance that is disconnecting us from our human-ness, making us sick, and resulting in diminishing returns in the workplace. In my moments of sadness and despair about this situation, I feel that we are involuntarily headed down a path of becoming more like robots and less like spiritual beings.
The proof is in the research that documents how our brains are changing. And the proof is in how increasingly disconnected we feel from the people we love the most—our friends, our partners/spouses, our children. AND—and this is a big one folks—the proof is in how incredibly unhealthy we have become, disconnected from real whole food that comes from the soil, disconnected from the practices and beliefs that taught us to respect the physical and natural environment around us.
I used to think that the primary cause of this imbalance was simply the increasing amount of stuff we have to get done in a finite amount of time. But, now I know our challenging circumstances are more and more inextricably linked with the technological devices that make our lives incredibly convenient and entertaining.
Time in front of a backlit screen changes our brains and influences the way we connect with each other as human beings. The more time we spend in front of those screens, the more it changes our brains and the more it affects our relationships. How?
It literally re-wires our brains due to an amazing process called neuroplasticity. And—because eye contact is a critical component in human communication—one that allows us to not only observe body language through peripheral vision but also connect at a soul level—the less we look at each other and the more we look down at our screens, the less we connect on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.
The second foundational principle I teach my clients is “wherever you direct your attention, energy follows.” And that’s what’s happening with our brain getting re-wired.
An article in an Australian paper last year described this re-wiring (neuroplasticity) as “the connections between our brain cells” being “shaped, strengthened and refined by our individual experiences. It is this personalisation of the physical brain, driven by unique interactions with the external world, that arguably constitutes the biological basis of each mind, so what will happen to that mind if the external world changes in unprecedented ways, for example, with an all-pervasive digital technology?”According to research cited in the article I’ve forwarded below, “The part of the brain that’s becoming smaller due to the overexposure to media is the part of the brain that’s responsive to face-to-face interaction, empathy and the ability to read subtle non-verbal cues.” Changes that are radically affecting our ability to “relate to other people, have meaningful friendships and have deep, long-lasting relationships.”
I don’t have an answer for you, for what you should do about this in your own life. I can only suggest that you begin to notice how our cultural obsession with smart phones and televisions and computers and tablets and other backlit devices is drawing us more and more out of the “real world” where we interact with each other and make eye contact and more into the world of devices.
In my life, we try to limit screen time for our kids to 30 minutes a day during the week and 60 minutes on weekends, but we do allow longer on “special days” (which feel like they are becoming more and more frequent). And, I try to take a break from the computer on work days at least once every 2 hours. This week, while I’m on vacation, I’ve made a promise to myself to not one single time press the Mail icon on my smartphone as one way to limit my screen time so that I can focus more on being fully present with my parents, my husband and my boys.
For those of you with children and grandchildren, or who are caregivers or teachers of children of any age, I strongly recommend you read the following post shared by a parenting coach named Toni Schutta that my husband and I have worked with over the years. It talks about how electronics are changing the brains of our children in a way that seriously concerns me for our future.
Electronics are Changing Your Child’s Brain
Electronics are physically changing your child’s brain in ways that will alter how they learn and how they interact with people. If the pervasive use of electronics continues its predicted that your child will be less able to read social cues, will have less empathy for others, will have difficulty staying on task, will give up easier when challenged and will have more shallow friendships and relationships.
This concerning information was shared by Gary Johnson, Ph.D., L.P., L.M.F.T. at a recent seminar I attended called, “IBrain: Kids, Brains and Electronics. A Growing Concern.”
Consider how pervasive technology has become in a child’s life:
- Some nursing mothers are interacting with their phones and iPads while nursing denying an infant eye contact and conversation.
- One out of every five U.S. children under the age of two has a TV in their bedroom.
- One out of every three U.S. children ages three to six have a TV in their bedroom.
- Every year children spend an average of 2000 hours watching TV and 900 hours in school.
- Children are exposed to technology 8 ½ hours per day (5 ¾ hours of passive viewing and 2¾ hours of active viewing).
- Students ages 8-22 send an average of over 3,200 texts per month.
- Teens send an average of 34 texts per night, after going to bed.
When looking at the data cumulatively, Johnson provided these astounding facts.
Before a child leaves home for college they have:
- Spent over 10,000 hours playing video games.
- Sent over 200,000 emails and instant messages.
- Sent over 350,000 texts.
- Spent over 10,000 hours talking on digital cell phones.
- Spent over 20,000 hours watching TV (That’s 1/6th of their life).
- Watched over 500,000 commercials.
- Spent 5,000 hours reading books (That’s 1/24th of their life).
Influences that helped shape a parent’s brain included: Social interaction, TV, reading, music and radio.
Influences that are shaping your child’s brain include: TV, YouTube, iPods, video games, Facebook, Twitter and cell phones.
The part of the brain that’s becoming smaller due to the overexposure to media is the part of the brain that’s responsive to face-to-face interaction, empathy and the ability to read subtle non-verbal cues. This research was conducted by Dr. Gary Small and the Institute of Neuroscience and Behavior at UCLA.
In the short-term and in the long-term, this will radically change your child’s ability to relate to other people, have meaningful friendships and have deep, long-lasting relationships.
Historically, people have learned about non-verbal cues and body language by interacting with others through thousands of human interactions that teach them the subtleties of body language. Children now have less human interaction and more electronic interaction so they aren’t learning that information. Johnson noted that Cambridge recommends that all schools now train children in how to read nonverbal cues and has created a product called “Mindreading” to aid in that process.
Effects that Technology is Having on the Brain:
- The portion of the brain that is responsible for empathy, the ability to read subtle non-verbal cues and face-to-face interaction is getting smaller.
- The Journal of Pediatrics (April, 2004) reported that every hour of TV watching increases a child’s chance of ADD by 10% from ages seven and up.
- When using several types of electronics at once, increased cortisol and adrenaline are released. Too much exposure can destroy brain tissue.
- A lack of down-time and relaxation impairs memory functions. (Mass General Hospital)
- Children are better able to give continuous partial attention to several items for 30, 60 or 90 second intervals, but are having more difficulty giving sustained focus to one activity.
Recommendations:
- Keep TVs out of a child’s bedroom to decrease exposure to media and to increase monitoring of what your child watches.
- Limit the use of technology to one hour a day if you want to prevent physical changes in your child’s brain.
- Don’t let your child play interactive video games on the Internet, especially World WarCraft.
- Lock up your child’s cell phone and other gadgets at night so they can get uninterrupted sleep.
- Make sure your child gets a minimum of one hour of exercise a day which increases learning ability, mood and better health.
Toni Schutta is a National Speaker, Author, Parent Coach and a Licensed Psychologist with a Master’s Degree in Psychology. Her company, Families First Coaching, is devoted to providing parents with practical parenting help, easy-to-use parenting tips and helpful resources that will empower parents and strengthen families.
by Erin Owen | Jun 18, 2013 | Ezine
Thank you to EVERYONE who took the time to respond to our survey on “What drives good work performance?” The survey is now closed and we will soon be sending out a report of the survey results.
DID YOU WIN?
This email announces the lucky people who won one of the prizes we awarded as a thank you for taking the time to help us with this initiative. Please look through the list below to see if you won!
[hr]
$100 gift card for Whole Foods Market (or equivalent at a locally-owned food retailer of your choosing)
KS Philadelphia PA
$50 AmEx gift card
KF Melrose MA
$25 Amazon.com gift card
NB Philadelphia PA
DYS Philadelphia PA
SF Haddon Township NJ
EW Wynnewood PA
Digital download of the resource “Boost Your Performance In and Out of the Office” workbook, quick guide, and professionally recorded audio lessons ($350 value)
XO Wynnewood PA
Author-signed copy of the book “Refuel, Recharge, and Re-energize: The Conscious Entrepreneur’s Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Time and Energy” ($15 value) or a Kindle-version of the same book (not signed by author)
JSR Middlebury VT
BG Philadelphia PA
JN Lenni PA
[hr]
If you are a prize winner and we have not yet contacted you directly about receiving your prize, then you will hear from us shortly. If you have any questions or concerns, or simply wish to celebrate with us, please reply to this email!
NOTE: We used the website RANDOM.ORG to randomly and objectively select winners from the total list of those who responded to the survey. It’s a cool site, so check it out if you ever have to do something like this!
Thanks, again, for your support of this project. We’ll be in touch soon with a full report of the survey results.
by Erin Owen | May 28, 2013 | Ezine
What would you do if you thought anything was possible?
Or, flipping this question on its head, ask yourself: What would you do if you did
not think it was
impossible?
It’s okay to not know exactly how you will get from where you are right now to the picture you have in your mind of what you want. Your job is to DREAM!
Many of the jobs in the marketplace today did not exist 30 years ago. Most of the things in your life that you take for granted did not exist one hundred years ago: your phone, your computer, your car, the airplane you flew on for vacation, your refrigerator, the internet, and on and on.
What you want to create in your life may not exist yet—but YOU CAN CREATE IT if you really want it.
Consider these questions:
- Why do you assume that you can’t create positive change in your life?
- Or take steps now to create your dream?
- To improve your income?
- To change to your dream job?
- To build your own company?
- To travel to your dream destination?
- To make a positive contribution to our world?
YOU CAN!
The principles I teach my clients are inspired by yogic and other Eastern energetic practices at the root of what we in modern life call the Law of Attraction.
When you allow yourself to dream and get excited about what you want in your life, and then take small steps to align your feelings, thoughts, words, and actions, your dream becomes real.
That’s the Secret behind my Spring Into Being® group program: I provide the inspiration, the guidance, the structure, to resources, the support you need to finally move forward. To stop being stuck. To stop feeling miserable about what you’re putting off. To stop limiting the development of your fullest potential.
If you don’t believe me, watch the awesome video called Beyond “The Secret” – Law of Attraction better explained that I’ve linked at the bottom of this post.
When you have a clear idea about what you want to create or what you want to change, and you are EXCITED about why it is important for you and how it might benefit others, you create a powerful energy within you. The question then is how you channel that energy.
As I wrote about last week, when you…
- document your vision,
- clarify goals that support your vision
- and work out a system to track your progress toward your goals that support your vision…
…you powerfully channel your excited energy to tangibly create your dream: to make more money, to grow your business, to do better for yourself and your family, to make a positive contribution to your community and our world.
This is exactly what we are doing in the Spring Into Being program.
As one of my current clients said in her recent coaching session: “It’s liberating to have a plan, to know what to say yes to, to know what to say no to.” And she is seeing the concrete benefits of powerfully channeling her energy –she is just days away from landing her next dream job.
In addition to a clear vision, goals, a plan to move forward and a system to track your progress, the Spring Into Being group program ALSO gives you:
- Richly expanded network of supportive people and resources
- Greater self-awareness and the removal of internal obstacles
- A Boost in your confidence and energy reserves
- Enhanced communication skills
- Radically improved focus and time management.
All the foundational skills you need to have WHAT WE ALL WANT!
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Money to pay your bills and enjoy life to its fullest
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Connection with lovely people
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Feeling good in your body and enjoying good health
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Making a meaningful contribution to the world
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So, ask yourself: “If anything was possible, what would I do?”
I believe in you. And I invite you to believe in yourself and take the courageous step forward to make your life what you want it to be. You are in the driver’s seat and it’s your choice.Here’s to you creating your dream NOW!
Get inspired! Watch this awesome video called Beyond “The Secret” – Law of Attraction better explained, and then say YES to your dream by joining us for the Spring Into Being program. The application period closes this Friday, May 31 at midnight, so don’t delay!
Check out more information on the Spring Into Being group program here: Program Overview
Curriculum Close-up
FAQ
Replay of Informational Call
by Erin Owen | May 21, 2013 | Ezine
You are human. You have emotions. And while you may strive for perfection, let’s be real: we all have weaknesses and faults.
When you hit that wall—the crisis of confidence wall—it can stop you dead in your tracks. It can be shocking and sometimes painful. And it often causes you to:
- Question your own capabilities
- Question why you are in your current business,
- And consider whether you should quit and try something new, something easier.
A crisis of confidence directly threatens your ability to stay positive and focused—one of the key success factors I talked about in last week’s webinar that influence your performance at work. [Click here to listen to or watch a replay.]
And staying positive and focused is critical for staying motivated and on track toward achieving your goals in support of your vision.
If your modus operandi is glass half empty, then these moments of doubt might be part of your weekly or even daily reality. But if your m.o. is glass half full, then they may torture you less often.
I am grateful to count myself among the latter group, but I still smash into the crisis of confidence wall about once a quarter. I usually see it coming: little doubts creep into the corners of my mind; I take little things and blow them out of proportion. And it doesn’t help that I have a surprisingly superstitious side that likes to emerge every once in awhile and taunt me.
When I hit this wall, it feels awful. And I have to use every trick in my bag to gag my inner critic and manage the crisis of confidence before it knocks me completely off of my feet.
Knowing that you too have these moments, I wanted to share this week my tried and true secrets for getting back on your feet after your own crisis of confidence.
SIT IN THE SEAT OF YOUR CRISIS
There is no way to avoid your feelings. You must pause, acknowledge them and feel them, even express them. Imagine there is a chair in the room and that chair is that crisis. Sure, you can walk around it. But no matter how many times you circle it, the chair will still be there. You can’t truly get around it without sitting in it.
Think of your crisis like a persistent toddler tugging at your pant leg and whining—a toddler who wants you to pick him up and will be more than happy to escalate his behavior until he gets what he wants. You must pick up and fully embrace the root cause of your crisis and give it the attention it so desperately wants and needs.
Here’s a mindset exercise I teach my clients that you can do on your own to sit in that seat and fully acknowledge what’s going on inside of you. I call this exercise “The Truth.”
Step 1: Using a journal or notebook or tablet or computer, write down as quickly as you can (without stopping to think or judge or edit or revise) all the thoughts and feelings streaming through you.
Step 2: Take a break. Go for a walk, or make a cup of tea, or do some exercise, or fold the laundry, or tend to your garden. Do something to get a bit of distance between you and the page of words and breathe a bit.
Step 3: Sit down to write again and address point by point the thoughts and feelings you wrote down before with what is really “the truth.”
For example, if you write down “I am stupid and I will never figure this out.” Then your truth might be something like this: “Actually, the truth is that I am smart and capable. I have started and finished innumerable projects in my life. I have successfully helped hundreds of customers. I have learned new software programs and taught myself to knit.” (etc., etc.)
TIP: It’s helpful to underline each thought or feeling you initially wrote down in Step 1 so that you can address each point with your truth in Step 3.
BATHE IN THE POSITIVES
Even if you completed “The Truth” exercise I described above, you may still be feeling shaky and uncertain, not sure enough to put one foot in front of the other to move forward. So what do you do?
You must bathe yourself in praise to shift your awareness so you can see and hear clearly—and feel in your bones—the truth of your strong capabilities, your positive traits, and your successes in life and business. How to do this? Here are 6 ideas to get you started…
Six Ways to Bathe in the Positives
- Look back over positive feedback in past performance reviews.
- Pull out customer feedback forms or client testimonials and read them OUT LOUD to yourself and ideally in front of a mirror.
- Write down the names of everyone who has referred new business to you in the past month or quarter or year. (Or, write down the names of everyone who would come to your aid if they knew you were having a crisis.)
- Ask three close friends to tell you what they love so much about you. Seriously! Do it!
- Call your all-time favorite clients and ask them what is “new” or “good” in life and business.
- Filter your online bank statement to see only deposit transactions, then write down by hand the numbers and lastly add up the total.
GET RE-INSPIRED BY YOUR VISION!
It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily spin of your overwhelming “to do” list. How often do you pause to step back and remember your vision? When was the last time you worked on clarifying your vision? Have you ever done this?
In last week’s webinar I shared that the single most important critical factor in successfully implementing or executing your vision is having a clear vision. Seems obvious, right? But if you are reading this and thinking “I don’t know what my vision is,” then sadly you are among the majority.
If you don’t have a clearly laid out vision for your overall life with a concrete idea of how your work life or business supports that vision, then that makes me sad. You are missing out on fully tapping your potential and realizing your dreams. And that affects ALL of us because we won’t fully benefit from all the positive ways you could be contributing to our lives, our community, our world. (Remember, we are ALL connected!)
To be successful in life and in work, you must:
- Document your vision and
- Clarify goals that support your vision and
- Work out a system to track your progress toward your goals that support your vision. The steps above enable you to take your life and work to the next level. You deserve to do this!
The steps above enable you to take your life and work to the next level. You deserve to do this!
We all have crises of confidence at one time or another, but the secret to turning those moments around for your BENEFIT lies in following the steps above, having a network of supporters you can reach out to for feedback and support and guidance, and moving forward with tenacity—another of the success factors I shared in last week’s webinar.
In the group program that begins in June, I teach you how to cultivate grit and tenacity, integrity, flexibility and creativity, being real (being you!), having a plan, and cultivating resources and support—all critical traits of the highest performing, highest earning, and most successful people in the world.
Your participation in the Spring Into Being group program ALSO gives you:
- A clear and documented vision
- Tangible forward progress in realizing your vision
- Richly expanded network of supportive people and resources
- Greater self-awareness and the removal of internal obstacles
- A Boost in your confidence and energy reserves
- Enhanced communication skills
- Radically improved focus and time management.
All the foundational skills you need to have WHAT WE ALL WANT!
- Money to pay your bills and enjoy life to its fullest
- Connection with lovely people
- Feeling good in your body and enjoying good health
- Making a meaningful contribution to the world
I invite you to take my advice: follow the steps above to learn from your crisis of confidence and come out of it stronger and wiser. Be truthful with yourself about what strengths and skills you already possess. And acknowledge what you need to strengthen your foundation so you can thrive in life and business.
And if you feel the Spring Into Being group program might provide you with what you need to strengthen your foundation for success, then I invite you:
- Talk with me for a free 15 minute Q&A call about the program
- Listen to last week’s webinar to learn more about the program, as well as what’s critical for your success (and what silently sabotages it)
- Read more about the program
- Apply today!
by Erin Owen | May 13, 2013 | Ezine
I recently asked you which of a number of factors were a major challenge in your work—specifically it prevents you from getting done what you need to get done at work.
The results are still coming in, but so far we have found that these are the top 3 factors presenting a MAJOR CHALLENGE to your work life:
#1: Finding time for everything that needs to get done
#2: Sustaining my energy and focus
TIED at #3: Keeping the big picture in mind AND Managing stress
On this Wednesday’s call, I’ll share more of the results from the survey and talk with you about what YOU can do to SECURE your SUCCESS and ELIMINATE the factors that silently SABOTAGE your success.
Register for the call here.
On the call, you’ll learn:
- What’s most important for successfully implementing or executing your vision
- What practices are used daily and weekly by most people to manage stress
- The surprising #1 technique used by a vast majority to increase your energy level
- What YOU can do immediately to wipe out the most common factors that silently sabotaging your success
- And the empowering ways you can BOOST your SUCCESS and SECURE your FUTURE!
Register for the call here.
I’ll also introduce the Spring Into Being group program, kicking off in June, that is perfect for you if you:
- Are looking to take your existing business to a new level or change gears and start something new—perhaps something you’ve long been dreaming about
- Are inspired to make a positive impact on the world
- Benefit from being a part of a group that provides guidance, structure, support, and inspiration to clarify your vision and take your idea from concept to reality
Don’t miss this important, informative, and exciting call!
To register to join the call live or receive a recording, click here.
Here’s to you kicking those sabotaging influences to the curb and embracing your fullest potential!!!
