Have you ever decided on a new car and then started to see the same model everywhere? Or bought a new item of clothing and suddenly everyone’s wearing it?! It’s not a coincidence, nor is it some secret law of attraction. It’s a part of our brains which we can all make use of to work to our advantage. I’ve been trying to trust mine a bit more to highlight the things I can do to achieve my goals, whether or not I believe I can at any given time.
What might you look to achieve if you could prepare yourself to see all the opportunities available to you?
Further reading:
After talking about my anxiety a bit with someone I work with they recommended I join the mailing list for The School of Life. I’ve never had a recommended mailing list before so I subscribed. A few days later a beautifully written and thought provoking email dropped into my inbox with an entry from their sister site – The Book of Life.
Calming and honest descriptions of everyday life, hope, struggles, relationships. You can follow this link to see everything but I’d recommend subscribing. The emails sometimes contain the odd ad for some really lovely books and games but for the most part it’s a fascinating take on life and I would recommend it for those who like to ponder a little deeper.
Here’s a bit more reading on the Reticular Activating System and why it’s so important for us all!
The Chimp Paradox is a book by Steve Peters. This is a very simplified video explaining his concept but illustrates the idea well. If you find yourself reacting to situations from an instinctive, fight or flight mode, then your inner chimp might be governing the way you operate and this might be useful for you.
Time to Change is a Social Movement attempting to remove the stigma and end mental health discrimination. There’s loads of stories and personal accounts on the website and information about how you can get involved!
The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week this year is Kindness. When you look for ways to do something kind for others, you’ve no idea how far the ripples might travel and the benefits on your own well-being! (Yes, this is a Thai Life Insurance video but it’s great honestly!)
Most of the stuff I’ve found online about Appreciative Enquiryis in relation to organisations but I honestly feel we should all be using it when reviewing our own progress and achievements.
It focuses on the good we are doing while simultaneously capitalising on it for future action rather than picking apart or berating ourselves when something has gone wrong – What have you done well recently and how could you do more of that?
CORONAVIRUS ANXIETY WORKBOOK! Sorry for shouting but if you’re struggling with everything that’s going on right now then The Wellness Society have put together this brilliant free little workbook with explanations around what you’re experiencing as well as tools for helping you through. Good luck!
It’s worth stating at this point that I do recognise my privilege. The fact I’m a white male in the UK and all which that affords me is not lost on me. In the 70’s, Imposter syndrome was originally thought to only affect women. It’s since been shown to affect everyone but women and minority groups in particular are susceptible to it.
Recent research last year through Natwest’s ‘Own Your Imposter’ campaign showed 60% of women who have considered starting a business did not due to lack of confidence or imposter syndrome. This is no doubt part of the reason only one-fifth of UK businesses are started by women.
We opened with this video at an International Women’s Week event in February and I think it’s a reminder to us all that stereotypes and bias are formed in our early years. We MUST remind all children they are capable regardless of gender!
Today has been about seeking out what drives you. What connects you to that state of flow you get into when your passion meets your creativity and you excel. Once you’ve got that in mind then start to think, write and talk about it as much as you can. Your Reticular Activating System will help highlight the opportunities and then it’s up to you to grab them – You’ve got this!
Me And Universe 