3574: In Search of Calm by Dr. Jenny Brockis on Cultivating Gratitude and Practicing Mindfulness

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00] Hi Freunde, seid ihr gerade auf der Suche nach einer App, mit der ihr alle eure Finanzen im Überblick habt? Mit Finanzguru erhältst du genau das. Ihr könnt alle eure Konten verbinden, egal ob Girokonto, Kreditkarte, Depot oder auch eure Kryptobörse. Und dabei werden alle eure Eindahmen und Ausgaben automatisch kategorisiert und übersichtlich in der App aufbereitet. Und habt ihr erst einmal ein Konto verbunden, zeigt ihr die App alle Verträge übersichtlich an. Ihr könnt sogar überflüssige Verträge per Fingertipp rechtssicher über die App kündigen. Falls das Ganze euch interessiert, checkt gerne mal die Finanzguru-App aus und jetzt viel Spaß mit dem Podcast.

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01] ServiceNow unterstützt ihre Business-Transformation mit der KI-Plattform. Alle reden über KI, aber die KI ist nur so leistungsfähig wie die Plattform, auf der sie aufbaut. Lassen Sie die KI arbeiten – für alle. Beseitigen Sie Reibung und Frustration Ihrer Mitarbeiter und nutzen Sie das volle Potenzial Ihrer Entwickler. Mit intelligenten Tools für Ihren Service, um Kunden zu begeistern. All das auf einer einzigen Plattform. Deshalb funktioniert die Welt mit ServiceNow. Mehr auf ServiceNow.de.

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_02] This is Optimal Living Daily, In Search of Calm by Dr. Jenny Brockes of drjennybrockes.com. And I'm Justin Malek, your very own personal narrator. This is where I read to you every day covering productivity, minimalism, personal development, all that good stuff. I do my best to find the best articles online to help make your day a little bit better. My day too, of course. So with that, let's get right to another article and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_02] In Search of Calm by Dr. Jenny Brockes of drjennybrockes.com. Finding calm in our busy, jostling, and complex world can be tricky. It's easy to lose sight of what will help us the most to stay attentive, focused, and integrative, working well with others. One of the favorite mugs in use in our household is the red one that reads, Keep Calm and Ask Dad.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_02] That's because Dad is the fixer, the person who knows how to resolve tricky problems when the printer won't print, or when the internet is playing up, and stays calm while everyone else around him is losing their cool. In the same way, having a leader or manager at work that can manage their emotions effectively in the face of a significant problem instills confidence that a way forward will be found and lowers tension and negative emotion levels in those around them.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_02] Finding calm in our world. What helps is to add a little extra thinking or headspace to calm our monkey mind. Because sometimes it can feel as if there's a whole troop of macaques in our head, chattering away noisily, disturbing our sleep, muddying our thoughts, and causing us angst. A calm mind keeps the brain feeling safe, providing unfettered access to the prefrontal cortex,

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_02] our executive suite for planning, organizing, and monitoring emotion while quieting the limbic system, our fight, flight, or freeze response. A calm mind is a quiet mind, highly tuned and aware. It leads to greater insight, creativity, and compassion for others as well as ourselves. Cutting through the noise and distraction enables a calm mind to draw on previous experience to solve problems quickly and easily, broaden perspective,

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_02] and open us up to possibility thinking and opportunity. Where does finding calm begin? Finding calm starts with the awareness that you can achieve it and scheduling in your first appointment. How long you make that appointment is up to you. Start with 10 to 15 minutes daily as less may be ineffective. Number one, count your blessings. Being grateful for what you have shifts your mindset to be growth-oriented,

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_02] one that cherishes opportunity, growth, and personal expansion. An attitude of gratitude makes us feel more appreciative, generous, and kind. It makes us more relaxed. Expressing gratitude is about saying thank you to acknowledge another person's act, deed, or kind thought, and connects us at a deeper level. Humans are hardwired to connect with others to build trust, warmth, and respect when we feel safe.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_02] Writing down what we're grateful for in a special journal or post-it note elevates our mood. Reflecting on previous journal entries and notes is a great reminder to show just how much we have to be grateful for and helps to instill calm. Number two, activate all your senses. Choose to flick the switch and come off autopilot. While we primarily use our visual cues to help us navigate our way through the world,

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_02] our sense of hearing, taste, smell, and touch are immensely powerful tools that help us make better sense of our world. Our strongest memories are often evoked through smell, taste, and touch. Remembering helps us to draw on previous experience that can help us to resolve difficult problems and keep strong negative emotions in check. Number three, laugh more. A good belly laugh is a great way to reduce tension and elevate mood.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_02] Do whatever tickles your fancy, pardon the pun, to increase how much time you spend smiling, chuckling, humming a little happy tune, giggling, or laughing. When we feel happy, we enhance our level of contentment with our lot. We increase our resilience to pain, both physical and social, and enjoy a more optimistic outlook on life. Whether you try laughter yoga, go to a comedy show, watch a funny sitcom, or another funny cat video,

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_02] laughter is a great way to enhance social connection, well-being, and a sense of calm. And number four, mind your mind. Being more mindful, whether through active mindfulness meditation, or active breathing, calms the mind through a combination of physiological and psychological mechanisms. Reducing mindless behavior keeps us in the present moment, enhances attention of what is happening right now, and reduces limbic activation. While you may be thinking,

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_02] that's not for me, there are many who, contrary to their expectations, have found that mindfulness or other forms of meditation not only changes the way they think, it changes their outlook, and induces a greater sense of calm and contentment. You can introduce more mindfulness into your life by choosing to walk in a mindful way, to eat in a mindful way, and to interact with others in a mindful way. Staying calm and retaining grace under pressure

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_02] is a leadership skill that enhances social cohesion and connection. A little bit of calm goes a long way to boost clarity of thought and performance. You just listened to the post titled In Search of Calm by Dr. Jenny Brockes of drjennybrockes.com and I'll be right back with my commentary. You know what's frustrating? Coming home to find a trail of ants marching across your packages at the front door. That happened to me last month.

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_02] Ants and these tiny springtails were all over my packages, not exactly what I was looking for. That's why I'm excited to partner with Pesty. They sent me this incredibly simple kit with everything I need, a sprayer, mixing bag, pesticide, gloves, and super clear instructions. The whole treatment took me less than 10 minutes to apply around my home. What I love most is how they customized everything to my specific location and the bugs I was dealing with. And it's so affordable, just $35 per treatment

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_02] compared to the $800 plus per year other companies charge. Pesty gets rid of over a hundred types of bugs and is kid and pet friendly. Plus they offer 100% bug-free guarantee or your money back. Protect your home from bugs with Pesty. Go to pesty.com slash old for an extra 10% off your order. That's p-e-s-t-i-e dot com slash o-l-d for an extra 10% off. Remember those childhood dreams?

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_02] As we grow, our aspirations evolve. Instead of fantasizing about space travel, perhaps you're now dreaming of launching your own business around your passion for minimalism or sustainable living. But doubt creeps in. Do I have the skills? Can I build a website? How will I find customers? Enter Shopify. The commerce platform empowering millions of businesses worldwide and handling 10% of all U.S. e-commerce from household names to fresh startups. Worried about design? Well, Shopify offers beautiful templates

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_02] that align with your brand's aesthetic. Need assistance? Their AI tools help with everything from enhancing product images to crafting descriptions that resonate with conscious consumers. Concerned about reaching your audience? Shopify simplifies customer connection through streamlined email and social campaigns. And if you get stuck, their award-winning support team is available 24-7. Turn those dreams into... And give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_02] and start selling today at shopify.com slash old. Go to shopify.com slash O-L-D. Shopify.com slash old. Thank you to Dr. Jenny. Finding calm is something I think we could all use a little more of these days. That image of the mind with a whole troop of monkeys chattering away, I can definitely relate to that. Sometimes it feels like there's a constant stream of thoughts just running through our heads nonstop. As for mindfulness,

[00:09:27] [SPEAKER_02] I do recommend checking out our NSDR podcast that stands for non-sleep deep rest. It's great for getting that feeling of deep rest without having to sleep. And it's a awesome way to feel mindfulness. Gratitude comes up a lot for good reason. I've mentioned it before. I've kept a gratitude journal in the past, maybe for six months to a year, writing down three things I was grateful for every night. I do think it helps shift our perspective because it's hard to focus on the negative when you're actively looking for things to be thankful for.

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_02] But don't think you have to go out and buy a gratitude journal with prompts before beginning. You really can do it with just a blank sheet of paper or a notebook. Or if that's stopping you, try just thinking about it as you're falling asleep. I think even that does help. Although writing it down is likely the most impactful option. So maybe try it out or any of the approaches mentioned today, including the NSDR podcast, you can check that out for more. Thank you for being here and listening every day.

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_02] Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.