The Positive Habit Weekly Blog – 16th October, 2017 – Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

The Positive Habit Weekly Blog - 16th October, 2017 - Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Welcome if you are one of the many new subscribers. I am so pleased to have you here and of course, I am so grateful to all of my loyal, long-term readers.  The purpose of this blog is to help you to get into a positive frame of mind at the beginning of the week in order that you can become the fullest expression of yourself. I provide you with some personal insights from my life that I hope by sharing will help you to flourish in your own life.  By taking the time to read this you are giving yourself an opportunity to program your brain to go beyond survival mode and into a state where you are thriving.

On Thursday in the green room of the Civic Theatre where I was giving my TEDx talk, the atmosphere was thick with excitement and nerves. The two are close cousins and when they get confused it can create unwanted fears of stage fright and produce physical symptoms in the body such as a shaky voice, dry throat, and excessive sweating – not exactly the ingredients one wants to experience before or during a presentation!

The group of selected speakers came from all walks of life, from tech geniuses to entrepreneurs, and it was an honor for me to meet them all and to be a part of it.  One speaker openly said he was feeling pretty nervous, but the quote that had got him through the evening was: “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.”  I really liked this because rang true.  Think back to a time in your life when you challenged yourself on a personal or professional level; it may have been a tricky conversation you had with a loved one or you had applied for a promotion or, like us, you were giving a presentation. No doubt you had butterflies in your stomach? Whatever it may have been, the very act of stepping outside your comfort zone involves entering into the realms of discomfort. When you take it a step further and accept the discomfort/nerves/anxiety then you are already moving back to being comfortable but you have also learned and grown along the way. Mark Zuckerburg (CEO and creator of Facebook) once said:

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks.”

The essence of the concept of neuroplasticity is that the brain learns from novelty and new experiences. So the next time you are asked to do something that brings up even the slightest feelings of discomfort or challenge, stop, take a few deep breaths and assess if the discomfort is based on fear. If so, perhaps it is time to embrace this feeling and rather than turning away from it turn towards it with courage and realise your full potential.

This week and every week, seize every opportunity the universe presents you with. When you become comfortable being uncomfortable anything is possible. 

I was very moved by the way all of the speakers handled their nerves, rose to the occasion and went on to deliver inspirational talks. The title of my talk is: ‘Your subconscious Power, Learn to Parent Yourself ‘ and I will post the video once it goes live.

World Mental Health Day was last Tuesday, October 10th.

If you missed my interview about neuroplasticity with Pat Kenny on Tuesday you can see it here (click on image below)

get comfortable being uncomfortable

I am delighted to be speaking at the Connect 17 Showcase in the RDS this Wednesday 18th October.  Full details can be found here:
http://connectshowcase.ie

get comfortable being uncomfortable

The Positive Habit continues to help people all over the world.

To celebrate World Mental Health Day we are offering 20% OFF The Positive Habit program.
Insert discount code WHO at checkout and pay only €79.95 for this world-class, self-help program.  Please note that the offer ends at midnight TONIGHT!

get comfortable being uncomfortable

The Positive Habit Weekly Blog – 25th September, 2017 – the Power of a Flexible Mind

The Positive Habit Weekly Blog – 25th September, 2017 – the Power of a Flexible Mind

the power of a flexible mind

I hope you have had a wonderful week and thanks so much for reading this blog every Monday; the idea, as always is  to set you up for another week of positive vibes and to focus on the core message of the week that I feel would help you to continue to care for your mental wellbeing.

One of the books I’m currently reading is, ‘The Art of Happiness’ by the Dalai Lama. Co-written by the man himself and the psychiatrist Howard C.Cutler, it poses the question of how we can best incorporate the Buddist practice of happiness into western society.  One of the sections is about the importance of flexible thinking not just for our happiness but also for our survival.  I quote from the book:

“By adopting a flexible, malleable mind and approach to life we can maintain our composure even in the most restless and turbulent conditions.  It is through our efforts to achieve a flexible mind that we can nurture the resiliency of the human spirit.”

On Wednesday the universe presented me with a wonderful opportunity to maintain my composure and display a flexible mind about something I had already decided firmly upon – my up-and-coming TEDx talk.  The speakers were invited to a one-day, public speaking masterclass workshop with the very talented performance coach,  Padraig Hyland. I turned up a bit like an overeager child on her first day at a new school – so keen to meet new people and show off just how much work I had done. My preparation for the content of my talk was almost complete (or so I thought) so when the time came to showcase the work we had done I was the first to jump at the opportunity and hardly paused to centre myself. Not so mindful!

Although the coach seemed content with my ability to perform, he and the other speakers agreed that I had packed way too much information into too short a time and as a result, my core message was not clear! Oh my God! This was a bit of a knock since, of course, it all made perfect sense to me. Anyhow, I took a deep breath, centered myself (better late than never) and listened carefully to the feedback; it was after all, a great opportunity to learn,  to progress and to create an even better talk. I was advised to share much more of myself in the talk rather than relying on quotes and facts to back me up and as a result, the direction of the talk has shifted a lot. Watch this space!

The root of a flexible mind is to not take things personally. Remaining objective allows clarity and true creativity to form.

Think of an occasion when you had (or still have) a ‘fixed’ idea about something which may have been causing disagreement, it could be at work or at home in your personal life. Take a step back and consider how being flexible and objective might change the situation for the better for all involved.Have a wonderful week and I look forward to sharing some more flexible thinking next week.  Keep sharing!

Love Yourself Slim’   is now SOLD OUT! 
Elsa Jones and I are very excited about the forthcoming workshops. If you would like your name added to a list for future workshops, please email me with your details.
journey of kindness

TEDxTALLAGHT

There are only a handful of tickets left for this event so if you haven’t yet booked then do so today!  You can buy tickets at  www.civictheatre.ie and also see a full list of the speakers at
http://www.tedxtallaght.com/2017-speakers
It promises to be an educational and entertaining evening. 

Maintenance Program

Sustaining Positivity – The Positive Habit Maintenance Program is now in month three! You can sign up at any time. We are delighted to see so many people register for this invaluable tool.  It is incredibly affordable, has a minimum time investment and maximum benefit for your mental well-being. This program is suitable for you if you have already completed The Positive Habit and/or if you have already started a journey of self-discovery and would like a powerful tool to help you to live a full and happy life.

Included in your monthly subscription you will receive access to (on the 1st of each month):

  • A video explaining what the theme of the month is and how best to put it into practice
  • A new MP3 targeted at the theme of the month
  • New articles
  • Quizzes to monitor your progress

Month Three is entitled, ‘Your Inner Confidence’ in which I will guide you to be truly grateful for who you are and all that you have.

We have had to remove The Positive Habit Plus program for the moment due to Fiona’s busy schedule.

You can, of course still register for The Positive Habit, Self-Help Program