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