Spring (Your Brain) Forward Pre-Challenge: Set Your Calendar for our Official Start April 15th!
As we prepare for the Spring (Your Brain) Forward: Mental Health Tune-Up Challenge, let’s warm up your brains before our official start next THIS Monday, April 15th. Here’s a little “taste” of what’s to come in your weekly topic email. It will include an introduction to a mental health topic with easy-to-understand science, a few of my thoughts with a little humor, and 1-3 activities you can try throughout the week. These activities are designed to build up your brain function and health over time.
And now for our first lesson: The Brain on Autopilot.
First—science!
We make over 35,000 decisions a day. That’s the equivalent of the entire US FBI workforce. No wonder our most common feeling is “tired!”
Most of the decisions we make in a day are automated, like a computer program running in the background. For example, “Do I put on pants first or underwear?” I’m quite certain we agree here - the order of pants and underpants doesn’t seem like a choice. But ask any 3-year-old, and it IS a choice. This is a prime example of the everyday things our brains learn to automate over time.
As we age, our brains improve at automating decisions, but it’s not always as helpful as it seems. When we repeat a pattern just a few times with the same result, our subconscious brain takes that decision-making silently and secretly without the conscious brain realizing it. This is where and why we start our 5-week journey. When we automate our thoughts about ourselves and others, we create a loop that reinforces not just choices but these thoughts about ourselves, others, and the world at large, true or not.
These autopilot messages are often well-meaning; your brain is trying to protect you. Left unchecked, however, they can leave you feeling hurt, unsuccessful, and strained by life’s everyday activities.
The good news: now that we know what’s happening, we can choose to change it!
Over the next 5-weeks of this challenge, your brain will grow healthier, more stable, and more productive by building new patterns and learning ways to sort through your autopilot thoughts and actions to see if there are things you want to course correct for a bit.
Don’t worry—I won’t make you examine all your automated thinking. Some things need not be revisited: Pants on the outside, always — unless you are a wrestler or a supermodel.
If you’re revved up and ready to go, below are two pre-challenge activities you can try (or not, totally up to you!). These activities are designed to help you reflect on your current awesomeness and tame your negative inner voice. As this challenge is all about building your brain health, the first step is to accept your current capacity and ability and choose to move forward.
Do what you can, be honest with yourself, and remember, nothing that makes us better is easy!
Pre-Challenge Activities
Show Your True Character
Materials:
Character Traits sheet (or another of your choosing)
markers or pens of 2-3 different colors
On the character traits sheet, select every trait you believe to be primarily true about you. This is not a humility contest - make your list as long as possible while being true to yourself.
With another color pen or marker, choose 1-3 traits that you currently exhibit sometimes and hope to improve in yourself.
Journal on this activity with the following prompts:
How did it feel to see yourself fully, with so many positive traits?
How did you tame your negative self-talk to see the unique combination or traits and characteristics you bring?
What surprised you?
How do you feel when you look at the traits you want to develop? What will change as you develop these traits?
How might you use this going forward?
Bonus: Do this activity with a buddy. After you share your lists, identify 5 additional character traits for each other, and highlight those using a third colored writing utensil.
Adapted from The FROG Effect Workbook: Tools and Strategies to Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness by Sarah McVanel & Brenda Zalter-Minden.
Negate the Negative:
Name your negative self-talk. Notice when this voice shows up and take one of two actions:
Politely (or not so politely; it’s up to you), call them by name, tell them they’re not needed right now, and ask them to step aside. OR
Get curious and ask questions. Sample questions you may ask:
What do you need me to hear?
What are you afraid of?
What would reassure you we’ll be ok to move forward?
What is important for me to know?
What are you uncertain about?
What do you need to know to be reassured?
Thanks for being here and for being you.
In the words of the immortal Mr. Fred Rodgers, “You've made this day a special day by just being you.”
Did you get this email forwarded from a friend and want to join our challenge? Sign up for our newsletter below!