Neurons That Fire Together, Stay Together

By M-Power No Comments

Have you heard the story of the little train that told itself, “I think I can, I think I can,” as it chugged up the steep hill? The little train was almost no match against the big hill, but in the end he did get up the hill because he told himself he could do it.  He didn’t give up. (Can you tell I have been spending time with the grands?) I talk a lot about having a positive mindset because when done with the correct intentions and setting yourself up for success, the result is more positive behavior.  Our brains are trained from a very young age to default toward negativity or positivity.  The good news is that even if your brain has been trained toward negativity, you don’t have to stay there. Hebb’s Law was developed in 1949 by Donald Hebb and published in The Organization of Behavior:

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He Said What?

By M-Power No Comments

Is there any good reason to compare yourself to others? Would it surprise you if I said, “Yes!” Social Comparison Theory is an area getting lots of attention as we have more social media than ever, but is also helpful in our social circles. And it is done at the earliest of ages. Small children see what the older ones are doing as they learn new skills. Kids are tested and know how they did in comparison to others. We learn social behaviors by comparison. When to speak up, when to wait, thank others, etc. Valuable life lessons are learned this way and we understand the cultural context of the setting we are in. We run into problems when our self-image is threatened by comparisons. If we see another perform well and we don’t identify with that action, then it doesn’t affect us. In fact we can be happy for

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My Reason to Celebrate

By M-Power No Comments

The topic of birthdays came up the other day and one woman said, “I don’t have those anymore.”  Well, I do and my twin sister is about to have another one. I like birthdays because I like to get together with family and friends and celebrate. I like birthdays because I can reflect on what has happened in the past year and make goals for what I want to accomplish in the coming year. I like birthdays because it breaks up the normal routine. I like birthdays because I like cake and ice cream. I like birthdays because I get to think about other people and celebrate them. There could be many things to not like about birthdays, but I choose to celebrate people and their goodness. I get it, not everything about getting older is fun, but I would rather celebrate another birthday than not. And though in my

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Write the Story, Especially the Next Chapter

By M-Power No Comments

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Socrates Have you ever met someone who declares they are over someone or a situation and then they go on and on talking about that person or situation?  They say they want change. They say they don’t want to be stuck. They say they want to move on. And then they rehash the old – again. The thing is the past is the past and what has happened has happened, we can’t make events turn out different than they are. I always say something is not an option until someone sees it as an option.  We don’t exercise the option to change because we don’t see the option. There are many ways to get unstuck.  Some have become more mindful to help stay in the present. Some have journaled

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Change Your Words, Change Your Mindset

By M-Power

I saw this message on a board this week and the truth leapt out. Our words can either limit us or help us to grow. And we have the choice of which words we use and listen to. “I messed up.” OK, well, who hasn’t. What if we changed the words to, “What can I learn from this experience?” “This is really hard.” Whatever you are doing is probably hard, because every time we do something for the first time it is difficult. We don’t have the muscle memory to know how to act. What if we changed the words to, “I need more/other skills to help me get better at this.” “I’m not good at this.” Michael Jordan was told he wasn’t good at basketball, but he kept practicing. What if we changed the words to, “I will keep practicing so I can get better at this.” “I give

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Little Known Byproduct of Forgiveness

By M-Power

Forgiveness can be hard for some people. Forgiveness is also a powerful emotion that can have a lasting impact on both personal and work life. When some people are holding back forgiveness from someone who sincerely is sorry and is trying to change it may be helpful to keep in mind an important byproduct of forgiveness. Forgiveness can help to foster loyalty between two people. I don’t know of any relationship where there has been perfect communication and understanding of where the other person was coming from, past hurts and disappointments and grace given always in abundance. Perhaps because there are no perfect people. Communication can be confusing. We aren’t at our best every day of our lives. We may be sick, upset about something, sleep deprived. Without forgiveness the disagreement can moulder and fester. With forgiveness the bond can become stronger which leads to increased loyalty. In the workplace,

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Get Your Free Book

By M-Power

My friend, Sue Meintjes, has just released a new ebook called “How To Get Kids To Listen”, containing 18 short interviews with leading parenting experts. And, yes, I’m one of the featured interviews. I was so impressed with all the content, I arranged for you to get a copy for free. It features 10-minute interviews with leading parenting experts who share their single best strategy to get your kids to listen and cooperate…without yelling and begging! Some of the chapters include: You can get your free copy of this ebook by clicking here: https://www.ExpertParentingAdvice.com/listen/dr-paul-jenkins I hope you enjoy this valuable gift. I know it will help you get your kids to cooperate more, while at the same time building a deeper, more positive relationship with them. You can download it here: https://www.ExpertParentingAdvice.com/listen/dr-paul-jenkins DrPaul

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You Are Canceled!

By M-Power

Canceled! If you are on social media or watch the news you will see that people are increasingly quick to “cancel” someone they don’t agree with. Canceling someone is publicly denouncing them and seeking to ruin their reputation or career. This practice is so common that it is now considered a form of online activism.  This article is not about determining when and if it is ok to cancel someone or talk about specific instances. We can benefit from standing back a bit and considering if there are other ways we can go about standing up for what we believe and making a difference without canceling people. The dangers of canceling people are not to be taken lightly. Canceling someone can have serious consequences for BOTH the person who is canceled and the ones who are canceling. There may be a benefit to not canceling the person and employing some

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Spring Clean Your Mind

By M-Power

Spring is a time of renewal and growth and MAYBE a time to brush away a few cobwebs. Those hanging from the ceiling and those in other areas of our lives. Capitalize on the fresh air and increased light to jump-start your motivation and energy to get a new perspective in your home, your habits, or even your relationships. You can do some spring cleaning that may affect your mental health positively. Choose to clean out a closet. Pull out everything and only put those things back in that you have touched or used in the past 12 months (or less), Get some baskets and organize the shoes, outdoor wear, hats, etc. Donate the things you don’t need. Giving to others can lift our spirits. Having an organized closet can clear your mind, and give you increased energy and motivation. Check out the Minimal Mom, our friend, Dawn Madsen for

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Spring Forward to a Good Night’s Sleep

By M-Power

As if getting a good night’s sleep isn’t tough enough for some people, recently we threw in Daylight Savings Time in the United States. It reminded me about the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep. (And, there are many). Sleep helps to restore the body, improve memory and concentration, and boost mood. It also helps to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. And most importantly, it helps us to live a life of positivity.  Getting enough sleep is essential for living a healthy, positive life. One of the major benefits of getting a good night’s sleep is that it helps to improve your cognitive function. A good night’s sleep can help to improve your memory and concentration, as well as your ability to think clearly and make decisions.  Any parent will tell you that it is easier to stay calm and not yell when you have had enough

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