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Summary:
In this episode, we look at how neuroscience can help us explain:
- why so many people react to life unconsciously (not ‘on purpose’). Understanding this helps us get to the root of our issues, instead of repeating our reactions over and over again.
- how we can do more things ‘on purpose’: by strengthening our prefrontal cortex, we can have more control over our reactions and behaviors.
- how to tune in to a sense of purpose – the feeling that we know why we are here and what we are ‘meant to do’.
Topics covered:
– A neuroscience explanation of the concept of purpose.
– Methods and rituals we can use to have more control over our behaviour and impulses.
– Executive functioning skills.
– Mindfulness and meditation.
– Why we numb and distract ourselves, being uncomfortable to sit and go into our own thoughts.
– Importance of expressing our uniqueness in a way that has value.
Links & Resources:
Antonio Damasio’s Descartes’ Error and The Feeling of What Happens
Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning
Students Thrive When They See Purpose in Their Learning
Excessive peer orientation: Why kids need close relationships with adults more than with friends
