Accountability, Season 1: Change -book Review: Mind Power

This week really has been one of my favourite weeks of reading so far!! I feel like because I am committing to reading a book a week I am starting to make connections in my head and the themes that I mentioned in a previous blog post are really starting to align and become clearer in my head. 

I really enjoyed recording this week's session - I will be releasing it on Monday as I only recorded it on Friday so this messed up the releasing schedule a wee bit but it really is worth the wait make sure to check it out on my channel.

Do you ever feel like some weeks just feel better than others? I feel like this week was one of those weeks. I have made lots of new connections in the #edutwitter space and it has been so great to hear how people have been facing their challenges and overcoming them.

That is what this week's book is all about - holding ourselves accountable for the things that happen in our lives.....

I love this idea - imagine we could make money off the positive thoughts that we had and money got taken off us for the negative thoughts that took place in our heads - would that change the way you used your thoughts? 

Well in some elements, even though it isn't physical money - I have been working on the idea that what ever thoughts I am having in my head actually creates the way I see the world - If I am consuming positive content online or actively seeking positive things in my life that is what I see but if I am only looking at the negative then that is what I will see. 

For instance, teaching in this climate has been a real journey over the last few weeks of virtual learning - I have noticed that on the more challenging days when I let myself wallow it is a very unpleasant day and I only see negative and that reinforces the negative things that are happening. But recently when I am having my down days - which I am sure we all do - I am actively looking at ways I can attack the problem or even looking at my teacher tribe online who share their challenges too so I don't feel alone. 

I love this #toptiptakeaways from Mind Power. It relates back to the blog post from last week on The Chimp Paradox book. It looked at the idea of who is in the driving seat - the Chimp (reacting to life with emotion) or the Human (reacting to life with logic). 

So it got me thinking about who was I letting be the gardener of my mind? Am I planting helpful seeds that allow me to grow and flourish or am I planting negative seeds which create a garden that I don't like to be in? I loved this idea because it makes me very aware of the thoughts I am having because as common theme across all the books so far is accountability. Even though we can't control the external factors that happen around us like Covid, like accidents that make us late, like disrespectful people around us..... we can control who we allow to plant the seeds for how we react. 

What type of garden are you planting? Is it a positive one filled with fertile soil ready for growth? Or is it a negative environment stopping you from moving forward? 

This is another empowering message from the book #toptiptakeaways. I think when I first began my journey online I really thought there was no point, who would want to hear from me? Why should they listen? What do I have to say that has any value? (these thoughts still creep into my mind most days).

However, this message is so important and many of us tell it to the learners or children we work with on a daily basis - your voice matters. So why is it so hard for us to believe? It goes back to The Chimp Paradox where we feel like we have to prove ourselves to the tribe before they will let us in and being afraid that we will not be accepted. 

I really do think it is important that as humans we believe that our voice matters because it is us who can make a difference in our lives and the lives of others. 

This short episode from The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros has been a very influential session in my life so far because when I am doubting myself or feeling like I shouldn't be sharing it makes me believe that it is not only a good thing for ourselves to have a voice but on a wider scale it is our duty to share it so that we can grow opportunities to help others too. 

What impact are you having on the world around you?  ​

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Practical Ideas Section: Our choices have an impact - What impact will you have?

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