The Science of Self

The question becomes: how can you strengthen your vagal tone? The most prominent way is to work on deep, diaphragmatic breathing, as breath is one of the vagus nerve’s key regulators. The more slowly and deeply you can breathe, the more you can summon this rest-and-digest mode and relax. In fact, making noises such as humming, chanting, or praying also invokes the same effect, as the vagus nerve is connected to the voice box and larynx. You can also practice splashing yourself (start with the face) with cold water, as it briefly evokes your fight-or-flight response, but then allows you to practice summoning your rest-and- digest response. The vagus nerve makes it clear that you have the ability to control your physical response, thus giving your brain the chance to think at peak performance. The vagus nerve is also the embodiment of the inseparable nature of the brain and the body. As the vagus nerve shows us, to boost your brain, you must focus on everything that supports and surrounds it. Questions or comments regarding the podcast? Email the show at Podcast@NewtonMG.com or let us know what you think at http://bit.ly/hollinscommentGet the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/brainboostblueprintShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. For narration information visit Russell Newton at https://bit.ly/VoW-home For production information visit Newton Media Group LLC at https://bit.ly/newtonmg #BodyAwareness #BrainBoostBlueprint #CognitiveHealth #DrawingMindMaps #EmotionalConnections #HealthyLifestyle #HolisticBalance #IntellectualCapacity #MindBodyConnection #PracticeMeditation #SupportBrainHealth #VagusNerve #TheAlmightyVagusNerveConcluded #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #TheBrainBoostBlueprint #

Working with the limitations of your own brain requires an honest appraisal of where you are and how you’re functioning. Make it a habit to routinely assess yourself on the following aspects, on a scale of one to ten: Sense of purpose, the presence of positive mentors, sensory rich vision, self-belief, planning and organization, education and skills, patient perseverance, and the ability to see work as play.This kind of self-reflection allows you to see exactly what areas you need to work on and see whether your efforts are resulting in progress.Email the show at Podcast@NewtonMG.com or let us know what you think at http://bit.ly/hollinscommentGet the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/PowerOfSelfDisciplineShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #MindOverMatter #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #PowerofSelfDiscipline

If you don’t have one already, establish a rock-solid morning routine that gets you started on the right foot. Each person has their own unique biorhythms, but most of us benefit from having regular sleep and wake times and healthy sleep habits.Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41HabitsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #alarmclock #biologicalrhythm #positivereinforcement #sleeptimes #wakeuptime #FineTuneYourMornings #41SlefDisciplineHabits #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf

The vagus nerve is the embodiment of the phrase “mind-body connection.” Why is that? Because thats what it literally does. Its a cranial nerve that runs through the entire body, and through some smart manipulation, we can use this nerve to actually change what is happening in the brain. The vagus nerve demonstrates that sometimes the brain follows what the body experiences, and this is another angle through which we can boost our brain.Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.

* Mental Model #28: Sturgeon's Law: 90% of everything is crap, so be selective with your time and energy. Start with the 10% absolute non-crap and slowly work your way out. This is a more restrictive version of the Pareto Principle in some ways.* Mental Model #29-30: Parkinson's Laws: First, triviality can easily set in because it feels good to feel productive (even in minute ways) and voice your opinion. Know your real priorities and ask if progress is actually being made toward them. Second, work expands to fill the time it is given, so give it less time. Wanting to work at a relaxed pace often just causes self-sabotage.Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/mentalmodelshollinsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.For narration information visit Russell Newton at https://bit.ly/VoW-homeFor production information visit Newton Media Group LLC at https://bit.ly/newtonmg#aggressivedeadlines #appropriatecare #CyrilParkinson #mentalmodel #Parkinson #Sturgeon #TheodoreSturgeon #Sturgeon'sLaw #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf

It sounds basic, but you cannot cultivate self-discipline without the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. You can fuel your willpower by considering how to fuel your body first. There are many different diet philosophies, and they all work, but one thing consistently shown to improve self-control is to maintain stable blood sugar levels.Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.

Speaking of more neural connections, learning how to play an instrument or speak a new language literally activates dormant or underused parts of your brain. These skills provide different types of adaptations, and teach you patterns and processes and how to apply them to other areas of your life. They are both truly whole-brain activities that require integrating multitudes of new information and even muscle memory. Best of all, this type of neural growth can transfer to other disciplines and practices. Finally, what about just reading or saying information aloud? This simple act has been shown to improve thinking, cognition, memory, and comprehension through something called the production effect. Information reproduction requires a significant amount of active participation and engagement. As is this chapter’s theme, the more ways you process, engage, and challenge your brain, the more you will benefit from it. Questions or comments regarding the podcast? Email the show at Podcast@NewtonMG.com or let us know what you think at http://bit.ly/hollinscommentGet the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/brainboostblueprintShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. For narration information visit Russell Newton at https://bit.ly/VoW-home For production information visit Newton Media Group LLC at https://bit.ly/newtonmg #AgnesChan #Balbag #brainapps #braingameapp #brainhealth #ColinMacLeod #fluidintelligence #GottfriedSchlaug #musicaltraining #neurodegenerativedisease #TheresaKennedy #wonderfullanguage #PlayAnInstrumentOrSpeakANewLanguage #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #BrainBoostBlueprint

Mental Model #26: Hanlon's Razor: Malicious acts are far more likely to be explained by incompetence, stupidity, or neglect; assumptions about one's intentions are likely to be wrong. Improve your relationships by giving the benefit of the doubt and assuming, at worst, absent-mindedness. Mental Model #27: Pareto Principle: There is a natural distribution that tends to occur, where 20% of the actions we take are responsible for 80% of the results; thus, we should focus on the 20% for maximum input-to-output ratio. This is in the name of becoming results-driven and simply following what the data is telling you. This is not about cutting corners; it is about understanding what causes an impact.Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/mentalmodelshollinsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.For narration information visit Russell Newton at https://bit.ly/VoW-homeFor production information visit Newton Media Group LLC at https://bit.ly/newtonmg#AnalysisParalysis #Hanlon #HanlonsRazor #MentalModel #Occam #OccamsRazor #Pareto #ParetoPrinciple #RobertHanlon #Hanlon'SRazor #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #MentalModels

To become more disciplined, focus on your bad habits and work not to eliminate them but replace them with better ones. Observe your current habits, understand the purpose they serve, their triggers and their results, and take action to rework them in your favor. With good habits in place, you need less self-discipline, not more.Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.

The first piece of true brain training is to embrace novelty, challenge, and everything that makes you struggle a bit mentally. Thats when actual neural growth is occurring—just like the gym and physical fitness, if its not a little painful, then its probably not doing much for your goals. This is the real foundation of improving your mental performance through neuroplasticity. A simple way to think about this is: more exposure and more experience equals more brain cells and neural connections. This can be gained in easy ways, such as changing your daily routines or rituals, and simply stepping out of your comfort zone to seek more instances of unfamiliarity.Show notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-home Peter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.