Here's one of the most effective ways to reduce stress, anxiety, and overwhelm
Leah Smart
???Podcast Host, Everyday Better with Leah Smart | Editor @ LinkedIn: Personal Development | Enneagram Educator & Student
If you ask a group of children, “Who are you? Point to yourself,” where do you think they’d point? In her years of teaching kids meditation, Deb Rozman, the CEO of Heartmath Institute, found that time and again they point to their hearts.?
But when I asked some adults, they quickly pointed to their heads. It made me wonder if we’ve lost track of what makes up all of who we are. Sure, our minds and personalities are a large part of how we operate and perceive the world around us. To be without them would be no life at all. But when you love, double over with laughter, experience compassion, offer kindness, or truly forgive someone, your heart plays a pivotal role.?
In the 1990s researchers discovered that your heart has sensory neurons that can sense, feel, learn, and remember. It’s constantly receiving like a radio receiver and transmitting how your body feels. It’s not metaphoric, it’s scientific. And the heart sends more messages to your brain than your brain does to your heart.?
So our hearts are pretty impressive and not to be ignored especially when we're looking for tools that help make life feel more manageable. ??
My chat with Deborah Rozman was mindblowing, take a listen above. Below, you'll find out what you can try, what I loved, and how to dig deeper.
What you can try…
I loved this 5-step practice Deborah taught me called quick coherence which can help you improve how you feel and the quality of your decisions. She says when they’ve shown children how to do this while hooked up to a monitor, they can observe their heart’s rhythm changing in real-time:??
When you feel hurt or angry or frustrated, here's what you can do.
Deborah says from there, you can make more intelligent decisions about things in your life. When I tried it, I felt calmer, appreciative, and more grounded immediately. In under a minute, I was almost in tears – a clear signal that you're more in your heart than your head. Imagine if we all did this, even once a day.?
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Quotes you'll want to remember...
“...think of your cell phone. It's communicating through an electromagnetic field [and like a]?radio, you receive what's on that station. The little brain in the heart tunes to different frequencies, a different radio station, if you will, than the brain tunes to. You want both of them together for full human potential.”
“When there's nowhere else to go, we tend to go to our hearts to try to find some direction and clarity. [Why?] It's pretty natural, it is the operating system…"
Did you miss our last In the Arena Live? We shared our favorite check-in tool that you can use anytime you want to make positive changes.
What I'm still wondering...
I want to know more about the heart's involvement in practical intuition and how we can be more intentional about working that muscle (pun intended).
How about you? What questions do you still have?
Dig Deeper...
Want more information, learning, and proof? I know I always do! Check out this video from Rollin McCraty Ph.D., Director of Research at Heartmath Institute and learn more about the science behind Heartmath here .
In the Arena is LinkedIn News’ weekly human potential podcast hosted by (me)?Leah Smart . You’ll hear from some of the world's brightest minds and bravest hearts about how to show up daily to live a better & more meaningful life. Each week, this newsletter shares learnings and practices connected to the conversations. This week I talked to Deborah Rozman , CEO of Heartmath Institute about the research around the intelligence of hearts. Subscribe to the show's newsletter ?here .
Certified Nursing Assistant at N/A
1 年Hello It has been about 10 20 years maybe longer since Memphis Tennessee y'all call to cut no d on Dexter Mr Robinson Kenny Robinson now you remember me one of your first love Jesus it has been a long time she got I never even recognize you I remember when you told me you were going to the Chicago to be a Chicago Bear first line first string football wow we must get together have dinner and talk in the passing of Yvonne was very sad I hated losing my dear cousin but family is family we are all still family but hello family
Executive coach to global CEOs and CXO’s | Named one of the world’s 50 most influential coaches by Thinkers50 | Harvard Business Review Contributor | Wharton MBA | Master Certified Coach (MCC)-Int’l Coach Federation
1 年Such a great interview Leah! This really works! Many of us are so much in our head trying to logically get out of the anxiety that consumes us that we forget to drop into the body and lean on our somatic intelligence. This is something I’m trying to practice more.
Senior Customer Operations Representative at GT Medical Technologies, Inc.
1 年This was so uplifting and inspiring, I’m planning on trying the exercises, breathing techniques suggested- thank you ??
Director at Oasis Housing Inc.
1 年Love this- thank you for sharing! It is so easy to get lost in one's turmoil and anxiety- feeling like you are drowning and cannot escape the stress. No one is perfect, and life sure isn't. I strive to do better and will work on trying this out.
Marketing Leader | Storyteller | Pipeline Driver | Relationship Builder | Content Creator | Lifelong Learner
1 年Leah, this is such a valuable perspective. In my professional life, I continually feel the friction between wanting to show up with my whole heart (a la Brené Brown's research and teaching) and knowing that I am 100% measured by my results and productivity. So much to think about and feel.