The Power of Positive Habits

Psychologists and neuroscientists say that building habits is our brain’s way of saving energy. Turning something into a habit or a routine allows our brains to run on autopilot, making us more efficient at important things, like, perhaps, survival. Because of this efficiency, we have become more resilient over time. You don’t brush and floss your teeth because you spend time scheduling those activities into your day, you just do it because they are habit. Because of that habit, your mouth is more resilient to the threat of tooth and gum disease. It’s just one of the amazing ways our brains have helped us along our evolutionary path.

Positive habits are those that make us healthier and happier people. For example, the above-mentioned dental care, quality sleep, healthy foods, or an exercise routine are just a few examples of these positive habits. Just as these habits make us more physically resilient to stress and sickness, there is an entire group of habits that help us mentally and emotionally. These can include a daily meditation practice, volunteer work, or connecting to our loved ones and fellow community members, and these are the habits that make us more emotionally resilient to the stress and craziness around us.

High-performance coach and author Brendon Burchard has a wealth of experience in teaching his clients just how important these habits are to our overall health and resilience in life. In his Positive Habits presentation, he teaches his GrowthDay crowd how strengthening our connections and our relationships is what will build us a strong enough foundation to weather the storms that are inevitably going to happen. Check out this brief and fun video for some tips on how to cultivate more resilience in your life.

Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence

Being the best leader in the room isn’t always about being the smartest or most successful. Sometimes the best leaders are the ones that connect with the those around them. Often times, this is the leader with the highest level Emotional Intelligence (EI). Not all leaders are born with an inherent sense of what others might be feeling. Some need constant reminders that not everyone is feeling exactly the same at any given moment. With the past year having been what it was, however, the ability to understand that everyone processes these situations differently is more important than ever.

A recent Kellogg Insight Podcast featuring Kellogg’s clinical leadership professor Brenda Ellington Booth dives deep into exactly what EI is, and how you can boost your own sensitivities. Whether you are in-person with your staff or on a Zoom meeting with strangers, a better grasp on EI will serve to bolster your leadership abilities. Give a listen and see what you can improve.