A High Performing Brain

During the expert session with Daphne Feller, audiences are engaged through methods like a Q&A session, live demonstrations of stress management techniques such as power posing and box breathing, and interactive exercises using the Mentimeter app for participants to share their stress symptoms and triggers. These activities help attendees grasp the practical applications of brain optimization and stress management, inspire them to apply these techniques in their personal and professional lives, and address their concerns about managing stress and improving focus.

• Mastering Work-Life Balance: Gain insights into how the brain functions to improve focus and productivity, applying this knowledge to achieve a better balance between personal and professional commitments, reducing stress, and increasing overall well-being.
• Enhancing Mental Resilience: Understand the role of the brainstem, limbic system, and prefrontal cortex in managing stress and emotions. Learn practical techniques like meditation, power posing, and box breathing to optimize thinking abilities, manage impulses, and boost mental resilience.
• Building Positive Workplace Relationships: Cultivate trust and vulnerability within your organization by identifying a "Dream Team" of trusted colleagues and giving genuine compliments to create positive experiences for yourself and others.

In this expert session, Daphne Feller delves into the intricacies of the human brain and shares valuable insights on improving focus, relaxation, and stress management. The session begins with Daphne acknowledging the importance of balancing personal and professional commitments to achieve greater success and overall well-being. She then explains that understanding the brain's systems – the brainstem, limbic system, and prefrontal cortex – is essential for anyone aiming to enhance their performance.

 

The brainstem regulates automatic functions, while the limbic system handles emotions and desires. The prefrontal cortex, the newest part of the brain, manages long-term planning, cognition, and decision-making. By gaining knowledge of these systems and their interactions, individuals can effectively influence their brains to perform optimally.

 

Daphne emphasizes the significance of consciousness in our lives, as only a small percentage of thoughts, feelings, and actions are conscious. To harness the power of unconscious processes, she suggests becoming more aware of thought patterns and emotions to positively influence them. This increased awareness leads to better focus, productivity, and overall well-being.

 

Daphne further discusses stress and its impact on cognitive abilities, specifically focusing on the prefrontal cortex. Chronic stress presents various symptoms like difficulty sleeping, forgetfulness, emotional reactivity, and physical pain. To manage these issues, she suggests identifying stress triggers and taking steps to minimize them, such as writing down thoughts before bed to regulate cortisol levels.

 

The expert session also touches upon the pitfalls of multitasking and time-wasting, emphasizing the importance of being aware of how we spend our time and making intentional choices. Daphne introduces various techniques like meditation for entering the Delta wave state, power posing inspired by Amy Cuddy, box breathing from the Navy Seals, and building a "Dream Team" of trusted colleagues.

 

The session concludes with an emphasis on positivity in the workplace and creating positive experiences for ourselves and others. Daphne encourages participants to identify their priorities, emphasizing the significance of self-improvement and the importance of trust and vulnerability in building relationships within an organization.

 

Throughout the interactive expert session, Daphne answers questions from attendees, sharing tips on managing bad days and maintaining mental resilience. Resources like Daniel Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow" book are recommended for further exploration of brain optimization techniques.

The Power of Thoughts

How you navigate through life and how you feel largely depends on your thoughts. Your thoughts are immensely powerful. They determine how you feel, your decisions and your actions. There will always be events and circumstances that you cannot control. But if you learn to control your thoughts, your mood and behavior no longer depend on circumstances but on you. Only by mastering your inner world, you can successfully navigate your outer world and embody the change you envision.