How's Your Monkey Mind?

Today on the show we consider resilience. The world is a hard place these days…but really it’s been that way for a while…maybe forever. So how do people now or people who came before us deal with hardship? From what we can tell, the answer is pretty straight forward. Resilience. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do.  In today’s episode we explore what resilience is, how to figure out if you’ve got it, how to grow your resilience, recognize when you could use a little more, and then flip the tables and talk about how to help your friends and family and when to recognize that have you been strong enough and could or should look for help.

Today on the show we consider communication. In our increasingly polarized world, nothing can seem more difficult than to communicate with another human being. When faced with a difficult topic, many of us would rather shrink away from the opportunity than to risk conflict, but we’re going to make the argument that if you know how to communicate skillfully, there’s nothing that’s off the table.    In today’s episode we’re going to talk about TALK and CLEAR. Two acronyms that have helped us navigate difficult conversations and feel more confident when approaching uncomfortable moments. We can’t promise that these skills will solve all of the challenging conversations you might have, but they can help make them easier.     

Today on the show we consider persistence and bring in some special expert guest stars to help us explore it in more detail. Persistence is commonly considered as continuing firmly or obstinately on a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. But Mirriam Webster isn’t the only one with an opinion.  In today’s episode we ask our expert panelists about their definition of persistence, their experience with it, why wanting to be persistent is great - but being persistent takes work, how the reward isn’t always about hitting the game winning shot - but rather the feeling of accomplishment that you get by knowing how you’ve grown.    

 Today on the show we consider impermanence. The philosopher Heraclitus famously said “no one steps in the same river twice”, arguing that the universe is in a constant state of fluctuation and that nothing stays the same, putting extra emphasis on staying in the present moment, which we believe in immensely.  In today’s episode we talk through what Heraclitus meant, how he influenced others like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, give examples that you can see all around you - every day, discuss why accepting impermanence might be the greatest thing you ever do, and how embracing your Monkey Mind makes the world a more beautiful place.    

Today on the show we’re going to take some perspective, and not just ours, or yours, but everyone’s. Having empathy for others is important, but truly taking the time to try to understand what someone is thinking is a skill that we all could work to get better at.  In today’s episode we walk through why considering someone else’s perspective is important, why you don’t know everything, How to figure out if its an elephant, and Why the question “why” is maybe the most important question there is,   

 Today on the show we’re going to DISTRACT you. Coping skills are often misunderstood, misused, and over insisted upon. We get told to “just relax”, “take time for ourselves”, or hear kids demand to use a fidgets all the time. But does any of it actually help? This episode will explore how to make the most out of a brain break and get you or your kid back to being your best. In today’s episode we walk through what the acronym DISTRACT, discuss the science and the art behind it, talk through strategies for how to use it, talk about the difference between a tool and toy, and of course suggest some ways to practice at home to make the moments of bigger emotions easier to work through.    

 Today on the show we’re going to LAUGH. Sure we’re going to share a few chuckles and giggles, but we’re talking about the LAUGH skill and how it can help you work through some tough emotional moments and get you back to feeling like you again. Laughter might be the best medicine and the LAUGH skill can be huge in helping you work through what you’re facing. In today’s episode we walk through what the acronym LAUGH stands for, discuss the science and the art behind it, talk through strategies for how to use it, admit how hard this skill can be, and of course suggest some ways to practice at home to make the moments of bigger emotions easier to work through.    

Today on the show we talk about tantrums. And not just the little kid variety, we talk about adult tantrums too. That’s right, we all have tantrums. if you think you’re exempt…then this will be an eye opening episode for you. In today’s episode we explore what a tantrum is, the science behind why they happen for each and every one of us, how to notice signs of discomfort and distress in ourselves and each other, how to stay in wise mind. And why someone else’s emotions aren’t your responsibility.   

 Today on the show we talk about patience - yup, patience. That thing we all know we struggle with, hate having to be, and wish everyone else was better at.   In today’s episode we cover why impatience creates more problems than you realized it does, how to decrease your urgency, find the space to take a deep breath to release your need for control, and of course, we talk about a few games and fun ways to practice to make patience more possible across your day. 

 Today on the show we talk about acceptance - of each other, the moment we’re in, the challenges we face and how to embrace change to make us more resilient. This episode is a cornerstone of all the work we do at monkey minds and truly helps us be at our best when we remember to accept instead of avoid. That doesn’t mean this work is easy or that finding the ability to accept is all that’s needed. Its a complicated process and we know you’ll benefit from not only hearing about how we approach and handle it but also how it can make your day that much better.  

Bryan and Jeff tackle some of the other emotions and explain the "color wheel" theory of emotion understanding. We delve into why understanding your emotions is so important so that we can understand what our fantastic brains are trying to tell us. The emphasis remains, use your emotion, don't be used by it. 

We invite two guests into the studio for a special look into how we use mindfulness everyday to grow our skills and tap into our Monkey Mind. We break down the acronym GAME (Game, Activity, Mindfulness, Excited) to highlight different ways every day can be mindful and meaningful. Tune in to hear some suggestions on how to bring mindfulness into your home and hear some of our favorites that make focusing our Monkey Minds extra special.  

Bryan and Jeff get emotional. We break down why emotions are important, where they come from, why we have them and then...what to do with them. All of our emotions are helpful and can make our ability to respond to stressful moments stronger, if we can help our Monkey Mind to listen. From identifying our Emotion Mind to the steps of the RAIN skill, this episode covers a huge amount of current research and ways to talk about your emotions in a healthy, productive way that helps you understand how to use your emotion and not be used by them.  

Bryan and Jeff talk about being response-able, being able to choose your response to a moment by using the STOP skill. No skill is easy to use when you're stressed and practicing with STOP is essential. The guys offer thoughts on how to practice across your day and how to make STOP a part of every day to support your Monkey Mind.