The Change Agents Podcast With Dr. James Rouse

Confidence comes from confidere, meaning having deep faith in one's truth.  You are capable of achieving your desired goals, no matter how daunting they may seem. You have the power to create change within yourself and the world around you. Embrace every challenge with courage and optimism.

Today I want to talk about healthspan and lifespan and what we can do with genes we have been given to express more vibrancy and live longer and stronger. Healthspan is a term that refers to the number of years we live in good health, rather than how long we live overall. It encompasses physical, mental, and emotional well-being throughout life, focusing on the quality of our lives instead of just quantity.

Today's message is about Visvas, a Sanskrit word for faith and breathing life into our life. There are five fundamentals of faith that will help us breathe life into life.

It's time to show up as a beautiful beneficial presence on the planet. It's time to live and express your purpose. There is something called the hypnogic window, when the mind drifts between consciousness and slumber. This is an exceptional experience characterized by creative visualization that can be accessed through relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. This is a period of time in which new ideas, insights, and creative expressions can be accessed with greater ease and our purpose becomes more clear. It is also the perfect window to take action on that purpose and start living it out.

Imagine you possess the two or three qualities that you most value in others. When you think of a person that you admire, act as if, pick something to emulate. Give yourself an opportunity to embody the qualities that you admire the most. Give yourself permission to step into that identity and that experience. Take time to reflect on the kinds of environments you feel most inspired in. Consider what kind of people you admire and why, and how they interact with their surroundings. Use this reflection to create a space of your own that enables you to cultivate the qualities that you value most in others. Invest in yourself and take action toward creating the kind of life that you desire.

Today's message comes out of the Motivation Science Center at Columbia University and is inspired by Heidi Grant Halvorson and her research on Motivation. This is all about 8 motivational challenges that will help shift your mindset and focus to improve effectiveness. 

We are always better TOGETHER. Now is a time when we need to be much more connected. Protecting your heart doesn't mean closing it down, it actually means opening up to connection and to the power of common humanity.

Every human has a reason for being on the planet. Something drives us. We have to know that target and pursue that target. Service, creativity, love, encouragement - what makes you come alive? Every day, ask yourself, what makes you put your guard down and opens your heart? Move towards that. Choose to step into the things that you were ordained to do. Pursue these things with grit and passion.

Are you ready to open your heart and mind to the idea that just 11 minutes a day of this could change your life? Imagine what just 11 minutes of a brisk walk in nature could do for you. Hint - it just may lengthen your life and make you happier.

Today I want to share with you some science-based research on spirituality and the brain. This comes from the work of Columbia University professor, Dr. Lisa Miller whose book, The Awakened Mind, speaks to this very subject. In particular, Dr. Miller talks about personal devotion to spiritual practice and how it has a huge impact on mental health, especially on depression. I want to share some key points with you on the power of spiritual practice and what that can do for your brain.

Don't allow the title to fool you. Sometimes we think that our work is about self-improvement and self-acceptance, but there is one other practice that will help us to create a life and a path that we love.

Today I want to share six qualities of leadership, that we can all participate in right now. Being a leader requires vulnerability. It means not being afraid to be seen. It's so much easy to acquiesce to average right now, but what we all need right now are powerful leaders.

In a thorough review of studies to date, after examining the outcomes of exercise versus current care across all demographics, researchers established that physical activity and exercise had 1.5 times greater success in relieving symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychological strain than treatment utilizing talk therapy or medicinal means. Through their findings, all types of physical activity and exercise proved to be advantageous - from walking and Pilates to yoga and resistance training.

This is about the practice of being authentically ourselves. Being vulnerable and constantly reminding ourselves that we are always enough. 

Embody selfless service and look for opportunities to be kind and loving. Today's message is all about altruism and its relation to healthspan, health, and vitality.

“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” ~ Prentis Hemphill. There is only so much a person can do. We need to fortify our boundaries so that everything we do, we do with a sense of strength, self-care, and success.

What if I told you that polyphenols, antioxidants, and other nutrients in chocolate are enhanced by prayer and meditation? Monks have been known to pray over chocolate for centuries, and now science is starting to catch up. 

I recently re-read Barbara Fredrickson's book, Love 2.0. It's about positive psychology, and how spreading kindness and generosity increases positivity, improved vagal tone, and helps us be a light in the world. We're all trying to heal right now. We matter.

Would you like to sleep longer and deeper? How about increasing your likelihood that you will exercise the next day and increase your happiness by around 25% !? You can improve your chances of all of these awesome qualities simply by practicing gratitude at least once/a week.

Today's message is all about physiology driving psychology. It is about cultivating our well-being by having a zest for life. Where in your life can you get really excited about going all in? We increase our hope molecules when we follow through on self-love and self-care.