Did you know you are the master of your results? Neuro-plasticity tells us that if you don't like your current results--whether in your life or business--you have the power to change it.  Here's how to achieve the results you really want.

My first experience with neuro-plasticity came from the story of Christina, a Pennsylvania toddler who was experiencing debilitating seizures. 

To save her life she underwent a radical surgery that removed half of her brain. More on her amazing story later.

Your brain has an incredible capacity to adapt to changes. Within your brain there are pathways that create action. These actions become our results. The simple act of picking up an apple has several neurological steps. First you see the apple that you want to eat. Then these pathways direct the impulses to move along your arm so you can retrieve the apple, much like electricity moves through a wire. The result is that you grab the apple and move it to your mouth.

Impulses are also created for feelings that we produce with certain  stimuli. For instance, we feel happy when we remember a particular moment in time. The moment in time you recall in your memory is the stimuli and it is this stimuli that causes the neuro-pathways to activate to bring about the result of feeling happiness.
 
What neuro-plasticity tells us is that these channels can be changed. 

• I’m sure you’ve heard of how a stroke victim can learn to walk. 

Now if a brain can be retrained to move muscles  by using different pathways in the brain, what about your thoughts?

• Here’s the incredible part. Just like a stroke victim learns to rethink his/her way to walking and talking, so you have the capacity within you to change negative thoughts and behavior into something more positive by the way you think.

 
This month and this week take one area of your life. Some  mental obstacle that is holding you back from achieving the results you really desire. Be specific. Don't say I want to lose weight. Say I want to overcome the 2'o'clock urge to eat Oreos. I want to organize my day better, Wake up 30 min earlier. Establish business connections with ____. 
 
Tap into the infinite potential of your thoughts and discover new solutions to the old challenges. Your brain has the capacity, you have the capacity.
 
What happened to the girl? Post surgery there were a lot of neuro-pathways to be rerouted if she were to lead a normal life. But with the help of therapists she is now a very normal looking girl who walks, and talks, plays, and dreams.  She obtained both her bachelor's, as well as, her master's degree in only five years. You can read more about her story here.

• Re-write the negative-You have a story to write, a talent or skill that can change your world. What's holding you back?  Fear? Lack of confidence? Lack skills? Abilities? 
  

Write your brain to feel better, live better, communicate more effectively, and lead forward smarter, faster and happier.
 
Live awesomely,
Angela Decoteau (Deck-uh-toe)
Success Strategist, Awesome Activator
Encourage . Equip . Empower

In the wee hours of Thursday morning I was awaken by searing pain in my right eye. After drops and much weeping I decided to try sleeping it off. When I awoke to brush up the Thursday leadership blog, the pain began anew. The inability to see out of my right eye and the searing pain had me quite distracted. After an emergency visit to the eye doctor I was told that I had somehow managed to tear the front part of my eye. Likely because my lid and eye dried together in the night.

Who knew? Thankfully there are modern remedies that can fix bizarre issues like this and I am now in mending mode.

All that to say that my leadership tip (one day late) has been changed due to my experience. 

The real reason that my blog is late is not because of the bizarre emergency, but because I failed to put in place a back up plan for emergencies. You and I are not responsible for the emergencies that hit us out of the blue--but we are responsible to prepare for them. 

I made the rookie mistake of looking at the rosy side of life and falsely believing that my company and my life will continue to move in a positive direction. 

The reality is that life happens to all of us. Life isn't about a pretty march up to the golden gates of success. It is, instead, a winding road with hills and valleys along the way. 

As you seek success for your life and company, make sure you ask yourself some questions. Below are a few to get you started.

• What is the worst thing that can go wrong at this time?
• If you were out of the picture tomorrow have you equipped your team to continue the success of the company on their own? 
• If there were an environmental disaster is your team prepared to respond?

These are just a few ideas. Now it's your turn. I do have back up leadership tips that are ready to go for busy days, but I never set in place a contingency plan if I am taken out of the picture. A rookie mistake I won't make again.

Live awesomely,
Angela Decoteau (Deck-uh-toe)
Success Strategist, Awesome Activator
Encourage . Equip . Empower