Would you like to better understand your patterns and feel more empowered?   Lisa continues the conversation today with researcher and best-selling author Ravinder Taylor. She has helped literally thousands of people change their state of mind and therefore empower their lives. Her latest book is “Mind Training: The Science of Self-Empowerment.” Ravinder talks about the importance of choice. If bad things happen, it is not your fault. She asks us to ask, “What do you gain when you have a problem?” What is the difference between being informed and being prepared? How can you be aware of a problem or upcoming situation, yet not attract it? Ravinder has studied optimism and pessimism. Some people believe that doom-scrolling is about helping them feel more prepared. People have the “hope” that if they have information, they can be prepared so the worst-case won’t happen. If someone looks for the negative, they will not have an enjoyable time and will feel stressed. Ravinder talks about statistics which show how much healthier people can be if they are more optimistic. What you expect, you observe. Your body will either fight or grow. Cortisol makes us feel stressed and can affect our hearts. She discusses actual techniques to increase optimism. We can be aware that some things will not work out, but if we are optimistic, we can grow and have a happier quality of life. Her “Mind Training” book talks all about the benefits of optimism and positive thinking. We can learn when things go wrong, and that means you have grown as a person. If your self-talk is positive, you cannot be depressed. Ravinder also talks about compassion and forgiveness. She talks about the prison system and studies about blame. We may need to separate ourselves from toxic people and toxic situations, but we can still offer forgiveness. She talks about the idea of “Forgiving the Unforgivable,” and Free Will. We have choices and we can teach by example. This is Part 2 of the interview. Info: RavinderTaylor.com