Understanding Self

Where we live plays a significant role in who we become, and who we continue to be. As children, our neighbourhood helps set the foundation for our perspectives on life and the relationships we form - everything from our love of books to our social interactions are formed with our surroundings helping inform every decision or thought we form. 

We explore neighrbourhoods today, and I invite you to be my neighbour as I talk through some of the defining elements set by the pocket in the city where I grew up. 

Today, we're going to explore where our musical tastes come from... or... really any of our tastes, though we'll talk specifically about music today and how we form our preferences.... and the benefits that can (and does) bring into our lives. 

This week, we're also building a spotify playlist of songs that can help expand your musical tastes. While I'm continuing to add to it, we've also posted a question in spotify for you to submit some of your own favourites or songs that have influenced you to enjoy another style. 

> Check out the playlist here < and feel free to send us a message or DM on facebook or twitter with your own entries for us to add. 

We've all heard about the great benefits of multi-tasking, but is it true? It might be - just maybe not for humans.

Today we dig into a bit about self-reflection and take a look back at the week that was. The importance of taking some time to think back on your own self can't possibly be overstated, as it is in this action that we drive self-awareness and create the best opportunity for ourselves to grow. 

So, think back on your week a little as we get ready for the weekend, and join us for a little bit more - Understanding Self. 

In today's episode, we dive into thought on how we're influenced in our lives. We talk a bit about marketing, which is just one of many influences in our day to day that we'll get into over the course of this podcast. 

I share a couple of stories that might be a bit surprising, if not enlightening, and we'll get a little deeper into just how much influence we both take in and broadcast out in any given day. 

In a follow up to our very first episode about resolutions, today we talk a bit more in depth about the benefit of smaller, bite-sized goals and the big gains they can create over time. We'll talk about the compounding benefits that this process can create, as well as how it fits into the behavioural psychology modelling of the decision making process. 

The brain is a pretty incredible thing. 

Everything you have ever experienced in life, all of your biases, everything is stored up there in that compact space, and is recalled in a variety of ways to help inform your decision making processes. The two systems - the creatively named fast system and the slow system - help to make those decisions for you throughout the day... for better or for worse. Most of the time, it probably gets it right - with over 35,000 decisions being made on any given day - I'd say you're probably navigating things pretty damn well so far. 

So, lets explore how those decisions get made - and what we can do to help uncover the processes that drive the bad ones... 

Today, we expand on the Jan 1 episode about resolutions and focus in a bit more on habits. What makes us form them, how do we break them, and where do they show up in our lives. 

The answer to that last part is - everywhere. Our habits are a subconscious connection to who we are - a window to our soul, and we aren't the only ones trying to get a glimpse through that window. 

Every year, millions of North Americans set out resolutions to start anew in for the year ahead. But where did this come from, why do we do it, and why do SO many of us (self included!) fail at our resolutions. 

We'll get into a brief history, and talk a little about some tactics to achieve those goals this year with just a slight change of perspective.