Stepping Away From Your Blind Spot

When visiting my 85 year old father last week, I took it upon myself to organize his apartment. The next day everything was back in its original spot. There’s comfort in the familiar and comfort was certainly more important to him than a new, more efficient place for his mail.

We all know other people who are stuck doing the same things the same way. Yet we fail to see our own narrow views or the “I know what I know” attitudes we hang on to, never considering the possibility that we may be wrong and there is be a better way.

The world around us is rapidly changing. Flexibility and adaptability are critical success factors. Although openness to new ideas and a sincere desire for positive change are more important than ever, we often stay with the familiar assuming it will continue to produce the desired results.

Albert Einstein said it best: “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”

We miss opportunities because the discomfort we feel around change–fear, anxiety and worry–can literally limit the brain’s ability to see other options. This means if we want to think differently, we have to first feel differently.

Next time you hear yourself saying, “I know what I know”, make sure you aren’t blind to other options. Start by getting Neutral: focus on the area around your heart; breathe in and out through the heart. Then engage the power of the heart by feeling a positive emotion. The physiological change brought about by this emotional shift will enhance brain function and allow you to view the issue in a whole.


Take care,
Kim Allen

Independence Day

We talk, and sometimes even brag, about the amount of stress we’re experiencing these days. Yet, I still hear the same excuses for not doing something about it.

I just don’t have the time! We’re all busy and as long as we believe stress reduction requires time, we continue to reserve it for Saturday morning in the garden or 9:00 pm in the bathtub or late August in Maui! The truth is stress doesn’t wait until you have time to ‘manage’ it. You need something that works 24/7, QUICK! It takes less than a minute to stop the stressful feeling with HeartMath’s basic Quick Coherence® technique: Heart focus; heart breathing; heart feeling. Five times a day takes less than five minutes!

Nothing’s going to change anyway. Don’t expect life to suddenly transform around you every time you shift into coherence. Do it for your own sake. Don’t ignore the impact you can have on others when you are more balanced or calm.

It’s not working. Be patient. Like learning any new skill, this takes practice. And simply thinking about it won’t have the same benefit. You need to focus on and engage the heart; shift how you feel. Anytime you learn something new, the least line of resistance has the tendency to win out. The time it takes to find an excuse can be better spent to:

Recharge your batteries. Make a shift before you feel stressed. Pause for 15-30 seconds and find something in your life to appreciate. Each time you do this, you boost your whole system.

ave fun with your practice. If you approach your practice too seriously, it will feel like a chore and create even more stress. Find ways to build coherence into your daily routines.

Finally, recognize your stressful feelings one more time today than you did yesterday and then do something about it. Just one extra shift to coherence a day can save wear and tear on your body.

This July 4th, liberate yourself from your stress, once and for all.



Take care,
Kim Allen

The Best Tools Available!

All the latest tools and gadgets won’t help you build a house unless you know when to use the power drill or the screw driver.

The HeartMath® system includes a variety of tools and techniques designed to use any time to create the mental, emotional and physical state we call coherence. We know that coherence is the foundation of good performance, optimal health and a better quality of life. We also know coherence is a great stress buster. However, if we only wait until we’re stressed to reach into the tool box, we can miss an opportunity to improve just about everything we do during the work day.

Troubleshoot throughout your day. Get coherent and reap the benefits of building a solid foundation.

When you… And you want to…
Have to make an important decision Think more clearly; reduce confusion; take a different approach; see the big picture
Are in a meeting Improve communication; stay on track; be more creative; stop the blame, judgments and contentiousness that can divide teams
Are faced with change Shift your perspective; be more flexible and less resistant; reduce feelings of anxiety
Are in a challenging situation Listen better; stop jumping to conclusions; be less reactive or defensive
Feel tired Reduce fatigue; get an energy boost; improve focus and mental clarity
Have too much to do and not enough time Improve your ability to separate the important from the urgent; improve your focus; save time: align your actions with what’s most important
Are in information overload Calm your mind; increase mental clarity and focus; have a clearer view of your priorities; reduce anxiety
Are bored Energize your system; expand your perspective; be more creative

Take care,
Kim Allen