Teaching Little Brains
Sarah Nykoruk
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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Teaching Little Brains episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Teaching Little Brains for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Teaching Little Brains episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
49. I Am a Total Fraud - Exposing Imposter Syndrome
Teaching Little Brains
03/06/21 • 35 min
Hello Teacher Brain,
Do you ever worry that someone is going to discover that you don’t really know what you’re doing? That you’ll be found out or exposed as a fraud? That you’ve been pulling the wool over everyone's eyes, and that any minute someone is going to out you for the con artist that you are?
Are you ever anxious about saying or doing the wrong thing because then everyone will find out that you actually aren’t that smart, or you aren’t good enough, or you don’t really deserve that job, or award, or responsibility, or attention, or praise?
If this is ringing true with you, you are definitely not alone.
AND, there is actually even a name for this condition. It’s called “Imposter Syndrome.”
Imposter Syndrome is essentially when you attribute your successes or accomplishments in life to some external factor or factors - like chance or luck, connections that you have, possibly even your physical appearance, or really anything else that’s not your own talent or drive or intelligence or work ethic.
And you decide that that success is highly unlikely to be repeated, since it is attributed to a rare lucky break - one that comes along less often than the ice cream truck in winter.
Everyone experiences self-doubt from time to time — especially when they’re trying something new. It’s also possible to doubt your abilities without believing that you ultimately succeeded because of some sleight of hand or that you are fooling others.
A person could have normal jitters before, say getting up to give their first speech, do well, and then draw from this experience to feel more confident about the next time.
But impostors don’t think this way. Because “impostors” have insanely high self-expectations, the self-doubt is chronic. No matter how well they did, or how loud the applause, they find a way to explain them away.
Would you be surprised to learn that Maya Angelou experienced Imposter Syndrome? She was once quoted as saying, “I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out”, Albert Einstein described himself as an “involuntary swindler, whose work didn’t deserve as much attention as it had received.” Mozart, David Bowie, Howard Schultz (the Starbucks guy), Tina Fey, Sonia Sotomayor, Tom Hanks - all experience(d) Imposterism.
Today we talk about where Imposter Syndrome comes from, what it results in, how to recognize Imposter Syndrome in yourself, and how to overcome it.
Because, the truth is that you are 100% worthy and deserving of all the success, no matter how easily or quickly they came, or how much support you rallied to achieve them, and no matter how loudly your brain is telling you you aren’t!
Thank you for joining me today! I love that you're here. Let's dive in!
FIND AND WORK WITH ME
Coaching with Sarah: https://www.sarahnykoruk.com
Teaching Little Brains Website: https://www.teachinglittlebrains.com
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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeachingLittleBrains
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47. Language Matters. Words Counts
Teaching Little Brains
01/31/21 • 34 min
Words have power.
Words can start, AND END, wars. They can create AND HEAL disease. They can inspire AND HALT change. They can unite, or divide us. They can raise us up, or pull us down. They can perpetuate love, or prompt hate, inflict pain, and incite violence. They can educate, enlighten, specify, persuade, dissuade, influence, manipulate, evoke emotion, insult, provoke, uplift, break down, coax, motivate, move, and even kill... AND more. Words create our reality.
Words count. Language matters.
But what are words anyway? I might define a word as a single sound part, or combination of sound parts together. Words consist of vibration and sound.
The words of others can easily affect our personal vibration. BUT ...the most important words are the ones we say to ourselves... in the form of thoughts.
You have about 60-70 000 thoughts a day. Most of your thoughts (90% of which are negative) come in the form of conversations. 95% of the conversations you have during the day, are with yourself. Do the math. That’s a LOT of negativity running through your brain all day long.
How many times a day do we throw our words away? Think about how many times you catch yourself thinking, or saying “I hate my hair,” “I’m so stupid,” “I’m such a klutz.” “I’m just not good at...” We never think that these words bring negative energy into our vibration and affect us on a physical level, but they do.
The good news is that the same voice that tells you you’re not good enough, can be trained to tell you you are. I mean, it was trained to tell you you can’t in the first place, so it’s completely possible to retrain it to tell you you can.
Remember, YOU are the boss of your brain! You get to decide if a thought is true, or not. YOU get to choose which thoughts you believe, which ones serve you, and move you toward your goals and desires, and which ones don’t.
Today, I talk about how words can influence your mind - and body - and what you can do to ensure you're automating thoughts and words that serve you, and help create a reality that you want!
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29. How to Build a Mind Palace and Master Your Memory
Teaching Little Brains
08/22/20 • 22 min
Have you ever tried to memorize a speech or presentation? How did you do it?
You likely spent hours repeating and rehearsing line by line, for hours and hours. Unfortunately, rote memorization is one of the most inefficient ways to remember information.
Today I teach you an ancient memory technique, called the Loci method (or "Mind Palace" for Sherlock fans) that will save you time, and help you become a master of your memory.
Loci is the plural of Locus, which means location. So, the history behind the loci method, or memory palace takes place 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, where an orator named Simonides (sy-MON-i-deez) was giving a speech inside a stone banquet hall. Just after stepping outside to chat with someone, the giant stone building collapsed, and everyone inside perished. And, their bodies were unrecognizable.
But, Simonides realized that he was able to identify the remains because he remembered where each person was sitting - he could associate each person with a location.
As a human, your memories are wired to be associative. That means, we store information based on what it is associated with. It’s called elaborative encoding. it’s how our short term memories become long-term - by connecting a new memory with a pre-existing one. Every memory has another memory attached with it. And, the stronger the attachment, the more easily that memory can be recalled.
In this episode, we build a mind palace together, and try this out for ourselves!
Transcript of today's episode
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LIGHTS ON
65. Play Is Good For Your Brain
Teaching Little Brains
11/07/21 • 34 min
What does "play" mean to you? Do you consider yourself a playful person?
Do you engage in play on a regular basis, or are you resistant to play?
Many of us understand that play is good for children's development, but do you know how, or why? Do you know that play is also good for adults?
Play reduces stress, helps strengthen relationships and trust, enhances imagination, develops social skills, and even increases productivity and creativity.
And, it doesn't have to be extensive or extravagant, simple things like putting on a silly hat, making goofy faces, playing fetch with the dog, turning your child's sock into a puppet, sending a funny meme to a coworker, playing charades, or having a laugh with your friend all count as play, and can offer many of the benefits listed above.
Find out more inside today's episode!
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62. Toxic Positivity BeGone!
Teaching Little Brains
08/14/21 • 31 min
Wait, what?! Positivity is toxic?
It can be.
Positivity can become toxic when it is used to mask, suppress, avoid, or cover up negative emotions. It's the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset, or put a positive spin on all experiences. It's a "good vibes only" approach to life.
Toxic positivity denies people the authentic support that they need to cope with what they are facing. It paints negative emotions as a failure or weakness.
The problem is that denying certain emotions doesn’t make them go away. In fact, it just causes them to fester and clog up our system - like on a cellular level - causing pain, discomfort, illness, disease, etc.
Persistent reminders to reflect on ‘how good we have it’ in the midst of strife and struggle don’t make sadness, fear or anxiety dissipate. They discourage, stress out, and piss us off. They make us feel like something is wrong with us because we can’t keep a positive outlook, when (it seems like) everyone else can.
The way that we’re treated gets played out in the way we treat others (for the most part). For example, when educators are being told to have patience and grace and understanding for their students, but that’s not what is being extended to them, they subconsciously perpetuate the false toxic positivity that they are being offered themselves.
Or are you slapping on a happy face, and what for? AND how’s it working for you?
Some tips include:
- Manage your negative emotions, but don't deny them. Remember, the only dangerous emotion is a suppressed emotion.
- Your feelings provide important information that can lead to beneficial changes in your life.
- Be realistic about what you should feel. When you are facing a stressful situation, it’s normal to feel stressed, worried, or even fearful. Don’t expect too much from yourself. Focus on self-love and taking steps that can help improve your situation.
- It’s okay to feel more than one thing. If you are facing a challenge, it’s possible to feel nervous about the future and also hopeful that you will succeed. Your human emotions are complex
- Focus on listening to others and showing support. When someone expresses a difficult emotion, don’t shut them down with toxic platitudes. Instead, let them know that what they are feeling is normal and that you are there to listen.
- Notice how you feel. Following “positive” social media accounts can sometimes serve as a source of inspiration, but pay attention to how you feel after you view and interact with such content. If you are left with a sense of shame or guilt after seeing “uplifting” posts, maybe consider limiting your social media consumption - at least from those accounts.
LINKS
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56. Be The Boss Of Your Brain
Teaching Little Brains
04/25/21 • 33 min
You are the boss of your brain!
We are sleepwalking our way through life. 80-95% of our daily decisions and actions, are made on autopilot - by our subconscious... without our having to think about them consciously - without our permission, even. We are letting our subconscious run the show - and we don't even know we're doing it.
Those automations are formed by the repeated thoughts and feelings we had as a child - based on what we saw and experienced of the people around us.
Your beliefs run the show. You make decisions and take actions based on those beliefs. And then, the results you see in life, the things you have (and have not), the reality you live, is a result of those decisions and actions.
It all starts with a thought.
And the thoughts and actions I've seen from "Little Brains" around me, are heartbreaking. 6 year-olds calling themselves stupid, 10 year-olds committing suicide. THIS is why I started Teaching Little Brains! To help those "Little Brains" (and the big brains who love and teach them - YOU) that you are not your thoughts!
Your brain is programmed to search for threats, and present you with negative thoughts, in order to keep you safe. Your brain is just doing what it's been programmed to do for millions of years - it's why you're alive now, in fact.
And the good news is that now that you know this, you can hack the system. You can choose what thoughts we have, and which we repeat, and therefore which beliefs we want to keep, and which ones we want to rewire. You are the true master of your mind. YOU are the boss of your brain! You can physically rewire the networks in your brain to automate the thoughts and beliefs you want to have - the ones that serve, and move you toward being, doing, and having the things you want in life - and prune away the ones that do not.
Everything I've learned, and everyone I've learned it from, emphasizes the importance that "We need to learn this in school!" And so, I created a video learning series to help make that a reality.
My Be The Boss Of Your Brain video series is ideal for classrooms and families! It breaks down the neuroscience into bite-sized pieces that are easy and engaging for "Little Brains" (and big ones). Each video is accompanied by a creative brief / challenge to apply the learning, and some prompting questions, to help you dig deeper into the concepts. GET IT HERE!!!
LINKS
Be The Boss Of Your Brain video series
Coaching with Sarah Nykoruk
41. Meditation - An Awesome Return on Investment!
Teaching Little Brains
11/28/20 • 38 min
Do you meditate? Have you ever tried it? What do you think of when you hear the word, "meditation"?
Most people don't meditate because they think they don't have time. But, meditation takes just 2% of your day, and can improve the other 98% in majorly significant ways! That's an insane return on investment!
Meditation helps to reduce stress by kicking in our relaxation reflex. Meditation also reduces anxiety, fear and sadness. 15 mins of mindfulness meditation before making important decisions can result in better choices. Meditation also lowers blood pressure, increases resilience, improves sleep, focus, sexual performance, concentration, and productivity. It even changes gene expression, which is what dictates our optimal health or wellness (by improving batteries in your cells, better managing blood sugar & slowing aging) Mediation can even reverse the effects of aging by 8-15 years!
I told you, 2% investment, to benefit the other 98% of your life in return!
As humans on the planet Earth, our cells are getting beat up - like potholes being beaten into a road - the blue light from our devices, UV rays, free radicals, microwaves, radiation from phones, etc.
As we learned in episode 26, sleep helps to fill in those potholes - as does meditation! And when we give the body the rest it needs, it knows how to heal itself. It smooths over that road.
The three main types of meditation include: Focussed Attention, Open Monitoring, and Self-Transcending.
In this episode, I outline each type, and talk about the one that my family practices - Transcendental Meditation. It's effortless and pays out BIG TIME!
Schools are even implementing it as part of the "Quiet Time" initiative, and gaining massive results!
Learn more, inside this week's episode!
LINKS
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36. Breaking the Sound Barrier: Understanding Misophonia
Teaching Little Brains
10/17/20 • 16 min
What is your favourite sound? One that really lifts your spirits and lightens your heart - maybe even gives you tingles or goosebumps - one that brings a smile to your face every time you hear it? Chances are... hopefully... you can name a few things that fit that category. Baby giggles, waterfalls, wind chimes, certain musical instruments, a cat’s purr, rustling leaves in the breeze...
what about the other end of the spectrum. What’s your least favourite sound? One that sends shivers down your spine, that makes you grit your teeth, or cringe and plug your ears?
Chances are, you’re also able to name a few unpleasant sounds that you really don’t like. AND, it’s likely that they are sounds that annoy other people as well - “universally disturbing sounds” - like the scraping of a fork on a plate, nails on a chalkboard, screaming babies, clicking pens, jingling change in someone’s pocket, grinding teeth, tapping pencils on the table...
Is there a sound though, that physically triggers you. And what I mean by “trigger”, is not just like a severe annoyance - I’m talking a sound that rocks you to your core, that kicks up your fight or flight response and enrages, and/or distresses you - probably illogically, and likely is a commonplace sound that most other people don’t even notice, or can seemingly ignore, such as someone’s breathing, or chewing, but can be impairing to your daily life.
If you were easily able to think of a triggering sound that fits that description, one that really sends you to the extreme, over the edge, that distresses you, or impairs you (or maybe you’re thinking of someone you know and love) then you (or they) may suffer from something called, Misophonia.
People with Misophonia, also called “Misophonics”, experience a heightened autonomic nervous system response (fight or flight) to specific trigger sounds - of any decibel, but usually soft sounds.
The areas of the brain responsible for noticing stimuli and paying attention to them, go into hyperdrive. That then leads to higher activity in other areas responsible for long-term memory, fear, and emotional regulation - suggesting that people with Misophonia aren’t processing those particular sounds the way they should.
When a trigger sound is detected, people with Misophonia experience immediate symptoms that can vary in severity, but typically include: muscle tension, headaches, stomach issues; emotional distress, the urge to flee, anger, disgust, rage, panic, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy; they worry,
They have difficulty focusing, they blame others of themselves; they try to escape, avoid, or withdraw from others, they may ask the person to stop the noise (sometimes not in the most friendly way - remember they are in a state of distress), and they may experience physical aggression toward themselves, others or objects. They may storm out, throw things, yell at others, lose control. And mostly feel guilty afterward because they realize it’s not the other person’s fault, and they think something is wrong with them.
Today, we'll learn more about Misophonia, how it presents, what's going on, and how to help.
Once again, I am reminded that we really have no idea what other people are dealing with at any point in time. So, just be kind. Be compassionate, empathetic. Be curious. Be supportive.
LINKS
Breaking the Sound Barrier: Teens With Misophonia
Misophonia test
35. Social Comparison & Why You are Not the Worst Mom Ever!
Teaching Little Brains
10/10/20 • 27 min
A couple weeks ago, I missed International Daughter's Day. My first thought was "I am the worst mother EVER!"
Why? Because I was comparing myself to all the "perfect" moms on Facebook and Instagram (from where I learned about International Daughters' Day in the first place) who posted beautiful photos of themselves with their daughters, gushing their affection for their daughters in the captions.
Theodore Roosevelt said that "Comparison is the thief of joy." But, it can also be our greatest motivator. Social comparison has an upside and a downside - like most things in life.
Today, on World Mental Health Day, we learn more about social comparison, and how it can affect our mental wellbeing.
What are YOU going to to for your mental wellness today? Here are some ideas to get you started in case you're unsure:
- Get outside in nature - even for 10 minutes
- Stand / Walk barefoot on the grass
- Write down 10 things you are grateful for
- Write a card or message to someone to tell them 3 wonderful things about them
- Make a similar list about yourself.
- Floss your teeth
- Celebrate something (big or small)
- Get some exercise - move. your body for 30 minutes
- Listen to your favourite song
- Dance
- Give someone you love (in your bubble) a hug
- Laugh
- Do/play something you love
- Drink lots of water
- Take 4 slow deep breaths (through your nose)
- Listen to a guided meditation
- Daydream about a place you would love to go - in beautiful detail
- Spend 30 minutes reading a book
- Write down some of your favourite inspiring quotes and/or affirmations
- Stand in front of a mirror. Look yourself in the eye, and put your hand on the mirror - touching your reflection’s hand. Tell your human that you love her or him. Say it again. Tell your human that you love you no matter what. That you love you when you are angry, frustrated, anxious, failing, thriving... No. Matter. What.
- Repeat 3-5 of your favourite affirmations to yourself while standing in a superhero pose
- Step away from social media for an hour - or 2
- Do a puzzle
- Eat some brain-healthy foods: avocado, blueberries, broccoli, walnuts, leafy greens, dark chocolate, etc
- Tap (the FREE 5 day tapping course is back starting Monday the 26th - or message me directly if you’d like more info about tapping)
- Listen to the Teaching Little Brains Podcast 🥰
LINKS
FREE 5 Day RMM tapping course with Sara Longoria
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Sources & Resources
CAMH - Mental Illness Statistics & Facts
CMHO - Facts & Figures
World Health Organization
51. Why Do Kids Love Repetition?
Teaching Little Brains
03/29/21 • 39 min
Do the "Little Brains" in your life love watching, listening to, and/or doing the same thing over and over...and over...and over again?
What's up with that?
I decided to ask an expert, 6-year-old, Zoey Nykoruk why she loves hearing the same book, same podcast, and watching the same movie over and over... and over again. She had some interesting things to say about repetition.
And then, I did some research and found out even more interesting things about our affinity for repetition.
It turns out, it's not just Little Brains who love it - us big kids love it too.
It's how we learn new skills, how our brains seek connection, what makes songs so catchy, and how we build beliefs... and we're sensitive to it even before we're born!
Join me inside to learn more!
This week's episode is dedicated to my friend and colleague, Matt Coleman, who posed the focus question that inspired this episode, and whose son, Quinn, shares Zoey's affinity for repetition (whose podcast Zoey likes to listen to... repeatedly!)
Special thanks to Claire Gillespie, who sent me lovely encouraging message right when I needed it most! Thank you, Claire!
LINKS
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The Sprout and Stem Podcast - hosted by Quinn and Matt Coleman
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FAQ
How many episodes does Teaching Little Brains have?
Teaching Little Brains currently has 69 episodes available.
What topics does Teaching Little Brains cover?
The podcast is about Learning, Teaching, Neuro, Writing, How To, Podcasts, Education, Brain, Time and Coaching.
What is the most popular episode on Teaching Little Brains?
The episode title '68. Calming the ADHD Family with Lara Dawn' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Teaching Little Brains?
The average episode length on Teaching Little Brains is 32 minutes.
How often are episodes of Teaching Little Brains released?
Episodes of Teaching Little Brains are typically released every 7 days, 4 hours.
When was the first episode of Teaching Little Brains?
The first episode of Teaching Little Brains was released on Feb 7, 2020.
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