When you stumble upon challenges that seem too overwhelming to deal with, they paralyze us. We cannot decide on what to do. Looking for help, we may turn to our best friends or pray to God. What if we can tap into powerful insights that we have never thought we have? It is like having a secret mentor.
Here is a fascinating story from the Hidden Brain at NPR. Megan Lincoln had dyslexia and struggled at school when she was little. Ever since Megan learned that Cher, a well-known celebrity, also had dyslexia, Megan started hearing Cher's voice in her head whenever Megan was tempted to run away from challenging classes or exams: "If you think you are dumb, you must think I'm dumb, too. But I"m not." This clear-headed voice provided Megan with sound advice. And thanks to this encouragement from her secret friend, Megan started dealing with her challenges head-to-head, overcoming her dyslexia and finding a fulfilling career. Was Cher's voice Megan's imagination?
What is important to ask is whether we can hear this clear-headed voice at our will. More often than not, deep inside of us, we KNOW what we should do. But we may find it difficult to commit ourselves to do it. That is when our secret mentor can step in, pulling us aside and reminding us of the right choice to make.
Then, how do we meet our secret mentor? When we give our mind opportunities to see things at a distance, it gives us unexpected insights in return. If you are not comfortable with meditation yet, I suggest that you go for a long walk. You will be surprised to learn how often brilliant ideas come into your mind unexpectedly during the walk that would provide your brain with more oxygen (food for thought) and other benefits of exercise. In fact, it is during my morning commute or a long walk after dinner that solutions to a problem or ideas for business opportunities spring to my mind.
When it comes to exploring the power of our mind, I'm all in and inviting you to join me. Go for a 10-minute walk around your block and see what happens. Who knows? You may become the next Steve Jobs who understood the power of long walks.
(Source of images: Media Assets Repository System)
