Posts tagged Mirrors
Successfully Teaching Your Kids Mind Mapping With iMindMap – 4 Points to Remember
Oct 13th
There is no doubt that Mind Mapping benefits those who use it in a huge variety of ways and crucially it has significant benefits to kids when they embrace and learn to use it themselves. As a hand drawn skill it is straightforward to learn but the quickest way of getting your kids hooked on Mind Mapping is to use the Mind Map software iMindMap.
What I want to do here is give you 4 crucial points you have to get right if you want to have your kids harness more of their thinking power and realize more of their potential from using Mind Mapping. Taking advantage of the features of iMindMap will make it much easier for you, but here are those 4 things you have to bear in mind.
1. Make it enjoyable and fun
I would imagine that if you are like the thousands of parents I have worked with and spoken to over the years then you are at least enthusiastic if not mildly determined to do the best thing for your kids. Done the wrong way, guidance passed on to your kids can seem like pressure and they will reject the ideas you present that you know are going to be good for them. So rather than have them do something because they have to, present it in a way that makes it enjoyable and fun so that they want to do it.
Fortunately with iMindMap, creating maps is an easy, stimulating and fun activity as the software is easy to use and has a very friendly interface making it highly engaging to the young brain.
2. Avoid long explanations of Mind Mapping theory
If you came on one of my Mind Mapping courses, a big part of the day aside from teaching you the technique would be to help you understand why and how the Mind Map works so that you intellectually buy in to the concept. When you do that, you are more likely to do the exercises, less likely to judge what you are doing and therefore certain to realize the power of this tool.
Children don’t need that sort of justification. They do not really care about how Mind Mapping mirrors the natural associative processes of the brain or how color stimulates part of our brain often ignored or neglected in the learning environment. To kids, that is boring. all they want to know is what is it and is it fun and easy to do? Whether it works or not or that it can be used to make their life at school easier, will come later.
Just open up iMindMap for them and let them play with it. They will work out how to use it probably far quicker than you did and will find out more useful stuff than you could have ever unearthed even if you spent a week studying the user manual!
3. Only point out how they can use it once you know they like the process
Once you see your child play with iMindMap and start to quickly navigate their way round the software and start creating some impressive Mind Maps, you will be tempted to tell them all of the different ways they can use it to help them at school. Resist doing this until you are convinced they like the process. If you peak too early and start mentioning essay plans, writing summaries, revising and so on, they will reject the idea. The best thing to happen is for them to discover for themselves how useful it could be. You might need to drop a few subtle hints, but as a rule of thumb always do that long after you feel you ought to do it.
4. Never be critical of their Mind Maps – ever!
Learning a new skill is a passage of personal growth for someone, especially children. Egos can be quite fragile during this time of uncertainty and the underlying subconscious thought process is about making sure they don’t get things wrong so they are rejected by the ones they love. It sounds deep and perhaps somewhat bizarre but people would rather not try something where they might fail.
So you must nurture your child as they discover Mind Mapping through iMindMap and only offer praise and support to give them the confidence they are on the right path.
Having kids learn to embrace the wonders of Mind Mapping using iMindMap is a great journey for them to take as they grow and develop and as long as you follow these 4 points, you won’t go far wrong. In fact in only a few short weeks, they will be teaching you things you didn’t know about iMindMap and Mind Mapping!
How to Increase YOUR Self Worth and Appreciation
Sep 9th
I have been going through some personal stretching, questioning and developing (as always!). I feel so blessed and fortunate to have many mirrors presented to me in the clients and people I interact with. It never ceases to amaze me that the guidance, advice, strategies and plans that come out of my mouth in a session is often the very thing that I need to hear!!
Something that has been presenting over the last wee while is the issue of worth. I advise people to repeat affirmations of “I am worth it” over and over again throughout the day — the next step is to repeat it to yourself while looking yourself in the eye in a mirror — sounds easy doesn’t it… it is amazing how difficult some people can find this.
Truth is you are worth everything you could possibly dream of and much much more – there is no such thing as lack and limitation other than what you have set up for yourself – you receive what you feel you should receive and no more. Isn’t it time you re-evaluated what it is you think you are worth?
What I want to look at here with you is a correlation between self discipline and self worth… When you adopt a discipline of lets say a 5 minute meditation each day or a 30 minute exercise session every other day – this is a manifestation of your saying I AM WORTH IT. You see it is important to follow through with this idea of worthiness – if you are worth looking after to the finest degree imaginable then does it not make sense that this requires the follow through of what it is your body needs from all aspects of self (mind-body-spirit)?
On the flip side – if you find yourself making excuses about why you do not have the time for an exercise routine, meditation, journaling (whatever you as a whole being requires to lead a fulfilled life) – I suggest that you take a look at how much you are valuing yourself… perhaps it is time to re-assess the worth you have placed on your own well-being.
Have you ever paid attention to the advice given on the safety information on airplanes? In the event of an emergency – oxygen masks will drop down and you are to place them on your face… parents and individuals looking after other dependents are advised to take the oxygen first!! To put that another way – how can you expect yourself to look after others, perform your duties and achieve what you are going for unless you look after yourself first?
If what you are currently doing in life is not working out for you; not achieving the results you know and want for yourself – it is time to look at change!! You are worth it… I am here to support, facilitate and motivate that in any way I can.
