Mindfulness, meditation, and  breath awareness.  Is this all a big fad or can you actually gain a cognitive edge from sitting for 15-20 minutes each day focusing on the breath? A recent study published in Science Daily states even after 4 days of 20 minute breath awareness exercises, cognitive improvement can be measured.   Furthermore, Daniel Seigel and others have linked mindful practices to the building the middle prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the area that integrates cortical, limbic, brainstem, somatic and social input.  In short, the middle prefrontal region of the brain, when developed and strengthened like a muscle, can create a state of self-awareness that allows one to navigate the river of thought and experience without getting stuck in the banks of  either rigidity (too much judgment) or chaos (too much perception).  This notion of modulated balance between perception and judgment has significant implications for MBTI practitioners who use the awareness of the 4  functions (dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior) to coach clients using the MBTI model.

In breath awareness exercises, one is instructed to find on the breath first at the level of the nostrils, moving to the chest and finally deep within the abdomen.  After fully identifying all components of the breath,  finding the place where the breath is felt most naturally is the next step.  Breath awareness exercises are not relaxation exercises, they train the mind to be focused.  When the mind starts to wander as it invariably will do, it is important to take note of that and gently refocus without judgment. From my own personal experience as an ENFP doing these exercises, I am amazed at how many thoughts dart through my head as I attempt to focus on the breath.  Anyone who shares intuition as the dominant function can probably relate to how difficult it can be to maintain focus and follow through on a given task or maintain a topic of conversation  when connections, patterns, and new ideas are emerging, competing for cognitive primacy.  The key is to be aware of what the mind is doing then gently redirect thought within the cognitive system. In my own experience with meditation, I have improved my focus as well as developed an awareness of when I need to to stop generating options and perspectives and use my auxiliary function, feeling, to craft a course of action.  In addition, as my ability to self-monitor my thoughts and judgments has improved, so has my ability to successfully access my tertiary and inferior functions.   This self-awareness assists in creating an elegant shift among the 4 functions all brought about by the strengthening  the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the area that directs energy and thought throughout the rest of the human brain.

What if someone has a judging function as the dominant function?  Can an ESTJ use meditation to navigate the river of thought and experience?   The answer is yes because meditation is strengthening the fibers of  the brain where self-monitoring  and behavior modulation take place,  not the functions of either judgment or perception.  To use an analogy, it is like tuning up the transmission of a car allowing for improved shifting among the 4 functions.  Whereas excessive perceptive can create chaos in the mind, rigidity is the result of too much judgment.  So, taking the example of an ESTJ, who may be quick to render a judgment,  balance can be achieved by consciously shifting into the fact gathering mode.  In fact, one can go to any area of brain more easily if self-awareness and the ability to redirect cognitive activity is present through a well-developed prefrontal cortex.

Meditation can be tricky.  Many people are turned off by it because it feels like a waste of time. Others are frustrated because they don’t think they are “doing it right.” My first round with mindfulness and meditation was  when I took an 8-week course in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in the model of Jon Kabat-Zinn. This had many components including 45-minute body scans, sitting meditations, and mindful yoga.   Dr. Kabat-Zinn has been on the cutting edge of mindful meditation and I respect his work.  However, for a less time consuming,  day to day application of meditation, especially if you want to try it as an enhancement to your Myers-Briggs coaching model,  I highly recommend a simple breath awareness meditation.

*For more information on a good place to start this meditation practice, please see my article entitled “Breath Awareness Meditation” at annholm.net

Many people who take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator will ask whether or not their psychological type can change.   According to type theory, basic type preferences for perception or judgment are inborn and do not change. However, it is also known that people, as a result of interacting with their environment and through life experiences, also develop behaviors, habits, and strategies that are not consistent with their type description.  It is not uncommon to hear a client say, “I used to be an INFJ but now I am an ENFJ.”  Or,” I am an introvert but I enjoy parties and nights on the town.”  How can this be?

The first Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, also known as Step I, was an instrument to identify individuals who have similar preferences leading to an assigned personality type.  The terms INFJ, or ESFP are well-known to many individuals.  However, even as these general tendencies could be validated, it was still clear that certain people within a type could have out of preference characteristics. An example would be a “QUESTIONING ENFP,  with “questioning”  normally being a facet associated with a thinking preference .”    It is true that the  ENFP personality type tends to be accommodating valuing harmony above all versus finding flaws in both their own and others’ viewpoints.    However, some ENFPs may develop this as a result of living with questioning thinking types or as a skill that is required at a job.   There are 20 such variations known as facet poles (5 for each dichotomy) that are possible  and they are identified in the MBTI Step II (or Form Q instrument).   A client’s development of Step II facets in response to environmental demands may give the client the impression that their type has changed.

As an MBTI practitioner, I noticed these variations and apparent changes in reported personality type.    However, what  would explain this if our innate preferences for introversion-extraversion,  sensing-intuition, thinking-feeling, and judging-perceiving were supposedly hard-wired?   I stumbled upon what I consider  to be the best brain-based explanation of this phenomenon when at a recent conference on neuroplasticity, or the notion that mental experiences and mindfulness can change the structure and function of the brain. This is what made the explanation so compelling:

1.  In order for neuroplastic change to take place,  some sort of dampening down of the usual mind map has to take place.  So for example, if you were going to learn a new language, you would have to eliminate as much use of the  native language so the new language can build resilient neuro-connections in the brain.   The brain doesn’t like competing stimuli. That is why language immersion programs seem to work. Similarly, if you were relying on your sense of touch to get around in a dark room, you would immediately switch to your preferred mode of sight to get around if the light switch was turned on.  In other words,  the preferences that were present  first take precedence but if they are greatly attenuated, then new pathways can develop.   Likewise, an ENFP whose natural preference is to be casual about schedules, may in fact develop a more scheduled approach as a result of working in an environment that demands a more structured day.  However, if the ENFP ultimately left that structured environment, it is likely she would be comfortable with her natural preference for a  relaxed schedule once again.  When I discuss these type variations with clients, they often say, “I HAD to do it that way at work” or “my family was that way.”

2. Also, a deliberate development of a non-preferred facet can also bring about a resilient change in the brain.  For example, one of the facets of extraversion is “expressive” versus it’s opposite which is “contained”.  Basically, this is the “chatty” facet and it describes an individual who talks often but who may not be aware that certain situations call for a more contained approach or  more listening and less talking.  A deliberate or mindful monitoring of behavior can create a self-awareness that one has to talk less and over time, a resilient change in the brain can take place.   Another example would be a natural introvert learning to extravert in many situations so much that at times, it may even feel like a natural preference.  In the neuroplasticity seminar,  examples were given where a mindful, deliberate approach was shown to alleviate symptoms of a host of mental disturbances.  Either through self-driven intent or the therapeutic guidance, the brain can adapt to the demands placed upon it.

So why is this significant?  For one, you may natural preferences (of innate tendencies) that are not fully utilized or have been suppressed that can be tapped into now which can bring about a more fully functioning self.   Or, you may have facets of your personality that you would like to modify so that you don’t fall into the same bad patterns time and time again.  The elegance of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instruments is that it is a dynamic system that acknowledges and encourages an individual to change as a part of healthy type development (even as one’s  basic type theoretically does not change). There is emerging evidence from the neuroplasticity studies that either the environment or deliberate intention can indeed bring about these changes.   As a life coach, this is very good news indeed!

The April 22, 2010 issue of the Wall Street Journal profiled the use of the MBTI in career planning: It seems that this old classic is still pertinent even today. I will have to write a comment to the paper to let them know there is now a MBTI Step III, an instrument that is highly individualized and particularly useful in jump starting a coaching or counseling dialogue.  It can be an excellent tool  for  effectively navigating a career path.

Much has been written about the importance of formulating goals to achieve success.  First, you appraise your current situation.  Next,  you decide what you wish to achieve.  Then you identify specific activities that will help you reach that goal.  Simple, right?   Unfortunately, many people fall short of their goals not because they don’t know what they want or can’t identify activities that will lead them there.  Instead they fall short because they don’t know know how to overcome the force that leads them back to their  default mode or comfort zone.

Every psychological type has both strengths and developmental challenges.  For example, an ENFP type is full of creative ideas and schemes but is also prone to losing focus and follow through once the newness has worn off.  An INFJ  may be able to mediate complex interactions among individuals but at the same time, be reluctant to intrude upon others and thus keep too much to himself.    Why isn’t  it enough to implore the ENFP to “just do it” or to encourage the INFJ to just share what he is thinking?

It is natural for an ENFP to want to move on to the next challenge because her dominant function is extraverted intuition.   Her brain is excited by new ideas, patterns, and insights. This is her default mode similar to the default settings on the computer. In the absence of a deliberate effort to bypass this natural tendency, she will enthusiastically jump from one intriguing curiosity to the next.  She may be aware that she has to finish a given activity in order to meet a stated goal.   However, the key to accomplishing this is an effective strategy to help her manage a natural tendency.

Perhaps she learns to write down ideas as they pop into her head rather than immediately following her nose to satisfy her curiosity.  With the advent of Google, it’s easy to get sidetracked by wanting to know something right now rather than later on.  Or maybe there is some mundane task like writing the bills that she often ignores in favor of a more exciting task.   Maybe she has has to take them to a coffee shop to work on them so she can be around people but not be distracted by other more intriguing stimuli in her home.

What about the INFJ who won’t share what is on his mind?  Maybe he needs to remind himself that many people he will be sharing his thoughts with are not as sensitive as he is so he can afford to be a little more forthright.  Or, he can capitalize on his effective writing skills by putting his thoughts into a letter or, using a journal to formulate what he is going to say so he is fully prepared to speak his mind.  He needs a strategy that goes beyond the goal that he will “speak up more often in meetings”, for example. He needs to know how he can do this without creating so much anxiety that he avoids it altogether.

Effective coaching has 3 main components:  1. Increased self-awareness.   2.Goal setting and identification of activities leading to those goals.  3.Strategies that will increase the likelihood that those goals will be successfully met.   Awareness of psychological type through the use of the MBTI instruments can provide needed insight on how these strategies are formulated.

Identifying your unique personal qualities is a key factor in maximizing potential.  The challenging part is to find out how you can parlay these characteristics into behaviors that are actually going to yield improved competence, a better job, or general life satisfaction.   I was honored to have the St. Paul Pioneer Press feature me in their “Open for Business” section in the April 11, 2010 paper.   In this article, I  describe how I address both of these factors.  First, there are self-discovery tools that help to identify these qualities.  One that is unique to my business is the newly released Myers-Briggs Step III instrument which is a highly personalized indicator of where your strengths and developmental challenges appear to be right now. I also use other tools including a personal interview to find out what is on your mind.  Once this is known, it is important to develop strategies to make your goals a reality.  That is where the challenge is because it is in that phase that we suffer set backs and self-doubts.  That is where a life coach can be very useful.  Here is the link to the article to learn more about my business:       http://www.twincities.com/ci_14854737?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com&IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com

March is Brain Awareness Month so the bookstore was overflowing with intriguing selections for me to take on vacation.   I have a lifelong passion for brains.  How do they work? What happens when they are broken? How do you get the most out of your brain?  For instance, I am intrigued by the notion that many of the behavioral observations that have been made about the brain, behavior, cognition, and personality over the course of thousands of years can now be confirmed through imaging techniques such as the fMRI or the PET scan.  Indeed, there is no better time than now to learn about the brain, appreciate individual differences, and to be wowed by it’s wonders.

The first book I read was The Edison Gene/ADHD and the Gift of the Hunter Child by Thon Hartmann (By clicking the link, you can also read the American Psychiatric Institute’s review  of the book).  There is ongoing controversy as to whether ADHD is a real disorder or if it is the gift of creativity and adaptability in it’s highest form.  Thomas Edison, left school after only 3 months of formal education and was labeled, “a problem child, stupid and difficult” by his teachers.  He set his father’s barn on fire to see what would happen.  He laid on goose eggs to see if he could hatch them.  His mother had to move his laboratory into the basement for fear that he would blow up the house.  Of course, without Thomas Edison, there would be no light bulbs, no phonographs, and no motion pictures among other critical inventions.   The author makes the case that medicating or trying to “break”  the highly creative types like Edison, our society would not move forward.    As I read the book, I imagined the Thomas Edison types to be intuitive- thinking-perceiving types  ( ENTP  and the INTP) using the Myers-Briggs terminology.  Another parallel terms would be right brain thinking (holistic, random, intuitive and a “could be” focus) versus left brain thinking (linear, sequential, concrete,and a “what is” focus).

I agree with the author’s assertion that people are wired differently and are therefore more adept at various tasks.   Some individuals tend to remain open to changes in incoming data and adapt accordingly while others prefer structure, organization and consistency. Neither style of thinking is superior to the other.  (more…)

Recently, I resigned from my job as a speech pathologist in a hospital, a position I had held for 24 years.  What’s more, I now have no hospital affiliation whatsoever for the first time since 1980.  My position at this hospital was on-call, but I hadn’t  worked there in over a year.  In all honesty, I should have dropped out long before that because I had plenty of other endeavors to work on such as continuing to do cognitive rehabilitation for the Courage Center,  training to be a life coach,  completing my Myers-Briggs certification,  developing a blog and a website and taking on my first coaching clients.   I assemble this list not to say, “Oh look how busy I am.”   It’s to make clear that I was clinging to something that I had no room for in my life anymore.   Clearly, hospital work was  my security blanket.  In fact, even when I was in college and graduate school,  I worked in a hospital as a patient transporter/lab specimen runner.   So it is easy to see why dropping my affiliation with a hospital was no easy process! However, it was an important moment when I realized that I was ready to leave the cocoon that was  my identity for so many years.

There are many reasons why an individual embarks on reinventing himself.  In today’s economy, some people are forced to make that change due to a job loss. Others may be dissatisfied because they are performing  jobs that are not tapping into their greatest strengths. Sometimes money and compensation is the issue.  Other times, there is a restlessness that must be addressed.   No matter what the reason, in most cases, there are 3 major stages that you visit and re-visit once you decide to reinvent yourself.

Stage 1:  This is the discovery stage.  Usually you have a vague notion that you want to or must do something different.  Perhaps you research ideas on the internet or you read books to try to zero in on a set of possibilities.  This is a dreamer’s stage and it is full of energy and possibilities.  You don’t need much motivation at this stage because it seems to drive itself.  Often this stage is accompanied by taking a few steps in the direction of  that dream.  The first thing I did was research coaching schools and when I found one that I liked, I enrolled.  It was really exciting to go through the first few rounds of classes but then when I started to notice it wasn’t an exact fit for me, I passed into stage 2.

Stage 2:  This is the stage of self-doubt or your a reality check.  You discover that your dream isn’t a perfectly carved path and that you might need to make some adjustments.  In my case, I chose to add to my skill set with other tools such as learning the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instruments.   I leaned heavily on my best friend and coach who gave me useful feedback and encouragement when the vision got murky.  There were several exciting moments when I felt like the dreamer again and everything was new and exciting.  I had a new scheme to try!   However, that was usually followed by another reality check. I had to learn to refine my vision or simply  be patient.  I even had  to be willing to take feedback (Ugh!).  An individual can get discouraged when going  back and forth between the dreamer and the reality check stages without realizing that it is actually a proving ground for resilience and stability in your new role.   You have to spend some time going among several dreams and reality checks in order to thrive in the final stage of self-invention.

Stage 3: The final stage is the stage of confidence or momentum. Here some of the groundwork you have laid is finally beginning to pay-off.    Perhaps you receive a referral from someone who was present during one of your free seminars that you gave months ago.  Maybe you made an impression on someone that you didn’t even know was listening.  You know you have arrived when there is no longer an inertia that you have to overcome every time you set out to achieve your goals. You sense momentum and your confidence builds as a result.   Certainly there will be more reality checks and occasionally you might even start to dream of something altogether new again. However, when you get to this stage, there is usually enough energy to draw you back to your vision.

The process of reinventing yourself is exciting, at times scary, but ultimately rewarding.  The exciting part is when you are energized by the possibilities for the future. The scary part is when you have to push through moments of self-doubt or disappointment. The rewarding part is when you finally overcome the inertia and feel the flow. Once you achieve this, you can begin to shake yourself out of your cocoon and fly off to explore your new world.

Cognitive blind spots present a significant roadblock to the full realization of individual human potential.  There are many kinds of blind spots including those that are common to all humans  such as the  Bandwagon Effect , where individuals become attracted to popular trends, or the Restraint Bias where individuals overestimate their capacity to resist temptation.    There are also other types of blind spots that are common to individuals who have suffered neurological damage.   The term reduced deficit awareness refers to an individual’s lack of awareness of a cognitive problem and it’s impact on his functional capabilities.  For example, a patient may be certain he can drive despite deep paralysis and a visual field cut!   Even our normal dominant psychological preferences for sensing versus intuition and thinking versus feeling as defined by our MBTI personality type set the stage for cognitive blind spots and biases.

Interestingly, the process to overcome these challenges is  similar.. First there is an awareness that our personal effectiveness is limited in some way. Next  is an acceptance that  a mindset or an existing way of approaching a problem is the reason we are coming up short of our goals.   Finally,  an action plan is generated to bring about change.

For instance, in neurological rehabilitation, one of the most important indicators for significant recovery after a stroke or brain injury is awareness of deficits. Realistically, how can improvements be made if one is blind to the need for change?  Moreover, there are several levels of awareness that must be achieved in order to change:

7 Levels of  Self- Awareness That Can Lead to Change: (more…)

Most of us are using only using a fraction of our talents and gifts.   In addition, we are frequently dissatisfied with with home life, career choices, and relationships but do no know why.  This can lead to burn-out and lack of motivation or a feeling of being “stuck.”  Annholm.net is a life coaching website that is dedicated to releasing untapped talents and skills leading to greater competence and personal satisfaction. It is the home of Uncover Your Potential , the life coaching practice of Ann C. Holm. Most of the blogs featured on this website are about  brain science,  psychological type as defined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI),  and individual preferences as it pertains to effective life coaching.  I also feature blogs about people who have inspired me by embracing a challenge or overcoming an obstacle or who have enlightened me or broadened my horizons in some way.  I feel the best way to find the energy to make changes or unlock hidden talent is through increased self-awareness AND stories about others who have shown the way.

On January 28th, my husband will go to Haiti for 10 days to perform surgery on the victims of the recent earthquake in that country.  It is impossible to imagine what he will encounter when he gets there.  Haiti was not in good shape prior to this disaster but now he will probably see enough death, destruction, and human suffering that would rattle most people.  Mark is no stranger to less than optimal conditions having worked in an inner-city trauma hospital in Detroit;  several Jamaican medical missions; and as part of a team performing surgery in Honduras.  This is likely to be much worse though.  It will be hot. Food and sanitation might be limited.  There will probably be bodies not yet recovered from the rubble. The people will be desperate.   How does one keep the edge amid all of this misery?

My husband is a pretty introverted guy.  He is polite but often intimidating when you first meet him. He has South Dakota manners but he is not one to schmooze or chit chat when we have company.  Once he has said hello,  he will quickly disappear into his lair to do medical charts, look at antique cars or trains on Ebay or watch the History Channel.  However, once you get to know him, he can be quite engaging and he is actually quite a prankster.  Still, much of the time he is quite contained.

However,Mark has an incredible capacity to focus especially under the most demanding circumstances.  In 1991, during the Halloween blizzard in Minnesota, he performed 25 emergency surgeries on hands that had gotten caught in snow blowers.  He did them one right after the other for 36 hours straight. I used to think he pushed himself to the limit so he could earn “suffering points” and I would then have to treat him extra nice but I have learned such is not the case.  The harder he has to work, the more competent he becomes.  He also sets high standards for himself and those around him. At times, this can be nerve- wracking for our family. As one daughter put it, “Every time he walks in the door, I feel like I have to be doing something!”  However, once he casts his critical eye, he usually moves on to one of his projects and we can all relax!

Haiti has the right man for the job. I have no doubt that Mark will relish the challenge of repairing as many orthopaedic injuries as he can despite the deplorable conditions he is likely to face.  It is probably to his advantage that he tends to be stoic because otherwise, he might become overwhelmed.  I am somewhat concerned about his safety but I know he is wired for this type of work.  Ever since he missed the first opportunity to go because he left his phone in the car for 2 days (typical), he has been pacing around looking for the inroad.  Now that the plan is set, he is energized.  So off you go, Mark E. Holm, M.D.!  I hope they can find a bed long enough to handle your 6 foot 5 frame!  Probably not…

Since many of my blogs are about the unique gifts of each Myers-Briggs personality type, I might as well reveal Mark’s type.  He is an INTJ, the master of focus, hard work and ingenuity. I know he will use these strengths to bring relief to the victims of this earthquake. Our family is very proud of him!