Social media is an undeniable presence in everyone's lives nowadays; some kind of virtual connection touches even those who don't post every moment in their daily routines. And social media is not only omnipresent, but it also has a bad reputation for how it negatively influences kids, oppressed minorities, or people going through hard times in particular. Nevertheless, not everything is lost; we still have a lot of control over how we use technology and whether we decide to use social media for our own benefit or not. 

In this episode, we will focus on the benefits of using social media. We will list and explore five aspects that can be very beneficial not only for us but also for the community through the proper use of virtual connections. I invite you to discover how social media can strengthen relationships with friends and relatives, help us acquire better habits, assist introverts, reduce stigmas over diseases, leverage the students' experiences, and more. 

Tune in to Episode 95 of Technology for Mindfulness to view social media from a different perspective and perhaps give it a second chance. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Smartphones and advanced communication technology are not bad inherently; we choose what to do with them (1:25)
• Social media used as a means to connect with people we don't see very often or to seek support during challenging times (3:42) 
• Social media and the creation of healthy and productive habits (6:07)
• How introverts can reduce their social anxiety in social media (10:18)
• Public figures showing up as mere humans and helping diminish the stigma over certain conditions, sexual orientation, and traumas (12:19)
• How students can use social media to make their learning process smooth and most effective (16:27)

Resources:

• Pew Research Center - Demographics of Key Social Networking Platforms 
• Pew Research Center - Teens' Social Media Habits and Experiences
• Book: Nicholas A. Christakis, James H. Fowler - Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives -- How Your Friends' Friends' Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do
• USA Today - Interview with James Fowler: Fee-fi-foe-friend: Smell the blood of a kindred spirit?
• The Stigma Project - Facebook
• National School Board Association - Grunwald Associates LLC: CREATING & CONNECTING: Research and Guidelines on Online Social — and Educational — Networking

Connect with Robert Plotkin:

• Technology For Mindfulness Website
• Blueshift IP Website
• LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people believe that mindfulness meditation is about stopping thoughts from popping into our heads, which is, needless to say, impossible. As they can't prevent themselves from having thoughts, that belief makes them stop trying mindfulness meditation. 

Mindfulness meditation is not about preventing our minds from having thoughts but being aware of them. And being aware of those thoughts is different from knowing we have them; the difference might seem subtle but is massive. 

Today, my guest is the mindfulness teacher, Brother Dave Kenneally, former Sargeant in the US Marine Corps and former Buddhist Monk in the Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh tradition. He travels the world spreading his knowledge, teaching business leaders, yoga instructors, cancer patients and their families, teens, and military veterans, among many others. He is a Certified Teacher of the Search Inside Yourself Program and an Ordained member of the Order of Interbeing.  

We had a joyful conversation about his mentors and their teachings along his journey and how they impacted him, the meaning of mindfulness, and the gifts the Zen tradition has to offer. He explained the concept of "understanding is love," and he also talked about why he decided to become a monk. 

Tune in to Episode 93 of Technology for Mindfulness and listen to Dave's fascinating story about love, reaching mindfulness, and awareness.

Some Questions I Ask:

•  What's your story and how did you get started with mindfulness? (5:23)
• Can you talk about where gentleness and self-compassion fit your own development and in your own teaching? (12:34)
• You've been talking primarily about attitudes towards yourself, your own feelings, your own thoughts, and cultivating it from that direction. If I'd like to be more compassionate, how do I just go ahead? (18:08)
• Is there anything you can share about how you've been able to bring your own mindfulness practices to bear on this extremely challenging time? (22:23)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Dave's definition of mindfulness (6:03)
• Yoga as a raw concentration practice (10:48)
• Understanding is love (13:32)
• One of the Zen practice's gifts (19:00)
• The consequences of being at war with our thoughts (31:50)

Resources:

• Dave Kenneally website

Connect with Dave:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

Connect with Robert Plotkin:

• Technology For Mindfulness Website
• Blueshift IP Website
• LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of the stress triggers that affect a teacher's routine can't be controlled by them—the parents' demands, budget cuts, and the difficulties that teaching in the virtual spectrum offers, to name a few. After a challenging 2020, it is not a surprise that educators deal with higher stress levels than any other profession. 

A recent study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation showed that nearly 70% of teachers reported a lack of engagement with their jobs and that 50% experience work-related stress daily. 

However, teachers can control something to reduce their stress levels inside and outside the classroom: their reaction to these stressors.

In this episode, I want to share with you 5 mindfulness practices you can incorporate into your daily routine to empower yourself and manage your stress more efficiently. 

To hear more, tune in to Episode 93 of Technology for Mindfulness!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• What a daily session of guided mindfulness meditation can do for us (2:37)
• The power of mindful walking (4:15)
• Deep breathing to exhale stress (7:54)
• Becoming aware of each part of our bodies (12:09)
• Writing about our sensations to learn from our emotions (13:49)

Resources:

• Headspace app
• Insight Timer app
• Calm app
• Mindful Teachers website
• Mindful Schools website
• Book: Patricia Jennings - Mindfulness for Teachers: Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom

Connect with Robert Plotkin:

• Technology For Mindfulness Website
• Blueshift IP Website
• LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.