11 Benefits For Your Brain On Music

2015-01-28 By Kassandra Leave a Comment

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Do you enjoy listening to music? Most people do.

Semi-recently, some of my success coaches told me that they almost never listen to music. They listen to things that will increase their success IQ, cause them to think more about their future, focus on how to achieve the life they dream about …

But for many people, this seems boring. Tedious. And unless you’re FOCUSED on success, it can be hard to stick to that regimen.

(Me included.)

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should only listen to personal development or only to music … But if you’re going to listen to both, my suggestion is to listen to personal development audios in your down time and listen to music when you need to get pumped up.

Here’s why … the 11 Benefits For Your Brain on Music

“Without music, life would be a mistake” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Have you ever noticed that when you’re jamming to some of your favorite tunes different emotions may be triggered? Perhaps a memory? Kinda weird, right?

Well, although there is a ton of information out there on this, I was able to locate the following few key points from this “8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefits Our Brains” Buffer blog post and the “How Playing Music Affects the Developing Brain” post via wbur (Boston’s NPR News Radio Station).

Benefit #1: Music Affects Many Different Areas of the Brain

Benefit #2: Happy/Sad Music Affects How We View Neutral Faces

Most people can tell when a piece of music is generally happy or sad. But did you know that it can influence your brain’s interpretation of a neutral face?

One study found that we will match the tone of the music to a facial expression … More so with a neutral one, in fact.

And since there are two kinds of emotions related to music (perceived and felt) we can understand the emotions of a song without actually feeling said emotion. This is why some people tend to enjoy sad pieces without getting depressed.

Benefit #3: Ambient Noise Can Improve Creativity

When you’re working, do you prefer to pump up the volume and dance – dance? I know I do! I get all kinds of ridiculous at my day job and shake that groove thing … Great exercise!

But did you know that loud music may not actually be beneficial?

Apparently, moderate to low noise level is best for creativity to flow. The way it works is that with moderate noise levels, it increases processing difficulty (which promotes abstract processing) leading to higher creativity.

In lamens terms?

It causes a bit of strain on your brain to cause a bit more struggle than normal, causing your brain to get creative on its approach to resolve or process tasks.

Which is why with louder noises our creative thinking is impaired – it overwhelms our processing in such a way we become less efficient.

Benefit #4: Our Music Choices Can Predict Our Personality

Say what?

Apparently this has only been tested so far on young adults, so not sure how scientifically based this one is. And according to this study done on couples who spent time getting to know one another, apparently their top 10 favorite songs were fairly reliable in predicting their personalities.

Here’s the break down as per the above photo:

Blues fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle and at ease

Jazz fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing and at ease

Classical music fans have high self-esteem, are creative, introvert and at ease

Rap fans have high self-esteem and are outgoing

Opera fans have high self-esteem, are creative and gentle

Country and western fans are hardworking and outgoing

Reggae fans have high self-esteem, are creative, not hardworking, outgoing, gentle and at ease

Dance fans are creative and outgoing but not gentle

Indie fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not hard working, and not gentle

Bollywood fans are creative and outgoing

Rock/heavy metal fans have low self-esteem, are creative, not hard-working, not outgoing, gentle, and at ease

Chart pop fans have high self-esteem, are hardworking, outgoing and gentle, but are not creative and not at ease

Soul fans have high self-esteem, are creative, outgoing, gentle, and at ease

I grew up listening to pop music (at least my generation’s definition of pop) and I’m not so sure I would say I’m the outgoing type … I consider myself to be an introverted extrovert … Or perhaps and extroverted introvert?

I guess it’s a good thing that posts like this one are out there to explain the extrovert and introvert overlaps!

Benefit #5: Music Can Significantly Distract Us While We’re Driving

Obviously you would prefer your own music while driving, but one study done on this show that drivers made more mistakes, drove more aggressively, AND it found that unfamiliar, or uninteresting, music is best for safe driving.

I guess that explains why a lot of my success coaches say to listen to personal development while in the car! Makes sense, right?

Benefit #6: Music Training Can Significantly Improve Our Motor and Reasoning Skills

Apparently this study found that kids who had 3+ years of musical instrument training:

— performed better in auditory discrimination abilities and fine motor skills than those who didn’t

— tested better on vocabulary and nonverbal reasoning skills (which involve understanding and analyzing visual information)

So why is it that the United States government is cutting back on funding for the arts? Can anyone explain this?

Probably because they want it’s citizens to be complacent and fit into boxed of their own design. (No, I’m not bitter.)

Benefit #7: Classical Music Can Improve Visual Attention

Who can benefit from musical training or exposure?

— children

— stroke patients improved visual attention while listening to classical music as per this research

Who else do you think? We both could, most likely! 😉

Benefit #8: Music Help Us Exercise

If you enjoy working out, you probably have a playlist of all your best jams to get you pumped and ready to roll, right?

And when you’re super tired and wore out, you play that “Eye of the Tiger” or whatever it is to get you pumped so you keep get another burst of energy?

That’s because music can drown out our brain’s cries of fatigue allowing us to push past them to work harder and get in that extra oomph! Listening to music competes with our body’s signals and vies for attention.

Our brains cannot multi-task (we’re not programmed that way, but we can shift between tasks quickly) … so this makes sense!

So not only can we push our bodies longer and harder to exercise, apparently music can help us use our energy more efficiently, as this study suggests wherein cyclists who listened to music required 7% less oxygen to do the same work as those who cycled in silence!

So based on your work-out, you may want to sync up your music basic on the type of workout you’re doing, like so:

Benefit #9: Listening to Music Can Have Better Effects On You Than Drugs

In one study of a meta-analysis (with over 400 studies being done) they found that some patients about to undergo surgery had less stress or anxiety and lower cortisol than those who took drugs to achieve the same effect.

There is also evidence that music is associated with something called immunoglobin A (which is an antibody linked to immunity) as well as higher counts of cells that fight germs and bacteria!

Benefit #10: Being Trained in Music Can Improve Work In School

Learning music improves the brain’s ability to process pitch, timbre, and timing. This allows for people to pick up language, as well.

Consonants and vowels become clearer, as the brain can make sense of them more quickly!

The Harmony Project in Los Angeles, a non-profit after school program that teaches music to children in low income communities, has students who have said that:

I feel like music really connects with education … It helps you concentrate more … When I do my homework or I’m studying for something and I feel overwhelmed, I usually go to my violin, to start playing it. I feel like it relaxes my mind. And coming here to play with an orchestra, it’s just amazing. I love it.

Benefit #11: Music Is a Way For People To Connect

It’s fascinating to me when people from different walks of life (sometimes VERY different) can come together over their same tastes in music.

Have you ever made a friend simply because they liked the same music you did? Perhaps that was the only thing you had in common … am I right?

Music is something that has been around for AGES! It’s used in story telling, dance clubs, research testing, and so much more! I know I’ve provided a few benefits to listening to music, but if you’re looking for additional information on this, here are some links to other articles (including some of the ones I have already linked above):

— 8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefits Our Brains via Buffer

— How Playing Music Affects the Developing Brain via wbur

— 10 Surprising Facts About How Our Brains Work via Buffer

— Music of the Hemispheres via NY Times

— This Is Your Brain On Music via the Canadian Geographic

— This Is Your Brain on Silence via Nautilus

— This Is Your Brain on Music via CNN

— This Is Your Brain. This Is Your Brain On Music via nprEd

I hope this article helped you as much as it did for me researching it in regards to music and how it can help you in your daily life. If something has touched you or helped you gain more insight into music or into your knowledge of self, won’t you please do me the honor and comment at the bottom?

P.S: If you can’t tell by now, I love to provide valuable content and links to things that will help you in any and every aspect of your life that you allow me to share … It’s my privilege to share this one final thought with you today.

The below photo will allow you to gain insight into information that will not only retrain your brain for success, but it will help to surround yourself with the thinking that out thinks you! And if you’ve read some of my other posts, you’ll know that in order to grow, you need to be around those people who have not only been where you want to be, but who will tell you how to avoid the mistakes along the way.

So click on the link below to check it out!

How Not to Break Facebook Relationship Etiquette

2015-01-26 By Kassandra 4 Comments

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Have you ever been scorned by someone online through a Facebook status? Perhaps they either didn’t change their relationship to “In a Relationship” with you or gave some lame excuse not to be somewhere and then blasted that they were having fun doing something else for the same time they cancelled their plans with you for.

How insensitive, right?

I know I’ve been victim of this myself, in some form or fashion. Like when the guy I dated for an extremely extended amount of time never changed his relationship status (until I bugged him about it for a while) and never posted any photos of us together (but did with every woman he was with after me) … At the time, it drove me nuts! (Maybe it was a clue – you think?) And when someone would punk out on plans with me, then a few hours later I would see them having a grand old time someplace else? Oh man, you can bet your britches that I was irked! And I have often thought of retaliating or calling said person out in those situations… Wouldn’t you? Of course you would! It’s only natural, right?

That’s why when I saw the YourTango video on tips for Facebook relationship etiquette I just had to share! I couldn’t help but laugh at the humorous take they had on the whole thing and how many people so often break the unwritten rules of Facebook relationship etiquette, or rather what this YourTango YouTube video calls “Facebook Manners” for responsible relationships.

The original video has been posted for your viewing pleasure, YourTango’s 5 Rules of Facebook Relationship Etiquette, as well as my suggestions for how you can avoid breaking said unwritten rules.

5 Rules of Facebook Relationship Etiquette and How Not to Break Them

Rule #1: Don’t Change Your Relationship Status Without Consulting the Other Person

This seems like a given, right? But we all know that common sense isn’t so common … And some people are just cruel … Or chickens. I mean who breaks up over Facebook to avoid confrontation? Not only is it crass, but the recipient of the “break up” may never know, continue to call you and/or bug your mutual friends (if you were avoiding them after this fiasco).

The information age has made it easier to be less humane to others, and this needs to stop. Be an adult. If you’re going to be in a relationship with someone, if you decide you do not wish to be in said relationship anymore – TELL THEM! Even if it’s all tears and snot coming out of their nose when you break the news to them, it’s much better to give someone less fuel to be upset about by being personable and not leaving it to them to find out over the internet.

Seriously. If nothing else, pick up the phone and call them. DO NOT TEXT THEM! That’s almost as bad as not telling them that your relationship is over and they find out through a change in their Facebook relationship status …

Rule #2: Don’t Post Embarrassing Photographs of Other People

It’s that whole “do unto others as you would have done unto you” bit. Would you be a happy camper if one of your friends posted a really unflattering photo of you? Even if they took it down, someone somewhere most likely still has a copy …

Not only that, but if you’re not careful, you could ruin someone’s reputation or even their livelihood! Impossible you say? What if they’re employer (or possible future employer) saw your “friend” in a photo that was less than stellar, they made whatever assumption about what was going on in it (whether it was true or not) and then that person go fired or was never hired for their dream job? I don’t know about you, but I’d feel like an asshat.

It’s simple friendship etiquette, people. And when a friend asks you to take it down? Do it. Or black out their face so it’s unrecognizable. Just saying.

Rule #3: Be Discreet When Posting Messages on Another Person’s Wall

If everyone knew how to set their Facebook privacy settings properly, this MIGHT not be a big deal. However, most people allow for others to comment on their wall and it’s visible for the whole world to see.

When you post sensitive messages or call out someone on their Facebook wall, you’re basically airing their dirty laundry. I’m sure you haven’t done anything like this though since you’re momma taught you better than that right?

Keep in mind that while you may feel better about it and the post may be deleted later, it’s the internet. Somewhere the data you put on that wall of that jerk who stood you up and aired their dirty laundry? You’ll likely find references to it somewhere on Google, thanks to SEO.

And while you may be angry with them for slighting you for whatever reason – stay classy! It is uncouth and can even have a similar effect on someone’s work status or otherwise as seen in a story in this article on WIRED.

“At its worst, it’s a weapon of mass reputation destruction, capable of amplifying slander, bullying, and casual idiocy on a scale never before possible.”

Shaming someone online can even be akin to bullying, if taken too far. So why not be the bigger person and just be discreet … or in other words don’t be a dumb bunny. Address the person privately, not publicly.

And if you still feel the need to call someone out on their bullshyte, then check out this article on LifeHacker.

Remember:

“Online shaming is a door that swings only one way: You may have the power to open it, but you don’t have the power to close it. And sometimes what rushes through that door can engulf you too.”

Rule #4: Don’t Steal Other People’s Friends

This Facebook relationship etiquette rule is kind of an odd one, because if you become friends with another person’s friends through mutual gatherings or excursions, you are not really “stealing other people’s friends” … You became friends with them through normal interaction.

What I believe that this rule applies to is when you go to the friends list of someone and add people you never met or barely know. That’s just creepy and weird. I personally don’t normally add anyone unless I know them or they message me and have some kind of a discussion.

Most people these days just add people willy nilly without any interaction. I don’t know if it’s because they just want a crap ton of friends on Facebook, they don’t understand how the follow button works, or what.

And for those on the receiving end of a random friend request? Sometimes you pick your brain going, “Do I know this person?” So you check mutual friends … and when you have several mutual friends, you think “Oh, I must know this person because they have 50+ of my friends, too” right? Yeah … that’s not necessarily true. They may be one of these Facebook relationship etiquette breakers!

Rule #5: Don’t Start Hate Groups

Just don’t. With all of the bullying out there, you never know when something like this might push someone over the edge.

How would you feel if someone started a group all about talking smack about you and how much you suck or how much someone disliked you? Unless you have a high degree of personal development, like most people you would probably feel really bad, right? Maybe even angry?

When someone slights you – kill them with kindness! Hate groups do nothing but cause more hate and more negativity. Don’t put that out into the universe. Forgive and let go.

Recently I came across this article on Psychology Today about being slighted. What I found really interesting about it is that there’s a section that says:

When we feel slighted, it may seem that the offence comes from the outside, but ultimately, we are the ones who allow ourselves to feel slighted. In the wise words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

This goes right along in line with some of the things that Tony Robbins and T Harv Eker teach … Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, actions lead to results! Therefore you determine how you feel in reaction to an event that happens to you, such as someone breaking Facebook relationship etiquette.

So next time you feel slighted by someone on Facebook (a.k.a. the Electric Friendship Generator as described in the video), you should just let it go. And as the end of the video says …

“Remember – have good Facebook manners and the electric friendship generator will be more fun for everyone!”

And nothing good ever comes from being easily offended.

What about you? Was there a time you ever felt slighted? Did you retaliate? I would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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What REALLY Happens When You Get Angry (And How to Deal)

2015-01-21 By Kassandra 1 Comment

So … having emotional intelligence (EI) means you have the ability to not only monitor other people’s emotions (being empathetic) but you’re also able to monitor your own. You can discriminate and label each emotion appropriately and use emotional information in order to guide your behavior and thoughts. Studies have shown that people with a higher EI have more potent leadership skills, greater mental health, and exemplary job performance.

But the curious thing? Most people don’t know how to have a high EI. We just fly by the seat of our pants and feel entitled to our emotions, regardless of how we got to that emotional state.

Something I learned from T Harv Eker and Tony Robbins is that:

Your thoughts lead to feelings.

Your feelings lead to actions.

Your actions produce your results.

Anger is a natural emotion and it alerts us to when something has violated “the natural order” of how we think things should go, whether it’s someone arguing with you about something you know for a fact is truth or if a shopper has 20 items in a 10 item limit line. That emotion triggers a bodily reaction that is meant to motivate us to restore the balance of “right and wrong” … yet in order to do so effectively we must not only get angry for the right reason but express our anger appropriately.

This morning I got into a fight with my wonderful, caring boyfriend and we both inadvertently expressed our lack of EI today. Through misunderstanding, our need to be right, and (at least for me) lack of sleep we had an argument that escalated into anger and harsh words were spoken – which made it worse.

INTERESTING FACT: Anger in women is more likely triggered by their close relationships, especially when they feel let down by loved ones or that these people expect too much and give nothing in return.

Needless to say, we both have a high enough EI that we could work through it and past it quickly enough, but I wanted to share this with you as it inspired me to do some research on anger and how it affects your mind and body.

Anger induces stress on your body … And stress is a silent killer. It’s amazing what it does to your body. I won’t go into it much now, but if you have the time you should watch the documentary. Here’s the YouTube for it:

Anywho … I couldn’t stop thinking about how quickly things escalated and how it could have been avoided … And how it reinforced the knowledge that personal development is a MUST in order to have a higher EI!

But back to the subject at hand … I wanted to provide you with some information on anger – what it does to you and ways with which to deal.

One of the sites I found was a Reader’s Digest one as well as a HowStuffWorks article (which I HIGHLY recommend you reading because it has so much more content than I am sharing in this post), but you can Google it and find tons on this subject!

What happens to our bodies when we get mad or angry?

— our rational frontal lobes shut down

— reflexive back areas of the brain take over

— left hemisphere of the brain becomes more stimulated as the hormonal & cardiovascular responses kick in

— body pumps out cholesterol & catecholamines (which encourage fatty deposits to pile up in the heart & carotid arteries)

— “fight or flight” response buts blood flow to your stomach & diverts to your muscles (impacts intestinal-tract contractions and digestive secretions)

— cortisol hormonal surge (bumps oil production, leads to acne & other skin issues)

— if you’re prone to frequent & prolonged eruptions of rage, it can be difficult to return to a relaxed state (over time can impact your immune system)

How to Deal With Anger

Retrain Your Brain

This is actually something I was learning at the Unleash the Power Within event by Tony Robbins I went to this past year in Dallas, and partly with what I’ve learned from T Harv Eker. Remember – thoughts lead to your feelings … so if you’re feeling something you recognize is not a good emotion, challenge yourself to think of something else!

Or you can do cognitive restructuring (“thought stopping”), which is the process of identifying and disputing irrational or maladaptive thoughts. Kind of the same thing … kind of. LOL!

Book An Appointment

Apparently there is such a thing as cognitive behavioral therapy. Basically you learn to spot anger triggers and control your reactions.

Deep Breaths!

Deep breathing (or even just breathing exercises) help to slow your heart rate that the FOF reaction increased. Keep your mind focused on something that is NOT the source of your stress.

Sweat It Out!

Exercise has a TON of benefits, and when you’re angry provides an outlet for the anger. Getting those feel-good brain chemicals will help, too! 😉

There is also the option of medication, but I’m always leery of this since our society focuses so much on masking the problem instead of fixing it. But there is this option, as well. I would just strongly suggest alternative methods first. And give them time. It takes almost a month of consistent work to form a habit.

You can find additional methods for controlling anger here.

If you’re like me and enjoy working on yourself so you can be successful in all areas of life, be sure to check out the presentation below and learn how to train your brain for SUCCESS!

And if you’re looking for something that has the potential to provide you with an additional stream of income with AMAZING support from an incredible team, then check this out!

3 Powerful Quotes To Motivate You to Keep Working On Your Goals

2015-01-19 By Kassandra 6 Comments

I’m sharing these quotes today because I ran across them during my personal development time and I really thought they hit me today. Hopefully at least one of them resonates with you as well!

It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.

John Wooden

This is so true and really hit home for me today. In today’s society, we have a mentality of “I want it and I want it now” … or a “wicrowave society” … And because of how people have been brought up, a lot of people expect immediate results or that they shouldn’t have to work for what they want.

The problem is that if something is worth it, you work for it! And sometimes it takes longer to achieve the results you want. Whether it be weight loss, obtaining an income goal from your business(es) or whatever it is you’re taking strides to accomplish …

But most people (average people) give up before they hit gold! Which is why if excellence were easy and can be done quickly, then more people would do it and achieve success in every area.

But that’s just not how success (or excellence) works.
Do no pray for easy lives … Pray to be stronger men.

John F Kennedy

Again – if you want something, you work for it! There is beauty in the struggle. And you learn more from the hardships you encounter that better equip you for future struggles … for life … and the inevitable obstacles that will occur when you strive for success in any area of life!
When one door closes, another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.

Alexander Graham Bell

We are meant to go from glory to glory, and all too often when we lose or out-grow previous glories, we tend to try to hang on for dear life. And in doing so, we generally do not open ourselves up to the new opportunities and amazing things that are eagerly awaiting us to take control and move into our successful futures!

That relationship with an ex who promised to be there for you always but now never talks to you unless they want something? Why hold on to that?

That old job that screwed you over and you’re bitter about because they treated you badly and you hated working there? It’s done! It’s over! What can they do to you know? Forgive and let go – focus on what you could have done better and improve yourself! A new and better opportunity is waiting for you …

Need help with a SMART goal? Click here!

These quotes are just a few of countless ones that address success, hard work, integrity, and living life … If you’re one of those people who wants to live a better life, who wants to surround yourself with people and information that will lift you higher? Then you need to check out the below information.

The Five Rules of Life

2015-01-17 By Kassandra 4 Comments

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Wanted to share something I learned with you today – and that’s the 5 Rules of Life by Brendon Burchard!

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5 rules for the game of life my friends:

1: Have vision for your life.

Take time daily to focus on:

where you want to be
what you want to have
who you want to share it with
the qualities you would like to have and become

Know what it is you want to accomplish in life.

Sample different cultures. Learn from people who are different from you.

2: Believe in your ability to figure things out.

You were born to win but were programmed to lose! That’s something I learned from Zig Ziglar a long time ago. That, and you can have anything in life you want as long as you help enough OTHER people get what they want.

Believe in your total self. You were created to do AWE-some things!

And when the going gets tough? Know that there is beauty in the struggle. You will grow more and develop skills through working through the hardships you come across and work through.

3: Have fun making our dreams happen no matter how hard it gets.

Too many people forget to have fun and enjoy life!

Have fun no matter WHAT – especially while chasing your dreams! Even when it’s hard work with each step towards your success … even if you have a difficult or unsupportive spouse … Know that it’s worth it in the end.

Enjoy the ride!

4: Be patient but always persistent.

Consistency is key!

And even if things don’t work out as you planned, just allow yourself some leeway. Sometimes it can take longer than we expect …

And we’re taught a “right now” or microwave society. Recent generations have an entitlement issue … But if it’s worth it, you work for it. Allow yourself to learn. Even when you reach a plateau there’s always something more to learn and take your life to the next level!

5: Respect and love other people who are also playing this same game of life

This one is simple, guys. It’s that whole golden rule – do unto others as you would have done unto you!
We are not omnipotent. We do not know everything. There is no higher power anywhere that would hurt someone else.

Everyone has something special to provide to the world. We are all unique – there is no one like us.

=================

Now, if you would also like to hear Brendon Burchard yourself, the below video is him on this exact subject:

Or you can click here for his podcast!

Stay charged.

Live fully.

Love openly.

Make Your Difference

Thank you so much for dropping by today. I would love to get your feedback in the comments at the bottom. ^_^ And if you would like to work directly with me then

>> CLICK HERE <<

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