Has this ever happened to YOU?

 

When making a turn out of the barn Friday evening in the little utility vehicle I heard something drop into the street. Suddenly, a fire truck with flashing red lights comes up the normally very quiet road so, of course, I get out of the way. It goes up the street, makes a u-turn, goes back down the street, makes another u-turn, than back up the street again, now followed by an ambulance. Hmmmm. Wonder what's up? I hope my neighbors are ok. I finish my chore (dumping horse poop, it makes you strong) and I drive back to the scene of the thud to investigate what might have dropped out of my coat pocket (it wasn't the manure bucket).

Ah! My cellular device...no telling how many times it got run over but the cool thing was it still had power, it still barked (ring alert), quacked (text alert) and did everything it was designed to do BUT I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT FOR ALMOST FOUR DAYS because the screen was shattered. It's kinda pretty, eh? In a painful way:(

Now here's the take home...

Why would I share this story other than to make you laugh? 

(especially if this has happened to you in some way)

Experiences like this can stress you out! 

But it doesn't have to be so bad...

Here are 8 LESSONS I LEARNED during the epoch:

1. Always have a backup.

• Back up your data, whether it be your phone, computer, or some other electronic gadget.
• Don't assume it is automatically backing up to "The Cloud" or some cyberplace (I made up that word). Check periodcally. My backup button was OFF!!!
• Maybe have an old phone you can switch to until your new one arrives.

2. Don't rely so heavily on one device.

• Indeed, it's cool to be techy, streamlined, and efficient, but don't neglect old-fashioned paper! Had I filled out the blank calendar on my desk I would have known my schedule for Monday and Tuesday rather than going to work and simply waiting to see who shows up!
• I'm also going to check out that Google Calendar thing. I hear it's a great way to coordinate your schedule with co-workers and family members. How's that for time and stress management?

3. Remember to be THANKFUL.

• No matter how bad a situation is, it can usually be worse. Start looking for anything you can give thanks for and focus on the positive so the negative stuff won't take over your mindset! For instance: 
• I was thankful my phone stayed on so I was able to back it up to my computer even though the cloud thing was deactivated. 
• I didn't get hit by the truck. Did you know that I got hit by a truck in Dec., 2010? Funny thing is the truck ran over my foot but my cell phone was in my outstetched arm and was fine, LOL
• I was able to work 11 hours straight on Saturday (we had a brain mapping day) without interruptions and check messages later!

4. Know and/or keep a record of your usernames and pass codes for account status, message retrieval and information recovery. 

5. It's a good idea to have one of those "life-proof" cases for your phone.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I hear there's Lifeproof and Otterbox. I actually looked it up last week but didn't follow through with order. I'm looking for one that is waterproof and shock proof. Can't figure that one out, obviously. Help!!!

6. Don't procrasitnate on this list, it can save you a lot of stress!

7. When things are not going your way, slow down, take a breath, and look for another path. There could be an even better plan for you besides your own.

This ordeal was quite a lesson for me. I took the time to ponder it all. When the new phone finally arrived, while my data uploaded, it still would not work. The SIM card was not recognized and it would not go on the network, ugh! I was getting cranky, my relief was just out of reach and I was at the breaking point! Even the Sprint store guy had to call for tech support (thank you for the stellar service) but while waiting I ran into a cherished old friend and had a lovely visit. So, you see, if things had gone my way and worked without intervention, I would have missed that serendipitous appointment with my friend! Sometimes we just need to let go, get out of our own way and let good things happen in the midst of a storm.

8. Zip your pocket!

I encourage you to laugh and share this post and by all means, do some electronic device disaster prevention!

Stay tuned for my next post. I spent some time reading vs. surfing on my iphone. Interesting facts about reading, coming up...

Happy New Year!

Ok, I just couldn't let another day go by without checking in and writing a greeting for the New Year... sooooo without further deliberations... Wishing you all a happy, healthy, blessed and prosperous New Year! It's that time of year when people typically make New Year resolutions. In fact, according to recent statistics (click here for the stats) about 45% of Americans usually make them (I would have thought this number was higher) but only 8% are successful in achieving them. So how can we improve that number?  It's about when high hopes, aspirations, and commitment meet with results. I want to be that person who helps folks figure it out! But it's not about me...it's about YOU! That's right. And you've heard me say it before, "IT ALL STARTS IN YOUR BRAIN!"  It begins with a thought, then a feeling, emotion, then a decision, action, habits...character...then results... (or not). This is why one of the first things I do when I work with people is to discuss the importance of MINDFULNESS.  So today is January 1 and many folks are mindful about resolving to do something or do something better, etc. But here's my thing... WHY WAIT UNTIL JAN.1? Really, we can choose to do this ANY day. We can start over or start something new ANY day. We can choose to live one day at a time and/or do something for just one day, one 24 hour period, then build momentum as time progresses, as we become mindful, take our thoughts captive, change our attitudes, focus on goals one day at a time. Can you tell I have been working a 12 step program? LOL Yep, that's why, other than Facebook (by the way, I would so appreciate it if you would "LIKE" and "SHARE" my Edge NeuroFitness FB page!) I have been pretty much off the radar, lots of studying, lots of personal development and resolving issues in preparation for taking this brain fitness practice to the next level. It started last winter when I met Dr. Daniel Amen in person at a conference. He invited me to become an Amen Clinic Affiliate so I went through his training and now use many of his tools to help people identify brain system issues and optimize their brain health. So cool! By the way, if you like his stuff, you can order on his website and get a 15% discount by entering my special promo code ECENTER321 But sometimes I still felt like I was stuck, without answers, resolving many issues but still some symptom or thought that just wouldn't turn around... Well folks, announcing this new technology...coming this month to Edge NeuroFitness is the Brainmaster Avatar which will allow us to image and record brain activity at all 19 electrode sites in 3D, real time, and provide biofeedback to guide the brain to where it needs to be to function at its peak! Woohoo! Check out this short video: BrainAvatar by BrainMaster Avatar takes all the guesswork out and saves us thousands of dollars in brain scanning, sending data out for brain mapping, years of psychotherapy...we can collect the data painlessly with no medical intervention in about 30 minutes then determine where we need to go for more focus, relief, and peak performance, because it all starts in your BRAIN! Just for the record, here are 10 things you can do to take care of your brain for the New Year and the rest of your life! Eat better (fresh whole foods) Sleep 7-8 hours/day Exercise regularly Begin each day with 10 thankful/grateful thoughts Eat fish or take fish oil Drink 8-10 glasses of water/day Maintain a healthy weight Meditate daily Spend time with positive people in your life Manage stress Remember, if you don't take care of your mind, you could LOSE IT! Cheers to a healthy brain in 2014!!!    As I always say, "Unlock Your Brain's Potential!"  Think healthy, eat healthy, and stay well and  HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Learning Styles For Success

As summer wraps up and the school year begins, it occurred to me I'd like to offer some information to help make the upcoming academic year a little easier and perhaps more successful. Even if you do not have school age children, you may be a student yourself, have grandchildren, or care for children. And by all means it always helps to "sharpen the saw", learning new facts and skills every day to keep our brains active. 

Did you know that up to 20% of the calories you burn each day are allocated specifically to brain function? Wow! That makes me want to get my thinking cap on, LOL!

Below are tips we can all use to help us learn and communicate with others! 

  

So here, for the first time, is a guest post from our colleague, Dr. Marina Chirco. She was my practicum partner at the EEG Institute and has helped me from the beginning in developing the Edge NeuroFitness practice. She currently serves as our Medical Director and recently moved to England with her husband and two children to establish our branch in the UK! How cool is that?

Here is what she has to share: (Note: Please don't be offended about that this was a "religious" broadcast, it's just some really helpful info that can be used by anybody!)

I was listening to a broadcast on Focus on the Family and the guest speaker was Cynthia Tobias who has a book out on learning styles called, "The Way They Learn".  I thought that her tips were really interesting and helpful. You can listen to the second part of the broadcast from the Focus on the Family website. Here is a summary of what she said:

There are three main learning styles:

• Visual : Needs quiet and has to have the time to actually picture the content in their mind.
• Auditory : Talks a lot. They need to hear themselves saying the content.
• Kinesthetic : Needs movement. Will tap pen, bang feet, move around while studying.

These three types can then either be :

Global : Needs context for the information they are memorizing or learning. "Why are we doing this?" How does it fit into the things that I am interested in?

Analytical : Needs detail, lists, order and organization.

Most classroom curriculum is tailored for an analytical learning style but only 50% of the population learns this way!

If you have a child who is struggling in school, take a moment to figure out what kind of learning style they have.  Listen to how they talk. 

The visual learner will use lots of visual words, such as, "Can I show you this? Will youlook at this a minute? Can I see that?"

The auditory learner will use lots of auditory words such as, "Can I talk to you a minute? Will you listen to this? Can I just say something?"

The Kinesthetic learner will use mostly action words, "Let's just do this. Let's go!"

Once you have figured out how your child learns, ask him/her where the ideal study spot would be. What would the ideal time be? Even if it sounds strange let them try it out and if they can prove that it works then, why not? 

Choose your battles!

Be honest with your child and let them know that this is difficult for you, too.

A very powerful tool is to let your child know that you acknowledge how difficult studying is for them. You also need to let them know what it is you like about them. Try to figure out how to take that strength and use it to do better in school.

If you have a teenager who is struggling and just doesn't care anymore, there is a lot of emotional tension:

Pray!

Focus on their strengths - "What I Like about you is..."

Don't constantly hassle and criticize them because they will naturally go elsewhere to seek acceptance.

Marina Chirco, MD (IT) 

Neurofeedback Practitioner

Here's a little tip from me, Becky Bassham, NeuroFitness Coach, methods I have found to help me study or help others study/learn new things:

For the visual learner: Prepare flashcards and visual aids

For the auditory learner: Repeat facts out loud or read study notes, text to yourself or to anyone willing to listen! I have a friend who brings his therapy dog into schools so children to read to him!

For the kinesthetic learner: Try studying or reciting facts/flashcards while doing jumping jacks (great for kids and countting, ABC's), marching, walking, or riding an exercise bike.

When I was a kid, I used to study vocab words while riding and reading them to my horse! A little of all three, perhaps I'm a slow learner? Now my favorite method is flash cards and reading on the exercise bike, it's safer!

I'm thinking this also has its applications in communication, like when giving instructions...

Some people are good with verbal directions or instructions. Others do better with lists, and some do better when they are shown how to do something or learn by doing. Just a thought!

Did you ever try to communicate with someone and it doesn't seem to get through? I have!

Now keep in mind, if you or someone you love is struggling in one or more of these areas, we have technology and tools that can help! Did you know that we can actually strengthen these areas of your brain just by playing or special video game or watching DVD's in our office? 

Call today to find out how! (928) 486-5414 or now toll free at (866) 380-4537

  

Stay tuned for the next post in our back to school/learning series. Hint: After reading it, you will want to go to sleep!

As I always say, "Unlock Your Brain's Potential!" 

Are You Out of Your Mind?

Ok, so school is right around the corner.  Maybe you and your children are finished with the school years but struggling to keep up with work, projects, daily responsibilities, and this crazy economy. Regardless, studies have shown the importance of mindfulness on our wellbeing. Mindfulness is a spiritual or psychological faculty which involves maintaining a calm awareness of one's body, feelings, and mind. It's an attentiveness of the reality of things in the present as opposed to delusion and can be a powerful force in combatting runaway thoughts such as those experienced by people suffering from worry, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, insomnia, or even PTSD. You see, success in any area of life depends on our ability to focus and achieve goals, whether it be in the classroom, workplace, society, or even in the home. Without a calm awareness of the mind and task at hand, this can be a challenge! But STRESS often undermines our ability to achieve this optimal state of being,hijacking our emotions and actual physiology away to another path which often leads us astray.  Fortunately, although stress can negatively affect cognitive functioning in a number of ways, our brains are quite adaptable to learning under stress. In fact, researchers have pinpointed how certain receptors in the brain can help us move from conscious to unconscious (that's that stress hijacking thing) learning processes when we are under stress. This switch in gears is spurred to action by proteins activated by the adrenal glands in response to the release of stress hormones.  You may ask, "So what does all that mean to me?"  It means you can still learn and function under stress but a different part of your brain is activated but it is NOT AS EFFICIENT!   Kinda like good news and bad news.  The other good news is we can practice techniques to improve mindfulness in our daily lives. You see, everything about you mentally, physically, and spiritually has its roots in the brain... It all begins with our THOUGHT life:  Meditation is a powerful tool in gaining that calm, centered platform from which to launch our thoughts. While we cannot control the world around us, the economy, or other people, we CAN control what goes on or not within our own heads! And that, folks, is where it all begins, eh? With a creative thought, an open, healthy mind, a good decision... Now don't get hung up on the word meditation, which often connotes philosophies and religion. meditation is simply a state of mind, a specific set of EEG brain frequencies no matter how a person chooses to get there be it some form of meditation, it could be prayer, or it could be just simply focusing on one's own breathing pattern, tuning out all other distractions. It's about dwelling for a time in as little as a few minutes daily in a clam state of inner focus to quiet the mind and focus on being still in the moment, meditating on positive things in life or in prayer.  Mindfulness practice is being employed in psychology to alleviate a variety of mental and physical conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and in the treatment of depression and drug addiction. The other good news is if you are struggling to learn this skill, can't quiet or focus your thoughts, or are so stressed you can't imagine what that would even be like (or have a kid who is all over the place or maybe stuck in their own head, LOL) we have modern technology that can help! That's right! With EEG Biofeedback, aka Neurofeedback, we can actually train your brainwaves to tune in and focus, just like we tune in to a TV or radio channel. How cool is that?

Call 928-486-5414 or go to www.EdgeNeuroFitness.com for more info. or to schedule your FREE CONSULT today! Ask about our PERFORMANCE, FOCUS, and RELIEF package specials! I always say, "Unlock Your Brain's Potential!"

You're Invited to the Expo

You're invited! To the 13th Annual Lake Havasu City  Chamber of Commerce  BUSINESS EXPO No charge to attend, tickets not required Meet and greet! Get to know some of Havasu's finest local businesses... Find out what they can do for you! As for me, I have a special FREE OFFER, have not done this one since appearing before the stars at the in Jan. 2012 Golden Globes Event! That's right, a GIFT CERTIFICATE for one free session at Edge NeuroFitness... But you have to come in person to get it! Have you or a friend been curious to find out what this is all about? How our custom brain training can help you feel better, think better, learn better, remember, sleep or perform better? REALLY!  So here is your no-risk one-time free offer to come see what it's all about.  Ask about our new PERFORMANCE, FOCUS, and RELIEF package specials I will be there to answer all of your questions. You can see how the system works and even get to try our p.ROSHI Light Glasses for a little taste of what is to come. I refer to it as "Brain Spa" Can you say, "Ahhhhhh"? Most people find a sense of peace and calming relief within minutes of wearing them, it doesn't take long... Like a GPS for your BRAIN! Find your way!    And come find out what EEG Biofeedback/neurofeedback can do for you If you already know, bring a friend, this is our chance to share with them! (If you are one of my clients from California and wish to come for a tuneup, just call me, I have special accommodations for you and your family, no worries!) Date: 8/15/2013 Time: 10:00 AM TO 7:00 PM Location: LHC Recreation/Aquatic Center 100 Park Ave Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 "Unlock Your Brain's Potential!"  I hope to see you there! Think healthy, eat healthy, and stay well!

Get Moving Now!

Did you know that sitting kills and moving heals?

Check out this story from Dr. Joseph Mercola, he's one of my favorite heath experts. Have you ever heard of him?

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/23/vernikos-sitting-kills.aspx?e_cid=20130623_SNL_Art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130623

Oh my! I'm going to replace my office chair with an exercise ball today!

All it takes is to stand up and move around every 20 minutes. 

I can do that, can't you?

Especially if my life and/or quality of life depends on it!

Please let me know what you think and how you get yourself moving this week...I'd love to hear from you!

Cheers!

Becky Bassham

Brain Fitness Coach

www.edgeneurofitness.com

Why Do I Care?

March is Brain Injury Awareness  Month!      So why do I care??? Who cares? Why should you care??? Well pictures speak louder than words, see for yourself! Here are just two of my helmets...   Note the left side of motorcycle helmet and front of equestrian lid...(the irregularly shaped hole on left is NOT supposed to be there, it could have been in my skull!) I have two more from childhood, those pretty black velvet riding helmets used by people like Christopher Reeve who get their kicks flying over jumps on a 1500lb. animal that has a mind of its own... Then when your bratty horse refuses to jump (I have well-behaved trusty steeds now), an epic launch occurs, propelling you torpedo-like into mid-air flight which often results in flattening the cute little nob on top of the helmet. I wonder if that's why they put it there? Like an indicator it's time to buy a new one? I DID BUY A NEW HELMET last week in honor of National Brain Injury Awareness Month, retiring the old lid to stockpile of relics, archiving my TBI's! Speaking of archives...being an aspiring neuroscientist, I wanted to find out the extent of damage to my noggin. After a couple thousand dollars, an hour of data collection strung up to 19 electrodes, and weeks of post processing, here is just one page of my QEEG results (as seen on my computer screen):    Note how the areas with issues correspond to the dings on my helmets that resulted in a 150% increase in the ADHD index compared to norms.  That means I'm special, LOL! This evaluation was done after a year of neurofeedback training, folks, but at least I'm functioning off meds. Can you imagine what it might have looked like before? And I've made a lot of progress since (stay tuned for updated report).  Do you have any of these symptoms? Symptoms of TBI usually fall into four categories: Thinking/  Remembering Physical Emotional/ Mood Sleep Difficulty thinking clearly Headache Fuzzy or blurry vision Irritability Sleeping more than usual Feeling slowed down Nausea or vomiting (early on) Dizziness Sadness Sleep less than usual Difficulty concentrating Sensitivity to noise or light Balance problems More emotional Trouble falling asleep Difficulty remembering new information Feeling tired, having no energy Nervousness or anxiety ***Some of these symptoms may appear right away, while others may not be noticed for days or months after the injury, or until the person starts resuming their everyday life and more demands are placed upon them. THIS IS WHY I CARE!!!  People need to know the affects of bumping your head and that help is available! PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO FRIENDS!!!  We, at Edge NeuroFitness are helping people with brain injuries, including yours truly!  The brain has billions of neural pathways of communication and with EEG Biofeedback we allow the brain to see itself in action to help regulate and stabilize these functions just by watching a feedback screen.  And if that's not enough, click here for the latest research! If you or a loved one has had a brain injury, even long ago, and would like more information on how we may be able to help: Please give me a call at (928)486-5414 to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION! And don't forget that we work with U.S. military veterans on a pro bono basis as our way of saying "thank you" for your service to our country! Find out more Find out how we can help you feel better, think better, work, perform, or sleep better... TODAY! Think healthy, eat healthy, and stay well! Many Blessings,       Becky Bassham www.EdgeNeuroFitness.com