Frontal Lobe Is Crucial

The frontal lobe is the director in our brain. Wow, if that's true, then it's important to know how I can strengthen or weaken it!!

Frontal lobe - the largest part of our brain

Example - Phineas Gage

The frontal lobe was 'discovered' on the occasion of Phineas Gage's famous accident (see BLOG). Phineas was no longer the same person after that, although he was completely physically, intellectually and motorically intact. Before the accident that punctured his frontal lobe, he was an exemplary, responsible, quiet man. After that he was a moody, disrespectful guy who swore a lot, was impulsive and unreliable. He repeatedly suffered from epileptic seizures and fever attacks until he died in 1860 at the early age of 36 (see BLOG).

Research

In the last 175 years, research has made great methodological advances, which is why we now have a large amount of information, particularly about the frontal lobe.

The frontal lobe, also known as the frontal lobe, is one of four lobes of the cerebrum. The front area, the so-called prefrontal cortex, is considered the seat of our personality. So what we are is what our frontal lobe stands for!!

Above all, the mechanisms that control and coordinate our thoughts and feelings are controlled here. Neuropsychology uses the collective term <executive functions> for this

Executive functions

A 6-year-old child can't manage himself yet, but a 19-year-old teenager is much more capable of it. This means that the prefrontal cortex matures particularly during adolescence.

Setting goals - planning and implementing strategies - recognizing obstacles - deciding on priorities - remembering rules - completing tasks independently - these are some important functions of the frontal lobe.

Dealing with rules is an important learning process for working memory, especially for children. Children can act out great anger to get their parents to do what they want for them. “Think first, act later” is an important impulse control that occurs naturally in the frontal lobe. (BLOG)

Children are in a big learning process. Their frontal lobe will later determine what personality and quality of life they will have. By the way, dogs have a larger frontal lobe than cats.

….

Man lernt nie aus

Auch bei Autofahrern kann man manchmal fehlende Impulskontrolle erkennen. Wie reagierst du, wenn Dir die Vorfahrt genommen wird? Wie leicht können wir dem Stress, der Müdigkeit und der Überforderung anheim fallen, die dann Einfluss auf unsere Aktionen und Reaktionen haben können.

Multitasking - also nebst Autofahren noch eine Unterhaltung führen - hat ihre Grenzen. Unser Gehirn ist für die Konzentration und Fokussierung auf wesentliche Lebensaspekte spezialisiert.

In unserer modernen Zeit - der Zeit der Sozialen Medien (BLOG)- werden wir oft von diesen ‘gefangen’ gehalten und können uns kaum mehr losreissen. Schnell sind zwei Stunden vergangen, in denen wir oft Informationen erhalten haben, die wir gar nicht gesucht haben und kaum einen Gewinn darstellen. Hier gilt es, die Kontrollfunktion des Frontallappens zu sensibilisieren, damit wir nicht ein Opfer unserer Zeit werden.

Der empfehlenswerte Lebensstil im Sinne von NEWSTART PLUS (BLOG) ist das grossartigste System, das ich kenne, das uns Menschen eine gute Lebensqualität sichert.

Wie wäre es jetzt mit einem Spaziergang ???

Wherever you live, nature always has something special to offer. And that’s really good for the frontal lobe!!

Fear Less – Step by Step

It touches everyone, some more, some less. Here are some tips and tricks for dealing with fear.

The Problem

Most of us know that regular exercise and balanced nutrition are keys to increasing our wellbeing and making us more stress and fear resistant. If only we would put our knowledge into practice! Instead, we often let ourselves get overwhelmed by our many duties and responsibilities and put our health on a back burner for later. It’s no wonder so much fear, stress and depression result, impacting and infecting increasing numbers of individuals.

It is interesting to note that fear is often associated with the future, depression has its roots in the past and stress is especially produced in the present. Are there solutions to be had that don’t require medications?

A Case Study

After a tough day at work, John made his way home through extremely trying traffic. Arriving home after dark, he rushed into the house and greeted his wife hastily on his way to the shower. His two children were playing in the living room, but John had no time for them. He was hungry and looking forward to dinner.

While he was eating, his wife, Bea, was fidgeting. "What’s up?" he asked a bit impatiently. "Your mom is worried and would like you to visit her some time.” "I can’t. I have bigger problems to deal with right now. My boss blew up today!" "Can’t you think of somebody besides yourself? And what about your children? They have been looking forward to spending time with you this evening!" "Nag, nag, nag! You don’t work! So you have time for them!"  Both parties were losers in that exchange.

Little Yolanda entered the room and gave her daddy an envelope. "Can’t you see I’m busy talking to Mommy?" John stuck the envelope in his pocket and Yolanda began to cry. Her mother started to stick up for her and John escaped to his room knowing he was in a losing fight. He had lost control of his emotions.

While he was getting undressed, he suddenly had the envelope in his hand. Yolanda had drawn him a picture and had written, “I love you, Daddy,” with a heart next to it for emphasis. John’s stomach cramped, realizing he had made a terrible mistake.

The question that crystalizes out of this example is: What is the most important thing in life? Our fears often lead us into dead-ends and destructive situations in life that we would never choose ourselves, if given a rational moment to think it through. Therefore, it is imperative that we look our fears in the eye and work them out. Right?

Children are usually the victims. They have too little experience and intellect to understand and process all the difficult situations they experience. No wonder so many find themselves struggling for emotional survival! The challenge for us as adults is to find ways to help these children break the cycle of fear.

Thoughts are Powerful

As you may read in the blogs on toxic thoughts (TOX1 - TOX2), our thoughts are a cofactor to health. Those who can control and regulate their own thoughts are at a distinct emotional advantage. That, however, is easier said than done.

A short refresher:  Our thoughts can influence our immune systems, which in turn influence our probability of getting cancer, lower our life expectancy, increase the time needed to recuperate from sicknesses, depress our moods and, consequently, decrease our social competence.

People who make positive thinking a habit get more out of life. Those who carry lovely pictures of the past around with them, who see difficulties as a part of a bigger, nicer picture, and who can speak well of yesteryear definitely do their approximately 70 trillion cells a huge favor. A similar advantage is produced when the future is contemplated with happy confidence.

The most important point to consider undoubtedly revolves around how we think about ourselves. If we regularly compare ourselves with great personalities (stars in the media), we will always lose. We need to learn to value our own talents and skills, but neither these nor our achievements can be the basis for our self-worth, or we will soon be in grave danger.

Of course, nobody can ALWAYS think ONLY positive thoughts. The death of a loved one is inevitably followed by a period of mourning. People of faith have a distinct advantage here: their time for grieving is normally shortened and eased by the hope that carries their thoughts beyond the grave. 

The human brain is absolutely sensational! Each person’s entire life is stored within those three crucial pounds of gray matter. So it is beneficial to understand how it works, or better, how it can be influenced for the good. What is the role of the frontal lobe (BLOG)? The amygdala? How can my lifestyle improve (or damage) brain function? These are important questions, but they seem more important to me, now that I know some answers.

Fear

Fear is a constant companion in life. It’s something like a “gift of creation”. We have also received tools to deal constructively with fear: experience, reason, self-awareness and especially love, which is the opposite of fear.  

Caroline

When Caroline was five years old, her father left her and her mother for a younger woman. One of the consequences of this move was that her mother had to get a job, and Caroline had to go to a day care center. It was not easy for her mom. She often complained about her meager financial circumstances. Having already lost her daddy, Caroline worried that her mother could also leave her (fear of loss) (Verlustangst) and her fear of the future grew with her awareness of life. She began to expect tragedy. She developed a negative pattern of thought that would surely accompany her into her adult life.

There are diverse kinds and shades of fear. From general phobias to panic attacks to fear of loss to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), their roots can all usually be traced back to some devastating

Causes of Fear

Nature presents us with some beautiful examples of how animals overcome fear. It’s quite amazing when you consider the size of their frontal lobes as compared to ours!

Many fears are transmitted to children through their parents. Fear of failure, feelings of guilt, irrational fear (like of mice) and personal instability because of feelings of low self-worth can all produce huge deficiencies in children. People generally have little knowledge of their own fears and coping skills.

The main cause for all fear, as I see it, is a lack or loss of love. Love is the best medicine for fear. Where love is lacking, fear grows. Where love, security and appreciation are put into practice, fear must retreat and diminish.

That is easy to say, but where can you get love without stealing it? (BLOG) People who have a hard time dealing with life are often tempted to develop coping strategies such as power, pleasure and/or pride. When you get right down to it, these are all really just substitutes for love. The choices of counterfeits available today are as numerous as the stars.

Dealing with Fear

The symptoms of a fear disorder are often first seen after a stressful event. At those times, it would be advantageous to know how to best deal with them. Here are a few suggestions:

> Share Your Troubles

Having someone you can talk to in times of trouble is truly a gift. The investments you make in your family, friends and community will prove their value in times like these.

> Relax

Every person has developed his or her own way of relaxing. For some, it’s a walk by a river, for others, it’s listening to music, hanging around, reading or painting pictures. Find your way, and do it.

> Breathe Deeply

When people are afraid, they breathe shallowly. Breathing IN and OUT slowly, deeply and thoughtfully several times can bring balance back into a difficult moment. Afterwards, it will be easier to think clearly and rationally.

> Eat Healthy

But what is healthy? There are HUGE discrepancies in what is promoted as healthy nowadays! Let me summarize my humble opinion in a nutshell: The more natural, the healthier. Please check out the blog called NEWSTART .

> Self-Help Groups

In many towns there are self-help groups where you can share your troubles with and learn from others. These are especially helpful if you don’t have friends or family who understand your issues.

> CBT: Thought Stopping

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a good method for many for managing fear and intrusive negative thoughts. As soon as you recognize an undesirable thought, consciously STOP it by turning your thoughts to something positive and desirable. Refuse to dwell on toxic thoughts.

Other options for those who need extra help include asking a doctor for assistance. Pharmacological solutions are sometimes unavoidable.

> Our Creator Can Help

o Style Your Life:  Life is a challenge. Causality, or the question of why things are the way they are, along with questions about our vulnerability, our own and that of our relationships, occupy our thoughts day by day. In order to arrive at the wisest of conclusions, it would be beneficial to ask our Creator these questions personally. He has all the answers. For this reason, many Christians read the Bible. In it they find sensational, deep, psychological bits of wisdom that make life worth living. Living life with HIS values leads to more quality of life and love. Are you interested in an example? Ephesians 5:28 says: He that loves his wife loves himself! Think about that for a moment. What could it mean?

o Stay in Touch:  For example, Christians go to church regularly. They think and feel and act in each other’s best interest, which strengthens their feeling of community. Together they are strong!

o Contact the King:  Please allow me to make one of my favorite suggestions: Take a moment, three times a day in a quiet place, to get in touch with God. It is not important that you feel like it. Just make a decision to do it and don’t let anything distract you from it. Tell Him what’s on your heart. If you are attentive and willing to learn, you will experience how His voice speaks with you through your conscience. 

Many people pray only in a dire emergency, when there’s no other way out. That’s sad. We could have so much more. God invites us to come directly to Him. He promises to reward us when we do. In the Bible, that’s called a blessing. That’s the best key.

Raising Kids in a Digital World- School Daze

Children and youth love digital media. Many of their needs, especially approval and attention, seem to be covered through this means. For a short time, while they are in their digital world, they feel like their emotional love tanks are being filled. Instead of getting their needs satisfied through social contacts, they find the digital solution much easier and more carefree.

If you would like to know whether your child handles media in a balanced or not so balanced way, you might like to do the TEST at the end of this blog.

Here you can find all links concerning this topic:

INTRO  -  TODDLERS  -  PRESCHOOL  -  -  TEENAGERS

A Case Study – Ingrid

Ingrid bought her 7-year-old son, Mark, an iPad while he was in the first grade. She thought to herself, “Why shouldn’t he be able to keep up with the other kids?” Mark’s school had begun to introduce such devices in the younger grades, and his teacher had praised their pedagogical benefits. Since Ingrid wanted to do what was best for her boy, she allowed him to play certain selected educational games on his iPad.

One day Mark discovered 'Minecraft'. His teacher assured her was simply an electronic form of LEGO building blocks. Remembering how much fun she had had playing with those plastic blocks as a child, Ingrid allowed her son to spend his afternoons playing Minecraft rather than reading or playing baseball like he had previously done.

At the outset, Ingrid was quite happy with the situation. Mark seemed to be very creative as he explored the mysterious cubed world on his iPad. She soon realized that the game was not really like the LEGOs she remembered: after all, she had never had to kill any animals or find rare minerals in order to survive and graduate to the next level with her old beloved LEGO blocks. But Mark really seemed to enjoy playing and the school even had a Minecraft Club. So, what could be so bad about it?

Still, Ingrid could not deny a noticeable difference in her son. He began to concentrate more and more on his digital game, lost all interest in baseball and reading and refused to do his chores. Some mornings when he woke up, he reported having seen the cubed forms in his dreams.
Although it worried her a little, Ingrid told herself it must just be his active imagination. When his behavior deteriorated, she tried to take the game away from him. He threw such a fit of anger that she gave in and comforted herself with the thought that “at least it’s educational.” Then, one night it became crystal clear to her that something had gone terribly wrong.

Ingrid reports: "I went into his room to check on him. He should have been asleep. I was afraid. I found him sitting up in bed, staring with bloodshot eyes at something, or nothing, in the distance. His glowing iPad lay next to him on the bed. He seemed to be in a trance. I was beside myself and had to shake him several times to get him to snap out of it."

She was completely distraught and could not understand how her once healthy, happy boy had become so addicted to that game and ended up in this hypnotic daze.

The game industry is not sleeping. New ways to step into the digital world are being invented every day. Some things might appear to be reasonable at first, but for the farsighted, perhaps dangerous.  

Is Gaming a Drug?

While it is true that not every young boy is influenced in the same way as every other, we must realize that iPads, smartphones und Xboxes are a digital form of drugs. 

It’s very interesting to note that many tech designers and engineers in Silicon Valley choose NO-TECH schools for their own children and raise them low-tech at home.

Many parents understand intuitively that the ever-present glowing screens have a negative effect on their children. They see the aggressive tantrums thrown when deprived of their devices and note a loss of attention span. Children who spend lots of time playing highly stimulating games are easily distracted and cannot seem to concentrate on anything less “attractive”. Worse yet, we see many children who feel bored, apathetic and disinterested whenever they are not connected to their digital world.

But wait! There’s more! It gets worse than that! As stated earlier, these digital devices can affect the human brain just as drugs do. Brain scans show how the frontal lobe (BLOG), our control center for executive functions, including impulses is influenced in the same way as by cocaine. This technology is so hyper-stimulating that it raises dopamine levels (the feel-good neurotransmitter involved in the addiction process) just like sex.

This addictive effect is the reason Dr. Peter Whybrow, Director of neuroscience at UCLA, calls screens “electronic cocaine.” Chinese researchers call them “digital heroin.” Dr. Andrew Doan, the head of addiction research for the Pentagon and the US Navy, has been delving into the subject of game addictions. He has dubbed screen technology and video games "Digital Pharmakeia" (Greek for drug).

Knowing this, it’s no surprise it’s hard to pry our children away from their screens. No wonder they get upset when their screen time is interrupted. Above and beyond this, there are hundreds of clinical studies showing that depression, phobias and aggression are intensified by the use of screen technology and can lead to psychotic behavior, whereby the video player loses contact with reality.

What value do we place on our freedom to think and act? Is freedom still possible? Are we dependent on social media? How far do we want to go? Adults can decide for themselves, but parents must set the limits for their children. I wish them much wisdom and strength.

Treatment for Addictions

Treatment for a child who has crossed the line and is addicted to technology is very difficult. Some therapists claim it’s easier to treat a heroin addict than a matrix video gamer or a social media junkie.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2013 that 8 to 10-year-olds spent eight hours daily with some kind of digital media, while for teens it was 11 hours. A whopping 33% of children were already using smartphones or tablets before they could talk.

In digital detox programs, NO computers, smartphones, tablets, and in extreme cases, TVs, are allowed for 4-6 weeks. This is the time needed for an over-stimulated nervous system to reboot. However, in our technology-based society, it’s an extremely difficult task. Screens are everywhere. It’s often easier to get away from drugs and alcohol than from media.

What makes children vulnerable?

Children who feel lonely, neglected, unloved and bored are generally at higher risk for addictions as an escape from life than those who are happy, well-adjusted and busy. So, it’s often a good strategy to busy them with real life experiences and help them bind their hearts to real people in real relationships. Children who are busy with creative activities and closely knit to their families are less likely to feel the need to escape into a digital fantasy world. But even with the best and most loving support system, any child can be caught in the screen’s hypnotic spell if they spend enough time in its addictive sphere of influence.

The emotional love tank is probably one of the most influential keys when it comes to the subject of addiction endangerment. People who feel unloved, unaccepted or forgotten will generally have greater challenges staying independent of digital media. 

How can parents help?

So, how can we prevent our children from crossing the line to addiction? It’s not easy. The best and easiest way would be to keep them away from digital influences while they’re young. The longer you can drag it out, the better. Here are some ideas and principles to promote:

• Legos instead of Minecraft
• books instead of iPads
• nature and sports instead of TV
• friends instead of Facebook for social interaction
• creative fun and games instead of game apps
• make music instead of listening (music lessons)

Unfortunately, the addictive world of media and screens tends to disturb and destroy the desire for more natural, creative activities.

If your child’s school has not yet realized the dangers of media on young minds, you may have to come to your child’s defense and insist that he or she not be confronted with these devices until the age of at least 10 (12 would be better). Request that neutral experts be invited to speak and highlight the subject at a parent-teacher meeting, so that both parents and teachers may be properly informed and receive suggestions on how to best deal with the situation. 

Speaking of experts, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates both raised their children with minimal technology and had clear rules. “No tech at the table” would be a great rule for every family. That may seem a bit harsh for some, but mealtimes should be jealously guarded as a time dedicated to family relationships and communication. Whatever rules you make, take the time to patiently explain your position to your children. They should understand why you don’t want them playing with their devices so much and why too much can be harmful.

Children want to be strong

You can help your children by pointing out some disadvantages of unhealthy choices. Explain how these devices can make them lose interest in playing ball, reading, playing with bugs and frogs by the creek and spending time with the people they love. If they have seen some of these changes in their friends who are more digitally connected, it won’t be too hard to convince them. Additionally, if you speak your child’s love language (BLOG) during the process, you will definitely be successful.

Lastly: Be a good example. Children like learning from their parents (BLOG). It’s their nature. The Bavarian comedian Karl Valentin once said, “We don’t need to teach our children anything. They only copy what we do anyway.”

When parents and teachers apply the love languages (BLOG) and encourage their children wherever they can, precious relationships and self-esteem are built and strengthened. Children will love and appreciate everyone who gives them the support they need. 

The Rest of the Ingrid – Story

Finally, Ingrid was able to liberate Mark from his tablet, but it was an uphill battle with many skirmishes and setbacks on the way to recovery.

Mark is doing much better today, after four years of learning to use his computer in a more healthy way. His life is more balanced now. He has joined a baseball team and has several really good friends at school. His mother still keeps a watchful eye on his tech usage, knowing that a moment of weakness could mean relapse, as with any other addiction. Healthy hobbies, no computer in his bedroom and “no tech at the table” are a few of the important ingredients in the recipe that spells success for Mark.

A healthy lifestyle (BLOG) also promotes a strong frontal lobe (BLOG), which in turn helps children make good decisions for a bright future.

 Too Much Screen Time – Test *

These simple questions can help determine whether or not screen time is harming your child's overall health. Give a score to each question using the following ratings:

• 0 = never or rarely true
• 1 = occasionally true
• 2 = usually true
• 3 = always true

10 Test Questions

1. Your child is upset when you ask him to stop his screen activity to come to dinner or another activity.
2. Your child asks you to buy a digital device such as an iPod after you have already said no.
3. Your child has trouble completing his homework because he is busy watching television or playing video games.
4. Your child refuses to help with chores around the house, choosing instead to play with screens.
5. Your child asks to play a video game or other screen-related activity after you have said no.
6. Your child does not get sixty minutes of physical activity each day.
7. Your child does not give frequent eye contact to others in the home.
8. Your child would rather play video games than go outside to play with friends.
9. Your child doesn't really enjoy anything that does not involve screens.
10. If you restricted all screen use for one day, your child would be irritable and whiny.

Evaluation

  0-10 Points: Your child does not appear to have too much screen time. He seems able to exercise appropriate control and boundaries.

11-20 Points: Your child may be depending an screen time too much. You will want to monitor screen time more judiciously and watch for growing reliance upon screens.

21-30 Points: Your child may be addicted to screens. You may want to meet with a counselor, pastor, or parent you respect for advice.

* This test is taken from the book "Growing Up Social" by Gary Chapman & Arlene Pellicane

Look for these and many other helpful resources at

www.5Lovelanguages.com. 

• Drills for Grown-Up Social Success, six interactive scenarios to help you build your child's confidence in courtesies and social interaction.
• 25 Common Courtesies for Kids, a quick list to help you shape goals and expectations for your child's behavior.
• The Love Languages Mystery Game to help you determine your child's primary love language.
• 50 Table Talk Questions for Your Family, a guide to fresh and lively conversations at family mealtimes.

"I Would Destroy Their Frontal Lobes!"

Everybody knows that our brains are vitally important for our quality of life. A lot of valuable new information on neurology has come to our attention in the recent past. Today we will consider the frontal lobe, the organ of civilization, and a memorable encounter with Dr. Baldwin in Georgia, USA.

What is the significance of the frontal lobe?

Wikipedia: The frontal lobe, located at the front of the brain, is the largest of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the mammalian brain.

In humans, the frontal lobe makes up approximately 33% of the cerebral cortex. While a monkey’s frontal lobe is proportionately half as big as a human’s (17%), a dog’s is half that at 7% and a cat’s is half that again at 3.5%. The frontal lobe is responsible for motor functions, so it controls our ability to move, but it is much more. It is also the seat of our personalities and our social behavior. How do we know that? A unique event made scientists aware of it:

The Story of Phineas Gage

September 13, 1848: The reputable, productive and conscientious 25-year-old railroad construction foreman, Phineas Gage made his way to his job. His team was working in a mountainous region where dynamite was needed to smooth the way. The regular routine had been effective: drill a hole, fill it with dynamite, lay a fuse, cover with sand, pound with a tamping bar – move away and light the fuse.

On this disastrous morning, someone had forgotten to put the sand in. The tamping bar hit the dynamite directly and caused an unexpected explosion. Instead of breaking the mountain in two, the explosion sent the tamping bar flying through the air. Because Phineas was in its path, it rammed a hole through his left cheek bone, passed behind his left eye and through the top of his head, landing several yards away. Phineas’ frontal lobe had been badly damaged.

The amazing thing was that Phineas did not die. Actually he recovered quite soon – as far as his physical condition was concerned. But drastic changes had taken place in his personality. Before the accident, Phineas was known to be an intelligent, responsible worker, a well-beloved father with high morals and a pious and reverent churchgoer. After the accident he seemed to be just as physically fit and mentally intelligent. His memory was still good, and he could walk, talk and work. But what about his morals, his deeper values?

After the accident he lost his love and interest in his family and soon after divorced. He became irresponsible and profane. He no longer went to church. His spirituality and reverence disappeared. Even social respects were gone. He lost his job and ended up joining a travelling circus.

More information about Phineas Gage can be found in Wikipedia.

A healthy and well-developed frontal lobe is especially important in the family setting. It is the key to wise thought, speech and behavior.

We are daily bombarded with news that reflects the growing instability of our society.  In spite of all kinds of entertainment, the number of anti-depressants and inmates in psychiatric wards continues to rise. If we were to study the reports about all these crimes seriously, at some point we would most likely ask the question, “Who is to blame for all this deficiency of empathy and moral irresponsibility?” Careful observation would reveal to us as parents, teachers and social workers a growing social incompetence among children. Hyperactivity, distractibility, aimlessness, frustration, aggression and depression have become a part of daily life for the youth of today. Sad.

What is the cause?

Scientific studies show that the frontal lobe is the seat of our:

> Morals, Will & Spirituality

> Conscience & Personality

> Reason & Ability to Decide

> Character & Motivation 

> Self Competence & Social Competence (Emotional Intelligence)

Is it possible that our frontal lobes are either strengthened or weakened by our lifestyles? What are you doing personally in order to build or keep a strong character? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we knew what we could do for society so that people would take better care of themselves and the world?

My Memorable Encounter with Dr. Bernell E. Baldwin, PhD

When my son Jesse was the director of a mission school in Georgia, he invited me to be a guest speaker at his school. His neighbor was Dr. Bernell E. Baldwin, PhD.  

He was over 80 at the time and a very successful physician and neurologist. I was looking forward to meeting him, but never seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

After lunch one day, it happened. As I was on my way out the door to class, he was just coming home.

A spontaneous question:

"Dr. Baldwin, can I ask you a question?” “Well, sure!” "What would you do if you were the enemy of mankind?"

In a way I was surprised at my question and didn’t expect a quick reply, but his answer came back at the speed of lightning:               

"I would destroy their frontal lobes!"

At that time I had no idea what he meant. Today I know he hit the nail on the head describing many destructive processes in our society with that one blow.

Since that memorable event in my life, I have become sensitive to the subject. The complexity of the connection between mind and body is mind-boggling, and yet, the surprisingly simple logic behind it amazes and fascinates me. Because of this simplicity, it is relatively easy to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy choices. If it destroys my frontal lobe, I’d better leave it be.

How can I destroy or impair my frontal lobe?

Some symptoms of frontal lobe damage

• Impaired moral principles

• Disturbing social behavior

• Loss of far-sightedness and the ability to make responsible plans for the future

• Inability to think abstractly (from cause to effect)

• Impaired mathematical understanding

• Lack of empathy and love

• Lack of self-discipline (overeating, oversleeping, overspending)

• Hyperactivity (ADHD)

• Indifference toward oneself (fatalism)

• Apathy (lack of self-motivation)

• High distractibility and restlessness

• Lack of inhibitions (boasting, hostility, aggression)

The frontal lobe is affected by

Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, other drugs

Some medicines, high blood pressure

High sugar consumption (careful with children), meat (arachidonic acid) and cheese (tyramine)

Social media (entertainment in the form of movies and games - see BLOG), certain kinds of music and constant stimulation (Hollywood = holly wood = holy wood = magic wand)

Quick scene changes in films overload and bypass the frontal lobe creating hypnotic effect

Some common neurotransmitters that have negative effects: Theobromine (chocolate), Tyramine (cheese), Heroin, Morphine, Amphetamines.

Legal drugs have an especially strong influence on our children and youth. They need good examples of people with high emotional intelligence who will demonstrate the value of a strong frontal lobe and the benefits of saying NO.

How can I strengthen and protect my frontal lobe?

Good nutrition (see NEWSTART)

Healthy lifestyle (see PLUS)

Classical music

The following 'neurotransmitters' have a positive effect:  walkine (walking), laughine, singine, prayine, helpine  :-)

Closing Remarks

As you observe your surroundings, you may recognize some positive and some negative frontal lobe influences.

Do you think our postmodern society offers enough opportunities to stimulate frontal lobe activity? Or are we in danger of damage? Do you think advertisers in the world of marketing want consumers to have strong frontal lobes? Or would they be more interested in weakening our ability to make sound decisions while shopping?

The Bible talks about the time of the end, just before Jesus comes again as a time when people will not be able to love anymore. “The love of many will grow cold.” Let’s do what we can to prevent this from happening to us and our families! Let’s keep our families warm and loving!

This is a complex subject that touches many areas of life, especially families and education. More on that another time!

There’s no greater joy in life than to experience the team spirit of a happy family that supports each other in their daily fight for the right. Many thanks to our kind and merciful God!

Improve EQ in Everyday Life

EVERYONE can contribute something that can support something to the common good. How does it work ?

Perhaps you, dear reader, have already read the previously published blogs on EQ. The following links are recommended for new readers:

EQ0-Definition - EQ0-AreasOfLive - EQ1-Marriage and Family - EQ2-Job - EQ3-Health

As a reminder: The five areas of social life:

1. MARRIAGE u FAMILY (mutual understanding based on self-image)

2. PROFESSION (dealing with colleagues, subordinates, with the boss, motivation)

3. HEALTH (healthy lifestyle promotes frontal lobe development)

4. ENVIRONMENT (privacy, public and society can see added value)

5. SPIRITUALITY (understanding and dealing with belief in a postmodern context)
   

4. High EQ in my Social Environment

Three examples

1. There may be your neighbor who is just difficult to get along with. He doesn't say hello, runs over you with exaggerated ramblings and lets himself be carried away to inappropriate, even untrue comments. How can you help him?
   

2. There's the church member, a woman in her sixties. She acts dominant and disrespectful, although she actually has nothing profitable to say. And that for 12 years. Can you turn it off somehow ?
   

3. There is our choir director. A great guy. Whatever he says has hands and feet. His sayings reveal wisdom and social intelligence. Incredible his empathy with which he can tune us into our songs and sensitize us. He is loved by everyone. Where did he get this gift from?

Classical music usually has a proven positive influence on our brain, our emotional world and our balance. Anyone who has the privilege of playing an instrument, if possible from an early age, has fundamental advantages.

Bringing in feelings is not a problem if they are balanced and do not go overboard. In a social context, reason and feelings are important. If they are lived in balance, this promotes community among people. Such people are valued by everyone else. A wise person betrays himself through his social intelligence. What do you mean with that?

Empathy + Social Skills = Social Intelligence

Daniel Goleman says that social intelligence is an important interpersonal part of emotional intelligence.

This interpersonal intelligence can be seen, for example, in the following skills:

• Organize groups

• Influence group activities

• Willingness, leadership and thus responsibility

• Being able to inspire and motivate others about something

• Bringing solutions into a process

• Negotiating, mediating or preventing conflicts

• Being able to establish a personal connection with outsiders

• Perceiving and understanding feelings, motives and worries of others (social analysis)

Outsider

People who have poorly developed these skills or who have not developed these skills are prone to interpersonal problems, appear uncomfortable and can easily be labeled as outsiders by society. It often happens that such individuals are oblivious to a group's emotional agenda and tend to take a lot of self-attention. To the chagrin of group development. Or they hide wherever they can.

Sometimes it is necessary not to go with the current flow. Namely when the flow is traveling in the wrong direction. Our world situation shows that one cannot rely on the majority. An emotionally intelligent, wise person feels when he has to leave the majority and when not.

Social Chameleons

These people are adept at adapting their feelings to the needs of the group, as we often do with actors, salespeople, diplomats and politicians, but they cannot find the balance between their own needs and feelings. You have not developed your own identity or it is underdeveloped. They are dependent and have hardly any integrity in their backpack.

Chameleons are under animal welfare because they are endangered. They are mostly iguana-scale lizards and live mainly in Africa. They have interesting advantages: Their eyes can look back, to the side and to the front at the same time, which symbolically can be interpreted as a foresight into the past, present and future. This is an important skill for EQ enthusiasts.

A lack of social intelligence can also show up as follows:

• reduced willingness to trust someone

• own area of responsibility is neglected

• Tendency to be wrong

• ruthlessness

• Selfish lifestyle, no willingness to serve

• Dogmatic inflexibility, even fanaticism and extremism

• general learning disabilities

• proud personality structure

Social competence, on the other hand, is shown as follows:

• social harmony - peacemaker

• Interest in efficiency (profitability) and effectiveness (efficacy)

• Tolerant attitude

• Good warning and admonition skills

• Interest in learning processes

• Good service provider

• humble personality structure

“An honest heart bears fruit in humility”

The increase in COURAGE is HUMILITY. Unfortunately, this attitude is not so well known these days. It changes people and makes them wise, far-sighted, and happy people. Have the COURAGE for HUMILITY.

Some Tips

1. Become aware of where you still have learning fields and development potential in everyday social life.

2. Decide to improve one and / or the other finding.

3. Learn to limit yourself to the factual and informational level in a discussion and to exclude the personal character level (communication is important).

4. Observe your own reactions and find any hidden fears that have led you to unwise words or deeds. Consciously replace these fears with loving motives and remember this. A reminder a day or week will help you make this a habit.

5. Take an interest in those around you, especially difficult people. Personal interest in their needs sooner or later makes them friends.

6. Try to stay in balance, not to apply unnecessary pressure, to integrate the situation and the needs of a thing and / or person as possible.

7. Active listening enables you to show respect for those involved.

   Do not forget:

With a healthy lifestyle, especially with NEWSTART PLUS ® (LINK), you promote your performance and willpower in implementing such resolutions.

Important cornerstones are:

• 1.5 - 2 liters of water per day

• Jog 2-3 times a week

• a lot of vegetable and wholesome food as unrefined as possible

Changes are best enforced when they are made in a health context. This strengthens the frontal lobe (LINK), which creates new potential. Take this chance.

I wish you success! :-)