Create Change through Mindfulness, Self-Love, and Intentions with Shauna Shapiro
Change is constant, and yet it is perhaps one of the most challenging things to implement in our lives. It’s one thing to have insight or motivation, but how often does that lead to actual change? While it’s not easy to break free from habits, there are ways to restructure the brain’s pathways toward meaningful change. It begins and ends with the practice of mindfulness, self-compassion, turning off the judgment, and setting clear intentions.
In this episode of Radically Loved, Tessa speaks with Shauna Shapiro about mindfulness, self-love, journaling, and creating change. Shauna talks about the science-based practices integrated into her journal Good Morning, I Love You. She also shares about her work as a professor of psychology and guiding people to become psychologists. Most importantly, she discusses some practices that can help foster meaningful and intentional change.
If you want to start your journey toward mindful self-transformation, this episode is for you!
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Learn the three key elements of mindfulness.
Understand the scientific and spiritual benefits of journaling.
Discover the power of saying “I love you” to yourself every morning.
Resources
Connect with and learn more about Shauna Shapiro: Website | Instagram
The Power of Mindfulness: What You Practice Grows Stronger | Shauna Shapiro | TEDxWashingtonSquare
The Art and Science of Mindfulness by Shauna Shapiro and Linda E. Carlson
Mindful Discipline by Shauna Shapiro and Chris White
Good Morning, I Love You by Shauna Shapiro
Good Morning, I Love You: A Guided Journal for Calm, Clarity, and Joy by Shauna Shapiro
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
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Episode Highlights
[02:51] Good Morning, I Love You Journal
Shauna wrote Good Morning, I Love You after the huge response from her book with the same title.
Books are helpful, but they don’t change the brain.
We can only carve out new pathways in our brain and see a change in our lives through repeated practice.
The goal of the journal is to help people by engaging in specific practices in just five minutes a day. It’s in a workbook journal format.
[04:11] Teaching Psychology
Shauna is a graduate professor of psychology at Santa Clara University.
Mindfulness and self-compassion practices have been the most powerful in her experience as a clinical psychologist. The key to therapy is being present.
The field of psychology has grown tremendously, especially with the recent discoveries in neuroscience.
Neuroplasticity refers to our ability to re-architect our brain structure, which can lead to greater calm, happiness, and joy.
Psychology has moved in a direction toward teaching people specific practices they can integrate into their daily life to create change.
[06:35] Shauna: “The key to therapy—it doesn't matter how many tools and skills and knowledge you have—if you're not present, it doesn't really matter.” —Click Here to Tweet This
[07:24] The Definition of Mindfulness
The popularization of the term has diluted its meaning.
Shauna and her colleagues created a scientific model and published two papers on the definition of mindfulness.
Mindfulness has three key elements: intention, attention, and attitude. Attitude is the most important.
Research shows that paying attention in a judgmental way shuts down the brain's learning centers.
Kindness bathes our system in dopamine and oxytocin, which creates the perfect environment for learning.
[09:55] Turning Off the Judgment
Judgment and discernment are different.
The idea is not to judge something as good or bad but to see things clearly.
Judging and shaming judgmental people is doing the same thing as them.
The key to change is awareness. Freedom comes from being open and curious.
[12:04] The Power of Journaling
Research shows that keeping a journal is good for mental health. We’re 40% more likely to remember something when we write it down.
Writing your change process is helpful and leads to much more successful outcomes.
Good Morning, I Love You is an integration of science, practice, creativity, and art.
[12:43] Shauna: “It's one thing to have an insight and be like, ‘Okay, I figured this out. I don't want to do this again,’ but how often does that lead to actual change?” —Click Here to Tweet This
[13:45] The Practice of Self-Love
Saying “I love you” in the morning is one of the first practices you’ll learn from the journal.
Research shows that people who score higher in self-love are more likely to take care of themselves and get rated as generous and loving by people around them.
Tune in to the full episode to hear Shauna’s story about how she came to practice and embody self-love!
Shauna was remarried to the love of her life nine years after her divorce and being a single mom.
Developing self-love allowed her to recognize the romantic love that felt safe and healthy.
[17:10] Shauna: “Some days, it feels beautiful, and some days, I feel numb, and some days, I feel sad—but I keep planting that seed. I feel the kind of purity of my intention to develop greater kindness toward myself.” —Click Here to Tweet This
[19:14] Why It’s Hard to Change
We don’t change because we keep doing the same thing. Change can only happen if we were to take a new path.
Our attachment styles, which developed when we were younger, are the reason we keep choosing partners who are unhealthy for us.
It wasn’t until Shauna found compassion for herself that she could step out of her relationship cycle.
[20:58] Shauna: "It's really where it starts—is that when you start to treat yourself with kindness, you start to value yourself."—Click Here to Tweet This
[21:34] Journal Practices
Good Morning, I Love You has 5-minute morning and evening practices.
Morning and evening moods predict the length of our telomeres and the health of our mitochondria. These are the two biggest markers of aging, vitality, and health.
The format of the journal caters to people with busy lifestyles.
As a scientist, Shauna wanted to make sure people can do science-based practices.
The weekly deep dives are more intensive 20- to 25-minute practices.
[23:16] Shauna: “Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart, and try to love the questions themselves.” —Click Here to Tweet This
[25:36] Setting an Intention
Intentions are so powerful yet so underrated. They are not only psychological and spiritual but also neurochemical.
When you set an intention, the forebrain releases dopamine and signals the rest of the nervous system to pay attention.
It’s about coming back to the purity of the heart. We need to allow ourselves to be in the process of change.
[27:25] The Relationship Between Neuroplasticity and Intentionality
Neuroplasticity happens passively from ages 0 to 25. After that age, you have to engage the neuroplasticity of the brain actively.
Setting an intention sets neuroplasticity in motion after age 25.
Neuroplasticity happens when the body is resting and sleeping. That’s why meditation is powerful.
[30:10] How to Maintain Changes
One of the best ways to maintain changes is through gratitude practice.
People’s goodness grows when we appreciate them for who they truly are.
We must pay attention to what is working and what is good instead of shaming and nitpicking.
Gratitude is the fastest way to change the nervous system.
[31:37] Shauna’s Inspiration in Her Psychology Practice
Her biggest inspiration is Viktor Frankl, who was a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor.
Viktor Frankl: “Between the stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies your power to choose; in your choice lies your growth and freedom.”
Mindfulness helps us slow down, see clearly with discernment, and choose how we want to live.
About Shauna
Shauna Shapiro, Ph.D. is a professor, clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and internationally recognized mindfulness and self-compassion expert. Her 2017 TEDxTalk, The Power of Mindfulness, has been viewed over 2 million times and is rated one of the top 10 talks on mindfulness.
She has published over 150 journal articles and co-authored three critically acclaimed books translated into 14 languages. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Dr. Oz Show, HuffPost, Yoga Journal, The American Psychologist, and many more.
If you want to connect with Shauna, visit her website and Instagram.
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