by Diane Gumaer of Strictly Business
Everything that Leadership Harbor does is about mind health, and a healthier mind equals a healthier body, according to Kris Peterson, a certified leadership, parenting, family, and youth coach with Leadership Harbor and an executive director with The John Maxwell Team. Achieving positivity makes people’s brains healthier, makes them more creative, and makes their bodies healthier. It’s all centers around the brain, though.
“Auto-responders in our brain’s neurons literally grow these branches and can develop what we call leaves or flowers that plant new seeds and expand our thought process,” Kris said. “That’s how we end up expanding our potential. Negative thoughts stop production of leaves or flowers, and all you get are bare branches. Our brain is naturally wired for positivity, and we have to choose to live into that. When we think in a positive form, things come toward us, possibilities open up, and we see things differently. In other words, we see positives if we look for positives, but if we look for a negative, that’s what we’ll find.”
Leadership Harbor’s mantra is: “We want to add value to people, with people that we value, at a time that makes a difference, and in a place that makes a difference.” Accordingly, when their coaches work with individuals who are ready to make positive changes in their lives, their goal is to unlock positive, forward, future thoughts and develop mindsets to get around, over, and through the obstacles that people have given themselves from experiences or how their subconscious has them thinking about themselves.
“We can really truly go beyond where we are and unlock potential,” Kris said. “When we focus only on our mistakes, we literally will continue to make them. Coaching is about taking what is current, unlearning it, relearning something different, applying it, and living into it.”
COVID has had tremendous negative impacts on people’s mind health and, in turn, their physical health. Everything from being alone to watching or listening to the news has sent many people into tailspins because their mindset can’t hold.
“Believe it or not, we are wired to be with people,” Kris said. “The pandemic has created barriers to being with other people. We can see them and talk virtually, but we can’t get that actual human interaction, which we gain energy from all the time. When that slows, we’re slowing, too. During this pandemic, lots of people also have shut down their positive thought processes and think only about the negatives, especially from listening to the news. All of this has gotten worse because of the quarantine and the stress people are living through is naturally shutting down production of all leaves and seeds.”
One of Leadership Harbor’s services—a FREE one—focuses on suicide and bully prevention but its results reach much farther. It’s called CALM, which is an acronym for stay Calm, Ask questions and actively listen, Lead, and Move. Kris said Leadership Harbor brings it to anyone free of charge because they consider it so essential.
If you know someone who is looking to improve their health but is struggling with motivation or other barriers, they need to find a trusted resource. Kris warns against following any program that promises immediate change. People need to know they’re going to get what they want and for the value they can afford. Before choosing a life coach, check out the background and values of the company. If you’re dealing with people of integrity, you’re going to have a lot more trust. You have to have a trusted connection point with accountability, and you have to be willing to engage and take the time to make the changes you want. Leadership Harbor can help you get there!
Quoting Dr. Caroline Leaf from her book Think Learn Succeed, Kris said: “It takes 21 days to build a long-term memory and it takes 63 days to build a new habit. Moral of the story? Change takes time, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Also, be wary of anyone who promises a quick fix to a problem—the results will only be temporary.”