How to Rewire Your Brain to Change Your Business and Personal Life with Alison Leitheiser

How to Rewire Your Brain to Change Your Business and Personal Life with Alison Leitheiser

Welcome to this episode of The Determined Mom Show. I have with me, the lovely Alison Leitheiser. And we’re gonna talk today about how to rewire your brain to change your business and personal life. 

So welcome Allison. I’m so excited for you to be here too because I was just telling you before my brain needs to be rewired. I am super excited about this. But before we get into it, let’s go ahead and learn more about you.

I am a mom of three. I have two businesses and I also have another additional job of homeschooling the kids as well. I have a few things, a few irons in the fire, Amanda, and as a mom, entrepreneurs can resonate with, I had a chaotic morning and things weren’t quite going according to schedule or plan. 

And I, before I got on with you, I was like, oh my gosh, I have to calm down. I have to go to the center. And I did a few of these neuro exercises that help my brain know that it’s safe and I can think more clearly and be more present.

And so what I love to do is empower women, especially moms. we’re the ones who change the world. And what’s so important with moms is that our nervous system affects our business. It affects our friends, and our community, but it also really impacts our children.

 And we are the trellis that their little nervous systems, our climbing on their patterning off of them. And so it’s very important that we regulate ourselves and know how to balance ourselves so that we can give that gift to our most precious ones. 

That’s awesome. I know that I, I totally feel you on that. Like the crazy morning, the all of the things like, it’s just, I don’t know if there is such a thing as morning where everything goes, at least I’ve never had it. So if there is, go ahead and let us know. 

If you’re listening and you have had the perfect morning, just please let us know that exists. So that way we know, but I’m glad that you have these techniques and I know you’re gonna share some of these techniques or some techniques with us today that will allow us to work towards that rewiring process. But how did you learn?

I don’t know, I guess it’s a field or field of study. There were a lot of different doors into the body and the mind, and this is one of my favorites so yeah, I didn’t, I, as a. Younger person. I actually became very ill. When I was 16, I got a virus in my spinal cord and it ate away at my nervous system and my organs and I actually was paralyzed from the neck down.

I was fully quadriplegic. I could not change the TV channel. I could not brush my own teeth, things like that. so I was very impacted. Not very functional for a long time with this. And so I began to seek answers. So the medical community did its best. They didn’t have an answer for me and I didn’t match anything that they had going on.

So for Ms. For example, if you need five checkboxes to get that diagnosis, I would have four of them, so I, they didn’t really have, I wasn’t presenting as a textbook case. So they basically were like I don’t know. sh shark shoulders, and here’s some pain medication. So from which, which always makes you feel great, if all of the doctors are like, I don’t know what to do with you.

So my family and, thankfully, we’re not satisfied with that being the answer, just okay. I guess we’ll just wait here, while I’m paralyzed. So we began seeking other alternative healthcare options and we stumbled upon lots of techniques, but there was one, in particular, one, type of therapy in particular that helped me walk again. 

And that’s called integrative manual therapy and they combined so many different types of alternative therapies into one. It’s like a bouquet of incredible work. And so with that, they were able to work on the really damaged aspects of my nervous system.

Like my circulation. And help me repair it. So I did make a recovery with them, but I still had some lingering symptoms like migraines and just exhaustion and really just, like instability in my health.

So if I did too much, then I would maybe feel bad for a little while or if I overextended myself and I didn’t sleep enough or I didn’t eat the right food, I just felt fragile. Do you know what I’m saying? So the neuro training, the brain training is what helped sync.

 My primitive brain and my body began to perceive my environment as not threatening and safe so the nervous system has a huge cascading effect on our hormones, our immune system, and our digestive system in so many different aspects of our lives.

And so if that is if you’re getting the signals. From your brain that you should be in survival mode, then that’s gonna cause you a lot of heartaches, a lot of things are gonna go wrong because there’s this cascade that happens with inflammation and stress and all these things. What we can do now, we know that we can give our brain more information to be like, Hey, let’s take another look. Is that a tiger in my kitchen? Or is it? 

My son is making ground-growling noises. Is that actually, is this traffic jam a life-threatening situation, or do I actually have the ability to breathe while I’m going to work or this incredibly stressful project or meeting, is this life or death, or can we choose something different? So this is the D. Ways we can give our brain more information, can help us choose something different. 

That’s amazing. And I was maybe a little tiny bit aware that this existed, but not like to the extent that you have experienced and that you’ve shared, and I, I just am not, I wasn’t aware that you can actually just change so much about your body just by focusing on your brain. I think that’s awesome. 

So I love marrying the two because some people only talk about the brain. Some people only talk about the organs or, and I think you can’t really go wrong going including both and having more of a whole brain, whole-body approach.

Awesome. So what are some of these techniques that we can actually use? Like maybe on a daily basis when we’re overwhelmed? Like with the kids? Like that’s my biggest thing is like, when oh my God, they’re all fighting. I’m trying to make dinner. 

I’m like, I don’t know if it’s ever, anybody else’s listening has experienced this, but like probably one’s exactly everything is happening at once. And you’re just like, oh my God, I don’t even know what to do. I just shut down. 

That’s a common experience. I think everyone has, and everyone can relate to that. And I think that. There are specific drills that work really well for my brain to help me calm the F down. And those drills probably aren’t gonna be the same for you because your nervous system is different than mine. Your brain is unique. 

And so what I like to do is spend some time, like figuring out what is really powerful, like quick, like you can reset your nervous system in 10 seconds. And, that’s why it’s so awesome for moms and for entrepreneurs cuz we’re not working with a lot of margins.

We need something that is effective and effective in a very quick application. So the rescue drills are definitely there. What I like to encourage people to do is do them proactively, don’t wait until your nervous system is fried to start using them. We can incorporate them into our day and they’re quick.

One thing that I like to teach people is it’s not a super finesse drill, but it’s a pretty common one that works for a lot of people. And that is a breathing technique. The breathing, our rate of breathing is actually a back door to our primitive brain to affect our brain. Because if our brain is thinking, we’re definitely running from a tiger right now, our breath.

And the way that we’re breathing, the way we’re using our lungs is gonna be different than if we’re feeling calm. If we’re sipping tea by the fire, the breathing, changing our breathing can then be a backdrop to our brain and be like, Hey, you aren’t running from the entire efficacy. See how deeply I’m breathing, see how much oxygen I’m taking in.

See how much fuel you’re getting. So then the brain can be like, oh yeah. Okay. Okay. You’re right. and it can make a change. So just doing some really intentional breathing, there are so many awesome breathwork types of suggestions out there, I think is becoming more and more common that people are choosing to utilize this, to change their physiology.

And one of my favorites to use is called alternate nostril breathing. And that balances your brain because it’s stimulating both sides of the brain. You’re breathing through your right nostril and then your left nostril. So I can guide us through that if you want. So for our bodies, we can actually measure if something’s working for us.

So if you take a little check, we’re gonna just like it. Look from side to side, see how your neck feels, and raise your arm up. See how your shoulder feels and then those markers are just gonna help us to know how much our body changes. Cause if our nervous system really likes something, it’ll actually be like, Hey, go ahead and make more movement.

Like I’m feeling safe. We can extend, we can really move our bodies in a different way. And then the other measurement is intrinsically like inside. Taking a measurement of where you’re at. So on a scale of one to 10, like how anxious do you feel? 

And then we. Remeasure those ways that we can touch our bodies. So the alternate and O ulcer breathing is you start by plugging your right nostril and you breathe in with your left. And then at the top of the breath, you’re gonna switch. 

You’re gonna plug the left nostril, blow out the right nostril. Then you blow your inhale through that same side, inhale on the right switch at the top of the breath and exhale to the left and you keep going like that. Inhale through the left switch to the top of the breath, exhale to the right, inhale through the right switch to the top of the breath, and exhale to the left.

So you guys can keep going, but this is called yoga land, this is called naughty sho and there are all these little energetic channels that it’s purifying in our body. And because we’re breathing on the right and left side, it’s activating both sides of our brain. So when we get anxious, when we get Hyper Focused.

Usually, there’s just one part of our brain that’s activated. And so this can help balance our brain out. So you, if you continue to do the breathing, you wanna shoot for seven to eight cycles. So one cycle would be to inhale to the left, switch up the top of the breath, exhale to the right inhale of the right switch at the top of the breath, and exhale through the left.

So that’s like full. Breathing in and out through both nostrils would be one cycle. And then after you’ve done that, you can take a little look, see and see what you’re experiencing in your neck, in your shoulder, in your internal measurement.

I definitely noticed a difference, like in my shoulder like it’s so much easier. I feel more. Mobility, I guess I should say mobility is the biggest change and definitely calmer. I only did like maybe, two cycles, but I think if I did all seven of those cycles, seven to eight cycles, I think it would be a huge difference. So I’m excited to try that. Yay. I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity later today. Cause I’m a mom. 

So I like to do that. When I’m driving. When I’m just if I’m still, and I’m not using a hand, that’s a great one to do and you don’t have to be in a deep meditative state. You can just do the breathing and that’s gonna change your brain.

I love that one because one of our brain’s requirements for optimal function is oxygen. So when you are giving. A base survival nutrient to thrive. You’re gonna get more bang for your buck for the rest of your day. 

That’s awesome. So maybe we should do that every morning, like after we brush our teeth or yeah. Incorporate it into our daily routine and then we can also use it as you said, the rescue. 

And the thing about our brain has two modes. There’s a more survival mode. And then there’s resting and digesting and healing that area. And so you could do this before meals also, and that’ll help you actually be able to digest your food and absorb what you’re giving it.

Now you can also do this before bed to help you. Just lower the stress level and tell your body, Hey, it’s actually okay to rest and it’s okay to sleep deeply and be refreshed in the morning. 

That’s awesome. So now the question for you is, do you like to teach your kids this? Do they practice these things to kind allow themselves to learn about their nervous system and learn how to manage it? 

Yeah. I actually was teaching the kids. We had this little homeschool group last year and I was teaching them anatomy and I was teaching them some neuro drills there as well. And one of the girls broke her arm and had to go get an MRI because there were some complications and she was scared. 

And she was feeling panicked and she had the presence of mind at that moment to re-remember oh, there’s that thing that Alice taught me. Yeah. I’m gonna try it. And so she did, and she was able to not only continue with the MRI but finish. And she was feeling calm, feeling safe, feeling, feeling fine.

So that’s awesome. So I love teaching kids. Kids that’s for sure. Yeah. I love it. I wish I would’ve known this last week. No, I think that was this week when I took my 12-year-old for her COVID booster, she had a little panic attack, not a panic attack, like officially, but she was freaking out so that would’ve helped.

I’m glad that I have it now going forward for all of these challenging moments. And I know that you’re coming out with a book, which I am thinking may have more of these or what’s in your book. 

My book is I’m, it’s a book of a lot of different people’s stories and I have a chapter in there. So I go more in-depth into my story and what helped me and what the experience was like. And that is coming out October 1st. 

Okay. That’s awesome. That’s yeah, just like next week. So that’s perfect. Awesome. So what else can you share with us? That we can use in our business, and in our personal life to really help us too, centering would be the best word or I don’t know if centering is the best word. Just chill. 

I think there’s a lot of hustle that goes on with what we’re trying to do here. and I think that there’s not often. Enough self-care that we take. And sometimes that self-care is like a glass of wine and Netflix, which no, no problem with that, but it’s more like a checkout versus a check-in.

And when we continue going on in our lives and we’re pushing ourselves to the max and we’re checking out a lot, that’s what’s gonna lead to burnout. And where you wake up one morning. You’re like, I don’t wanna do this anymore. I don’t wanna do my business. I don’t wanna be a parent. I wanna burn everything down.

So the benefits of this are so incredible and they’re quick. And when you figure out what is helpful for you there is. Like an untapped level of ability for you to rise to the next place, whether that’s in business relationship parenting.

I think what is very misunderstood is that if we hustle harder, we’re gonna get what we need. And when we’re, when we are our brand and we’re stressed, we’re burnt out. We’re fatigued, we’re chaotic. We’re inconsistent. 

That reflects in our brand. And so when we train our nervous system to be centered, sustainable, reliable, safe, and fully present that also comes across in your brand.

And if you just think about yourself, who would you rather do business with? It’s you who wants someone who’s gonna show up for you and we’ve all had the experience. Meeting with someone who’s really chaotic and that’s a hard path. 

Like we don’t want that. We don’t need more of that. We have enough on our own. So I think when we think about the aspects of how we can train our nervous system and the benefits of that in our business. Incredible. It’s really incredible. What happens to your sales? What happens to how you feel in your body? How do you feel about your business?

I agree, and I think that would be a huge shift for a lot of people and it doesn’t sound hard. There are some things that we like like we talk about on the show. They involve a little bit of work. They involve a lot of work, like years of doing this thing or that thing, or the other thing, but this sounds like something that can be immediately applied and you can see immediate results, which is so different from so many of the other things that we’ve talked about through the years.

The program that I have for women is eight months long. So it is work, but it is immediately applicable. And basically, it’s like giving you allowing you to reevaluate and regenerate your body. From an organ level, and from a brain l And when we do that, we have a way to increase capacity and money’s an F.

Everything has the energy to it. And money has its own energy. And some it doesn’t jive with the energy that we have. So when we can upgrade our energy, then we can have the capacity to hold space and receive more money. Yeah. Wow. So it definitely correlates. 

That’s awesome. And so where can everyone find out more about working with you and your program?

I have a website. It is inner-restoration.com and there are workshops on there. There’s a link to my program. You can reach out and connect with me, and then there’s also a link to join my free community. Which is a Facebook group where I go live there and I teach new techniques, new ways to approach our health and our vibrant,cy, and our success every week.

Awesome. Yeah. That’s great. I love it. Okay, awesome. Is joining the Facebook group and Going to check out all of the things cuz I need to rewire my brain. So yeah. Again, don’t we all? Yeah, exactly. Thank you so much for being here, Allison, and sharing this amazing information with us.

It’s new to me and I hope it’s new to a lot of people and I hope that it’s gonna help a lot of people because I think it sounds amazing. And just that little exercise that we did, during the recording, I think it’s definitely. Extremely evident that it’s very powerful. 

Thanks so much for having me, Amanda. I loved speaking with you. And I wanted to say, go team to all the moms you’re fighting for. You guys are doing awesome. 

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