Successful Blog

The Blogging Brain

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Todays guest post is from Dr. Robyn McMaster.

Dr. Robyn McMaster is Sr. VP of the MITA International Brain Center. She’s the author of Brain Based Biz. She’s a close friend and wise advisor.

Blogging stimulates the brain as you make public ideas that rouse “aha’s.” Shaping and sharing ideas with a wider community provides incentive, especially as you’re rewarded by readers’ comments. Another bonus comes as surprises unwrap themselves as you read and learn from others’ blogs.

Interestingly, mental activities required for blogging, such as learning how to use technology to launch a blog, using your computer to write, writing for an audience, selecting just the right photo to go with posts, researching what others have written about your topic, commenting on their posts and writing from a new, fresh approach, leads to changes in the structures of your brain. How so?

Your brain rewires nightly as you sleep, based on the activities you do during the day. “It’s really a matter of neurons and dendrites,” Dr. Ellen Weber reports, “that spark new synapses for change. Ellen describes the process…

neurons

Your browser may not support display of this image. Remember, a neuron’s nothing more than a nerve cell, and your brain holds about 100 billion of these little critters. You can march them much more in your favor – with a few carefully crafted acts. How so? Neurons project extensions called dendrite brain cells – which connect and reconnect daily, based on what you do. Axons, in contrast, relay information back from the body back to the brain. In a rather complex electrochemical process, neurons communicate with each other in synapses, and that connection creates chemicals called neurotransmitters. Chemicals release at each synapse, and these shape mood, open brains to optimize learning and stoke creative solutions to complex problems. Many mysteries still occur in the quadrillion synapses within a human brain, and yet wonderful benefits await people who act on what recent research suggests.

As your dendrites rewire they strengthen blogging and writing skills. The more you write, seek to improve, try new formats, and use tips good writers, like Liz Strauss, share, the more new dendrites for writing skills will be wired into your brain.

Once you launch a blog and you are underway, you can gather readers interested in your topic by becoming active in social networks. And even joining social networks prompts our brains to rewire…

Social Networks Change the Face of Friendships Here’re some facts on ways blogging and networking alter the face of your friendships:

* The human brain steps up to challenges and intellectual ideas. These lead people to discuss deeper issues on topics of similar interest.

* Online users have the same number of friends in real-life, but even more counterparts online

* Myspace, Facebook and Twitter are changing the number of friends people have and the way they communicate

* 90% of online friends rated as ‘close’ have met face to face

* People choose friends in person and online based on their ‘quality’… In person, facial and bodily cues help, but online it’s harder to spot dishonest signals

* Social networks aid communication and may bring about a change in the size and structure of real-life social networks in the future

Social networks change us and we change social networks! Over time the demographics of bloggers changes, as described in Cason Analytics blogging stats.

Blogging promotes higher cognitive skills, according to Dr’s. Fernette and Brock Eide. You stretch your brain through:

* critical and analytical thinking The best of blogs are rich in ideas and promote active exchange and critique.

* creative, intuitive, and associational thinking Blogs must be updated frequently. This constant demand for output promotes a kind of spontaneity and ‘raw thinking’–the fleeting associations and the occasional outlandish ideas–seldom found in more formal media.

* analogical thinking Back-and-forth blog-based exchanges between experts also provide a unique opportunity for young thinkers to witness and evaluate arguments from analogy on an ongoing basis.

* medium for increasing access and exposure to quality information Because blogs link many facts and arguments in branching “threads” and webs, and append primary source materials and reference works, they foster deeper understanding and exposure to quality information.

* combinations of best solitary reflection and social interaction Bloggers have solitary time to plan their posts, but they can also receive rapid feedback on their ideas. The responses may open up entirely new avenues of thought as posts circulate and garner comments.

Think about it … Blogging’s quite a workout. When I finish writing a blog, I find satisfaction from all the intellectual stimulation. You?

5 shared habits that shape every effective blogger’s brain….

A blogger’s brain comes alive … Dr. Ellen Weber summarizes it well …

* Visitors stop by …. Have you seen your messages come to life with a new twist … an unusual turn … or two-bits of wit-‘n-wisdom that bumps a good idea to the next level.

* Traffic means humans more than scores or pings.

* Ideas… images … and applications pop up like popcorn ready to serve and share with eager … diverse crowds.

* Small rewards pay it forward. It could be in the form of a badge … a cup… or just a few words that lift a thought up to the rainbow for another look.

* You learn something new … from somebody new … about a topic that’s new….

Blogs are not only changing the way we think… act … and do business …. They are also helping us to come and go into one another’s worlds… and that reshapes the best bloggers’ brains. What do you think?

Bust a Move: An Exercise in Community

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Todays guest post is from Ben Boudreau.

Ben Boudreau is a communicator at Halifax branding agency Revolve and maintains his creative side on his personal blog, No Ordinary Rollercoaster. He’s at his happiest when equipped with a laptop, latté and his puppies.

If you had suggested last year that a simple lyric from a novelty rap song would have been the catalyst behind the most exciting and inspiring work of my career to date, I would have laughed in your face. Not that I don’t appreciate the work of say…Sir Mix-A-Lot or the Fresh Prince, but they don’t immediately conjure up images of empowering communities.

Yet here I am…doing what I love to do, making a difference, floored by the power of an inspired community and constantly trying to get that Young MC one-hit-wonder out of my head.

Don’t just stand there…Bust a Move!

In the summer of 2009, I was tapped to work on launching a signature breast health fundraiser like no other. On January 30, 2010, up to 1,000 participants will raise a minimum of $1,000 each to complete six hours of consecutive fitness including dance, aerobics, Pilates, and one hour with the King of Short-Shorts himself, Richard Simmons.

This one-day event in Halifax, Nova Scotia will launch two attempts to break or set new Guinness World Records and every cent raised will help purchase new digital mammography equipment that will instantly increase Nova Scotia’s screening capacity by 75%.

The prize at stake here – 75% more women getting screened every. single. year. – is one too powerful to be ignored especially when you consider that Halifax currently has the worst wait times in the province for mammogram screenings – the only source of early detection that can improve a woman’s odds against breast cancer.

That being said, we couldn’t just show up, ask people to exercise for longer than your average marathon on top of spending weeks raising money, and then go out for job-well-done nachos. Far from it, actually. We needed to be sensitive of other fundraising initiatives, respectful of the many people who are so passionate about beating this disease, and let the community – on whom we are relying to make this event a success – define how we will get there.

You want it? You got it!

As we began genuinely reaching out to others for support and suggestions we found, more often than not, that people truly adopted this cause as their own. Dancers and choreographers met in secret to rehearse a flash mob dance; the Halifaxchicks – influential bloggers and Twitter users – entered a team and took Bust a Move to a whole new level online; avid fundraisers and volunteers rallied to ensure their involvement; local students got to work on developing promotional content.

Step by step, all the pieces fell into place for an incredible launch week that saw over 100 participants and 100 volunteers registered, 300 new members to our Facebook group, over 500 mentions on Twitter. Not to mention that in the 48 final hours, we gained over 20,000 views of our flash mob.

While the numbers are all lovely, the best part of this experience is getting to watch communities come together to create a genuine movement that will benefit us all. We still have a way to go before the big day but those days are already booking up with pancake breakfasts, bake sales, gift-wrapping services and many more fundraisers in support of better breast health services in Nova Scotia. We couldn’t be more thrilled.

Now if we could only stop jamming to that song…at least while out in public….

http://bustamove.ca/

http://blog.bustamove.ca/

http://youtube.com/bustamovehfx

http://twitter.com/bustamovehfx

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=132055509226

Hunting For Treasure

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Todays guest post is by Sarah Robinson.

Sarah Robinson is a seasoned coach and business strategist who helps entrepreneurs, parents, authors and others blast through the grip of mediocrity. More information can be found here, on her blog.

This afternoon I am teaching my son the fine art of hunting for shark’s teeth. It’s a challenging pastime, to say the least, but as absorbing and all consuming as any good hobby should be.

Our hunting grounds are off the coast of Georgia where, ages ago, dredge from the bottom of a river was dumped during the construction of the Inter-Coastal Waterway. I’ve found teeth as small as a grain of rice and as big as my hand when hunting here. Most important, the teeth are plentiful which makes for an excellent classroom.

First, I show my son the unique “T” or “Y” shapes of most teeth. Then we review the particular shades and combinations of black and gray that are found only in these fossils.

The final part of our lesson is slightly more nuanced – especially for a seven year old. Holding a picture of the shape and color of a shark’s tooth firmly in our minds, we must start scanning the shoreline, filtering out anything that does not match our mental image.

This is especially tricky because the beach is littered with Grand Imposters – bits of black shell in the coveted “Y” shape or a smooth gray stone half buried in the sand. They appear to be the treasure we seek, but upon closer examination, they are nothing more than fool’s gold.

I think the reason I love hunting shark’s teeth is that it requires so much of me. All of my focus and attention must be laser sharp – there is no room for distraction. I must be fully present and in the moment – seeing only what is right in front of me. Anything less and my treasure will elude me.

My son’s attention span is short and the bright sunlight has given way to long gray shadows, making it difficult to spot our quarry.

Tomorrow, as long as the tides and weather cooperate, we will try again. My hope is that with practice, he will learn to overlook the Grand Imposters and train his eye on the particular prize he seeks. I tell him that if he can learn to do that, one day he will look down to see his treasure lying at his feet. He will simply reach down and take hold of it.

He smiles and takes my hand.

sharktooth

Beach Notes: Step by Step

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by Guest Writers Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

One morning this week this was the image that greeted us as we arrived at the beach. How perfect

stepbystep

An almost straight line of foot prints leading down to the sea.
I was reminded that when I focus on following a simple system and do take the step by step process, success can follow quickly.
Often I find it a challenge to keep on that simple path?
What about you?

Suzie Cheel & Des Walsh

The Story Behind the Story….of SOBCon

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Today’s guest post is from Terry Starbucker

Terry Starbucker is a service company executive and a founder of SOBCon who writes about leadership, personal development, and social media in his blog, Ramblings From a Glass Half Full. He also shares his love of music and learning on Twitter as @starbucker

Let me tell you a story…

In May 2007, there was a gathering at a Chicago hotel.

75 people hung out together for a weekend, and talked about their craft, their passions, and their lives.

It turned out to be magical. Trust was high. Candor was abundant. Egos were checked at the door. There was a depth to the dialogue that prompted many to declare how “life changing” it was.

There were no barriers to learning. And it was good.

One year later, it happened again. The magic returned, this time for over 100 people in a downtown place that welcomed them with hospitality and great food. More lives were changed for the better.

Could it happen a third time? Yes. In May of 2009, 125 people felt it too.

The magic.

Where did this come from? Who was capable of conjuring up the ingredients of this potent mixture of trust, humility, and candor?

It had to be someone who lives and breathes these qualities. Who deeply believes in the basic generosity of the human spirit.

That’s where the magic comes from—that belief.

When that person entered the room at those three gatherings in Chicago, something wonderful happened. This person was the catalyst of a powerful enabling force that unlocked that same generous spirit from everyone there.

That’s really the “story behind the story” of this gathering we call SOBCon—the person who made it happen.

That person is Liz Strauss.

Without her these gatherings would not have taken place. No magic, no learning, and no life-altering experiences.

Liz Strauss IS SOBCon.

And she will once again be in a downtown Chicago room (yep, the one with the great food) with 150 people from April 30-May 2, 2010, nurturing and enabling this “think tank with a heart.”

The theme: “Virtual meets the concrete.” 2½ days of strategies and tactics focused on merging your online and offline worlds into a successful business.

Will you be there? Are you willing to learn from 150 “fearless sharers,” and will you share your experiences and wisdom as well?

Are you ready for the magic??

If you are, go to our registration site right now, and get in the room. (Don’t miss the video in the Event Details)

If you are not, and perhaps need a bit more information, or convincing, or both, check out the links I shared up above, and read as many of the recaps as you can. Or, just read Liz’s recap of SOBCon09, or my thoughts on why SOBCon matters to me.

Oh, and as a little added incentive, we’ll knock off $200 from the registration cost if you sign up before December 16.

C’mon, be a part of these ongoing stories, and join us in Chicago for SOBCon2010!

Thanks.

(And get well partner—much love to the magic maker!)

My ass just tapped me on the shoulder.

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Todays guest post is from Julie Roads.

Julie Roads of Writing Roads is a professional copywriter (specializing in blog, social media and web writing) and a book & blog ghostwriter. You can find her at Writing Roads (her writing blog), Soc Media 101 (how-tos and tips for beginners) and The Daily Norm (a collection of interviews with abnormally magnificent people about their normal, daily lives).

tap on the shoulderI’m standing on the other side of the abyss, the good side. And I wanted to let you all know that the ground here is high and dry, nearly heady.

Because I read your comments carefully – and because, as far as I can tell, we’re both human – I’m going to guess that at one point or another you’ve stood on the scary side of the abyss just like I did before I got to the cushy side.

You wanted to do something, you needed to do something…but the canyon that stood between you and accomplishment just looked too damn big, wide, menacing. Impossible, you said. And sat down.

My alarm goes off at 4:30. I jump out of bed and look out the window. It’s snowing. I smile smugly at the snow. Bring it, I think smugly. Pull on my layers of Capilene, my bright orange hat, my running shoes. And head out for an eight mile run before I go to work.

This used to be my norm. Miles run, laps swum, heart pounded, sweat drenched – before the sun rose.

And then my body abruptly took on new super powers forms of exercise: first, it grew another human being; then, it made milk. Needless to say, my body was preoccupied with performing miracles. Too busy to hit the trails or the pool.

But, last spring, something changed. My ass literally tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Um, I’m thinking we should shift things back into high gear…you?’

Which is when I realized that I was standing on that cliff. On the scary side of the abyss. I had a lot of reasons why I couldn’t take the leap:

  • I’m too old.
  • My body forgot how.
  • Once you get past a certain point, it’s just pointless.
  • I don’t have time.
  • I’m so frickin’ tired.
  • Have you seen my parents? (I love them and they’re beautiful, but they don’t have super model bodies. I’m just sayin’.)

In the middle of this tirade, I ran into a good friend who had just finished a long rollerblade, and she told me, “It gets you right here”, and she grabbed her butt. “Makes it burn,” she said. And my ass took notice. And, then it tapped me on the shoulder again. I took the bait. I didn’t think, just started to move again.

I had really believed all of my reasons why I couldn’t do this, but they just weren’t true. Bodies are amazing – they snap back in a way that is extraordinary. Minds do too. My ‘get up and go’ tape started playing again, as if I’d simply hit play again after a long moment with the pause button down. We both quickly forgot how long that moment had been.

Now, it’s been five months. And someone recently told me that my belly looks the same as it did when I was 16. Is that really true? Um, ish. Is it a miracle? Nah. I just think that I got way too comfortable on the pitiful side of the abyss. Too shlumpy to realize the infinite possibilities hanging out across the way.

Sometimes life feels like a series of cliff dives – scary, exhilarating, progressive. The above experience being just one of my abysses. For you, it might be finally going to law school, having a baby, getting up on that karaoke stage, or – drumroll, please – writing (creatively, professionally, bloggingly).

Whatever it is, I’ll save you a seat on the other side. Believe me, if you don’t already know, the view is fabulous.

Image credit: Scampercom