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Clutter is Postponed Decisions®”

– Barbara Hamphill

In this episode of Mindset Zone, Ana Melikian dives into the art of organizing with two special guests, Barbara Hemphill and Andrea Anderson, from the Productive Environment Institute. Barbara, a pioneer in the organizing industry, shares insights from her extensive experience in helping individuals and businesses clear the clutter for over forty years. Together, they unravel the common misconceptions about getting organized and emphasize the importance of having a clear vision to drive productivity.

Ana and her guests discuss the intriguing philosophy that “clutter is postponed decisions®,” unveiling how our physical, digital, and mental environments are interconnected. Barbara and Andrea introduce their SOAR methodology (Systemize, Organize by Action or Reference), a flexible system designed to meet people where they are in their journey toward a clutter-free life.

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The function of mindfulness is to expose your own reactivity so that it's no longer unconscious so that you see it.”

– Stephen Schettini

In this episode, Ana Melikian sits down with former Buddhist monk turned author, coach, and teacher, Stephen Schettini, to delve deep into the practice of mindfulness. Stephen, who spent eight years as a Buddhist monk, shares his journey and insights on how mindfulness is not about adopting Eastern traditions but recognizing it as a natural human function.

Ana and Stephen explore how cultivating a mindfulness practice can introduce critical pauses between stimulus and response, allowing us to choose more intentional responses. They discuss the idea that every small step and consistent practice contribute to a greater transformative experience, much like gradually heating water until it boils.

"We create these virtual lions that are chasing us all the time and keeping the stress up."

– Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

Some of you may be thinking: What’s the big deal about breathing, besides the obvious?

Yes, breathing is important—if we weren’t breathing we wouldn't be alive, absolutely—but did you know you can use breathwork to enhance your mental well-being?

Back in 2012, I published an ebook on that very subject called Breathing: The Power Within, and today I’m diving back into the topic.

How do you finish your days? How we end the day is as important as how we start it. The more cues we can give ourselves to slip into more positive and peaceful mindsets before bed, the better our days will be. 

The connection between rest and fulfilling waking hours is strong. Give yourself the best chance to get the most out of where you are right now. 

"We create these virtual lions that are chasing us all the time and keeping the stress up."

– Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

I had the delight of speaking with Giles Crouch, a digital anthropologist with over 25 years of experience in the technology sector. He applies cultural anthropology principles to understand human interactions with digital technologies, spanning areas such as blockchain, social media, AI, and robotics.

We discuss:

• Understanding digital anthropology
• The evolution of technology and culture
• AI and human identity

"We create these virtual lions that are chasing us all the time and keeping the stress up."

– Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Neil Redding, a near-futurist and Innovation Architect with 30+ years of experience in unlocking the transformative power of emerging technologies.

We discuss:

• How AI agents are evolving into participants
• The co-creation of reality (and why that’s important)
• How AI could change the way we shape reality 

“That is the goal here: to empower you to press the pause button, increase your self awareness, and experiment with something new. ”

– Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

That promotion you want but feel unqualified for. The habit you want to form that you know would improve your quality of life but you just can’t seem to maintain it. The book you’ve been meaning to finish since college.

We all have things we want and strive to attain, we all have a voice in our head that is less than kind about our shortcomings that sometimes convinces us we’re incapable of achieving what we wish to accomplish.

I’m here to help you see a different way forward by unlocking your full potential.

Because the truth is: you have everything you need.

“Mindsets are habits of mind.”

– Ana Melikian

There is more than one way to view mindsets. We have multiple lanes of study to follow in the realm of mindsets, mental blindspots, what it means to reach our full potential, and more.

Today, I want to walk through three of the main approaches used for discussing mindset, and how they differ.

I discuss:

• Mindsets as beliefs (the growth and fixed mindset)
• Mindsets as processing styles (using different styles for certain situations)
• Mindsets as cognitive filters (frames of reference)

“There's a bigger purpose for you.“

– Dawn Marie Rapaport

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dawn Marie Rapaport, the founder of the Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership (H.E.L.P.), transforming the lives of families with children for over 13 years. Her personal experience with homelessness fuels her empathy and dedication, driving her to help families transition out of homelessness.

We discuss:

• The birth of a life-changing organization
• The evolution of H.E.L.P. Snackz: from idea to impact
• Harnessing community support and volunteer power

AI is a 100-foot wave. It's going to disrupt everything directly or indirectly.” – Ana Melikian

AI continues to be a hot topic around every corner. As I’ve written before, I believe we can use this type of technological advancement as a tool to support a balanced life, and we can choose to embrace certain elements of AI instead of fearing it.

Today, I discuss: 

• Using AI avatars in presentations
• Surfing the 100-Foot AI Wave: a team effort
• Bringing humanistic voices to the AI conversation