Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to the Lead to Excel podcast, where faith, leadership, emotional intelligence and neuroscience meet. I'm Maureen Chiana, your host, and I'm here to help you think differently, lead boldly and live intentionally. If you're ready to unlock your potential and transform the way you lead and live, you're in the right place. Remember to subscribe to this podcast so you never miss an episode. Let's dive in. Hello and welcome back to Lead to Excel podcast. To Excel podcast. I'm Maureen Chiana, your neuroleadership coach, speaker and author of Rewire your Brain with Neuroscience and Scripture Every Day.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Let's start with this quote by Socrates beware the barrenness of a busy life. That quote captures something many people face You're busy, but is that busyness actually fruitful? And I know this because I have lived it. There was a season in my life when my days were overflowing Career, business, family, children's activities, church, running from one responsibility to another. On the outside I looked productive. Inside I was tired and unfulfilled. I was busy surviving, literally paying bills, saying yes to everything. But when I asked myself, am I busy doing the right things, the things God has called me to do, I realized the answer wasn't always yes. That moment was a wake-up call. It forced me to pause. Moment was a wake-up call. It forced me to pause, to ask God to realign me and to start rewiring my thinking.

Speaker 1: 2:10

Science actually explains this well. Every time you tick something off your list an email, a bill, a chore your brain releases dopamine, the feel-good chemical. It makes you feel accomplished. It just rewards motion. That's why you can be busy all day yet feel empty. And that's because your brain is rewarding tasks, not purpose. And when busyness becomes constant, cortisol, the stress hormone, rises. High cortisol clouds your clarity, reduces creativity and blocks your ability to think strategically. So while busyness keeps you moving, it doesn't always move you forward. It doesn't always move you forward. It doesn't always move you in the direction in which you should be moving to accomplish your purpose.

Speaker 1: 3:11

Emotional intelligence gives us tools to ask these questions, or to ask important questions. Why am I doing this? Am I being driven by fear or am I aligned with God's purpose? For many, busyness comes from fear Fear of lack, fear of letting people down, fear of missing out. But emotional intelligence teaches us that boundaries are not selfish, they are wise.

Speaker 1: 3:47

Saying no allows you to say a bigger yes to the things that actually matter. So I want you to ask yourself the question am I busy doing what others expect of me, or am I busy doing what aligns with my calling? That brings us to Ephesians 5, 15 to 16, that says be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. And then 2 Timothy 3, 7 warns us about the danger of always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth. That means learning but not being able to really bring that learning into fruition. Isn't that a picture of modern life? We attend courses, watch videos, scroll through endless information, always consuming but never actually pausing to apply, align and live in truth. That's busyness disguised as growth. And that's exactly why I created the resources.

Speaker 1: 5:07

I have my book Rewire your Brain with Neuroscience and Scripture Every Day, so that you don't just learn but actually practice renewing your mind daily. Get your copy from Amazon or Mindsightstorecom. The other resource is Mindsight Women's Network, a transformational network where women are trained and coached by me to excel in leadership, in business relationships and personal growth. Rooted in scripture and powered by emotional intelligence and neuroscience, mindsight Women's Network is more than a community. It's a proven pathway to high performance and true transformation. Every woman is equipped with expert guidance, practical strategies and spiritual wisdom to thrive as an influential leader in her career, business and personal life. At Mindsight Academy, we are leaders, entrepreneurs and organizations. Don't just study neuroscience and emotional intelligence separately, but apply them together to rewire thinking and transform performance. All this because without alignment, all the learning in the world won't change you.

Speaker 1: 6:38

So how do we shift? The first key to shifting is stop and ask God. Begin each day with that prayer, with a prayer where you actually ask God a question and listen. Most of the time in prayers we're talking at God. Most times you don't stop to listen. So pray the prayer. Lord, help me to not just do more, but do the right things and also listen to what God tells you to do.

Speaker 1: 7:13

The second thing is rewire your thinking. Don't celebrate only busyness. Celebrate progress on purposeful goals. My book Rewire your Brain with Neuroscience and Scripture Every Day gives you 366 daily reflections to help you practice this. The third thing to do is set purposeful priorities Each week. Choose three things that align with your values and calling. Let them guide your time. Then the next one is rest strategically.

Speaker 1: 7:56

Neuroscience shows rest boosts clarity. Scripture also shows that rest renews the soul. So rest is actually holy strategy. Finally, find accountability. That's why Mindsight Women's Network exists. That's why I run the Mindsight Academy to create spaces where you don't walk alone, but with people who call you higher. So here's my challenge to you this week Write down three things you've been busy with. Then pause, pray and ask God which of these are survival tasks and which are the right things you've called me to do, because busyness without truth is emptiness, but busyness aligned with God's will is fruitfulness.

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If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to take action. Start small by getting my book Rewire your Brain with Neuroscience and Scripture every day, and watch out for the companion workbook coming soon with exercises to help you apply daily. You can also join Mindsight Women's Network if you're a woman ready to stop spinning and start thriving with purpose. And you can also explore the Mindsight Academy if you're a leader, entrepreneur or organization that wants to rewire thinking for lasting transformation. Because, remember, you're not called to a life of frantic survival. You are called to a life of purposeful impact. Stay blessed and keep leading with alignment. See you again soon.

Speaker 1: 9:58

Thank you for tuning in to Lead to Excel podcast with me, maureen Chiana. I hope today's episode inspired and equipped you to renew your mind and lead with purpose. If it did, please you remember to subscribe, share with someone who needs it and leave a review. It really helps more people discover this message. Remember you are created to soar higher. Think boldly and live intentionally. Until next time, stay focused, stay faith-filled and keep becoming all God designed you to be. See you in the next episode. Bye for now.