On Your Mind with Dorsey Standish

Episode 11 -- Making Habits Stick

In the latest "On Your Mind" podcast episode, Dorsey Standish delves into habit formation, emphasizing that 40 to 90 percent of daily actions are habitual. She explains the habit loop -- trigger, behavior and reward -- using examples like morning coffee and meditation. Dorsey highlights the importance of making unconscious habits conscious to optimize them and discusses strategies like habit stacking, replacing negative habits with healthier alternatives and using rewards to reinforce new behaviors. She recommends James Clear's Atomic Habits for practical tips on habit formation and stresses the significance of small, consistent actions in building long-term brain health and wellness.

Episode 10 -- Advocating for Yourself (with Brittney Johnson)

On this episode of "On Your Mind," Brittney Johnson -- an NBC5 reporter and Emmy-nominated journalist -- discusses with host Dorsey Standish on her journey in journalism and her advocacy for mental health and wellness. Johnson emphasizes the importance of prioritizing health, especially for busy women, and shares her experience of using her platform to raise awareness about mental health. She highlights the need for small, incremental changes -- such as meal prepping -- early morning workouts and finding external accountability. Johnson also stresses the significance of delegating tasks and setting realistic goals to achieve a balanced lifestyle.

Episode 9 -- Ask Me Anything

In this episode of the "On Your Mind" podcast, host Dorsey Standish takes questions from listeners and focuses on ways to enhance brain health and mindfulness. She discusses the importance of both formal and informal mindfulness practices, such as dedicating one minute daily and integrating mindfulness into daily activities. Dorsey emphasizes the benefits of deep work periods and mindful pauses at work, and the significance of interpersonal mindfulness in relationships. She also addresses change management, suggesting a shift from "change management" to "change response" and highlighting the importance of embracing uncertainty. Additionally, Dorsey highlights the critical role of mental health in the construction industry, where suicide rates are alarmingly high, and the benefits of team-building and emotional intelligence training.

Episode 8 -- Green Spaces, Healthy Minds (with Molly Morgan)

On this episode of the "On Your Mind" podcast, host Dorsey Standish chats with Molly Morgan -- Texas State Director of Trust for Public Land -- about the significant impact of parks and green spaces on mental health and community well-being. Morgan highlights her work in Dallas, where she has helped to create 22 new parks and improved the city's park access score annually each of the last five years. She emphasizes the importance of accessible green spaces within a 10-minute walk, noting that this increases usage and mental health benefits. Morgan shares success stories, such as the Cool School Community Park Program and the Five Mile Creek Greenbelt, which have shown crime reduction and community engagement. She also advises starting with small outdoor activities, like a 20-minute walk daily, to reap mental health benefits.

Episode 7 -- Designing Spaces for Brain Health (with Marissa Heyl)

In this week’s episode of “On Your Mind,” host Dorsey Standish chats with Marissa Heyl, the founder of Inclusive Wellness Design, about neurodesign, which integrates neuroscience with environmental design to promote brain health. Inspired by her mother's early-onset Alzheimer's, Heyl focuses on creating spaces that support cognitive health. She emphasizes the importance of different zones for focus, mindfulness and rest, and shares projects such as a treehouse reading nook and a Zen lounge. Heyl offers practical tips for enhancing brain health at home, such as incorporating nature, creating sensory kits and making spaces for creativity. She also highlights the concept of sensorial hunger, suggesting that enriched environments can reduce cravings for unhealthy foods.