Making lifestyle changes can be difficult. Resolutions take will power to do battle with undesirable behaviors. Rituals can be simple acts that bring new and desired behaviors to center stage until they become second nature. The principles presented are based on the neuropsychology of change.

1. improve your life
with
RITUALS
Applying the Neuropsychology of Change
John I. Todor, Ph.D.
Living55Plus.com

2. PRINCIPLE
Brain Cells
that…
…fire together,
wire together
Once wired together, the
behavior becomes…
…Second Nature

3. PROBLEM
Old Behaviors
like ones you
would like to
replace…
…are wired
together
they dominate and
take over

4. SOLUTION
Use Rituals to Focus
Attention
to put the new
behavior
center
stage
with repetition, firing together
leads to wiring together and
the new behavior dominates

5. WHAT TYPE OF RITUALS?
A stereotypical sequence of
acts performed to focus
attention on an upcoming and
desired behavior
The use of mental effort to
insure the behavior happens
and is mindfully experienced

6. BUT NOT THESE RITUALS…
A religious or societal
ceremony or tradition
An obsessive or compulsive act

7. MENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Mindlessly executing
the act is not enough
especially if the act is wired
together and happens
automatically
To maximize a mindful
experience, mentally
engage in as many ways
as possible
use all your sense when eating

8. WINE TASTING RITUALS
What wine?
Color and visual characteristics
Aromatic qualities
Taste
Savoring

9. WINE TASTING RITUALS
What wine?
Become mindful, trigger memories and anticipation
Color and visual characteristics
Aromatic qualities
Taste
Focus attention on
the task at hand and
engage multiple
sensory modalities
Its taste
Mindfully “get into it” and
let it “get into you”
Savoring
Savoring

10. IT CAN BE A SIMPLE ACT
Trigger
mindfulness
and anticipation
Ritually
unwrap
Experience it
Savor it

11. EATING WITH A RITUAL
Enhances the pleasure
Even with Carrots
(Research at Harvard and U. of Minnesota, 2013)
Satiated sooner
Eat less to feel satisfied
(Scientific American, 2006)

12. YOUR TURN
What rituals might work for…
Stress
What’s her
name?
Bad
posture

13. RITUALS FOR STRESS
The Superhero
stance reduces
stress and
increases
confidence
Hugging
someone
special
release an
anti-stress
hormone
Seeing photos of
loved ones
reduces the
stress hormone
cortisol

14. REMEMBERING NAMES
the
introductory
handshake
the touch as you repeat
her name

15. POSTURAL RITUALS
Take
Breaks
from Sitting
Symmetrical
arm movement
strengthen and
align the upper
back
Walking
Start walking with head
up, shoulder back, chest
out and eyes looking
straight forward
See wikihow.com for more on “how to improve your posture”

16. IT MIGHT TAKE A SERIES
z

17. MORE INSIGHTS
Curates broad ranging researchon what
impacts well-being in the present and what
contributes to health and well-being over
an extended lifespan.
w w w. l i v i n g 5 5 p l u s . c o m
Provides a comprehensive program of
assessment, education and methodologies
for making lifestyle changes.
Focuses on motivating and enabling
people to find everyday ways of
changethat are meaningful to them.

18. DOWNLOAD
our interactive PDF that will help you put these rituals into action
(click on the Image)
John I. Todor, Ph.D.,is a psychologist, innovation and business
change leader. As a professor, his research focused on the human
ability to learn and adapt across the lifespan. As the co-founder of
living55plus.com, he curates the research on living a rich and extended
life and translates it into everyday ways to reap the benefits.
john@living55plus.com for speaking, workshops and coaching