Here are some perspectives that might be useful in your toolkit, as you move forward.
When things are changing and you are under a heavy load, ever found your thoughts spinning around, bouncing from issue to issue, with the slightest extra thing added to the heap threatening to completely flip you out? This is the kind of state that can:
- cause us to lash out in frustration;
- sour otherwise good relationships;
- lead us to making bad decisions;
- constrain performance to sub-par levels;
- stress us further and perhaps damage our health; and
- a host of other consequences.
How do we get to this? Consider the affect on our inner survival mechanisms when we compound factors such as:
- existing stress
- lack of information
- fatigue
- out of date assumptions
- poor advice
- lack of personal relationship and support
- over commitment at work, home or both
- questionable influences on one's beliefs- eg fake news
- unhelpful default foci
This is not unusual. But what to do?
Ask, "what is the reality?" Often things are not as bad (or good) as they first appear. We have incredible conscious and unconscious brain capacity that can conspire against us. Our ability to imagine stuff sets us apart as a species, while often a good thing, this can lead to negative compounding affects.
Did you know that the subconscious part of our brain is estimated at 95% of all of our brain power?. Trying to use the conscious 5% on complex problems is very constraining and potentially debilitating!
So, if we are affected by any, or a combination, of these, we need to take corrective action. What follows is probably just a reminder, (list of the well known things we can do)...but of course, they only count when we put them into practice!...
- Maintain habits that create positive energy or release negativity - such as meditation or exercise
- Learn to shift internal focus away from pain or trauma
- Practice gratitude, it can help to ground / level us
- Be mentally prepared for and aware of possibilities / risks
- Time out from the situation - take a break to rethink and reset
- Foster situational awareness and discuss the bigger picture from time to time
- Engage in everyday dialogue that 'points out incongruities' or 'flawed assumptions' so we can correct ourselves as we go in real time
- Enjoy nutrition, breathing and exercise - Eg yoga is very effective
- Seek knowledge and wisdom from elders or mentors
- Have a purpose / role / fight, in our lives
Those that have high trust relationships, ongoing dialogue and make time for their subconscious to do much of the heavy lifting seem to have an advantage. No one exists as an island - we truly are better together, especially when we can live without fear of loss.
This weeks quote
Courage is grace under pressure
- Ernest Hemmingway
- New knowledge and understanding
- Extra colleagues, a support network
- A safe place to share perspectives and get feedback
- A reference base to build and regenerate from
- Future opportunities to grow with the community/tribe
- A critical thinking toolkit
- Optimism for the future
If you are interested in registering individually or are considering being a sponsor of a group (this is an exciting option), we look forward to talking.
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And finally, we recommend checking this event out, organised by the good folks at Wise Response. A public workshop hosted by Rachel Brooking (MP) at the Beehive and mediated by the School of Government. (Available on Zoom - See below)
How to respond to a future with less abundant resources?
Thursday 2nd June 2022 - 12.00 - 1.30pm
This second workshop brings an international perspective to what physical, energy and economic changes to NZ's current operating system would best meet its essential needs post-growth.
Speakers:
Professor Tom Murphy – Physicist (UC. San Diego)
Professor Joshua Farley – Economist (U Vermont)
Professor Emer. Bonnie Nardi – Anthropologist (UC. Irvin)
Zoom address: https://vuw.zoom.us/j/97235936727
Chair: Dr Girol Karacaoglu, (Head of School of Government)
The (outstanding) content from workshop 1 (September 2021) can be found here
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Grant Symons - The Transition Guy