Personal Change
As you can see from my own example of writing a blog entry everyday as my New Year’s resolution – I have fallen off the wagon. It really is difficult to create change due to the way our brains work. However, if you are determined (I am determined to develop this writing habit) to change your habits then eventually you will change.
Some of the reason why it is difficult to make change is due to our scheduling of the desired habit. Using myself as an example for this, typically we don’t make room in our life for the changes we want to make. If having a shower every morning is important to me, I always seem to have enough time. Yet, for writing, I don’t have a specific time that I write where others will not interrupt me. Beyond this, when someone interrupts me, whether it be by phone, email or being in my space I welcome them in instead of requesting them to rescheduling a conversation, a request, etc., at a different time. What this means is, I don’t like to tell them this time is not that great for me.
Many times we don’t schedule (i.e.: put in our schedule) our own time and keep those appointments. Our mothers taught us to take care of others before ourselves and as a result we don’t get to accomplish the things we desire. This might be the one thing that’s in the way of accomplishing a new habit – our habit of not keeping our promises to our selves.
Another thing that may keep us from our goal is fear or worry. Fear of success also comes under this heading. If we let our fears stop us in our path to our goals then we will only have the path of being fearful. We don’t get the goal. We only get the fear.
Fear is an inherited response. We’ve evolved with it. It is a reptilian response to unfamiliar stimulus that was used to keep us safe. If we continue to engage in it we develop a habit of listening to it. It becomes a learned behavior. Over the years I’ve come across a number of solutions to dealing with fear but the best one I came across recently.
We all have thinking preferences or parts of our brain we prefer to use. If we are using the right side of our brain to process information and we are getting worried or fearful we need to switch to processing on the left side of the brain. Sure that sounds easy, but what does that mean?
The two sides of our brain are responsible for different kinds of thought. Although their functions are normally integrated, they possess capacities and can operate independently. The right side of the brain processes asymmetrical thinking and its function is to work on intuitive, emotional, holistic, nonverbal, visual, spatial, and simultaneous comprehension tasks. The left side of the brain performs symmetric thinking and its function is to work on rational, logical, analytical, mathematical, verbal, linear, sequential ordering tasks.
Now, think about the tasks you perform everyday. What task are you performing when you are fearful? Next time you are fearful, switch to task that is using the other side of the brain. This will eliminate your fear and you will be able to fulfill your goal.
Tracy Slotin, MBA
CEO and Grand SandMaster
The Executive Sandbox ® Change Consultants
www.ExecutiveSandbox.com
Some of the reason why it is difficult to make change is due to our scheduling of the desired habit. Using myself as an example for this, typically we don’t make room in our life for the changes we want to make. If having a shower every morning is important to me, I always seem to have enough time. Yet, for writing, I don’t have a specific time that I write where others will not interrupt me. Beyond this, when someone interrupts me, whether it be by phone, email or being in my space I welcome them in instead of requesting them to rescheduling a conversation, a request, etc., at a different time. What this means is, I don’t like to tell them this time is not that great for me.
Many times we don’t schedule (i.e.: put in our schedule) our own time and keep those appointments. Our mothers taught us to take care of others before ourselves and as a result we don’t get to accomplish the things we desire. This might be the one thing that’s in the way of accomplishing a new habit – our habit of not keeping our promises to our selves.
Another thing that may keep us from our goal is fear or worry. Fear of success also comes under this heading. If we let our fears stop us in our path to our goals then we will only have the path of being fearful. We don’t get the goal. We only get the fear.
Fear is an inherited response. We’ve evolved with it. It is a reptilian response to unfamiliar stimulus that was used to keep us safe. If we continue to engage in it we develop a habit of listening to it. It becomes a learned behavior. Over the years I’ve come across a number of solutions to dealing with fear but the best one I came across recently.
We all have thinking preferences or parts of our brain we prefer to use. If we are using the right side of our brain to process information and we are getting worried or fearful we need to switch to processing on the left side of the brain. Sure that sounds easy, but what does that mean?
The two sides of our brain are responsible for different kinds of thought. Although their functions are normally integrated, they possess capacities and can operate independently. The right side of the brain processes asymmetrical thinking and its function is to work on intuitive, emotional, holistic, nonverbal, visual, spatial, and simultaneous comprehension tasks. The left side of the brain performs symmetric thinking and its function is to work on rational, logical, analytical, mathematical, verbal, linear, sequential ordering tasks.
Now, think about the tasks you perform everyday. What task are you performing when you are fearful? Next time you are fearful, switch to task that is using the other side of the brain. This will eliminate your fear and you will be able to fulfill your goal.
Tracy Slotin, MBA
CEO and Grand SandMaster
The Executive Sandbox ® Change Consultants
www.ExecutiveSandbox.com
Labels: Emergenetics®, Personal Change
posted by Tracy Slotin at 12:27 AM
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