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When unpredictable changes
occur, who are youwilling to be?
Doyouevershowupbeingcranky,
annoyed or frustrated – with little
or no compassion or flexibility?
Do you ever allow anxiety to be
your reaction to life by dissolving
in a puddle of tears? These are
all too familiar reactions that
leave us stranded and somewhat
helpless to respond creatively in
the face of the unpredictability
of life. Neuroscientists tell us
these reactions are typical of the
“negativity bias” of the human
brain that developed over time as
a survival instinct, meant to keep
us alive.
A more resilient and productive
way of being comes when we
“hit the pause button” and
breathe slower and deeper than
usual, asking ourselves, “Who
am I willing to be?” right here,
right now. This pause gives our
autonomic nervous system a
chance to listen to the wisdom
of our heart, instead of the
“panic button” of the brain.
Physiologists point out that our
autonomic nervous system is
our own internal GPS. Our heart
is hard-wired to be our personal
“True North”, our own unique
Voice of Wisdom. This intuitive
guidance of wisdom nudges
us toward being appreciative,
compassionate,
courageous,
flexible, creative, generous and
grateful. When we respond
to challenging situations with
wisdom, extraordinary results
occur. When we react to
unpredictability by pushing the
“panic button”, we usually create
even more chaos.
These reactions are nothing
more than a habit that we have
created over time. And habits
can be changed. Plan ahead,
start small, use everyday life
to practice, practice, practice!
Acknowledge yourself when
you notice the wise responses
are coming more easily, quickly
and dependably. Remember,
we deepen our capacity to be
resilient when we remember to
hit the pause button and listen to
our heart…..only a breath away!
As
you
grow
in
your
understanding and use of
Resiliency practices, start with
some of the familiar daily
anxiety-producing
situations:
morning/evening news shows,
a bumper-to-bumper highway,
a delayed flight at the airport, a
slow computer, a telephone that
ByDoc PennyKowal
Who are You Willing to Be?
SOAR TO SUCCESS
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N
ovember
2016
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Personal Growth Strategies