WELCOME to the MINDFUL MAGIC. I work with companies that want their teams to work together better and improve the quality of Change.
I am Debra W. Gould, President & CEO of Debra Gould & Associates, Inc., a Performance Management company.
“Each problem has a hidden opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity.”-Joseph Sugarman
Mentioning Change-
Take a moment to strain your brain, and think back many years ago to a substance abuse prevention commercial aimed at teenagers. It started out with a frying pan and an egg with a voice that stated: “This is your brain.” Then someone cracks the egg into the frying pan. As the egg sizzled away the voice said: “This is your brain on drugs.” A newer variation on this theme was released. You see the faces of many young people describing where they got “it”, and eventually you discover that they got HOPE. The end of the ad has a young woman and a young man standing side by side, each with an egg in one of their hands. The young woman says: “This is your brain.” And then the young man says: “This is your brain on HOPE”, as the egg cracks open a beautiful baby chick is sitting in his hand. There’s been a lot of talk about brains over the years. Today, we’re going to talk about your brain…this is your brain on CHANGE.
In their book Caring, Commitment, and Choices-Self-Help Strategies for HIV/AIDS Caregivers-The Change Cycle Series-Published by the National Association of People with AIDS-our brain’s response to change is outlined in terms of four predictable responses:
The brain distorts, deletes, and generalizes new information-this means that we form patterns based on past experience for use at present and in the future. This causes the perception of the change situation to be INACCURATE.
The brain makes no differentiation between good or bad changes-this means that to the brain change is change; whether it is a good change or a bad change you will have the same response or reaction.
The brain makes no differentiation between externally imposed or internally driven changes-this means that it doesn’t make any difference if the change is a change you have CHOSEN to make or if the change has been IMPOSED on you, your reactions and responses will be the same.
The brain responds multi-dimensionally-this means that our brains respond to change on many levels with many filters. Some of these filters could be emotional, spiritual, behavioral, and mental.
Remember-To the Brain-Change is Change-CHANGE can be big or small. Change can be manageable or unmanageable: It can be chosen or unchosen. When we choose to change it is important to be realistic and to be sure that the change we’ve chosen is a change that we have the power to do something about. There’s a piece of the Serenity Prayer that speaks to change and can be a good guide to managing change in our lives: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
The Minute-Being mindful of your brain on change-What do you think and feel about this? What do you do about this? Is there anything you would like to do differently about this in the future?
The Meeting of the Mindful-for fuller minds and moving organizations…please contact
Debra Gould & Associates, Inc.
Phone: (504) 460-9641
Email: djgould@gouldassoc.com, website: www.gouldassoc.com
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