Crisis- A Catalyst for change

Change can be difficult, even if it’s good change!

Change implies that there is some sort of movement which can make us uncomfortable because we are creatures of habit. In fact, much of the time we may drive the same route to work, eat at the same places, or even sit in the same chair. Why do we do this? Why do we insist on staying where we are comfortable? Remember you have a 3-pound brain in your skull that’s directing your ability to achieve change. Why do we resist change?

Maybe we resist because we are not comfortable with the differences, we cannot yet see (aka fear of the unknown). Maybe we do this because we’ve adapted to avoid. That’s right, we’ve adapted to avoid the unknown and have chosen comfort over change. Ultimately it comes down to our brain’s purpose to keep us alive. It takes ENERGY to create change. By allowing us to maintain the same patterns day in and day out, our brains are conserving energy.

Listen to this: Most will NOT change until there’s a force big and strong enough to make us change. i.e.. Crisis.

Crisis is often the catalyst for change.

Crisis is defined by Oxford dictionary as “a time of great danger, or confusion when problems must be solved or important decisions must be made“. In other words, we change when we HAVE to. You go to the doctor and the doctor says you have high blood pressure and you must exercise to lower your blood pressure. Or maybe you know you need to get the oil changed in your car but you don’t go until your check engine light comes on. Get it? So, we understand a little better about why change is hard but let’s talk some more about the NEXT step.

Let’s talk Neuroplasticity. Neuro-what? Plasticity. This is one of my favorite topics. Imagine that you’re walking across the same street on your way to the same job and follow all the same steps. The sun is just peeking out from behind the clouds after a rainy morning and you’re on your way to grab a coffee before you return back to work. You order the same coffee, see the same clerk, and follow the same path back to work, but this time you step in a puddle and as you’re looking down at your shoes and your soaking wet pant leg, you trip over the curb and land in a puddle of dirty water with your coffee landing on the important documents you needed to turn in!

Now what???? You can either get up and do the same thing all over again tomorrow or you can avoid the puddle by going around it. THIS is neuroplasticity!

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to grow and form different connections for a different outcome! In other words, it’s your brains ability to rewire the connects. Why does this matter? We are human beings- meaning we are not meant to stay the same. Staying the same leads to complacency. Staying the same leads to stagnation. Staying the same leads to a fixed mindset, which gets you nowhere at all but the same places you’ve been.

The greater your brain’s ability to adapt to change and explore new possibilities increases your chances of being flexible and adapting to the world around you. A growth mindset allows you to be less overall rigid and more open to new experiences, new thoughts, and new ideas. It allows you to operate outside of the constructs of being comfortable.

But how? Try something new today! Want to get UNSTUCK? Try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand! Try writing your name with your non-dominant hand. Consider listening to ideas that are in direct opposition to what you usually listen to. You may just discover a brand-new thing!