Two Wheels and a Trunk

I was thinking about a situation that happened a couple of years ago that sucked. Life moved on but I still think about it. I've asked numerous people if they have events they relive in their heads over and over again. The answer is almost always yes because most of us do. But why is that?

I'm not suggesting we don't relive happy memories, but the challenges seem to cut deeper for some reason. Is it perhaps because we are still learning a lesson? I know this, the more we try and not think about those events, the more we think about them. If I was to ask you to not think about an orange elephant riding a motorcycle – good luck getting that image out of your head!

Beware of the Lizard Brain

I'd consider myself a fairly smart dude, so why can't I just tell myself to stop letting something that has already happened, which I cannot change, continue to bug me? It has to do with the part of the limbic system in our brains that is in charge of fight, flight, feed, fear, or freeze. It is our survival mechanism which decides what we do next if we are experiencing stress. It's why we can't seem to get started on the project even though we know the deadline looms.

If we have a situation, current or past, real or imagined, it will react immediately. If we are experiencing or have experienced pain, it will focus solely on that moment. When I think of that event, it's as if I am reliving it over and over again. 

Negative vs Positive

Perhaps this is more prevalent in Western culture, but we seem to do it more often when remembering negative situations over joyous ones. Do we think we don't deserve joy and need to pay for pain? I'm obviously not a psychologist but I think there's something to that. Our frontal lobe is in charge of reasoning, motor skills, higher level cognition, and expressive language. So our complicated brain starts to fight with itself. 

I've started an exercise and like most when you begin, I'm terrible at it, but I'm trying to think of five positive things in my life or events that have happened whenever a negative thought or memory crosses my mind. When I can do it successfully, it actually works. So perhaps you can try it if you can't seem to get past a negative event in your past.

I wonder how the elephant balances on that motorcycle? 

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Change and Transform

It wins elections, looks great on a coffee cup, and can inspire nations. The promise of improvement can move people to do immense things. 50.1% of the British population voted to leave the European Union. Did they vote for change or a hope to change back the clocks of time?

Change can also mean alter, transform, amend, or revolutionize which sound powerful. The way it is isn't as good as the way it could be, and for that we need change. But with change comes resistance and conflict.

Often we can look back and know the change was a good thing but our fear of the unknown can make us freeze. Change can be hard and comfort zone has its name for a reason. Whether it's voting out a government, renovating the upstairs bathroom, opening our hearts for a new relationship, or tackling that new challenge, change is constant.

It's what we do about it that counts.
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Change for a Change

It wins elections, looks great on a coffee cup, and can inspire nations. The promise of improvement can move people to do immense things. 50.1% of the British population voted to leave the European Union. Did they vote for change or a hope to change back the clocks of time?

Change can also mean alter, transform, amend, or revolutionize which sound powerful. The way it is isn't as good as the way it could be, and for that we need change. But with change comes resistance and conflict.

Often we can look back and know the change was a good thing but our fear of the unknown can make us freeze. Change can be hard and comfort zone has its name for a reason. Whether its voting out a government, renovating the upstairs bathroom, or taking that new job, change is around us constantly.

It's what we do about it that counts.
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No White Flags

Steve Gleason has been immortalized with a statue entitled "Rebirth" outside the New Orleans Superdome. The reason for the monument is a blocked punt he made as a member of the Saints in their first game back to the stadium 21 months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The play symbolized the city's rebirth.

In 83 NFL games, as a Safety and on special teams, Gleason collected 59 sacks. He has had many more challenges since his playing days ended. He retired before the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV but the team awarded him a Super Bowl ring and a key to the city. And there continues to be pressure for the team to retire Gleason's #37 jersey.

Unthinkable News

In 2011, Steve announced he was battling ALS at the tender age of 34. With strength few of us can fathom, he has turned this horrific news into inspiration and symbolized it with the the phrase "No White Flags" or never give up.

He has created Team Gleason and has involved many NFL players to raise awareness and money to finally find a cure for this cruel disease. Steve Gleason received a death sentence but instead of waiting to die, he decided to live.

Watch these then let's do something about it.



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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

Steve Gleason | Team Gleason | ABC News

Embracing Change and Managing Conflict

It wins elections, looks great on a coffee cup, and can inspire nations. The promise of improvement can move people to do immense things. In some cases, the unsaid element is that we don’t have to move an inch while the rest of our world will make the adjustments for us.

Change can also mean alter, transform, amend or revolutionize which sound powerful. The way it is isn’t as good as the way it could be and for that we need change. But with change comes resistance and conflict. Once it’s enacted, change can create upheaval and cause some to be reminded that they can’t simply stay where they are while the rest make the necessary moves find progress.

Don’t Forget to Vote

We see it in politics all the time. The incumbent is ousted by the inspired competitor who promises green pastures and a better life through change and once the election balloons deflate and real life returns, it’s not so easy.

The conflict can happen on two fronts; the electorate realize the world requires their help and adaption while the other politicians and parties fight to resist that change because they either disagree with it or it simply goes against their party’s mandate. So in other words, we get stuck because it’s the way we’ve always done it.

Premise Meets Actuality

Let’s look at a more personal angle – your work place or team dynamic. Someone has an idea to increase revenue or improve the quality of your product or service. They make a compelling case that their solution will make things better. But leadership is necessary from all involved.

The idea seems sound and the team gets on board. But when it comes to implementing the initiative, the excitement begins to wane and interest is lost. It sounded good at the time but in practice it appears to be too difficult and requires too much work. We see it in start-ups all the time. Change is hard and comfort zone has its name for a reason.

If we want change, maybe we have to make the first move?

Kneale Mann

Image credit: ipersevere