How brave can you be in questioning everything you think you know?
Nov 12, 2022
by Anne O'Connor
You know that old idea that we use only about 10 percent of our brains? It's complete rubbish--a total myth.
Our whole brains are firing all the time to keep us upright, to make decisions, and to do clever things like wake us up just before the alarm goes off in the morning.
But you know what *is* true?
Most of us don't use our brains as flexibly as we might. We get into ruts in our thinking and choices, ruts in our relationships, and ruts in our work. On the other hand, psychological flexibility is the ability to not allow our thoughts and our feelings to be in charge.
Instead, we decide where we're aiming and make that happen: to tend to our health first, to listening curiously, to practice kindness, to say the thing that needs saying, to produce gorgeous art, to lead with clarity, to fight for social justice, to laugh more readily, to...what? What about you? What are you becoming? What do you want for your life?
Psychological flexibility is the path to more options, more ways seeing the world, of expanding our possibilities.
When we become flexible in our thinking, we do better. We stop saying and doing the same thing over and over again--and we say and do something more effective. We see new ways of coming to a situation or an argument we've had a hundred times. We can relax in our bodies and understand that our experience--whatever it is--is part of the human experience. We spend less time on resistance and upset and fighting. We cut ourselves some much-needed slack. We allow our humanity. And, slowly, we allow others their humanity, too.
Then we have more energy! And we do better.
Psychological flexibility is crazy powerful! This potent skill is also completely learnable. For more than a decade, I've been teaching people how to bring more options and choice into their own lives. I work with women who lead the way through self-leadership, interrogation, and practice.
We do this work through direct lessons, rich conversation, evidence-based practices, yoga, journaling, movement, and--critically--connection with other learning humans. We all do better together with this work. I can't stress enough how fun and engaging and playful this work with me is--it's life-giving. Never strong-arming, never forced.
I had to learn this superpower the hard way--I was in such a rut in so many ways. I kept playing out the same scenarios in my life--scenarios that I could see were similar to my mother's struggles before me--but I didn't know how to stop. So frustrating! When I had kids, I had a series of heartbreaks that forced my hand: figure this stuff out or you're going to pass these heartbreaking ways on to your kids, too. That was very motivating for me. I dove into the work and became more practiced and skillful in choosing my responses to life--and choosing beauty and steadiness, and clarity.
I want this for every woman who wants it for herself. It is wonderful to see how the work I've put together through courses and retreats helps people truly become who they want to be--prioritizing their own growth and development and then getting the support they need to make it happen. It's people like Robin that make this work so fantastic--and fun!--to do. After working with me for a year, Robin reflects that the work has touched many parts of her life. She says:
"Years later, I draw on the work that I did with Anne every day, multiple times. Working with Anne is a really wise investment. It enhanced many of the relationships I have, helped me be able to set boundaries better and to be more present in relationships."
This January, I am hosting a very small group of motivated and brave women willing to look at themselves with loving and clear eyes, to say yes to really living, and to kickstart their most meaningful lives yet.
Does this sound like something you want? Because if you do, you should act right now--space for this retreat is tightly limited. Click below to see how to sign up for a commitment call with me. You have nothing to lose--the call and the coaching is free. What you gain on the call is yours to ponder and act on. And if you end up on the retreat? Well then, my friend, you will be strengthening your very fine practice of saying yes to the beauty that life is offering you: Brava!
I hope to see you soon. Current pricing ends soon--click here for details on how to hop on a call with me now.
Anne
