What Are You Afraid Of? - Season 4 / Episode 11

Have you ever heard this question being asked? Which came first - the chicken or the egg? I have and that powerful question came to mind after I recorded this episode about COMMUNITY. It’s a word that we hear now more than ever and I believe social media along with the pandemic helped to make this concept of COMMUNITY something that we all learned to lean on in order to thrive. COMMUNITY is much more than just the people we live, work and play around. COMMUNITY has expanded to people we may never meet but feel connected to because of our background, interests and sometimes our beliefs. I’m curious if we have created some addictions to community and connectedness that that aren’t serving us well. That curiosity leads me to ask the question, “Which came first - the community or the commitment?” Press play to see, hear, and understand what lead me this question.

Human Systems Dynamics and its Adaptive Action is a proven method for transforming any wicked issue. Even though many people, around the world, can provide evidence of its impact, there are some human beings who will resist learning about it and using it for their own, personal reasons. It’s reasonable to want to share the richness of HSD with the people around us….people who may be stuck and suffering in a pattern of hopelessness and despair. What do we do when people we love, like, care about and lead , resist our support and encouragement during tough times? What do we do when they choose to isolate themselves and disconnect from us and our impactful advice and resources? How can Human Systems Dynamics help us to help them?

I am inspired to keep my life simple now. I’m exploring simpler ways to do everything, including celebrating life. At this moment, I’m typing these notes from the bed in my hotel room in Chicago, Illinois. Staring at me is the view of the city reminding me of the beauty and joy of simplicity and how it led me here on this solo vacation. Press play to find out how keeping it simple is making my life blissful.

Are you facing life from a posture of fear or fearlessness? What haven’t you done yet simply because the thought of it scares you? How big is the fear you cling to and are the excuses that accompany it bigger than your goals and aspirations? If fear is a big pattern in your life, what is the simplest way to weaken its power? Let’s explore the pattern of fear and it’s impacts together.

While around 34.5% of the global population is thought to be single, around 41% of people go through at least one divorce, if not more. People, of all ages, are entering the dating world for the first time after being married or in a committed relationship for many years. Many of these newly single adults are finding out, the hard way, that getting to know someone is more complicated than it was before social media and all the other technological advances, that we enjoy daily, came to life. Dating apps and text messaging have made it easy and convenient for shorter and quicker conversations . These modern forms of communication and interaction don’t always work well for people who really want to form meaningful, in person connections and find and attract true love. I’m curious if Human Systems Dynamics can be used to help single women and men discover if they are romantically compatible? I think there’s a simple way that will prove to be highly useful for those who desire to find and attract a romantic partner.

Are dress codes in the workplace losing steam or do we still need them as a means of controlling our employees?What if dress codes were never implemented? Could we trust most employees to make good wardrobe choices? Would you rather work for a company that does or doesn’t have a dress code? What impact would fashion freedom or boundaries have on your performance? How do you decide what to wear to work? Do you lean on the side of caution or do you prefer risky business? These are all important questions. Press play to hear what I think about this hot topic?

We’ve all heard the statement, “Everything is relative.” I believe it’s true, and I wanted to explore relativity in an area that you and I will likely face if we are truly living and not just surviving. When you think about playing it safe in your world, what does that look, sound, and feel like? Is it foreign to you or intimately familiar?I’ve got my own mountains to climb as it relates to playing it safe. Press play to hear my perspectives and how I’m striving to form a new pattern of relativity.

Fear is a normal experience that human beings encounter everyday. The question is whether we are determined to face our fears or allow them to immobilize us. When you think about the things that make you fearful, are they more powerful than your determination to face them or vice-versa?This episode reveals one of my deepest fears and how it’s impacted the way I see and experience life through a lens of fear laced with a whole lot of courage. What fears are you facing head on and which have you decided to sweep under the rug? How is your fear-facing approach working for you? This is a cheers for fears rather than tears for fears episode. Press play and see what other questions and insights emerge about your fears?

If you listened to any of the latest travel industry news, I’m sure you’ve heard bits and pieces or the full story about Southwest Airlines “new and soon to become effective” policies for air travel. These policies are extreme in nature and ancillary to the upcoming “assigned seats” policy that Southwest warned us about last year but has yet to launch. Critics are already chastising Southwest for their shocking new policy announcements and for swinging the bat at their customers in this harsh way. It feels as though Southwest is now punishing many of the customers that they once put first…the same loyal customers that have kept them thriving financially for decades. I’m curious who influenced the What, So What, and Now What that led to today’s policy change announcements? What do you think? Are you on board, indifferent, or thinking about which airline you will travel on instead of Southwest? Press play to find out why I think Southwest’s future may start to look a lot different than the company we’ve always known and respected.

Popularity contests and the desire to be liked has always been a thing. The world of social media has placed a wider and deeper emphasis on the concept of liking and disliking someone’s content choices which often adds or detracts from the beholden’s self-esteem. Being liked may be the position that most, if not all, human beings desire to experience, but what happens when you’re not liked? And, what happens when you don’t like someone, particularly that others seem to adore? How far are you willing to go to be liked? How uncomfortable does being disliked make you feel? Is being liked overrated? When you don’t like someone, and have to work closely with them, what happens to the relationship and the work?