Unleash your generativity – raise above the pandemic!
It is exactly in this context that our generative intelligence is most elicited – to cope, to maintain, to thrive amid the pandemic. Being creative and resourceful when confined at home or home offices may not sound intuitive.
Here few tips on how we can make our generative intelligence soar:
- Make the implicit explicit: at work or at home – put a mane on how you feel, how you intend to proceed, what you think – it is not important if it is right or long term. Neuroscience tell us that the negative emotions impair less our state of being and thinking when we label them and speak the language of our body. When we do so, we have and give to those around us higher chances to self-regulate.
- Use media to instruct, not to distract, nor to disrupt. Our brain has limited capacity for cognitive or emotional novelty. Overwhelming it with all that is in the media, will only consume our bandwidth with what is out of your control and make it more difficult for us to bounce back and rejuvenate. Remember: Words create worlds. Images shape memories and drive behaviour. The world is up for new beginnings – use the media selectively to feed your new thinking. It starts now.
- Instruct your mind to do what you really intend it to do. Our mind does what it believes we want it to do – the pictures we make in our mind and the words we say instruct our mind on our intentions, which then direct and influence our actions. Dreadful images of lost lives during the pandemic (or any other crisis) may be effective to motivate compliance or change by fear. But neuroscience has demonstrated that fear and anxiety atrophy our brain faster than anything else. If your intention is to establish a new better normal for you and those around you then for God’s sake, search for and stick with the best inspiring and energizing images, dreams, and words you ever wanted to be part of your life.
- Re-orient your focus – ask: What is most important right now that is under my control? The perspective we take on what matters and how we react on it is totally under our control. Even at work and at a larger scope – where some decisions may have been taken at a different level – we have a choice on how we relate to practicalities. Believing that we are focusing on what matters most and on the highest purpose of the roles we occupy in life or at work has proven to be the strongest determinant of building extraordinary resilience, growth and renewal.
- Take care of the ultimate defence line – hydrate, avoid sugar, reduce coffee, cut on industrial food and beverages, and feed yourself with healthy food, self-care and love.
I believe that life throws at us what we need in order to grow. Unleashing our generativity will help humanity to turn problems into resources, challenges into opportunities and grow more resilient and agile.