ALISTAIR...Life is a journey

WEEK 9

This is not the end; it’s only the beginning. It may be the last week of the workouts, but I feel I’ve only just started to explore my potential. And I’m hungry for more. These are exciting times for me.

I’ve spent this week consolidating all the insights I’ve gained over the last two months. JOLT Challenge is a transformational experience for anyone who’s looking at changing something in their life, but hasn’t acted on it yet. Overall the programme has given me more inner confidence and a better sense of my external direction. I’m already feeling changes happening inside and around me, and I’m excited to go with the flow – wherever it takes me.

Over the past nine weeks it hasn’t been easy to articulate the value of JOLT Challenge to my family and friends. That’s why I thought I would include another photo which captures one of my key transformations: accepting that my view of success (and happiness) may be different from someone else’s. And that’s fine.

The morning following this week’s workout I decided I needed to write down three words that would movitate me to continue practising and exploring the wisdom of JOLT Challenge. These are now displayed on the wall above my computer: Determination. Drive. Discipline. My Journal and Resource Book are only a metre away from my reach. And I purposely haven’t shelved them so I can actually see them!

Quote for all times is from the sagacious Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Life is a journey, not a destination”.

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ALISTAIR…Creativity is King

WEEK 8

I picked up a LRG t-shirt on High Street a few years back: Creativity is King. The mantra has always resonated with me. Creativity happens to be one of the values I identified as important to me in Week 6. I have never been a fan of convention, so any opportunity to break the rules is fine by me.

This week’s workout was lively and spontaneous. I allowed my imagination to fly as we were encouraged to ‘let go’ of our minds and bodies to create something unexpected. I was in such high spirits after the workout!

The ‘Being in the Moment’ exercise reinforced my appreciation for walking and preference for riding public transport: one is so much more aware of what goes on as there is time to tune out, reflect and soak in the surrounding views.

Quote of the week is a classic from Gloria Steinem: “The first problem for all of us men and women is not to learn, but to unlearn”.

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ALISTAIR…Stress relief

Week 7

This week’s techniques built on last week’s theme of unlocking our values, so we can better understand the way they shape who we are and how we think and behave.

Stress is something that we all experience from time to time. My typical way to deal with it is to hibernate and try my best to get through the tough times. This has given me varying degrees of success. Enter the Humour Box: a self-designed container of goodies that give me ‘lift’ whenever I feel under pressure. It’s a fantastic toolkit, and I found myself reaching into it at least twice this week. 

Other food for thought this week: What are my strengths? What is my purpose in life. I realized I’ve become quite caught up in seeing myself through other people’s eyes or paying too much attention to the achievements of others to truly reflect on my own needs. I made a decision to take action around mapping a clearer and sustainable path for myself.

I was quite taken with the following quote this week from Ferdinand Foch: “The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire”.

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ALISTAIR…Who am I?

WEEK 6

This has been the most challenging part of the programme for me so far. Having the space to explore my beliefs, how they shape who I am and the impact they have on my behavior has been the greatest reward this week.

In many ways, I feel I have always known what my beliefs are/what I stand for. When challenged to chart and track our most important beliefs, I came up with the following: Creativity; Passion; Community; Communication; Flexibility; Openness; and Sexuality.

My thought patterns tend towards the future and, as a result, I often feel disconnected from the present. I picked up a handy tool this week that has allowed me to reframe emotions and events around how they affect my present state of being. I plan to practise this technique whenever I feel ungrounded.

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ALISTAIR…Be Happy

WEEK 5

I felt a sense of excitement and trepidation when I realized we would be touching on the emotions this week. I’ve long been fascinated by Emotional Intelligence ever since I read Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking book during a summer over a decade ago, but when I absorbed the ideas back then, I treated it more as an academic exercise, rather than something that could offer me life lessons. 

I’ve never been an outwardly expressive person: I was taught to be quiet and modest about my achievements. Happiness was about enabling other people to realize their potential. I realized I’ve carried this belief, consciously and unconsciously, to this date, but recently (like three months ago) I started to break the system and focus more on the things that make me happy.  I made a list of my personal passions and the people I want to be around that link in to those passions. I also made a commitment to never waste a day on things that won’t bring my dreams to life. That’s been a challenge for me, but it has opened up both a world of possibilities and my eyes to what I need to integrate into my thinking and behavior to experience a truly fulfilled journey.

Quote of the week is a Japanese proverb from an anonymous source: “Fear is only as deep as the mind allows”.

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ALISTAIR…Vision of the future

WEEK 4

Seeing is believing as the adage goes. I focused my energy this week on understanding better the meaning of three terms: ‘gratitude’, ‘intention’ and ‘visualization’.  

The exercises in the Journal allowed me to map out a clearer path around my future goals, and I learnt the art of ‘chunking’ (breaking down daily tasks into priority areas). I found myself using the 'chunking' technique at the start each day when I opened up my calendar to get an overview of the day. I'm now using it on a daily basis to guide me in my planning. It's allowed me to prioritize my important tasks. At the end of the day, I feel more satisified and happy. 

The ‘visualization’ and ‘mental rehearsal’ techniques opened up a fresh perspective on energy flows and the connection they have to achieving success and bringing ‘intention’ to life. The exercise which brought this to life at the workout helped me to believe more in myself and what is possible if I imagine the impossible and then focus on my goal on actualizing it.

My favorite exercise was from the workout session. It required me to write a positive, reinforcing statement beginning with “I am grateful for…” about each of my fellow JOLTers. The experience proved challenging and enriching, and I kept on thinking during the exercise what others would write about me. When I received the letter, I was pleasantly surprised. I hardly receive physical mail these days (unless it's a power or water bill), so my first reaction was "mmm...I wonder who sent this." Funny, I can't even recognize my own handwriting! I felt a mix of emotions on reading the letter. Aside from all the warm fuzzies, there were a few observations that I didn't even think my fellow JOLTees would pick up about me after such a brief contact time. Interestingly, there were four words that reappeared that I believe do reflect my personality: "smart", "polite", "witty", "sociable". 

Quote of the week is from Mark Twain: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one”.

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ALISTAIR…Mind. Food. Body.

WEEK 3

This week I got to assess my daily food consumption. I realized that I’m eating enough foods with fibre, but I need to boost my water, vitamin and mineral intake. I think my diet could also do with less high-sugar drinks and MSG-heavy foods. The simple guideline we were encouraged to follow is: eat fresh and organic.

I benefited hugely from the relaxation techniques taught at this week’s workout session (the physical interface on a Tuesday evening for current JOLTees). I learnt some simple yet effective exercises to soothe the mind and warm up different parts of the body. Having Sandie there really makes the experience special: her voice is so soothing!

Another handy tool I picked up this week was Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). The brainchild of Gary Craig, I discovered this technique is a way to ward off negative emotions which are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system. EFT is effective in restoring the body’s energy flow by tapping on pressure points on certain meridians (accupunture points). 

Quote of the week is one I learnt during my high school days studying Latin: “Mens sana in corpore sano” (a sound mind in a healthy body).

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ALISTAIR...Brain Gain

WEEK 2

Science was never my forte at high school. Luckily this week’s exercises to explore the power of the brain and the Senses were nothing like those from my teenage years.

The brain is a curious thing. Our thinking is done here. It’s also where chemicals such as Adrenaline (‘rush chemical’) and Dopamine (‘pleasure chemical’) reside. I thrive a bit on adrenaline rushes. I learnt this week that I need to find better ways to manage my energy levels otherwise I may risk burning out. I have always been a fan of walking and getting massages – both of these exercises I discovered are great ways to raise one’s Serotonin (‘bliss chemical’) levels.

I got my MOJO on this week. No I didn’t cast a spell or put on my personal charm. Instead I exercised my MOtivational JOLT. In doing so, I learnt how to switch my emotional state from good to great, from fear to play. This was all part of a bigger exploration of the Five Senses (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory, gustatory).

My favorite exercise this week required me to undergo ‘The Taste Test’. I asked my mom to blindfold me and feed me a selection of different foods. Before I sampled each item, I had to savor the aroma and describe it to my mom. When I tasted the food, I found it challenging to discern the different ingredients because, in many cases, she didn’t offer me a standalone item to taste! In the end, I realized it was a fantastic way to test my sensory acuity.

Quote of the week is from Deepak Chopra: “To think is to practice brain chemistry”.

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ALISTAIR...Never stop playing

WEEK 1

The world is here to play. In Aotearoa. For the Rugby World Cup. And so did we – JOLT Challenge style. One of the activities this week involved using juggling balls. A simple task at first – tossing a ball to a designated person. But nothing is ever as easy as it appears.

Without spoiling the fun for those readers who are considering the program, this week’s activity brings to life the idea that an essential element of success requires us to remain active, alert and stimulated. This all ties in to the different stages of learning, or the ‘Growth Cycle’ as described in the Resource Book.

We are in constant migration through spaces where we face:

CHALLENGE: situations that question our behavior, thinking and values

CHAOS: as we try to make sense of these challenges, conflicted emotions arise

COMPETENCY: we find ways to deal with the issue, usually following prescribed patterns

PLAY: we learn to break the rules. Not one size fits all. We experiment. We have fun

On a side note, I know German. One of the sexiest words in that language to me is verspielt (playful).

Sharing is caring they say. I especially enjoy sharing inspirational quotes. So every week I’ll offer an insightful one from the JOLT Challenge Resource Book. This week’s gem: “The day we stop playing is the day we stop learning” – William Glasser.

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ALISTAIR...Me, myself and I

INTRO WEEK

Nine weeks to explore me. What a luxury I keep telling myself. But it’s true. And a chance to blog about it too. So you’ll be able to follow my journey and I can track my progress. I only discovered the program earlier this year through conversations with a past Joltee (is that the right word to describe those who have experienced JOLT Challenge???). The idea of achieving greater confidence, increased happiness and more energy amongst a myriad of positive outcomes seems like a dream come true. I mean, who wouldn’t want that, right?

Today I’m filled with mixed emotions: excited, anxious, curious. But I’m keeping an open mind. I need to trust my instincts about this program. I’m only going to get as much out of the program as I put into it. Because I am wanting to change and committed to finding a greater sense of purpose in life.

We have two books to work with: JOLT Challenge Journal and the JOLT Challenge Resource Book. On page XI of the former, we’re asked to define success in five statements. Here’s what I wrote:

Success is different things to different people

Success is a journey not a destination

Success is knowing who you are and what you want

Success is happiness

Success is achieving something as a result of focus, drive, passion and fun

Pithy quotes litter the latter, including this great one from Lao Tzu which resonates with me: “Knowing others is wisdom; knowing the self is enlightenment”.

Let the journey begin.

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