Hello, joyful community!
Yesterday I spent the day in a fancy building in downtown Dallas (it was the first time I’ve had to dress up for work in a while!). I had the fun opportunity to train a corporate team on how to build their mental fitness so they can navigate change with less stress and a more positive mindset.
Over the last few days, I’ve introduced you to the same concepts I taught to this team. Our ability to handle challenging situations (like a layoff or changing careers) with less stress depends on:
Activating your “Sage”
Today, I want to talk about Step #3 and what I mean by activating the “Sage”.
I also want to invite you to join me for the next Positive Intelligence Pod - it’s all about helping you navigate career changes with strong mental fitness, meaning fewer negative emotions and a more positive mindset.
The deadline to sign up is TODAY (5 p.m. Central), Friday, September 22nd!
Secure your spot and be one of the six people to join me on a 7-week journey to experience change feeling less drained by fear and more energized by curiosity, playfulness, creativity, and wonder!
Let’s get back to Step #3 of embracing change: what do I mean by “activating your ‘Sage’”?
First, let’s talk about Star Wars.
Just like the battles that happen in Star Wars, our brains are also at war.
The part of our brain that sabotages us (telling us things like “You’re not good enough!”) is our inner Darth Vader. Meanwhile, the part of our brain that knows we are wise, courageous, and capable is our inner Jedi.
Our inner Jedi is the equivalent of our “Sage”: the part of us that has access to our greatest courage, creativity, innovation, empathy, big picture and clear thinking, and our ability to take decisive action.
At any given point, our brain’s Darth Vader and inner Jedi are at war: when our Jedi is winning, our brain is our best friend, helping us navigate life with positive emotions. But when Darth Vader takes the lead, we feel stressed, anxious, guilty, angry, and down on ourselves.
Who has been most active in your brain lately:
the Sage (your inner Jedi) or your Saboteurs (your brain’s Darth Vader)?
Who is winning the battle?
Who do you WANT to win the battle?
In yesterday’s training, I brought in an example from basketball to illustrate the war that happens in our brains:
Imagine that you’re NBA player Steph Curry and you get the ball with two seconds to spare before the end of the final championship game.
If you get the ball into the net, your team wins.
If you miss the shot, you’ve just cost your team the championship.
How might you perform if your saboteurs take over your brain?
Well, the reason that athletes choke under high pressure is that they haven’t built strong mental fitness to quiet their saboteurs.
Saboteurs create high anxiety, saying things like “You’re not going to get the ball in!” and “If you miss, your career is over!”.
Meanwhile, a player like Steph Curry who is known for playing with joy and focus, has strong mental fitness and knows how to activate his Sage.
Under pressure, our inner Sage might tell us, “You know what to do”, and “How cool that you get to hold the ball these last few seconds of the game!”
When we listen to our Sage, we feel calm, focused, and confident. We’re able to take action, trusting ourselves completely.
As you think about the change you’re currently experiencing, which part of your brain would you rather listen to in those moments of high pressure?
In the PQ Pod experience, you’ll learn to activate your Sage in three ways:
You’ll learn about the “Sage perspective”: the core belief about yourself, others, and your circumstance that will shift your energy instantly when your saboteurs are running the show
You’ll learn to apply the “3 gifts” technique, a method to find the advantages you’re gaining from every single challenge in your life
You’ll develop and practice 5 “superpowers”, specifically, your:
Sense of curiosity
Deep empathy, especially towards yourself
Ability to trust yourself as you make important decisions
Creativity and ability to innovate
Confidence as you take decisive actions toward your goals
Learning to activate your inner Sage faster and more often can change everything for you as you experience change: you will feel better, perform better, and show up as the best version of YOU.
Here’s what Luciana C., an HR Professional and one of my past Pod members, shared:
"Through Karla’s Pod, I became more vulnerable and open, enriching my perspective as I heard about others' challenges. I better understood my inner 'Judge', and became curious about it. I shared my learnings with my husband and even engaged my kids in the fun exercises before bedtime. I now have more self-awareness and feel calmer in my life.”
And Rocio L., another Pod member, said:
“I would recommend this program to anyone who is feeling unsatisfied, stressed, like you don't have enough time, or experiencing impostor syndrome. This program teaches great techniques to help you cope and learn to live a happier, more fulfilling life. Do it!"