Hi Brooke,

First – October mind work was a roller coaster for me. I resisted, hollered, and tossed up a tantrum during the first 2 weeks. So I knew this month was important. Even if I skipped a day, I went back and did it and as promised, it did all come together.

Positive results I have created in the past:
Confidence in my ability to hike in threatening conditions. (I’ve hiked past bear, over rattlesnake dens, on the edges of cliffs, in wind and rain so strong I had to crawl to keep going). Writing this helped me realize that confidence comes from taking action (Oh. Duh, didn’t we do that in June?)

Positive results I want to create more of:
Confidence in my ability to be secure at work (In other words, I want to feel towards threatening situations at work, the way I feel in the woods with a bear) It blows my mind that I’m more freaked out, and for WAY longer, by being corrected by a superior at work than I am faced with physical danger. WAY more terrifying to be told I need to correct a report or I’m missing a document. WHAT the WHAT???

With that insight, I started modeling:

C: Bear right on trail.
T: Crap. A bear. What are my steps?
F: Super aware. Focused. Serious and little inconvenienced
A: Keep sharp eye. Stand up TALL. Keep dog quiet, behind me. Back up calmly until not in sight.
R: We’re fine, hike around bear or back track, hike takes longer. Totally not afraid to hike there again.

OK so now I tried:
C: Mistake at work
T: Crap. A bear. What are my steps?
F: Serious, Focused, Calm but alert, confident.
A: Analyze issue, take corrective action, state facts calmly, proceed with confidence
R: I’m fine. I either have moved past the issue or I’ve had to retreat and work my way around it.

Here’s the thing, when I was first starting to hike in bear country, this is the model:

C: A bear
T: Crap. Absolutely. Do. Not. Freak. Out.
F: Focused
A: work through steps
R: I’m fine

UIM:
C: Missing document.
T: Oh my God! I’m the worst person at this job ever. They will fire me, lose confidence in me. It’s been missing since 2009 and I started in 2012 but I should have known it was missing. I saw that empty spot.
F: Clenching in chest, all muscles go tight, mind freezes, guess that’s fear
A: Self castigation while trying to fix issue, endless apologizing (in my own head and sometimes overtly), toss myself under a bus.
R: Mistake is corrected, normally boss is bemused or ignorant of drama, I’m exhausted and buffer

IM
C: Missing document.
T: Oh for Pete’s sake. Another damn bear. Absolutely. Do. Not. Freak. Out.
F: Irritated, focused, controlled
A: Sit up TALL. Fix mistake. Tell boss. Move on.
R: I’m fine. If it’s a non event (bear not on trail), I move on at this company. If it’s bad, my way will be blocked and I’ll have to work my way around this issue.

So much easier than staring down a bear.

If this works…… (!)
When I’ve practiced it an made it a habitual response, it’ll be a total game changer. SCS will have paid for itself.
I want to put “SCS ROCKS – Sign up NOW!” in neon on my roof.
Amy