Spreading the word - telling people about Choice Theory

Do you get asked "What is Choice Theory?"  An elevator speech is that 30 seconds you have when people ask that question.

A great elevator speech does four things: 

1. It sets out the problem
2. It sets out the opportunity
3. It sets out how the training is going to solve that in a way that's valuable to customers
4. It inspires the listener

How does this sound?

• We have a world that is beset with violence, break down of families, mentally ill people, jails full to overflowing
• Learning Choice Theory has an answer to these huge issues.  Even if we were able to eliminate just one of these areas, society would be a better place for everyone.  
• We teach people that we need to recognise that we can only control ourselves.  The issues are really all about trying to control others.  Violence is trying to control others; break downs in families are the result of one person in the marriage trying to control another.  Mentally ill people are largely people who have become disconnected from those who are important to them and people are often incarcerated because they tried to use force to control another person. Choice Theory teaches us ways to get what we want in a way that does not stop others from getting what they want.
• Wouldn't it be a wonderful place if we were able to eliminate these major concerns in society.  Then the only thing we would need to solve is the poverty of many because of the greed of a few.

Try this for yourself in your area of using Choice Theory and its applications.

Can Choice Theory go viral?

Dorothy Devine sent me the following piece from the Institute of Heart Math,
 

"Change your energy, change your life, change your world...

If we give ourselves unconditional self love for five minutes, the energy created strengthens the immune system for 6 hours.

When we choose anger for five minutes, this state diminishes the immune system for 6 hours.

It is a choice...."

There is also a great free wellbeing survey that gives an interesting take on your stress levels. 

Woodenbong ??

Where is Woodenbong?  I did not know until two days ago.  I drove out from the Gold Coast about two hours and juddered across the border into New South Wales.  I called into the local pub and asked the person behind the bar if this was the only hotel in town. He smiled and said yes.  The town with its outlying community has a small population of about 600.

Dorothy Devine and I were booked in for the night to begin work on a Basic Intensive Training with staff at the local school the next day.

The school was a mere 100 metres from the pub and we were greeted by the Deputy Principal who opened up our training room.  People began to arrive and we were underway.

Our time with the staff was full of fun and laughter.  Stories were shared, aha moments were evident, deep listening practised and questions were asked, all leading to a very needs satisfying day.  Work will continue between sessions through a Blog called Woodenbong BIT.

Now I know a little more about Woodenbong and some of its residents and I really warmed to both.

CT and Caring for the Aged

Recently my 84 year old mother has been experiencing severe pain due to her oesteo arthritis. She had asked me to be her Medical Power of Attorney. Accordingly, I have been accompanying her to her many medical appointments and assessments. Life has changed dramatically for Mum - no longer able to catch the bus to shop on her own, gardening (one of her favourite pastimes) has become almost impossible and keeping the house clean (in case someone comes!). She felt like she was losing her independence and was making statements like " they told me I'm not allowed to catch the bus anymore". So I have been using Choice Theory to help Mum regain some of the "self power" she felt she had lost by asking her questions...... "can you walk to the bus, Mum?" " No, dear". "What's stopping you from walking to the bus?" "My back......it's my body, it's wearing out" "Ok, Mum, so you can't walk to the bus on you own but you can still go shopping, just differently. There's the Council volunteer group, there's half price cab's that we have organised or there are family members who can take you".

Mum was suffering anxiety/panic attacks, we believe as a reaction to very strong pain medication. To assist her to manage these attacks I would sit calmly with her and breathe and talk about a "happy" place. She has learned very quickly that she "is in control of the remote" and can choose to change the picture in her head.

Some members of the family had become increasingly concerned with Mum's doctor (myself included) but how do you get an 84 year old, loyal through and through, to change her doctor?You sow seeds, give her information and let her make the choice herself. This week Mum decided to see another Dr - for a second opinion - even after her "old" Dr phoned her asking for her to see him.

I am soo proud of Mum and it goes to show that you are NEVER too OLD to learn. You can teach an old dog new tricks!

What a Day!

Sometimes you just have one of those days! this is how it went:

Had to get up at 4am for a 6.10 flight to Adelaide.

Couldn't find remote control for garage door, backed into son's car in driveway.

Arrive at airport, just miss bus from long term parking area to terminal.

Run all the way thru terminal to LAST boarding gate - FLIGHT CLOSED!!!!

What do I do: start crying, tantruming - will it change anything? NO!

What I do is - stand and take stock of my situation, THINK, walk all the way back thru terminal, out thru security, back to service desk. Book later flight (3 hours later!!!), pay money, then back thru security, buy a chai latte, sit down, BREATHE slowly, gather myself, send a dozen smss and procede to prepare myself for today's meeting and relax......

Without Choice Theory I would have cried, angered, roared at the check-in chick, argued at the service desk. My blood pressure would have been sky high and I would have been stressing about being late for the meeting. And what would have changed - NOTHING. My situation would have been exactly the same - stuck at the airport, waiting for the next flight.

THANK YOU Choice Theory for giving me the strategies to cope with whatever is thrown my way.

NOTE: Later flight was an hour late leaving!!!

Growing with Choice Theory

The following is a growth report submitted by a Basic Practicum participant.  It outlines the growth experienced as a result of the Basic Week and Basic Practicum.

Before Choice Theory, I used to believe that what others did or said was the cause of my hurt and that I could do little about this.  Since doing the Choice Theory workshop and reading several books by William Glasser, I now see this differently.   

Today, I am more inclined to recognize that I am not a victim of another or a situation, and therefore, tend to take responsibility for my perception and for the emotions I experience and then the action I choose in response.  

What I have learned from Choice Theory is that I perceive the real world through my perceptual filters (made up of sensory, total knowledge and value systems) I then compare my quality world with my perceived world, if they match then I experience feelings of satisfaction, happiness, contentment  etc. and am not motivated to change, this is because my needs and wants are being satisfied.   

Should my perceived world not match my quality world, then I have an urge to “behave” in an attempt to get my needs/wants satisfied.  My behavior is made up of four components, feeling, physiology, thinking and acting and I can be doing all four or, if I am spinning my wheels, I am stuck in feeling and need to take action in order to change the feeling.  By learning that this is how the brain works, I have been able to achieve this growth.