CHALLENGE ACCEPTED THINKING
Posted on October 27, 2012 by Carla Langmead, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Just exactly what is 'normal' and who decides that?
How we think individually and collectively is vitally important. Models of thinking guide public attitudes, shape legislation, determine service provision and even influence the training of professionals. Societal ‘norms’ are simply reflections of the needs and values of those who construct them, which means they are subjective. This means that as a society we have a major part to play in deciding what is ‘normal’. Concerns in society then either require a burying of the head in the sand attitude or require a response of action and duty, which may be as simple as questioning our own values and beliefs. Social constructs are changeable, they are not rigid and static and to say “but that’s how it is” or “thats how it’s always been” means that the choice is acceptance rather than change and growth. If we all accepted things as they are we would still be living in caves, so sometimes challenging ‘norms’ and reaching for growth and change can be beneficial. A top NZ medical specialist told myself and my partner that nothing further could be done to help with his brain injury. These words coming from such a highly trained professional had the potential to limit and hinder progress. Thankfully this was balanced up by a team of neuro scientists who kept our fragile minds open. Already armed with information that science can measure thought patterns and their effects, it was a no brainer as to which trained professional we were going to listen to. Limited outcomes based on statistics and ‘norms’ …or potential?… Science knows that the brain is not fixed and in fact can be re-wired, it isn’t saying that it can fix everything (yet) but it is saying there’s hope and lets ‘look’. The brain is a mystical and powerful organ that if given the opportunity can re-shape lives. For those old enough, think back to man landing on the moon. I would hazard a guess to say that many people would have thought it impossible, yet it happened. This global event expanded minds by creating new neural pathways based on new information. The unimaginable was now a reality. I like science, it walks into the unknown . Science does not limit, it is always exploring the next what if….and how come? However any piece of information given is only as good as how it is received and whether we have the ability to question, process and integrate it. Mostly people only do this on a need to know basis and it is not until challenged that we start to question how we think. One thing can be certain in that life will continue to do just that, challenge us, we will however always have a choice on how to handle those hurdles and whether we accept or want to create a change. Sometimes objective help is needed to see things a little clearer and investing in ourselves and looking at how we think, will and can create the sort of society that we want.
Carla’s Health & Lifestyle Coaching.
www.carlascoachingforhealth.com
Ph: 345 2494 021 1658 961
