How can I change my behaviour for the better?

How can I change my behaviour for the better? I love this TED talk by Louise Evans about owning our behaviours. She explains how there are behaviours and attitudes that we bring into the world, and our choices have a direct impact on our conversations and quality of life.

To become more conscious of our behaviours Louise suggest we use the idea of five different coloured chairs to help us slow down our behaviour and analyse what is going on.

The red chair is where we attack, make judgements, and prioritise being right. We see what is wrong with other people. Its symbolic animal is the jackal.

The yellow chair is where we feel vulnerable, seek protection, and judge ourselves. Our fears of rejection, disappointment and failure cause us to become victims. Its symbolic animal is the hedgehog.

The green chair is where we are mindful, curious, observant and vigilant. We wait, and ask ourselves “what am I thinking?” We decide what the right choice is before responding. Its symbolic animal is the meerkat.

The blue chair is where we become self-aware and are not afraid to speak our truth. We create boundaries, look after ourselves and don’t give our power away. Its symbolic animal is the dolphin.

The purple chair is where we show tolerance, empathy, compassion and understanding. We listen to others and care for them. We look at other perspectives, embrace diversity and stay connected. Its symbolic animal is the giraffe.

In the red and yellow chars, life is not very pleasant. In the blue and purple chairs, we’re more rational and open.

Viktor Frankl said “the last of human freedoms is to choose our attitude in any given set of circumstances”, and this is a powerful concept. When someone presses our buttons, we have the choice of how to respond, and the power to change our behaviour for the better.

Project 365

I set up this website after deciding that I want to build a more creative life for myself, so I can give up my job and be in control of my own destiny.

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year, to document my journey from employment to self-employment.

The name I chose was Project 365 because I see this as a year that I have dedicated to learning and self-development, as I countdown to freedom. It started on 1st January 2021, so I have 211 days to go!