Process Jolt #11 - Begin with the inhale, not the exhale

Welcome to our Conscious Innovator® process!

Are you ready for a new, insight-provoking “Jolt” … something designed to “rearrange your molecules” as it elicits your unique, innovative potential in life and work?

Jolts wake us up. They spur new self-awareness, new capabilities and values, and new actions. Paradoxically, we don’t learn from each Jolt – rather, each Jolt “learns us”! That is, a Jolt sits in the background of our consciousness and then prompts new insights and energy over time. 

Jolt #11: Begin with the inhale, not the exhale

Take a deep breath. Hold it a moment. As you exhale, consciously drop your shoulders.

Take another deep inhale while noticing how the air fills your lower lungs and upper chest. As you exhale, consciously empty your lungs as you drop your shoulders even more.

Repeat, and keep relaxing into this present moment.

While breathing deeply gives you a way to become more conscious, there’s even more significance to why a healthy breathing rhythm is essential when you’re innovating: it maximizes your mental intelligence… by maximizing your emotional intelligence!

What would happen if you habitually inhaled quickly and shallowly, and over-emphasized your exhale? Or the opposite? Both of those rhythms are unnatural and unhealthy. The same is true for the innovation process, which also has a breathing rhythm.

First comes an inhale, where you define a goal or intention and gather new perspectives and knowledge – the "raw materials" you need to innovate. With a good inhale, you illuminate a robust opportunity; a vortex of energy that awaits a vibrant, innovative solution.

Then comes the exhale, where you actualize that opportunity by generating creative ideas, deciding on your course of action, and making it happen. Finally, you celebrate the learning and achievements that exemplify the life-energy you’ve given to that opportunity.

Most innovation processes rush from inhale to exhale, jumping from defining a goal to brainstorming ideas to quickly implementing a solution. This pattern adds stress and results in solutions that are not as innovative, effective or emotionally fulfilling as they could be.

Making sure your innovation process has a healthy breathing rhythm is vital to sustain your innovative enthusiasm and efforts. Try it… notice that when your process has a good, healthy inhale, it naturally prepares you for the exhale.

-=-=-=- Now it's your turn -=-=-=-

Being a Conscious Innovator® has a 3 phase cyclical process: become aware, capable, and versatile. Try on this Jolt in your life and work, then take self-reflective time to engage in the process:

-=-=-=- An invitation to join our process and share your insights -=-=-=-

If you haven’t already, we’d love for you to join our process and share your own experiences, while learning from the experiences of others! We appreciate what one person said about the Jolt process itself:

Innovation is a world by itself. It can change lives and help people become more positive. Doing a Jolt is already something! A new habit that promotes innovation and reflection.

It’s totally FREE to participate. To sign up and join us, go to this link and follow the easy directions: https://innovate.vci.global/p/the-conscious-innovator. 

Even if you haven’t participated up to this point, it’s never too late to start the process! It’s like a concise gym workout that provides an insightful “pause that refreshes” and evokes your unique, innovative potential in life and work.