Communication
Sarah Shuel
Change: Alter, Transform and Switch; To Become ...

: to make different in some particular : ALTER

: to make radically different : TRANSFORM

: to make a shift from one to another : SWITCH

: to become different

Ahh yes: “Alter, transform and switch, to become different’’.....these words resonate a lot in FIG’s evolution, we’re excited about a little bit of change (and a little apprehensive if we’re being honest!).

Change: Alter, Transform and Switch; To Become Different
Communication
Sarah Shuel
Technology Addiction: Yes, It's a Thing...

In her Wall Street Journal article: Digital Addictions Are Drowning Us in Dopamine, Dr, Lembke, a Stamford University professor and psychiatrist, talks about the scientific biological effects of addictions to our devices. It’s real folks. This is not FIG banging the drum of putting down our phones or any other technological apparatus and talking or connecting with our fellow human beings. No. This is concrete, physiological, measurable, science based fact that continuously interacting with our high-tech electronic leashes, gaming apparatuses and social media actually, physically, alters our brains to crave more of it, thereby de-incentivising us to engage with others on a human level.

Gasp, shock and awe!

Technology Addiction: Yes, It's a Thing...
Communication
Sarah Shuel
Mistakes: Perfectly Human

Mistakes. We all make them, we’re human beings and by definition 99.9% imperfect (with apologies to those of you who think otherwise), which results in, guess what? Mistakes (we make them hourly at FIG)! That gaffes, miscalculations and oversights are a part of our collective experience on this earth. Why (on earth!) is it so hard to admit to making mistakes, take responsibility for these human aberrations and move on after making a miscalculation or error? Hmmmm?

Mistakes: Perfectly Human
Communication
Sarah Shuel
Habits: The Good, The Bad, and the Intangible

We all have habits - some serve us well and some get in our way…...Google states: “A habit is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.” Establishing a habit usually takes about two weeks to become routine and is subsequently supported and reinforced by practicing it daily.

Habits: The Good, The Bad, and the Intangible
Communication
Sarah Shuel
Life Happens

Ever had a “Monday” on any day of the week? Ever had your day perfectly planned, scheduled and organized only to have all your intended “to-do’s”: meetings, calls, oh yeah, actual “work,” utterly blown up by an unexpected interruption, complication, interference? Ever had someone insert themselves into your day with their drama, troubles or lack of planning (real or self-inflicted), requiring you to shelve your carefully laid out day(s) and requiring you to stop whatever you’re doing for their fire drill?

Yeah, us too.

Life Happens

asking for help

Why Don't We Ask for Help?

Why Don't We Ask for Help?

Anyone out there have trouble asking for help? Yeah, us too.

As we tend to do at FIG, we wondered why is this simple request so fraught with hesitancy, reluctance and inaction? We ALL can use some help sometimes and, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, we’re ALL human and NONE of us have all the answers to everything - seriously, we’re not kidding. This blows up our cavalier notion that we “should” be able to find an answer, “should” be able to figure a way out of a challenging situation, “should” know how to extricate ourselves from a tricky situation, “should” know the right words or pick the right time to have a difficult conversation, “should” know how to look for a job fresh out of college, “should” be able to understand a confusing concept, “should” know how to approach someone we don’t know and strike up a conversation, “should” be able to understand mystifying situations… “should;” “should;” “should.” Silly you, why don’t you know what you don’t know? My Dad has a saying: “Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time.” While somewhat cynical, he may, in fact, be on to something. Said more charitably, age, wisdom and experience are the supreme gifts of maturity and living life, and are meant to be shared. Why not benefit from some of THAT? Asking for help will oftentimes paralyze us, but why?