One of my most memorable coach training days was focused on Improv skills, and during it we played a number of games to stretch us in all kinds of ways.
One in particular really stayed with me. We stood in a circle and moved imaginary energy around and between us - accepting it and passing it on (Zip) or rejecting it and sending it back (Boing).
It took me back to a few university drinking games (with fewer after effects!).
At one point the energy got stuck in a Zip-Boing loop - bouncing back and forth, trying to move and then being blocked, over and over again.
The only way for it to get moving again was for someone to make a change, release the energy and break the pattern.
And, of course, it’s the same in real life.
When we want to change something in our lives - a habit, a thought pattern, an ingrained response - it can be surprisingly easy to get stuck in our own Zip-Boing loop.
We know what we want to change, but it’s hard to break free. And a lot of the time we can talk ourselves out of it before we’ve even tried.
So how do we get our energy moving?
A few ideas:
Take a step back and find the gift in your goal. If we’re trying to make a change because we feel we ‘should’ or ‘have to’, it can be harder to move forward. Getting clear on why it matters - to you - helps make it more personal.
Swap, don’t stop. Instead of subtracting (which can leave a gap that’s too easy to fill!), find an alternative.
Find the smallest way to make a change (often we make change too big and overwhelming to start).
Run an experiment - give yourself a 2-week window to test and learn or try out for size (this one really works for me - it’s not forever, it’s to find something out).
Set yourself up for success. What would make it as easy as possible to start and keep going? A partner, scheduling, reminders, practical changes to your environment?
And lastly, be kind to yourself when you stumble - we all do. It’s hard to change something that’s been stuck for a while, and worth celebrating the moments when we remember and do the new thing!
Are you stuck in a Zip-Boing loop?
And what would help you break the cycle and get your energy moving?
Wishing you a week of sustainable change,
