028: Rewiring our Nervous System to Evolve with Dr. Steve Hotz

Evolve: A New Era of Leadership

What is the distinct ability you need to harness in order to expand, grow and evolve as a leader?

Not only for yourself, but for your team as well.

The answer? It’s having the ability to understand the connections and patterns within our mind to past (and current) stories that keep us at a standstill. It becomes a choice to take those stories and transform them into powerful lessons of growth and possibility.

In this episode, Dr. Steve Hotz joins me for an empowering conversation about understanding our nervous system, its role in our personal and professional growth, and how we can leverage tactics to rewire our mind to become even more empowered versions of ourselves.

Dr. Steve Hotz is a clinical and health psychologist with deep roots in community medicine and population health. In addition to his academic career and clinical practice, he has worked and consulted in continuing professional development for health care providers from many disciplines on such topics as motivation, health behaviour change, and treatment adherence. His clinical work incorporates interpersonal neurobiology, neuroplasticity, attachment, and approaches to change and growth that utilize the potential of knowledge in these areas.

We talk about:

• [4:10] Our history working together

• [8:25] The impact of our life circumstances based on endured trauma

• [11:20] Our nervous system and its impact on our safety and emotional state

• [18:35] The research behind 'vulnerability'

• [21:40] The acceptance of trauma and vulnerability

• [22:40] Cognitive exercises of creating safety

• [25:10] Co-regulating as leaders

• [30:25] Being open to our own vulnerability and experiences

• [38:45] Going into sympathetic overdrive

• [43:00] Rewiring our desire for balance

• [45:30] Getting in touch with your inner experience

• [52:30] A moment that was very uncomfortable, yet full of tremendous insight about himself

• [55:45] A practice or ritual that keeps him in a calm or regulated state

• [58:20] A song or genre of music that makes him feel connected to others or part of something bigger than himself

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Brene Brown’s Power of Vulnerability: https://www.ted.com/talks/

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