Possible Futures
COMING SOON:
LEAPS AND BOUNDARIES:
The Improviser's Way In The Networked World
by Jude Treder-Wolff
Improvisation is increasingly recognized as a fast track to developing the big-picture perceptions, skills in creative thinking, social connection and effective communication that are necessary to cope and compete in the networked world. CNN recently reported its remarkable effectiveness for training business people to think on their feet and respond effectively to the unexpected, and research shows an ever-growing range of applications, including the power to improve communication, collaborative decision-making, and intuitive awareness among teams in the cockpit, the operating room and the hostage-negotiation field, where split-second judgment calls have life-and death implications. This book explores the improviser's mindset, practices, and tool kit, and is required reading for leaders, innovators, educators and psychotherapists
Lifestage Publications, (October 2008)     Read an excerpt on Google Books        Buy this book
Chapter Overviews:
Chapter One: The Speed of Life Communication at the speed of light, convenience and control come to us with unprecedented ease these days, transforming the landscape of our outer lives in a thousand ways that also design our desires and in some not-so-subtle ways are reshaping the script for a good-enough life. Technology changes beyond all recognition in the space of a single life time, and with that it changes family structures, social life, education, sexual behavior and everything else. We need to understand where the breakneck speed of social change is taking us, how it works, and what we can do to take more control of it.
Chapter Two: Its Not What You Think...Its How What we are learning about brain activity reveals that social, political and economic forces influence how we think and feel as much as interpersonal experiences, and that our relationship to these forces has something to do with consciousness.
Chapter Three: The Gods Must Be (Going) Crazy The capacity to create is a gift from the gods that we have all been given, although many of us are not aware of it. Creativity is the energy of change, and we have the tools to change the way we think and evolve in consciousness.
Chapter Four: The World Is Not Enough The means to satisfy desire is available as never before, and we are easily caught up in a quest for more cutting-edge stuff because it connects us to a kind of enchantment we need. The psychological effect of consumer-driven culture is that the fast track to identity comes through what we own and can control, and there will never be enough of that for a human being to feel complete.
Chapter Five: Brains Gone Wild Desire is hard-wired into our minds and bodies to ensure survival by making us feel something-hungry, hopeful, horny-intensely enough that we are compelled to action. But the much sought-after sense of satisfaction, of "enough" is where consumer consciousness fails to deliver. Our way of life frustrates as much as it gratifies, ramping up discontent at the same time it overstimulates the brain chemistry that nature designed to keep us alert to our needs, not immersed in them.
Chapter Six: States of Mind Suppose we say that a motor vehicle, what we use to get where we want to go in life, represents a way of thinking or state of mind. Operating from a state of mind that is dangerously inadequate to current circumstances leads to breakdowns that are always opportunities wrapped in crisis. The challenge is to move in the direction of the opportunity when all you can see is the headlights of oncoming traffic through the downpour of trouble.
Chapter Seven: Mind Matters The 95% of consciousness that lies below conscious awareness drives our choices, perceptions and identity, but neuroscience shows us that we can challenge the frames of reference, programmed beliefs and cultural influences that shape our thinking and gain greater control over our own consciousness. In fact, the "work" involved with the pursuit of self-mastery appears to be directly related to greater life satisfaction, especially it is driven by creative experiences.
Chapter Eight: The Energy of Change Improvisation is a "yes-and" way of thinking based on accepting and building on what is given, on making and keeping agreements that allow for creative tension. It is those here-and-now experiences of true spontaneity when we become more fully aware of something that is always true every moment of our lives; that we do not know what is going to happen next, and we do not need to know.
Chapter Nine: Cosmic Winks Jung referred to synchronicities ? when two seemingly unrelated events are connected by virtue of a common meaning -as the cosmos "winking" at us through unexpected, mysterious, seemingly magical connections showing up between people and events. These often occur at periods of major life transitions, through which we might find the strength to endure those times when growth means slogging through a thick fog on an uncertain path. Here is an example.
Chapter Ten: The Role and Soul Roles are expressions of where we are in our story. They are bridges from a person?s potential to hope and dignity and real opportunity. Through creative, experiential work we gain the tools of consciousness that allow us to apply new learning to relationships, roles, and an expanded identity. A shift in consciousness will certainly bring about change within us, and there is always the potential, no matter how remote, that it can bring about a radical change in our circumstances.
REVIEWS: Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life

by Jude Treder-Wolff, LCSW, RTM, CGP (Lifestage Publications, 2008) www.thespeedoflife.org

"A guide for staying creative in a world that seems out to crush it." Midwest Book Review

*****

"Possible Futures: Creative Thinking for the Speed of Life" is written by a woman with many unique and fresh ideas on maintaining creativity and the creative thought processes. "Possible Futures" is a fine read for any creative person who wants to remain as such." www.entrepreneur.com

*****

"I was pleasantly blown away by this book in the sense that I felt that the main concepts and research tied together in a highly logical fashion. Unlike some self-help guides where sometimes the concepts seem outdated and irrelevant, I felt that this guide would impact all readers. The format is clear, the language is precise and easy to comprehend, and overall, the book stays as entertaining as it is educational. It is clear that Jude Treder-Wolff has brought her incredible amount, and range, of experience to the book and as a result, I definitely would like to read more of her work in the future. Vianna Renaud

"Possible Futures" is very well-written and engaging. Treder-Wolff draws from a number of philosophies to make her point and she does write in such a way as to make her point well. She really has challenged me to think about the activities and online things I am involved with in relation to how beneficial they are to me. ...I have to give this a 5-Stars in my book because this book prompted so much thought, sneaking up and surprising me with its arguments. I think this book is worth a read (and some serious consideration). Carrie at 5 minutes for books

Reading Possible Futures, you will learn the most important change any of us can make is to refuse to live as a divided person. The energy that comes from this inward decision can send a positive effect outward to society. Treder-Wolff states that largely without realizing it, we have allowed circumstances to control our attitudes and choices. Spend some time thinking about this and pair it up with the section on healthy boundaries, you may find yourself with a more balanced life, and healthy attitude. In Chapter Nine, "Cosmic Winks," we learn that the conditions of our life need not define our creative choices or inner attitude. The author quotes Tolstoy: "True life is lived when tiny changes occur." Helen Gallagher, Blogcritics.com

****

Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed Of Life is a well-written, intelligent look at an alternative lifestyle awaiting one who wishes to live in the modern world but not be consumed by it. Much more information and discussions fill these pages that is practical, visionary and motivational for anyone looking to move out of the rut of contemporary living and consider a different "possible future." Viviane Crystal, Crystal Reviews.com

*****

Possible Futures poses a serious and relevant question to the "Facebook generation" and answers it: Are we becoming too disconnected from real life and being driven at too fast a speed by new, fast-paced technology - communicating instantly, for instance, via computers, television, our cell phones, and other electronic devices? Are we ignoring our mental and physical well-being by the "consumer culture" that urges us to do nothing more than spend more and possess more? I was impressed by how well the author's work is researched and documented, supported by almost 18 pages of references. I think the book presents some serious challenges to our 21st century way of life and her conclusions are well worth examining. Bird Dog Blogspot

*****

As the pace of society hastens, and we move into what some business leaders are calling the Network Economy, Treder-Wolff sees the need for people to sharpen their creative thinking and relationship skills, as we move from a society where 401Ks and gold watches were rewards for long service to a free-lance-based marketplace where strong social networks and innovative thinking are essential. The Book Connection

*****

Possible Futures is about the possibilities we all inherently possess. Treder-Wolff, an experienced social worker and performer, has written a 156 page manual for using your mind in the service of your dreams. Well-cited with references, the book is a compact and efficient guide for those looking to take more responsibility for the quality of their thinking-and thus their lives-amid the turbulence of an uncertain world. The writing style is absorbing, imbued with a fascinating range of related ideas and compelling points, such as "Making the unconscious conscious, even with the dark and difficult emotions we are faced with through the process, increases our comfort level with power" Treder-Wolff has scored a considerable career high, providing a voluminous amount of wisdom in such an accessible package. Creations Magazine July/August 2009

*****

Within this book, there were many quotes or passages that were absolutely brilliant. The author took a creative route to providing much needed advice to many who may be stuck in their current way of life. If the layman can get through some of the more technical jargon, with the many references and borderline run-on sentences, they will have some tools that will only enhance their lives! TIF TALKS BOOKS

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