Liza Lichtinger Shares Her Top 5 Resources for Pandemic Reboot
CredibleMind Ambassador Blog by Ajaya Sommers & Liza Lichtinger | View Original Blog
Ajaya Sommers of CredibleMind Interviews Liza Lichtinger
Liza Lichtinger, MS is the CEO at Future Design Life, and Advisor at AI Foundation (former Director of Research where she led Human Machine Interaction).
I had the great fortune of meeting Liza Lichtinger in April 2019 at the Transpersonal Psychology Conference in Monterey, California. At the conference, Liza was on a panel with a number of other speakers discussing a wide range of topics related to the zeitgeist of our current times. Her presence, demeanor and use of language all stood out to me in a powerful way; I noticed her not only on the panel but as she participated in the conference as a whole. It is rare to meet anyone, in any setting, who transmits the truth with such authenticity based on their own direct experience. Liza is one of those rare individuals who truly embodies coherence, walks her talk, and has clearly done the inner and outer ‘work’ to be fully lined up with herself. I was honored to get to interview her and learn more about her professional and personal life, expressed as her unique path of service and leadership.
In our exclusive interview for CredibleMind, we explored the term “coherence” as one of the five metrics that she measures in her EPICC-8 program. Liza defines coherence as an overall sustainable engagement and harmony with life that is consistent. Consistency is one of the core principles she goes by when teaching. Read more about her metrics in her TV interview.
Liza also speaks to this moment’s global coronavirus pandemic through the lens of re-framing it as an ‘opportunity’ and a ‘reboot’ for every level of our physical, mental, emotional and psychosocial wellbeing.
Another passion for Liza is the topic of resiliency. She re-frames ‘stress’ such that not all stress is negative or to be viewed only as something to rid ourselves of. Stress is essential for longevity in that the more we meet discomfort, adversity and uncertainty and discover how to be flexible and adapt; the more we contribute to a new pattern of resiliency, and therefore our capacity to live longer, healthier lives.
Liza shared her top five resources with CredibleMind. Please check these out!
1. The Sharing Economy, by Arun Sundararajan (Book)
Liza: “This is a great resource to begin to elevate the way you think about the economy, work culture, and impact on the world. This book supports and explores the great cultural shift needed to initiate development of emotional intelligence skills — to achieve not only lifestyle mastery, but also inevitably for professional success.”
2. Wherever You Go There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Book)
Jon Kabat-Zinn was a colleague and dear friend of Liza’s research advisors in graduate school. She was given special permission to use (to this day!) his unlisted mindfulness intervention in her graduate research.
Liza: “This book is great for mental presence, which is necessary prior to “agile execution and taking action,” in Section 6 of EPICC-8.”
3. On Becoming an Artist, by Ellen Langer (Book)
Ellen Langer’s focus is on mindfulness and longevity, and being creative is an essential to both. Unknown to many, Liza is an artist and has hosted art exhibits internationally since 2009, often exhibiting her photography and installations. Liza’s program, EPICC-8 (see Section 9), touches on different types of intelligence that are important for the development of resilience in entrepreneurs. There is a strong mindfulness element too.
Liza: “As human beings, we are all creators, rather than victims!’
4. Move to Be Well: 2019 report, by The Global Wellness Institute (Article)
The Global Wellness Institute is the research arm of the Global Wellness Summit. Liza keynoted the Global Wellness Summit in Singapore in October 2019, and has been advising the the Global Wellness Institute team on their 2020 report. Liza values the content in the 2019 report which focuses on “The Global Economy of Physical Activity”.
5. The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion, by John Hagel (Book)
Liza knows John Hagel personally and together they have discussed morals and ethics in technology. He is a supporter of the scope of her work and of her role at the intersection of wellness and technology.
The interview with Liza was a wonderful and life-enriching experience. At the end, Liza shared a final message to everyone, which is for us to remain grateful amidst all of the change and upheaval of our global reorganization. Her final phrase and core message,
“When you get to the edge, what will anchor you and bring you back to yourself? Gratitude. It’s not about being complacent or content. True gratitude can help you appreciate what you have, in order to continue to strive and move forward in life with that gratitude anchored into you. So it is an actionable behavior as you operate and direct yourself in the world with gratitude in mind and heart.”
