What does Diversify Your Default mean?

“That’s the way things have always been around here.”
“That’s just how I am.”
“Every day is pretty blah - the same thing over and over.”
“Our process is broken - but we’re not sure how to fix it.”

Sound familiar?
Those are examples of defaults - conscious ones.
There are many others that exist unconsciously - blind spots.

Defaults are patterns of thought and behavior - mindsets and actions.

They can be limiting as well as helpful - like habits.
To thrive, we have to transform - or diversify - limiting defaults.
Toward empowerment.

Diversify Your Default (DYD) is a statement of purpose as well as a description of what I provide.

The purpose is to diversify - or transform - limiting default patterns of behavior and thought, so individuals and organizations can function with greater joy, connection, and success.

DYD also describes what I provide.
I diversify default patterns of thought, behavior, and experience - toward positive development.

Organizations and individuals are similar.
After all, an organization is a collection of individuals.
What generates success on organizational and individual levels is often parallel.

To inspire growth on an organizational level, it’s essential to inspire growth on an individual level.

For me, DYD is a call to continuously investigate my patterns of thought and behavior, as well as those of others and the systems I exist within, toward fluid attunement, growth, and deepened understanding of the experience of life. The only constant is change, right? For me, that’s a truth that holds a tremendous amount of opportunity for consistent liberation - via change. However, that change comes with challenge, to well-worn, comfortable patterns of being. Sometimes this means I have to accept things that are beyond my ability to understand, or against my preferences. However, in doing so, I become more adaptable, and am inspired toward growth - as opposed to remaining steadfast and stagnant.
I have lived years of my life in various forms of stagnation, aligned with tendencies toward unconscious living. That typically resulted in my feeling lonely, depressed, isolated, tuned out, self-destructive, and ultimately, self-oppressed.
Through daily practice, I am learning to untangle patterns of self-oppression and transform them into patterns of thought and behavior that are liberating - for myself and those I interact with.
This requires practice. To me, all of life is practice. That’s why I love doing this work so much - it is practicing the art of practice, with others. I am able to learn from others of all walks of life, and participate in the co-creation of spaces of growth, learning, and mental liberation for others. Powerful, purposeful, and directly aligned with what beats deeply in my heart and resonates in my mind.
I believe deeply in being resourceful - that is, using the abundance of insight and tools that surround us.
In humility.
In wondering and curiosity.
In co-creation and democratized forms of power structures - from government to conversations.
In exploration and adventure.
In respect for humanity.
In equity for all races, genders, sexes, identities, religious and social movements committed to peace and social justice.
In the journey of life, and in the profound meaning and lessons available in every sliver of experience.
In experience as the teacher, and reflection - within ourselves and from others - as a vital to learning.
That diversity = strength.
That defaults can be helpful as well as harmful - and everywhere in between.

My purpose is to participate in the co-creation of liberating spaces and experiences, toward the deconstruction of oppressive systems - evidenced in patterns of thought and behavior, as well as institutions and procedures.

Much of life is about making choices.
Diversifying my default helps me choose consciously.
Working with others to diversify their defaults helps me feel alive and connected.

Here’s to hope, action, clarity, and community.
Here’s to freedom and interconnection, realized through daily practice.
Here’s to strength and achievement through diversity.

Why Diversify Your Default?
Unconscious patterns of thought and behavior are happening for you and your organization right now - and some of them are holding you back.

Because patterns of unconscious thought and behavior are prevalent in people and organizations. They’re frequently detrimental - though not always.