DESIGN THINKING LIFE: Empower yourself, embrace change and visualize a joyful life

It seems more topical than ever: The pursuit of self-realization and well-being. But how can self-efficacy be strengthened? One possibility is the "Design Thinking Life" mindset. It helps us to initiate changes and thus achieve more well-being. The techniques and strategies of "Design Thinking Life" are based on the Design Thinking Mindset, this philosophy of life is enriched with insights of positive psychology, so that it is possible to achieve the ability to act in small steps, in order to initiate larger changes.

And the number of people who want to embrace change is constantly increasing. Not least because the existing structures in schools, universities and organisations in which we study, and work do not allow much freedom for individual needs. This creates a tension between the need to function, increasing dissatisfaction and the desire for meaningfulness in what we do. Usually we are so trapped in our hamster wheel which effects in little energy for triggering bigger changes.

And even if we have initiated change and churned things out, we will notice that we are constantly in a process of change. So "Design Thinking Life" is a useful skill that accompanies us for a lifetime. It' s not about creating the perfect life and is also not about putting this next day into action, neither hoping that we will be happy for the rest of our lives. Rather, we must imagine our life as a "Mobile" that is constantly in motion. Our needs, our environment, our dreams change and so we are constantly evolving like a spiral.

But how can "Design Thinking Life" help here?

The "Design Thinking Life" Mindset gives us techniques and strategies to cope better with future situations and challenges. It gives us back our ability to act and supports us with its iterative approach to find the balance repeatedly in order to ultimately be more satisfied. The starting point of "Design Thinking Life" can be very different. It makes sense to start where we feel the greatest dissatisfaction. This can be in the job, in the relationship, in terms of health, or because we are studying something that doesn't please us and doesn't fit our inclinations. It is important to start the change and not to pause. "Desin Thinking Life" works with prototypes of the first stages of the desired change. Moreover, life plans are tested before they are implemented.

The DESIGN THINKING LIFE Mindset

• We accept that we are on a journey: It's less about the outcome than how we feel about it.
• We let other people help us: Further development is a collaborative process because new ideas, insights and feedback help us to change our lives the way we want them to.
• We are curious: Curiosity prepares our brain for learning new things.
• We'll try something new: Experiments help to test our assumptions and visions.
• We look at problems from different angles: Situations that are put in a new light give room for new solutions.

Why Design Thinking as the basis for our personal life planning?

In Design Thinking, we adapt working methods that designers otherwise use. We therefore use an iterative approach in Design Thinking, from the problem definition to the problem solution. Supported by various creativity techniques, the aim is to generate as many and as many "wild" ideas as possible. The creative way of working should appeal to both halves of our brain. On our "journey" to a solution, iterations, jumps and combinations of ideas are desirable in order to finally obtain a solution that meets the needs of the people for whom we design a solution. In the case of “Design Thinking Life”, we design stages and life plans that correspond to our own ideas and desires. During the first steps of change, high fault tolerance is valuable, especially at an early stage.

A central aspect of the Design Thinking Mindset is to free yourself from prejudices and assumptions. So, to be open to a world of possibilities, because at the beginning of the "journey" we do not yet know what is possible and what is not. In “Design Thinking Life” we use the process model from Design Thinking, adapt techniques and strategies to our own life planning and life according to the Design Thinking Life principle: Love it..., accept it..., reframe it... or trigger change.

Consequently, “Design Thinking Life” is for all those who want to initiate change and have the courage to think “outside of the box”, to act proactively and to seize opportunities.

"The Design Thinking Life Playbook" will be available in bookstores in spring 2020. The German edition with the title ?Das Design Your Future Playbook” has been released recently and it is available at Amazon and your local book store: https://amzn.to/2DSwpUK