(Easier to read on phones or pads.)
Aloha and welcome to Soul Dancer's February newsletter for his 2023 series: Chaos to Clarity.
Happy Valentines Day!
Topic?
To analyze or not to analyze - that IS THE question.
As we begin our adventure into analyzing during a month we celebrate Valentines Day, I wonder. How would you go about analyzing a trait our species craves and fears in what seems to be equal measure.
That trait?
Love.
Which form of analysis seems right to you? In simplistic, dualistic terms we have two time-tested tools to use.
Tool 1
A quantitative study. Identify then count physical, tangible / verifiable aspects we associate with love. Example?
How many Valentines wishes did you receive on the most recent Valentines Day?
Did you receive the same, more or less wishes in prior years?
Did those wishes come from the same or different people?
What is the ratio of blood-related family members (versus friends, co-workers, etc.) who offered wishes?
What's the average age of your well-wishers.
On and on and on...
Tool 2
A qualitative study. Identify then rate 10 traits associated with love.
Rating scale? One = not love. 10 = Yup! That's love!
Traits? That's a loaded question isn't it.
Ask 10 people to give you 10 traits they associate with love. How long a list do you think you'd end up with? 100? (More likely 200 or more.)
No matter the list size, do the top ten most listed traits apply equally to men and women? Teenagers and seniors? All levels of income, ability or education?
Have you begun to notice how analysis easily splices (then dices the splices) into ever-nuanced slices? One question popcorns into 10 questions. 10 questions may lead you down the preverbal rabbit-hole to analysis paralysis.
Thus, our newsletter question: To analyze or not to analyze!
To lend clarity to potential chaos that analysis may stir-up I offer this notion to ponder.
Is it possible to know all there is to know about anyone or any thing? The short answer? No.
You think you know all there is to know about even yourself? Really? Sure about that? I know I grow - daily (too often my belly LOL). My growth teaches me something new - daily. When souls tell me, I know you. I chuckle. Why chuckle? I'm a work in progress. I find solace in knowing I'll never - ever - know everything about myself while living in a world that's filled with magic and wonder.
Put differently? You've most likely heard / read this statement: The more you know, the more you know you don't know.
Tool 1 to tame chaos caused by analysis: embrace (versus fear) the unknown.
Analysis requires skills to identify then assess findings. Analysis requires critical thinking skills. How's your critical thinking skill set these days? Where do you begin to asses your capacity to critically think? Would you agree that critical thinking requires a sense of what's common-sense?
Of course, what's common sense to one person is NOT common sense to another.
Common sense tells me that crossing a busy street without looking is unwise. How many people do you witness crossing busy streets while texting?
Common sense tells me to engage analysis on pragmatic questions by exploring facts over feelings.
How many people do you know make life-changing decisions based on feelings versus facts?
How many people do you know LOVE playing the What-IF Game? (When I encounter what-if gamers, my common-sense tells me to ask, "What if I walk away from / hang-up on you because - the fact is - playing what-if games are about as useful as drinking water with chopsticks.")
Common sense tells me to use existing resources to enjoy life basics (food, water, shelter, etc.) while simultaneously enjoying access to resources I sense necessary to learn and grow. How many people do you know live to survive more than they seek to thrive?
Tool 2 to tame chaos caused by analysis: base decisions on facts.
So? Soul?
When should I analyze? When is analysis ineffective?
Try these notions on for size.
1. Use analysis when faced with deciding on a who, what, how, where, when or why.
Assemble the facts.
Assess the facts.
Base the results of your analyzing on the sum of the facts.
Stay the course (trust the facts) when you reach the destination of your analysis - your answer.
2. Release a desire to analyze when you sense a need to judge. Remember the fact that at no point in time will you ever KNOW all you need to KNOW to render a just judgment.
Next? An OPTIONAL exercise.
Souls who've taken any class or engaged my consulting skills KNOW an exercise is part of our process. I encourage you to engage January's tools for exploring if you decide to try this exercise.
The exercise is a question. Who do you consider is more skilled in common sense than you?
First? Brainstorm a list of names.
Next? Select ONE person who you sense is the best at engaging common sense.
Then? Why did you select this person. Mind-map the traits this person has shown you. Traits like: honest, dependable, kind, fun, patient, graceful, etc.
Based on the traits you've identified in the one person you sense is good at consistently using common sense to make decisions:
What is the one trait you sense is the strongest in this person.
How often do they use this trait? Always? 80% of the time. Half the time? Sometimes?
Where do they use this trait? Home? Work? Socially? All the above?
When do they use this trait? When in crisis mode only? In daily life?
Why do they use this trait? That's just who they are based on what their parents taught them? Based on some kind of training? Based on popular culture? All the above?
As you assess traits needed to use and improve your capacity to tap into the wisdom common sense awakens with you - you'll learn and grow with more ease and grace. The more you allow the magic of common sense to take a front-seat in your daily life, you'll discover analyzing is relegated to the trunk!
As we wrap-up. Mark your calendars for our monthly office hour sessions
2 p.m. Eastern
First Saturday of each month.
RSVP's welcome (not required).
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