Words that caught us: W is for Wayfinding (Part 2)

 

In Part 1 we surmised that,

Wayfinding begins

With the way we talk to ourselves.

 

That is,

For us to find our way through and out of this crisis,

For us to figure out where we are,

Where we want to go, and how to get there,

Especially now, that the ultimate destination

Is unclear and uncertain,

The place to begin

Is in how we think and feel about this moment.

 

In this sense,

Wayfinding is, fundamentally,

A decision-making process.

 

It’s a cognitive process that builds upon

Our perception of the environment we are in,

Our memories of past experiences,

The cues from our interactions and relationships,

And cultural influences embedded in our thinking.

 

To help us untangle this mess,

Let’s assume that our minds are a jar,

And that the stuff influencing our decision-making,

Are the metaphorical rocks, pebbles and sand.

 

In this sense,

What we decide to put in the jar,

Determines how we navigate through and out,

And where we, ultimately, end up.

 

The struggle we are in, now,

And the real challenge in wayfinding,

Is in getting the right mix of

Rocks, pebbles and sand.

 

So, what is in your jar?

 

Here are a few things to consider

As you interrogate this metaphor.

 

We live in the jar.

Actually, we are stuck inside it!

For us to gain any perspective of where we are at,

We need to pause and mentally detach ourselves;

Otherwise, it’s hard to see our cognitive biases up close.

At close range, a pebble can look like a rock,

And the top of the jar can look like a patch of a sandy beach.  

It’s your jar. Own it!

There are many who have made it their business,

To drop stuff into our jar,

But in the end, it’s still our jar,

And we remain responsible for what’s in it.

The jar is in-elastic.

We can only fill it 

With just the right amount of rocks, pebbles and sand,

And nothing more.

So, we’ve got to be deliberate with what we choose

To include and exclude.

The rocks, pebbles and sand are unmarked.

And, in constant shift.

We have to be discerning, to tell one from the other,

And fully awake, to know when they change form!

Rocks don’t merely take up space.

They can also be sharp and heavy.

So, their form and weight matters.

Sharp rocks may break the jar.

Too many heavy rocks will make it unwieldy.

Therefore, we must choose our rocks carefully and wisely.

It’s not all about rocks.

If the rocks are too many,

We risk getting stuck in an ‘options’ jungle,

Or fall into analysis paralysis.

We need to decide not only which rocks, to put in,

But also, how many, to put in. 

It's a myth that we all can or should 

Make a dent on the world.

We are only called to change ourselves,

And the little corners we inhabit,

One little step at a time. 

The sand isn’t always sand.

Some things that may seem trivial,

May have a huge impact,

When they connect and interact with a rock.

An example:

Neglecting to nurture some key/close relationships,

Usually comes at a great cost.

Be on the lookout for poisonous stuff.

Some stuff like unhealthy relationships, or unethical behaviors,

Sap our strength and absorb time that could be usefully applied,

On rocks that matter more. 

Inspect your rocks, pebbles and sand, closely, 

Before adding anything into the jar.

Our jars are invisible.

You can’t see my jar, and I cannot see yours.

We have to learn to communicate with others,

If we want them to know our priorities,

Or, if we need their help and support.

The jar is permeable and does not sit alone.

It lives in a community of many invisible jars,

And the stuff we put in ours,

Is constantly connecting and interacting

With stuff in other jars;

And, they don’t always align.

Be deliberate with building connection,

And creating boundaries.

The jar is already full.

We always assume the jar is empty, to begin with.

But that is never the case.

It’s always full to the brim, with something.

And so, it’s important to pause and identify what's in it first;

What needs to go out,

What space we have left,

And then, and only then, can we decide

On what we need to fill that space with.

You can empty out the jar, any time.

It doesn’t matter what’s inside the jar, right now,

Or whether, what you are about to fill it with,

Will work out, or not;

You can review its contents, at any time,

You can dump everything in it, at any time,

You can start afresh, at any time,

And you change the contents of the jar,

As many times as you want.

That's the secret to the jar’s liberating power!

Strive to master it!

You only have one jar.

If you break this one,

There is no replacement.

Take good care of your jar.

 

  *Today’s reflection has been inspired by this article by Ken Downer