This morning, Saturday, April 18, was a mourning of snow. (Did you catch that clever word-play?) Yes, I could easily have rolled over and kept sleeping.
I spent a minute collecting my thoughts and considering how I could reframe, according to Appreciative Inquiry. This is a practice of looking at things - not from a perspective of finding and solving problems. More from a perspective of finding what is right with the situation and looking for opportunities.
This is much like a gratitude practice. What is good about this weather? How can I make the most of this day?
This is one way to navigate this larger global situation, too. Even as new information shows up, we (as critical thinkers and curious human beings) can focus on what's wrong - or what gift it might be that we don't recognize yet.
Have you noticed that folks are more open-minded to hearing about what's "wrong" when simultaneously being presented with a solution? Can we reframe "problems" as opportunities?
So, here is a list of appreciative inquiries that showed up for me around navigating this 'shifty' experience (I've found it's a bit of a cyclical process, myself):
Issue: People (or I) don't know what is going on right now - they are (I'm) feeling unbalanced, anxious and fearful
Opportunity: Share (seek) information and ask questions to help them wake up and become more aware
Issue: People ( I )don't want to know what is really going on
Opportunity: Help them (be patient with myself, until I recognize and) understand why it's important for them (me) to know: they are (I am) being affected on an unconscious level and being unwittingly complicit.
Issue: People ( I ) know - or find out - and have cognitive dissonance (or anger, denial, etc.)
Opportunity: Provide (or seek) emotional support and ask questions to help assimilate new information
Issue: Emotions arise
Opportunity: Provide (or seek) assistance in recognizing, validating and acknowledging the emotions/triggers and then consider how to clear them.
Issue: People are (I am) frozen by feelings of helpless- and hopelessness
Opportunity: Acknowledge personal power and share (repeat) the sovereignty statement (posted yesterday)
Issue: Maintaining coherence
Opportunity: Practice HeartMath techniques, deep breathing, being in nature, yoga, etc.
I truly hope that bringing this to a conscious level is helpful? And the next time you hear 'A.I.', you flash back to this meaning of: appreciative inquiry!