Last month, we had a planning meeting for Trampoline, which was kindly facilitated for us by Jan Stewart. At this session, we focused on allowing ourselves to come to natural decision points about the different choices and options ahead for the event.
I think everyone, when asked about where they make the best decisions, would probably say something like “the shower” or in some mode where their brain was not immediately focused on the task at hand. These solutions are often the best, and most suitably account for all the ‘little’ things that intuitively you know need to be part of the puzzle to solve the problem. The thing is, we often force ourselves to make decisions in environments that are not the places where those solutions crop up.
Jan’s session was excellent because she didn’t facilitate ‘us’ the participants but the environment that we used to evolve our discussions. We had cordoned off an afternoon just to be together and discuss Trampoline, and we moved from different places to keep our energy and discussions naturally flowing. We started with grabbing some take-away coffee at a cafe, then a chat on a rug in Flagstaff Gardens, then lunch at the serene Captains Of Industry.
Through doing that, over the course of the afternoon, we naturally came to a number of decision points which we suddenly had natural answers for. So natural, they didn’t feel like decisions at all…only validation of shared consensus. It’s my belief that we can come to these natural decision points often, over most complex problems, by just giving ourselves time to come to them. And now that we have made those decisions, the benefit of that shared understanding is evident in all of our planning meetings we have had since.
If you’re facing a complex problem, which appears to be fraught with complex decisions to make, then I suggest just giving yourself the time and environment to make them naturally. Jan is interested in facilitating more sessions like these in the future, so if you’re interested then you should consider sending her an email at janstewart06@gmail.com or follow her on twitter.
The Squiggly Line 
I remember reading a book on Insight Meditation which supports what you’re saying here, essentially to not force decisions and to be “okay” with the chaos of life until things play themselves out naturally.
Thanks for the reminder Steve. It’s an important takeaway.
Context is so important. Some situations aren’t good environments for making decisions while some are.
To any difficult decision I have to make, I usually think about what the worst case scenario might be. The outcomes are never as bad as you might imagine, and that gives the space I need.
Might be worth a try if you haven’t already.
Often the answer will unfold in due time (as you eluded to in your article). Other decisions can wait while we tend to other matters in our life. I think we need to remind ourselves of that 🙂
I’m glad someone is noticing Jan’s blog. It’s an amazing blog on living with integrity.
Your blog is great too Steve 🙂
@Michael I agree – context is always important when workin towards solving problems, but it is often this context which can be stiffling. Sometimes, taking a breath and making decisions naturally is the best way.
@princess – I love that you also read Jans blog, it’s excellnt isn’t it. Jan is not too bad herself
😉
Thanks guys.:) Steve your highlighting our Trampoline inquiry in this post really speaks to the collective in https://thesquigglyline.com/blog/uncategorized/finding-magic/
The collective intention was open for not already knowing the next steps, and that is where magic appears. 🙂