A Different Way of Thinking
The Knowledge Project Podcast Episode 130 - Diana Chapman: Trusting Your Instincts
In a world that is becoming more and more divided, I think it’s more important than ever to figure out how to listen to the other side and try on ideas that don’t necessary feel comfortable at first. I’m also constantly on the lookout for different perspectives and points of view and that’s why this conversation with Diana Chapman on the Knowledge Project podcast struck a chord. This was a wide ranging discussion but I’ve picked out some of the points that really stood out for me.
The Full Body Yes
This is the concept of listening to the intelligence of your entire body (mind, gut, heart) and aligning it to the choices you’re making in life. To hone this skill, Diana explains that you can try small experiments to see how your body reacts. For instance, if you’re planning a dinner with a friend, you can test out different meeting times to see how your body reacts. Once you find that perfect time your body is likely to feel good - pay attention to how your body feels and any sensations that emerge so that you can tap into the same sensations when you’re making bigger decisions.
What is your upper limit?
Over time, we’ve created our own mental constraints when it comes to what we expect out of life. How happy can we allow ourselves to be? How much fun or creativity can we have? How good could work be?
As a lead up to reevaluating our upper limit, she poses the question: “How could I make it exquisite?”. She argues that it’s easy to find good opportunities but how can it be made exquisite?
Diana challenges us to reconsider what we have set for ourselves and push that limit higher. One of her examples which I found shocking but also inspiring is how she would end her business meetings with “I love you” because her business colleagues are also her close friends. Wouldn’t it be great to work with the people that we love?
“How can I most give my gift to serve those around me that’s most meaningful to me and most supportive to them?” - Diana Chapman
“Embrace parts of yourself that you don’t think you like”
The idea behind this concept is to think about characteristics of other people that bug you. For instance if someone cut you off in traffic, or if you work with a selfish, power hungry co-worker, Diana encourages us to consider if there’s an element of these behaviours that we should incorporate into our own lives. Perhaps if we are too selfless that we should make some room to be a little bit more selfish? She argues that by trying on these different traits that we can then bring our whole self to the table and be a more complete person.
Lots of different concepts to consider here that I’d like to adopt and try myself. It sounds like a great way to bring more abundance, happiness and fulfillment.