This may seem to start off topic, but I’ll get to the exploring in a bit. A few years ago I was shown point of view, pov, and that has made a profound difference in the way that I look and understand things around me. The demonstration was this; a couple of people sitting opposite each other with a mug on the table between them. One says “there’s no handle on that mug”, the other says “yes there is! you’re wrong”. Both are convinced that they are right and the other is not only wrong but making it up, trying to pull the wool over their eyes, trying to deceive them. What do you think? Could it be that one is sitting on the side that has the handle, and the other is sitting on the side that doesn’t. So they are both right! Neither is trying to deceive and neither is wrong. It’s a point of view and it is a way to understand someone who insists that they are right, they are convinced that they are and you can’t tell them any different. When you look at it through their eyes, you can see their point of view and you can both be right, you’re not wrong and you don’t need to insist that you are right and they’re not. So simple.
Moving on; I’m with a friend who is driving and we are going to a place that I go to all the time. They start to drive on a different road that I’m pretty sure (because that’s not the way I go) will take longer or have more traffic on it. Do I tell them they’re going the wrong way? If I did, I will find out that that’s the way they always go!! Unbelievable, right? How can it be that their route is better than mine. Well here’s where the exploring comes in.
When I give myself a chance to imagine that there is more than one way to get somewhere and that I can enjoy the different view on this route, find out another way to get to the same place or find one that might be useful another time to get somewhere I hadn’t noticed before, then I’m now open and exploring the possibilities. Instead of closing down, being narrow minded or stuck in my way of being and doing, I am now free to be what I want, feel the way I choose and have freedom to think about people and things from a new point of view.
The wonderful thing that comes of this is to be able to explore. On the bike I’ll often take a day that is meant to find out where some of those roads that I’ve passed by, where they go, where they will lead me. Sometimes it’s a short dead end and other times it takes me to a village, a view or a coffee shop I never knew was there! Another thing I love about that is then sharing it with other folk on another ride and they do the same with me. My world becomes more expansive and my brain creates new pathways that store the memory of the location, how I got there and what I found.
And all because I chose to look at a different point of view. That’s what’s strong with me on day 16.
Coach Be