Hacking your soul’s system
Hi Friend
I'm sitting in the Baton Rouge airport this morning, after a few fantastic days here. I had an event Friday, but came in a day early because the Louisiana SHRM conference was going on just down the street. I was the MC and Keynote for them last year. I've got lots of friends here because they have hired me for different events since 2015. I love this place and people.
After my event, they had a crawfish boil. Though I've been to southern Louisiana a lot, I've never actually participated in a boil. I got schooled on how to do it: Pinch, Twist, Grab, Pull. You've gotta make sure the vein doesn't remain. For how big those suckers are, there isn't that much meat. Though someone sitting at my table, did break their little claws to get a bit more.
Have you ever seen someone suck the brains out of a crustacean? I wasn't inspired to do so, though I was informed delicious fat is in there. It's interesting and humorous what is "normal" for some people.
Friday morning, I ran a little over 5 miles along the Mississippi River. I've run on that trail before and love it. The barges, boats and bigness of the river, are just cool. What struck me was that just a few days prior, my beautiful wife and I were walking along the same Mississippi river in downtown Minneapolis.
CONNECTED
The fact that I was 1311 miles away and could feel connected to a recent experience with my blonde bride, was both curious and comforting.
The big and small
the near and far
the past and present
simultaneous for us all.
Life is a river,
the river of life
moving us forward and back
connecting & reconnecting
to time, people, places & love.
Whoops. A little poetic outburst. The cajun creative spirit must've hopped on the plane with me. I am fascinated by how we're connected to one another and what makes us FEEL connected. Geography offers a sort of time-travel quality. Whenever I return to my hometown in Ohio, I transport back to the 70's and 80's. Whatever buildings or landscapes currently exist, I transpose a historical augmented reality; no glasses needed.
CARRIERS
It's these minds and hearts of ours that carry our entire past. All we've ever experienced or encountered is retained within us. It's hinted at in counseling when people "go back" to their childhood, attempting to discover some explanation for their current behavior. It happens when I return to Baton Rouge. Things I never think about, appear without effort.
MINDSHIFT
What if every detail of every single day resides inside us? How can we use that to our benefit and the benefit of others?
It's ironic, but it's also like everything else - there are upsides and downsides to being carriers of our own lives. Unfortunately, the negative is what gets most of the attention. How can we be intentional about utilizing it for the positive?
The confluence of time & place provokes love, fear, hope or despair. How a location merges past and present is wild. Instead of accidental, can you and I be intentional about making regularly visited locations a place that sparks positivity in our hearts and minds? Can we hack our own soul's system?
MINDSHIFT
What if every week we created intentional triggers for positive emotions that evoked belonging, acceptance and delight?
I won't go out of my way to eat crawfish. Though the next time I do, the Louisiana Capital Museum and the awesome people of EmergentMethod will percolate back into my consciousness and bring a smile.
PROVOKERS
Besides locations, our five senses contribute to us accessing retained memories. The scent of home, the sound of a song, the touch of a familiar texture, the site of a forgotten person or the taste of a past favorite treat - all of them keys designed to unlock what's tucked away inside of us. We can time-travel our own life, while also strengthening present bonds. I love that for us!
I hope this week you use the gift that every day of your entire life is stored inside your heart and mind (two separate vaults). I hope you determine to set some soul markers that will bring you back to this day and generate a joyful internal experience. We can make that shift.
