In times like these…

A simple yet powerful tool for when you don't know what to do

I strive to be conscious of my daily news intake—to strike a balance between being informed about what’s going on while not becoming mired in the weight of information and media hype overload. Perhaps you can relate. I keep reminding myself that the path we’re on in my country and the world is just where we are right now; it’s not forever. In time, the pendulum will swing, energy will shift, and another path will open. However, for now at least, we are where we are, and we must navigate the path we’re on. And, hopefully, have some impact in turning the tides.

Yet what does that mean? And how do we do it?

Here at Chautauqua, the program themes over the last three weeks have centered around what the future holds for America, the role of capitalism, and the global rise of authoritarianism. Many of the speakers have been amazing, provocative, and insightful. They’ve challenged us to see and sense clearly how quickly things are changing and the unsettling realities of where we are. There’s been no sugar coating. It’s been heavy. And disturbing. And disheartening. And sometimes scary. And some of the real-time decisions and actions (or sometimes inaction) out of Washington during these weeks have only compounded the heaviness. As I walk the Chautauqua grounds and overhear or engage in conversations, I frequently hear an underlying frustration: If only the speakers would tell us what we can do. How do we turn this around?

Lost in the Fog—Chautauqua Lake (Photo: Alan Seale)

Some variation of “What can we do?” comes up every day during the Question-and-Answer periods at the close of the mainstage lectures. In response, the speakers mostly emphasize the importance of voting, of speaking out, of standing up for what we believe, of staying engaged, and not becoming complacent. Some encourage us to listen to people we don’t agree with to understand how their lived experience shapes their perspectives, and to listen for common ground. Yet the frustration remains—people want something more concrete. And I get it. And it seems to me that this is where we as citizens are being asked to pay attention to what is happening differently.

The Preamble to the United States Constitution begins, “We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Nearly 250 years ago, the authors of our Constitution were creating something entirely new—a new kind of governing document, a new kind of governmental structure. They had no instructions to follow, no pre-existing formula, no clearly outlined step-by-step process to achieve their goal. They had to find their way as they went. And they fought and argued intensely because they were so committed to creating a new kind of union, a new kind of country. They were bold and brazen. They were renegades, innovators, obstructionists, creators, and mavericks in their own time.

However, “we the people” have become accustomed to governmental systems that more-or-less worked, and that provided basic freedoms and securities, even if admittedly not truly equal for all. Many of us never imagined that we would now be called forth to be the renegades, innovators, obstructionists, creators, mavericks, and authors of the next iteration of “a more perfect Union.” We’re more comfortable waiting for action until “we know what we’re doing,” until we have a clear set of “do-this-and-then-do-that” instructions or directions, until there are proven steps.

Yet our world has been turned upside down. The Great Breaking Open is full-on. We long to reclaim life as we have known it before, or to create a better world going forward. Yet our conditioning to seek the person who can tell us what to do—who can “get us out of this mess” and make it all ok again—isn’t working so well.

What if that leader doesn’t exist? What if there is no step-by-step set of directions, no master plan? What if it’s up to each of us to know who we are, to know what matters to us more than anything else, and to be willing to stand up and create that? What if it’s up to all of us to learn and grow and live into who we are called to become, individually and collectively—to live into our next stretch, the next version of our best selves? To be true to ourselves and who we are called to be while also living in service of something bigger. What if this is, in fact, why we are here on this planet right now?

In this era of the Great Breaking Open, it’s even more important that we step up and step forward, individually and collectively. That we live into why we are here, that we stand up for what matters, that we remain engaged, that we listen for common ground, and that we advocate for the well-being of all. Some of us will do this in very public ways; others will do it quietly or more privately. Both are needed.

Just as our founding fathers had no formula or instructions as they created a new country, we are also now tasked with creating something new—new ways of being together, new structures and systems that support a greater good, a world that works for all. Now is not the time for “fixing” and making it like it was before; now is the time for listening to what is waiting to emerge for the betterment of all, and letting it guide us towards new systems and structures that can be vehicles for new realities.

People often ask me how to write a book—how to approach it, the steps they should take. I explain that although I’ve written seven, each has had its own unique journey and process. So, therefore, I can’t give them a formula. My advice is to start writing and see what comes—what wants to be said through them—and to not get too caught up in what they think the book will be. The book will show them. And as they start writing, the process and timeline will begin to show itself, even if only one step at a time. If they pay attention and give it space to show them what it wants to be, the book that wants to be written will guide them. The process itself is intuitive and responsive. And the unwritten book is their co-creative partner.

And so it is for us as we face the uncertainties and enormous threats and challenges of today. The advice of the Chautauqua speakers is, in truth, all they can actually tell us. Because every situation is unique. Every challenge will have its own journey and process. That said, I might add one additional instruction: Pay attention. The moment will show us what is needed. Our job is to listen and sense deeply into what is happening. It will show us or tell us what it wants and needs. It will guide us.

Which takes us back to the opening question: How?

When life is complex, it’s easy to get caught in the assumption that the “solution” or next steps must also be complex. Yet it’s often through simple questions and one-step-at-a-time approaches that we begin to find our way through the complexities. We listen and sense as we go. Asking simple, direct, powerful questions can often cut through the noise and confusion. In Transformational Presence, we replace the question “How?” with “What’s the next step?” It’s often the more effective question and it reduces the stress of the moment. It keeps the energy moving rather than getting stuck because you don’t know “how.”

Many years ago, I designed a process I called The Deep Simple, a set of questions that can move us from “How?” to “What’s the next step?” It’s especially meant for those moments when what is happening is so huge and complex that you have no idea where to begin. I’d say we’re living in that kind of moment now.

Part of what makes The Deep Simple work is staying in discovery and out of analysis. Let the questions be simple, even if they seem big. Keep the energy moving; don’t “unpack” answers or dig too deeply. Treat the questions as simple and straightforward, and the answers will likely be straightforward as well.

Ask the five questions in the prescribed order, and don’t allow yourself to wander into other questions that come to mind, no matter how related you think they are. Allow the five simple questions to do their work. They can take you quickly and efficiently to your next step. The more you practice using The Deep Simple, the easier and more efficient it will become as a tool.

The Deep Simple

1) What are three things you know about the situation right now?
These three things may be about the situation itself, or they may be about you within the situation, or both.

2) Which one stands out as the priority to address in this moment?

3) What does it want you to know?
Consider that priority topic. Trust that it has a message for you about something that is trying to happen. Let it show you. There is nothing to figure out.

4) How is it asking you to show up? What role is it asking you to take?

5) What is one step that you can take in the next 24 hours to begin movement toward what is trying to happen?
This step may be a concrete action, or it may be an idea or possibility asking for further exploration.

You have now identified three things you know about what is happening. You have named a priority for this moment and sensed what it’s trying to show you. It has given you a sense of how it wants you to show up or the role it’s asking you to play, and you have identified a next step. So now take that step.

After you have taken that step, return to question #1 and consider the five questions again, based on where you are now that you’ve taken that first step. Continue with as many rounds of the questions as you need until you begin to sense a path forward.

When I apply The Deep Simple questions to what’s happening in my country now and wondering what I can do, here are my answers:

1) Three things I know: I know who I am, I know why I’m here, and I’m clear about what I bring to the table—an ability to help people expand how they think and perceive, and to sense both the big picture and the details at the same time.

2) The priority in this moment: For me, it’s really all three working in tandem, and consciously and intentionally living into all three together.

3) The message the priority has for me: To trust that I have something important to offer and not be afraid to bring it.

4) How it’s asking me to show up: To be bold and have courage to speak the message I feel is mine to bring in the moment, whether it’s to inspire hope and possibility or to challenge assumptions and limitations.

5) One step I can take today: To post this article. And then to continue sharing my own journey and the wisdom I’ve gained from 70 years of lived experience, and to keep being transparent about my own journey. The more we make it ok to be human—to acknowledge our strengths and vulnerabilities in the presence of others—the more we create space for others to do the same. We lift each other up; we raise the mass consciousness.

How about you? In what situation are you wondering what you can do? What if you start with The Deep Simple?

---

Invitations

• Free 20-minute Monday Meditations with Alan on Zoom—Mondays at 10 am ET / 16:00 CET starting September 15th. Join Alan and like-hearted people from around the world for meditation and reflection. Register for weekly reminders. Participate live or listen to the recordings at your convenience.

• Free recorded Meditations for Changing Times led by Alan. More than 50 guided meditations. Choose the title that speaks to you and listen. Available for free to you anytime.

• Visit The Center for Transformational Presence website

• Consider reading one of Alan’s Books

• Explore Coaching and Mentoring with Alan

• Invite Alan to Speak to your organization or conference

• Explore Upcoming Programs in Transformational Presence

---