You have some problem with your health or your life for which your anxious to find a solution.
Something like a sore toe or the ongoing frustration of an overwhelming backlog of emails in your inbox.
You may have found yourself immersed in your problem, asking people about your toe, Googling up symptoms and remedies, or dealing with a few emails only to be disheartened once again by the size of the task.
The trouble is your continued attention to the problem actually feeds it, and you can end up stuck, feeling worse, and still far from a solution.
Einstein said:
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
So the trick is to move your attention away from the problem to a state where you’re open to receive insights that lead to solutions. To flip from problem mode to solution mode.
I suggested some ways to move to a higher consciousness where a solution will present itself in Feeling Stuck – Take The Elevator.
I wonder …?
Here’s another approach, that I’ve found particularly easy to use, and surprisingly effective.
Simply ask yourself:
“I wonder” <insert the solution you seek>?
“I wonder how my toe is always comfortable?”
“I wonder how I easily manage my inbox?”
Be sure to phrase your solution in a positive way:
“I wonder how my toe is always comfortable?”
is more positive than:
“I wonder how the pain is gone from my toe?”
And be sure to phrase your solution in the present tense:
“ I wonder how my toe is comfortable?
rather than:
“I wonder how my toe will be comfortable?”
Then live with the question
You probably won’t get an immediate answer; it’s usually a case of living with the question – asking the question with a curious attitude whenever the problem comes to mind. At some point you’ll get an insight, or a nudge to take action that leads to a solution.
I’ve found that asking “I wonder…?”
- flips me instantly away from the negative, which is often fear-based, to expectant curiosity.
- feels like taking the blinkers off the problem, so my tunnel vision expands out in all directions.
- makes me smile, which lifts my mood, so I’m in a higher level of consciousness where a solution is more likely to reveal itself.
Next time a problem comes to mind, try asking “I wonder ..?” And do let me know how it goes for you!
