Problem Solving

Lost In A Problem

~ Kay Robinson ~ Leave a comment

Kayak

Lost in the details. Perspective gone. Can’t find a solution that feels right. These are some of the comments I heard this week. Each of these statements means we have lost sight of the vision we are creating. We are stuck in energy, thoughts, and pictures. Michael Gerber, the author of EMyth Revisited, woke up business owners with his famous refrain, “Work on your business.” From an intuitive perspective, these and other frustrations occur when our attention and our energy gets too deeply into a picture or an experience then creates what we do not want.

Persisting to solve our frustration in this way continues to create what we do not want, to lose our perspective and make poor decisions. The solution is simple but not always easy. Step back from the situation. Pull your attention out of the details. Let go of the energy of whatever you are resisting. In other words, make separation from the problem at hand. Do this in whatever way you know how because as long as your focus and energy are in the frustration, you continue to create it.

Once you step back, reflect on the vision you have for the situation whether it is personal or professional. Regain your perspective. Focusing on what you do want, the vision you are creating. Decisions made from this perspective create success.

In a business coaching session, Kara described that she felt lost in the details of where to place a new employee. She became increasingly frustrated as she tried to solve this question logically, considering all the possibilities, everyone’s opinion and was not finding an obvious solution. Placement of workstations is important to the energy and workflow of a company. The energy can create or destroy so Kara knew not to take this lightly.

Kara felt if there were a logical solution, she would have found it. Now was the time to come out of her mind (logic), to pull her energy out of what had now become a problem and get her space back from the question of the workstation.

Once Kara stopped thinking, released the energy of effort she was feeling, she took a higher-level intuitive view, reflected on the goal of this new position and the vision for her business.  She stopped thinking about the problem and began to see intuitively the best placement for the new workstation, a placement that would support her vision of success.

Kara saw the solution immediately. The placement was not logical at first, but when she considered the impact, she thought it was brilliant. It was intuitive. In the end,  the staff were pleased with the arrangement and felt supported. Kara also saw how it created value for the new employee and put him in place to collaborate.

When faced with a problem, frustration or a difficult decision that does not have a clearly defined solution, try an intuitive approach.

• Stop thinking – if that was working you would have your solution by now.
• Make separations from the problem/decision/frustration – feel yourself pulling your energy and attention out of the details.
• Take a deep breath and let go of all the energy you have generated in the effort to solve the problem. Feel yourself letting go.
• Get your space back by bringing your attention to your center (center of your head.)
• Reflect on your vision of success. See it clearly in your mind’s eye.
• Only when you see your vision of success, the big picture, ask yourself the question you are trying to solve – don’t think – be intuitive. Notice intuitively the answer that comes to you.

This process is one of the best tools I know to find a solution to a situation that has us challenged. Give it a try.

Best wishes on your success, Kay

 

Another Way to Solve a Problem

~ Kay Robinson ~ 3 Comments

Loops

Don’t we wish there was a simple way to solve a problem? As you might imagine, we all approach solving problems in our unique way, not all are effective. There are those who attack a problem head on and solve it though not always in the best way. Their goal is to solve the problem and not the quality of the solution or the long-term impact. Others avoid the problem altogether, hiding from it for as long as they can. That is not effective. The problem has not gone away; they are just avoiding it.  Others analyze the problem endlessly without finding a solution.  Some problems are not even ours to solve.  They are someone else’s problem.  There are other drivers for how we solves problems.

How we think and how we feel about a problem determines how we react then act on a problem. We don’t necessarily solve it. We act on problems to get them out of our way. We might look back and regret our action or realize we could have made a different choice.

Reacting to a problem is different from finding a solution that gets us back on track with our vision of our lives and ourselves. In fact, few look at problems in that context, when that is all that matters.

Our thinking, emotions, past time memories, other’s reactions and our fears get in the way and make problems harder to solve. From an intuitive perspective, we are the creator of all of this. I know that is not logical nor can I make it logical but you could see for yourself.

Here is an intuitive approach problems. Try this meditation and see what you experience.

  • Find a comfortable and quiet place.
  • Close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax.
  • Bring your attention to yourself in present time, to this moment.
  • Relax and quiet your body.
  • Take a few minutes to clear your thinking, release tension and relax in present time.
  • Pay your attention to yourself. Notice how you are doing, right now, in this moment.
  • Take a deep breath and as you exhale release and let go of the energy (tension) you are holding in your space. Relax.
  • Imagine, in your mind’s eye, a red rose. This is a way to open your intuition.
  • The rose represents a problem you want to solve. See and know the problem but don’t dwell on it.
  • Consider that you are creating this problem with your thoughts.  This is not logical but see it that way.
  • Know the thoughts you hold about it.
  • Imagine bringing your attention out of the problem. Begin to separate from it.
  • Clear your thinking. Let go of your thinking about the problem.
  • Consider that you are also creating this problem with your energies, fears, reactions and emotions. What are they?
  • Imagine taking your emotions, fears, and energy out of the problem.
  • Separate from the problem. Have no energy in the problem.
  • When you can see the problem without reacting to it or getting lost in thought, the problem is going away. This is not logical so let go of logic.
  • Now meditate on the outcome you want, one that aligns with who you are at your core. Focus on that.
  • Repeat this meditation often.

The more we can control our thinking and our energy, the more we have control of our reality then clear or solve a problem.

Best wishes, Kay