PLAY ‘SIMON SAYS’!

Last week I arrived in Florida and was inspired by its surrounding beauty.  I wanted to share how we might be able to bottle some of the natural boosts that our surroundings might provide to improve our mood and outlook.  To read more about what inspired me, see my post on LinkedIn Pulse HERE.

My FIRST TIP was about losing your mind in the present – drinking in our surroundings and noticing things about them that we would usually simply overlook.

Today’s tip- Play ‘Simon Says’ – is about relinquishing control and letting someone else guide us.

Let’s face it, we live in a world of individuals who know exactly what they want and how they want it, and insist on controlling every aspect of their lives.  Think about it:  how many small businesses have sprung up over the last decade or so that specialise in variations on a theme and are, in that way, so unique that we must go to them only!   Think of the different coffee chains – we all have our favourite and wouldn’t dream of going into a different one!  And the fast food restaurants that keep reinventing themselves based on the discerning tastes of their ‘unique’ target market.  Think also about the various networking organisations delivering capsules of social interaction with ‘like-minded’ people.

Everything in our lives, from how we dress to what we eat to who we choose to socialise with is tightly controlled by each individual.  All these choices are helpful, even necessary, we believe.

But I’m reminded of a friend who arrived from Australia about 20 years ago, and found the choices so overwhelming, they drove him mad!  He’d walk into a pub and say ‘Can I have a beer please?’. ‘What kind of beer would you like?’ ‘Any type!’ he’d respond.  And the bartender would proceed to list the various types of lagers and ales on tap and in bottles that are available. My friend would just have to close his eyes and point in frustration to something on tap.  ‘Why can’t they just give me a beer?  Any beer?  Why do we need to have a gazillion choices?’.

Coming from a culture that is full of choices to make every day, I never asked myself that question and took it for granted that more is better!  But is it?  What is it about choices that makes them better?  Is it the fact that we like to control every aspect of our environment to feel complete?  What would happen if, for one day, we didn’t make choices and let someone else make them for us?

Wouldn’t it be a refreshing change if– just for one day – we did not have to think for ourselves and danced to someone else’s tune? That’s quite a tall order for someone like me who is positively a ‘control freak’!  And yet, there is something very relaxing about not having to make decisions for a change, not to have to consider the pro’s and con’s of every move we make, and to simply follow the guidance of someone we trust.

So my tip today – for just one day – is to put yourself in the safe hands of a trusted partner or friend and to let them make all the decisions about food, drink, entertainment – whatever!  Just for one day!  Give up being the captain and enjoy being the co-pilot!  You’ll be surprised at how relaxing and refreshing that will feel.  Give it a go!

My next tip is ‘Do something new’…