Communication: Remembering

One topic that came up on the teleclass was how to remember to check yourself to see if you are evaluating or merely observing. Observing is just noting precisely what is happening. Evaluating is injecting your opinion or ideas into the observation. The evaluation can be positive or negative, either way it interferes with us seeing what is really happening. As one participant commented, “Those evaluations just slip right in! How do I remember to keep bringing my attention to my thoughts and noticing?”

Three ideas came out of the class. The first is to use your Focus Area (as discussed in the Pre-Assignment Module). One of the reasons I asked you to select a Focus Area is to help increase your awareness in that area. Hopefully it is easier to be more conscious there.

The second is to use a “remembrancer”, or something that helps you remember to check in with what you are thinking. It can be a bracelet or other jewelry, a stone in your pocket, a sticky on your planner, wherever you will be reminded of it regularly. Your remembrancer must be something you don’t use frequently because it won’t catch your attention.

The third idea comes from my spiritual tradition. Every Friday we have a “spiritual fast”, a time to be particularly conscious of being in a kind and loving state. I find on Fridays I am much more attuned to my thoughts because of the habit I have instilled on this day. Of course, the goal is to have that consciousness extend to other days of the week, and it does, but Fridays are always special.

One participant mentioned that she just noticed she was not evaluating as much and attributed it to the work she has already done this year. She is just naturally in a more conscious, positive state.

How do you remember?