Compassionate curiosity is not a danger. Not at all. In fact, compassionate curiosity makes all the difference in the world when you are navigating changes and transitions.
That’s because your time management skills usually work best when you’re familiar with your time demands and your terrain. But that all changes when you’re in transition. (And we re in transition much more frequently that we may consciously realize – so compassionate curiosity is a quality to cultivate pretty much ALL the time!)
You see, when you’re going through a transitional time you may not be at all clear, moment-to-moment, about what your top priorities are. And if you’re going through a transition that you don’t welcome, it becomes even more complicated, navigating the new terrain and recognizing your top priorities.
And that’s where compassionate curiosity comes in. Aligning yourself with yourself (that’s the compassionate part) means that you have a friendly companion for this journey. Opening to information and possibilities (that’s the curiosity part) means you will have the tools you need for the next step, whatever it may be.
Recently I was reviewing some of our Finding Time Tips, and came upon this one, which relates and is helpful. Try it out in situations where you’re in the midst of a transition, are confronted with choices that unearth priority conflicts, and are not sure how to resolve them:
Tip:
Compassionate curiosity can clarify priority conflicts in your schedule.
Action Step:
Identify which time choices reflect your ambivalence about what matters most, and invite a friendly “conversation” amongst your options to arrive at a satisfying resolution.
Opening up to this brief ‘conversation’ often offers a wealth of unexpected, helpful information – not to mention energy! Rather than fighting whatever is happening, you are moving toward it powerfully, with an open mind and heart. This gives you access to so much!
And you know, speaking of compassionate curiosity, it’s something that Melissa McCreery speaks to a great deal in her wonderful new book titled The Emotional Eating Rescue Plan for Smart, Busy Women: Make Peace with Food, Live the Life You Hunger For. This is an engaging, practical, insightful guide that walks you through a 28-day journey toward your own, unique brand of peace with food.
Compassionate curiosity is key. You need to be your own friendly companion to find your way on this journey, and Melissa’s book really supports you in staying focused on that. There’s no ‘right’ way to go about finding peace, so you can remove the stressful voice of your inner perfectionist from this conversation. Replace it with compassionate curiosity and see how you soar!
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