My first real science experience was in 8th grade. I had a lab partner- Doug Best in Mr. Smith's class at Millcreek Jr. high. This was the first time I ever dissected a frog or anything else for that matter. I was not that type of kid. I was squeamish about putting my hands in dirty dishwater let alone inside of a frog. But I was curious. I was interested and I needed an "A." (I was THAT type of kid.-- always wanting the A, the gold star, the reward.)
I let Doug do a lot of the "heavy lifting" with the blade and the cutting and I watched, listened and wrote our discoveries down. I had no preconceived notions of what this was supposed to be like. I noticed the good parts, the bad parts and the ugly parts and it was all fascinating.
Treating your life and relationships like a science experiment is a GREAT idea. You could live it, look at it, be curious and interested. You could listen and learn. You wouldn't assume feelings are a problem within yourself or others and resist them or try to escape them by numbing them out.
You could pay attention to the good, the bad and the ugly and just find it all fascinating.
Just decide you are a scientist.
Picture yourself, in a lab coat, with some beakers, and one of those centrifuge things.
What does it look like to treat feelings as a Science experiment?
1. Pay attention to your feelings as physical sensations in your body.
2. Be curious about where they're coming from and why.
3. Ask yourself things like:
What does this feel like?
What thoughts are causing this feeling?
Where did these thoughts come from?
What assumptions do I have that led to these thoughts?
What logic did I use to get this answer?
Why? Be the Scientist.
Change happens by observing yourself without judgment. Change happens by embracing the idea that your thoughts are neutral.
Your thoughts aren't good or bad, and they don't mean anything about you. You don't have to accept them and you can change them.
They're just electrical signals in your brain.
What if you learned to be curious instead of assuming you know other people's intentions, or thinking that they should be acting differently?
What if you accepted that your thoughts create your actions, and other people's thoughts create their actions, and you can be curious about both without judgment?
Like a Science experiment - be curious with yourself, be curious about others. With awareness, your life will begin to change.
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