Notebook Navigation:Understanding the subconscious forces shaping our lives.
Drifting in the river
Have you ever found yourself driving home, only to arrive with no memory of the journey? That moment when you realize you've been operating on autopilot, your mind miles away from the task at hand. It's a common experience, one that extends beyond just driving. Our lives, too, can feel like they're being steered by an unseen force, guiding us through our daily routines and choices. That force is your own set of underlying values, silently navigating your path through the river of life.
Navigating the Currents: Where are your underlying currents taking you?
In the vast expanse of human cognition, the subconscious mind
is the silent navigator, steering our thoughts, actions, and decisions
much like the current of a mighty river directs its waters. Unseen
yet powerful, this current beneath the surface of our conscious
awareness shapes the course of our lives in profound ways.
The River Within
Imagine your mind as a river. The conscious thoughts and decisions
are the waters you see, sparkling and clear under the sunlight.
But beneath this visible surface lies the current – as well as the
undertow. This current is your subconscious, a force that guides
the flow of your thoughts and actions often without your direct
awareness. You’re probably aware of a couple of values that are
guiding your main current. For most but not all, these are moral
values. The principal values of understanding right and wrong.
These often include honesty, integrity, fairness, and justice.
Though you’ll notice even in yourself that there are other values that take higher priority. It may be family values like loyalty, love, and support or cultural or social values like respect for elders, hospitality, friendship, or equality. There are also other values like spiritual values, personal values, professional values, material values, sentimental values, intellectual values, political values, and the list goes on and on.
The comparison of the subconscious to a river's current is apt. Just as a river's current can carve landscapes over time, our subconscious values and beliefs shape our lives, molding our perceptions, influencing our choices, and directing our paths and for most of us caught up in the daily grind of life they’re rarely thought about or noticed.
Navigating Conscious Change
Recognizing the power of the subconscious is the first step in redirecting the river's current. Listed below are some common values familiar to most individuals. There is a downloadable and printable file on the journal page of this website.
21 Common Values Recognized Broadly:
Honesty: Being truthful and transparent in interactions.
Integrity: Acting consistently with principles, even when it's difficult.
Respect: Showing consideration and understanding for others.
Compassion: Exhibiting kindness and empathy towards others.
Responsibility: Taking accountability for one's actions and commitments.
Fairness: Treating people equitably and justly.
Courage: Facing challenges and fears head-on.
Gratitude: Appreciating what one has and acknowledging the contributions of others.
Perseverance: Persisting in the face of obstacles.
Adaptability: Being flexible and willing to change when necessary.
Loyalty: Demonstrating firm and constant support to a person, group, or cause.
Humility: Having a modest view of one's importance.
Generosity: Willingness to give and share freely.
Discipline: Showing self-control and focus in pursuing goals.
Curiosity: Having a strong desire to learn and understand.
Optimism: Maintaining a hopeful and positive outlook.
Love: Valuing deep, meaningful connections with others.
Justice: Advocating for fairness and equality.
Peace: Seeking harmony and non-violence.
Freedom: Valuing independence and the right to live as one chooses.
Security: Prioritizing a sense of safety and stability in one’s life.
Do any of these values have a high priority for you? Awareness of your values is the beginning. You’ll easily notice that some of these values are way more important to you than others. You’ll also realize that you’ve exuded these values in different situations, and in different relationships. I’m sure you’ve been generous, curious, peaceful, respectful, and honest at least once in your life. I know you have. Many times over I’m sure.
These underlying values guide you in certain situations, often without thought in the moment. While many of us lean towards peace and harmony in our interactions, our deeply held value of loyalty can prompt us to adopt a stance of confrontation, when protecting or defending someone we deeply care about.
We’ve all heard the expression ‘everyone lies’. If you can think back to a time where maybe you told a white lie, you can clearly see that your value of honesty didn’t stand up in that moment. Whether it was due to a social pressure like your friends' influence, or possibly to protect someone you love, or maybe just the fear of repercussions. There’s many different underlying interactions that go on without you even thinking about it. This is the current. Think of the last couple weeks of your life. What did you do? Were you just kind of going with the flow of things? Most people do, they flow down the river of life hitting one waterfall after another.
Controlling the current
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle
In navigating the currents of our lives, the discipline of habit is where drifting down the river becomes directing the river. Remember, you are what you repeatedly do. The very first habit to develop is journaling. It is your directional tool. It will take you from drifting down the river to controlling the direction in which the river flows. Well past surviving and into thriving. Make it your top priority. It is a practice endorsed by some of the most successful and fulfilled
individuals across history and the present.
Oprah Winfrey, a beacon of wisdom and success, has long advocated for the power of journaling, especially gratitude journaling, in cultivating a life of richness and depth. Her practice illuminates how journaling can serve as a mirror to our inner world, reflecting back the values that guide us and the dreams we dare to pursue.
Tim Ferriss, author of the 4 hour workweek is an emblem of productivity and transformation, uses journaling as a tool to dissect problems, track progress, and articulate visions. Ferriss's morning pages—a ritual of stream-of-consciousness writing—demonstrate how disciplined journaling can clarify intentions and catalyze action.
Leonardo da Vinci, whose notebooks are a testament to the unbounded curiosity and genius of the human spirit, shows us that journaling is not just a record of thoughts but a canvas for the imagination. His meticulous observations and visionary inventions captured in his journals underscore the power of documenting one's inquiries and insights.
Richard Branson: The billionaire founder of the Virgin Group is known for his habit of keeping notebooks, jotting down ideas, thoughts, and various observations that have helped him in his entrepreneurial ventures.
Thomas Edison: Although not alive in the modern financial sense, Edison was a prolific inventor and businessman who kept extensive journals, documenting experiments, ideas, and thoughts that contributed to his many inventions and success.
Ernest Hemingway: The Nobel Prize-winning author, known for his concise writing style and profound narratives, kept journals that helped him capture observations and refine his thoughts, contributing to his success as a writer.
Benjamin Franklin: One of the founding fathers of the United States, Franklin meticulously recorded his thoughts, experiments, and schedule in his journal, which he used to develop personal virtues and manage his diverse career.
Mark Zuckerberg: The Facebook co-founder is known to keep notebooks to jot down plans, thoughts, and visions for the future of his company, contributing to his approach to innovation and business strategy.
Marie Curie: The Nobel laureate and physicist kept laboratory journals meticulously documenting her scientific discoveries, which were not only pivotal in her financial success but also in her groundbreaking contributions to science.
Steve Jobs: The co-founder of Apple was known for his reflective practices and has been said to have kept journals, especially during his early trips to India, which influenced his design philosophy and approach to business and technology.
J.K. Rowling: The billionaire author of the "Harry Potter" series has spoken about the benefits of journaling and how writing in her journal has been a part of her life, especially during her rise from living on welfare to becoming one of the most successful authors in history.
Michael Phelps: The most decorated Olympian of all time has used journaling as a way to set goals, track progress, and maintain focus, directly contributing to his achievements in swimming.
Winston Churchill: The British Prime Minister during World War II, Churchill wrote extensively, not only publishing works on history and policy but also keeping personal notes and reflections, which were crucial in his leadership and decision-making process.
Maya Angelou: The celebrated author and poet credited writing and journaling as essential practices for her emotional health and creativity, helping her to process her experiences and shape her thoughts.
Comments