11:11 Waves Blog 54: Crisis

Weekly ideas to stimulate reflection, inspire new possibilities and encourage new ways of doing and being.

1. Test the water

This week’s word is: Crisis

A crisis is defined as a time of extreme difficulty, uncertainty or danger.

Crisis derives from the Greek word κρίσις (krisis) which means decision or decisive point.

Crisis is a time when very critical, important and often difficult decisions must be made.

What is your definition of crisis and how do you relate to it? Discuss the question here.

2. Experience the initial wave

To broaden your perspective, take few minutes to read the following thoughts and notice what comes up for you.

I.                  

“When faced with a radical crisis, when the old way of being in the world, of interacting with each other and with the realm of nature doesn't work anymore, when survival is threatened by seemingly insurmountable problems, an individual life-form will either die or become extinct or rise above the limitations of its condition through an evolutionary leap.” Eckhart Tolle

II.

“Losing your head in a crisis is a good way to become the crisis.” C.J. Redwine 

III.

In both Chinese and Japanese, the word “crisis” is 危機 (kiki). The first character means 'dangerous' while the second means 'opportunity'. The truth is that every crisis, while deeply unsettling, scary and even dangerous, also contains the seeds of opportunity and a chance for a change.

3. Dive deep

To deepen your awareness and spark new discoveries, I invite you to take few minutes this week, consider a recent or current crisis and explore the following questions:

• How did you contribute to the crisis?

• What do you notice about the way the crisis impacts your thoughts and feelings?

• How can you navigate the danger in the crisis and turn it into an opportunity?

• What do you need to learn or unlearn to move from reacting in a crisis to thriving in a crisis?

4. Ride your radiant wave

The stepping stone between reacting in a crisis and thriving in a crisis is responding in a crisis.

A reaction is instant. It is usually driven by emotions, beliefs and biases of the unconscious mind and does not take into account long term impacts. A response, in contrast, is more deliberate, intuitive and intentional.

This week I invite you to prevent your reactions by asking yourself: Am I reacting? Simply asking yourself this question can ground you, create a space and give you a moment to perhaps choose differently.