Portals for Problems
If you've been following this blog you know that AI Happiness Accelerator claims that there are 6 or 7 or 8 Core human experiences which, when felt regularly, contribute to fundamental well-being.
You also know that key to this is what we call the Checklist. At various time through the day, whenever you think of it, you can pause, listen in to your deepest self, and ask which feeling-state it most wants right now: awe? gratitude? heroism? laughter? curiosity? brainstorming? storytelling? Art?
But there's another way to employ the Checklist: when going through a stressful experience. I did this the other during a surgical procedure. Here's what happened.
Gratitude is often the easiest core experience to invoke. So as they anesthetized me I looked at all the medical equipment surrounding me and thought "100 years ago none of this existed. I can be thankful I came along when it is available."
Awe was also easy. I could easily evoke a sense of wonderment at the capability of the technology, the sophisticated ways of eliminating pain, and the dedication and professionalism of the medical staff.
Heroism– I could see the doctor and nurses as heroes for dealing with my blood and other fluids, and reminded myself that these professionals regularly deal with dying patients, and in most cases to so with sensitivity and aplomb. I could also see myself as a minor 'hero' for putting up with the discomfort for so long.
Humor– that didn't come so easily, at least this time. But during past medical procedures I've been able to laugh at things like the absurd position of the limbs in the air, the way people look different with masks on, and even the gurgling noises made by bodily fluids.
Storytelling– it's possible to locate and follow several mini-dramas during surgery. Will this much anesthetic be enough? Can the doctor attend to both me and the patient recovering in the next room? The nurse is talking about her recent honeymoon, and the fact that she's standing there with a bloody forceps gives her tale a macabre cast. With some effort, I can see myself as a character in a drama on Netflix.
When you invoke all the portals in this way, even something as uncomfortable as surgery can become a multi-faceted adventure. Your body-mind wants to experience life in many different ways; why not give it the opportunity?
