Interesting. What is the Best That I Can Do?
by Jennifer Rose & Better Existence | October 23, 2014
For everything that plagues you, from dealing with a bad boss to coming to terms with a painful loss, these 9 words: Interesting. What is the best that I can do? will guide you.
Interesting.
Say this word, and you engage the mind. You engage intellectual curiosity. You are lifted above disorienting emotions. The tone with which you say it makes a difference. Sincerity counts. Here, Spock provides a tutorial, using his touchstone, "fascinating."
For my generation, Spock is an icon of the intellect. When my yoga teacher, Nishit Patel, says, "interesting," his tone is lighter and more playful than Spock's tone. You will find a tone that works for you. Experiment a bit, and see what feels good.
What is the best that I can do?
This question works on many levels. It inspires effort. It engages the mind to sort through options. It reassures that the best will be good enough. Perfection is not human. Sometimes the best that we can do is mourn. Whenever we do our best, we are engaged in an act of human dignity.
This question is asked internally. Who asks? Who answers? We all have within us a compass that points toward what is right for us. This question engages that compass.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
Nishit Patel coined, and has repeatedly advised the use of this phrase. It came up most recently during the first Conversation With Walking Yogi Nishit Patel. You can subscribe to future conversations. The next one is November 5th at 7pm New York time, and the topic will be "Life Altering Changes." You can also purchase recorded conversations after they occur. If you friend him on Facebook, his status updates are simple, practical reflections on yoga philosophy.
These 9 words are also at the heart of Strength-focused coaching, as I have learned it from Jerald Forster. My stepdad is constantly showing me that being interested in whatever life dishes out and doing one's best can bring about the best possible outcomes emotionally and mentally, and even physically. The happiest man I know is fighting to be a two-time cancer survivor, and I hold him with a prayer in my heart. Right now that is the best I can do.
I am not always glad when life is interesting, but being interested, and alert to my strengths always helps.
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