Episode Details

Welcome to the MAKES SENSE podcast, where we apply the science, art and philosophy of sense making to the things that make you go Hmmm? Those most pressing thoughts and discussions going on in our minds today. The Makes Sense Podcast is an expense free service with the intention of helping you execute on the concept of changing the way you look at things, so that the things you look at begin to change. 

Connect With Dr. JC - https://zez.am/makessense

Today we’ll MAKE SENSE of a process i call SORTING - A technique from step three (Assess) of the Interface Response System that assists us in making better Decisions that are in support of the life you desire

Let’s consciously take this moment and begin the process of reclaiming control of our reality. How do we reclaim control of our reality and life? We must first identify what it means and feel like it is out of control? How does the feeling of being out of control show up in your life? For me, it shows up in many ways. When I participate with my thoughts and feelings of worry and concern for example. I can find myself either overeating or easily agitated and irritated by people. Even loved ones. I find it hard for me to multitask and stay on track with the things I had planned to do that day. Sometimes I find my confidence is down as well as my general outlook on life. In fact I have created a general name for all these symptoms and feelings associated with me being out of control. I call it FUNKY TOWN. Where I find myself in a FUNK. Have you been there? Only challenge is that while I am feeling these downstream symptoms I am unaware or unconscious that I am out of control.  I just feel crappy in general. Yet I am unaware that I am trying to control the uncontrollables in my life. See, that is my definition of being out of control. Being out of the state of controlling the things we control and in the state of trying to build an airplane in the sky or teach a goldfish to climb a tree. Both are impossible. Just like you trying to control the uncontrollables in your life and feeling, OUT OF CONTROL.

One of my favorite quotes came from the amazing Ekhart Tolle, author of one of my top favorite reads, The Power of Now. Tolle speaks a lot about suffering and says that the first step to end suffering is the acknowledgment that you are in fact suffering. This is why I introduced the concept of first being able to make the distinction that you are in fact out of control and that your lack of control is showing up in your ineffectiveness at responding to adversity with grace. As we discussed in the last episode. Why is this important? Well, it would be the reason and catalist for you wanting to make some changes in your life. Specifically in taking control of what you decide to do with your time, as well as who and what gets into your schedule and mind and who and what does not? 

So let's start with unveiling why we’d want to learn how to sort through the things that matter vs don’t? It begins with your current reality and what your perception is about your life. Are you genuinely happy with your life? How would you go about determining if you were genuinely happy?

Paul Conti interview on Huberman Lab. When asked how we define a “Healthy Self”? What is the healthy version of self? What should we all be aspiring to? Paul Conti replied that a healthy self presents its life through the lens of agency and gratitude. He explains that if a human has those two things, Agency and Gratitude, you almost never see things go wrong. 

Agency refers to an individual's capacity to make choices, set goals, and take intentional actions to influence their life circumstances.

Gratitude: involves recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of life, acknowledging the goodness in oneself and others, and expressing thankfulness.

So, if someone is genuinely happy with themselves, they are someone that