How is it different from “just “ thinking?
What makes being in a Thinking Session different from just thinking?
Do you want something to change but can’t see how to make that happen? Do you find yourself going around in circles as you try to figure out what to do? Maybe you know what you want to happen but you can’t seem to make a start. Something is stopping you from taking the first step, from making that first move.
I’d like to share with you what can make a difference, and free you up to make the change, to take the first step. I’ve discovered the magic that can happen in a Thinking Session, when you figure out what to do and feel energised and confident about doing it.
Why does being in a Thinking Session make a difference?
When people ask me about a Thinking Session and how it works, they sometimes tell me they think well on their own. but that there are times they think a lot and yet it doesn’t seem to get them anywhere. Have you found yourself thinking about something over and over, frustrated because you’re not moving on? I understand that. I’ve been there. When I learned how to think things through in a this way, I was amazed at how it unlocked fresh thinking, and how I found the confidence to proceed.
Having experienced the magic of what can happen in a Thinking Environment, I decided to train as a Time to Think Coach, so that I could give others the opportunity to discover their own truth.
Would you like to think more clearly about something, and find the courage to follow your own path?
How does it work?
In a Thinking Session, you can think about whatever you want to focus on. My generative attention and the questions I may ask will help you pinpoint the issue you want to address, will help you explore your options, and you can map out what you can do about it.
How is thinking in this way different from “just” thinking ?
Have you noticed what happens when you’re interrupted as you’re trying to think something through? You lose focus, you lose your train of thought. Even if you can resume after the interruption, the quality of your thinking will have been impaired.
Often, the distractions that hinder us are external, they’re beyond our control. But there are also times when we distract ourselves to avoid thinking about something. It might be because it’s difficult to tackle. Do you ever avoid an issue that is daunting? Unfortunately, avoiding the issue or problem can increase the feeling that you’re stuck, can make you feel more powerless.
When you commit to a Thinking Session, you set aside dedicated time to think, free from interruption or distraction. You give yourself the chance to think well, in a safe, encouraging and non-judgmental space. Knowing that you won’t be interrupted creates a sense of ease and calm that will enable you go to the edge of your thinking. What happens in your brain in this psychologically safe environment is borne out by neuroscience. In “The Promise that Changes Everything: I Won’t Interrupt You” (2021 p.33 ), Nancy Kline explains how being in the presence of a thinking partner’s unwavering appreciative attention helps to calm the brain’s amygdala, so that stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are kept at bay, which enables clearer thinking and better decision-making.
What do you get when you think well for yourself, in a Thinking Session?
Clarity:
When you’re faced with a problem or want something to change, it’s worth thinking through what outcome you hope for, what question you’re hoping to answer for yourself. You may discover there is something else hidden beneath what initially appears to be the problem. You may be surprised to find that there is something else concerning you, that the issue is linked to something else that needs your attention.
Discover your own answers:
We’ve all been in situations where others offer us advice, as we try to deal with something. It can be tempting to listen to them, especially if you can’t see a way forward and someone else appears to have the answers. However, while others may have useful information to offer, it’s important not to be influenced by their opinions, their perceptions. Give yourself the time to examine your own thinking, as opposed to taking on what someone else thinks. In order to find your own answers, explore what you already know and consider what information you need that could help you. It can be useful after you receive input from someone else, to be given the chance to think afresh for yourself, to be asked “having heard that, what do you think now?”
If everyone around you is telling you what to do, it is important to take time to think for yourself, to discover your own answers.
Own your thinking, Own your destiny:
Sometimes we say the things we need to hear. When you express yourself in a Thinking Session, you may hear yourself say things you didn’t realise you were thinking or feeling. You may have insights, that reveal possibilities. In the calm spaciousness of a Thinking Session, your thinking will improve and you can also build your confidence about what needs to be done. Knowing your own mind will not only lead to better decision-making, it will also increase the likelihood that you’ll follow through on it and make it real.
When you own the thinking, it can empower you to own what comes next.
Questioning assumptions:
Assumptions are all around us. When they’re true, they can serve us well. The problem that can arise is if we base a decision on an untrue assumption. In a Thinking Session, you can explore assumptions and see what might be untrue and limiting you. My incisive questioning will help you uncover untrue assumptions, and unlock fresher thinking to liberate you from them.
Information:
Have you ever made a decision and then discovered afterwards that you were missing information that would have led to a different outcome? Or that your decision was based on information that was flawed or inaccurate. Thinking well will help you identify what information you already have, and what information you need, and help you see what’s true and accurate.
What is the magic of what can happen in a Thinking Session?
For me, the feeling of “magic” occurs as a thinker discovers their own answers, as they see opportunities, as the impossible suddenly appears possible. I’ve seen someone’s eyes light up when they realise they know what needs to be done, when they understand what they’ve been feeling and what they want to do about it.
I’ve seen a thinker becoming energised as they look forward to taking the next step.
This magic happens when you can think in the presence of attention that is exquisitely generative. While it feels magical, there is real science behind it. The science of what happens when we’re in a safe space, when we‘re truly encouraged, when we’re listened to with interest and appreciation.
I think of it as magical. It’s also very real.
Talk to me if you’re interested in discovering how this can happen for you in a Coaching Session, or if you’d like to learn how to listen in this way and create a Thinking Environment for others
