Soul Sculpting Project: Getting My Bearings

We have a black bear roaming around on our ranch. She has broken countless fence poles, torn apart logs/stools in our yard and now has taken an interest in tearing the screens off our windows and disassembling our spring-water system.

Today my job is repairing the screens and the water system. “OK,” I begin my self- pep talk, “I know how to repair screens, that will be quick and easy. And really, how complex can a water system be? The water flows out of the hill, into the pipe, then into the holding tank and then into more pipe on down to the house. It’s just water and gravity, basic. Well, maybe a few air locks, but I know how to fix those. How hard can this be?” My pep talk is over, but I remain suspicious of this task’s simplicity. I think this repair may be complex and frustrating. I will need focus, creative thinking and patience, and I also would like to stay connected with God throughout the day and take joy in the day. So I run through all the psychology research on these topics and I come up with a plan.

I call it the Getting My Bearings Game.

Game Plan: Set my watch at 10 minute alarms. When It beeps, stop my work and get my bearings. Connect with God, wake up to the beautiful world around me, check in with my body, how is it feeling?

Here is the log of my game. 

I gather up tools, walk up to the spring, and begin to assess the situation.

Beep, Beep, Beep.

I stop and look around. The sky is lovely blue, I notice some wild flowers still in full bloom. The fresh life of the place flows around me and I feel gratitude.

I get back to assessing and begin with plan A, reset tank.

Plan A begins to fail.

Beep, beep, beep.

I take a deep breath, then another. I feel myself relaxing.

I talk to God about plan B.

I put plan B into action and get amazing water pressure.

Then I attempt to attach pipe to the tank and the flow abruptly stops.

Beep, beep, beep.

I notice my body. I have been hunching over in awkward positions and I am tense and sore. I stretch and relax.

Time for Plan C, which fails. I begin Plan D; it doesn’t look hopeful.

Beep, beep, beep.

I look around and see the wind begin to blow the aspen leaves, one of my favorite sights. I smile and realize it is time for a longer break.

Normally I would have just kept pushing through. In some cases this is helpful, but when creative thinking is needed I must tap into another part of my brain. Optimism and happiness both help me get into the approach mode I need to think creatively. So I have a hot drink and spend a few minutes taking delight in the beauty surrounding me. I converse with God about the beauty and consult God about the water system.

I get back to work and continue through Plan E,F, G…. with the beeps going on every 10 minutes.

Hope – then disappointment- cycle around, but the beeps help me get my bearings.

Finally plan H works. Reset tank, anchor pipe in spring, saw off output hose, release air locks. Water at the house!!! And best of all a sane and happy me.

Sculpting Project: Getting My Bearings

1. Set an alarm to your desired frequency. Maybe 10 minutes, 20 or 30 minutes. I use a watch, you might use a phone or even an outside frequent occurrence.
2. Begin your activity
3. When the alarm beeps, stop and get your bearings.You might want to talk with God, take a breath, notice the world around you, ask what your body needs.
4. Return to your activity until the next alarm.

As I have continued to play the Get My Bearings game I noticed two things.

• I don’t always need to stop my work, sometimes I can get my bearings as I work.
• The frequent alarms have helped me stay in a healthy mode.

Fixing the screens was easy, (until I ran out of screen) and I am grateful that a black bear helped me get my bearings.