How many of us have problems in our lives where it seems a big mess like this old kite that once flew in the air with pretty blue and green ribbons and is now a tangled mess never to fly again.
What does the Mind see and what State should it be in if there is a desire to solve the tangled problem? Definitely not in a state of hopelessness as nothing will be done to solve it. Neither should there be a high state of hope that may result in reactive actions that will cause the tangles to be even more tightened as one tries to untangle the knots in a hurried excitement to only become frustrated and suffer high anxiety instead. The mind has to be in a patient mode, even an analytical mode to consider what is the real problem and where the starting point of action should be and proceed with it.
The less tangled blue ribbon looks like a place to start. Always start at the easiest problem.
Confidence from the success of the first easy step makes the Mind more positive to work on the next step. With each part separated, it is clear to the Mind which area needs the most attention.
Focus of the Mind can then be on the tangled bunch of green ribbon knots
On closer observation with focused attention on the tangled green ribbon knots, the problem appears more of a complex nature than loosening of the blue ribbon tangles. Not only is the white string used for flying the kite entangled with the green ribbons, there are fine fibres of the stripped green ribbon that have created a kind of fine web-like network causing the ribbons and white string to be even more entangled together.
The Mind figures out that a pair of small scissors is necessary to cut through the fine web-like network to loosen the tangles of the green ribbon that are also entangled together with the white string.
Success of the patient work of cutting through the fine web-like network of fibres gives the Mind further confidence and positive feelings that the problem is slowly but surely being resolved.
From a big entangled bunch of green ribbon knots, only small tangles along the green ribbon can be seen now.
The Mind is at peace with this fine work generating patient attributes to continue to cut through the fine web-like green fibres to free each small tangle on the ribbon.
Monotony of the work does not bother the Mind as it has converted the procedure to become an automatic process that doesn't require the Mind to think any further of the procedure in order to repeat it. Once the mind is free of the initial focus attention, it can relax and widen it's scope to think of bigger things that may be more stimulating. A monotonous process can indeed be a good breeding ground of new ideas, strategies or solutions for whatever subject the creative brain may be considering at that time. This can only happen if the mind decides on thinking positive which creates positive energy each time a procedure turns dull, meaning not to start thinking about the feelings of boredom which creates negative energy but use the quiet time to activate the creative part of the brain to excite other areas of the neural network that will spark other more interesting topics stored somewhere in the neural network.
This decision process itself at first is a conscious one ie. to choose the positive or the negative to occur. The more frequent a choice when one inevitably faces various challenges or problems of life, that choice becomes habitual again, meaning the brain doesn't have to use it's limited energy to make a choice, it soon kicks into its automated mode where the choice is automatically made. So whether a person is positive or negative I believe is the result of a set of habitual decisions made early in his life from personal experiences.
The continued process of untangling tangles or knots that doesn't use up the Mind's capacity to think due to a focused attention or self discipline to complete the task finally finds success in solving the problem presented to the Mind. As the mind is able to multi task too, one may find that not only one problem is solved, but the positive energy derived from achieving a simple success in the overcoming a small problem at hand has created fluidity in the neural network of the brain resulting in a flow of intelligence to solve other problems that may be in one's subconcious mind.
The example above gives a good basic idea of what state of mind is required in Problem Solving situation. Most involve the logical thinking processes of the Brain. In more complex problems, Creative skills may be required to find options or solutions that are not clearly visible by the problem solver after an analysis of the actual problem is completed. This include reframing the problem to see it in a different way, have a mental shift of mind such as after sleep or rest or seek for multiple possible solutions to a problem instead of the obvious few suggested, asking What if...type questions to consider all the possible options arising.
A lower brain frequency or relaxed state of mind combined with a focus attention span on the problem without any anxiety, with an ability to multi task creative activity in the brain's neural network, seems the best way to describe the optimal State of Mind for successful problem solving in all cases.
Untangling a ball of thread may seem a greater challenge. How about clearing the mess of our miscellaneous items as seen below :
The Human Mind knows how to use tools to make useful shelves or assemble cabinets to organize the once mess of things to become accessible items to help make our lives more productive and meaningful.
Besides tools for physical work and organization, much of our digital work and organization can be done by computers and handheld gadgets that help to reduce clutter in our human mind making it more effective in problem-solving!
Using smartphones with cameras can help us to remember complicated electrical circuits for repair work to augment our human memory. We have to know some basics of electrical work, woodwork or any work of course which in modern times, we can search a video from the 'cloud' to show us how to fix just about anything! This is the connected world of the digital age!
This State of Mind(Fastlane) journal post together with the other States of our Body(Familylane) and Spirit(Spiritlane) journals that I have kept since young made it possible for me to write and publish my first online book entitled, "My Consciousness, from the Abacus to the Cloud." Through all the ground work and experience of my life, I became qualified to talk or communicate to others on how to not just enjoy happiness in one's life but achieve a better OPTION that has to do with one's personal well being as well as that of our organizations, whether it's of our family, work or spiritual matters. Refer to my social media TALKLANE.
