Every Day: An Audacious Experiment

A mindset for those who are stuck

Challenging Trajectories

Scientific discovery transforms the unknown into something more deeply understood. Each day we live shares similar qualities. Despite our best efforts, our days rarely unfold as planned. When we set intentions or create a to-do list, we're essentially hypothesizing how we'd like the day to turn out, spending the rest of it exploring and adjusting. Life, indeed, is a laboratory filled with ongoing experiments.

Most of us don't confine our lives to a rigid formula. We navigate our days naturally rather than adhering to precise methods. I know I don’t stick to anything very regimented. Nonetheless, viewing each day as an experiment may be worth exploring. Many of us need to raise our awareness about how we live. By approaching life with an experimental mindset, we challenge ourselves to live more intentionally and effectively.

This article does not offer a single, ultimate solution. Instead, it aims to foster a mindset that will lead to a series of self-discovered solutions.

I hate when people oversimplify and imply that “all you have to do is” like there’s some solitary, easy solution to all this. Life is complex.

I don’t minimize what I have to do to live my life. Neither should you.

Instead of chasing easy answers, we focus on doing the work and being mindful of our lives. We figure out what works for us and what doesn’t. When we don’t pay this kind of attention, we often push forward without much growth unless something external forces us to change. Being more aware and proactive puts us in the driver’s seat and gives us more control over our lives. The changes then are ours. We own them.

We all intuitively do some experimentation. However, let's take it up a notch and think in more deliberate terms. What does each day contain? How do we interpret and adjust the elements in our days going forward? How do we make each day a richer and more audacious experiment?

Here’s why some may want to raise their awareness: Men who have experienced significant trauma (sometimes called cPTSD) often find themselves on a trajectory that feels beyond their control. They may feel as though they have no choices, with options seemingly out of reach or severely limited.

Life may have blunted the drive to experiment in such men. The big lie, born from whatever happened to them, tells them seeking a bigger and better life is futile. They learn to live a repetitive, rote version of their lives that doesn't allow for any variation leading to significant growth. These men become stuck. It's akin to sleepwalking. They seek safety, often found in the tried and true, rather than exploring the dangerous-feeling uncharted territories where transformation lives.

Healing from trauma isn't usually a straightforward path; it's important to recognize the complexities and challenges involved. That said, one possible tool to help unlock a seemingly stuck trajectory is to treat each day as an experiment. Finding freedom often requires a mixture of curiosity and a willingness to try new things.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein

As we go forward, think of it as playing with ideas and possibilities instead of sticking to a rigid method. It’s all about staying curious, discovering, and responding to what we find.

Instead of automatically accepting the status quo, treat each day as an audacious experiment.

Deliberately Experimenting

For some of you of a certain personality type, this may just serve as a reminder. But a lot of us go through our lives on autopilot, without paying much attention to our daily gains and losses. Call it dissociation if it fits. But autopilot is often the result of emotional numbness that prevents a large enough reaction to warrant a change.