Sensory Deprivation & Knowing Yourself
How comfortable are you being alone with your thoughts?
When I was in college, I remember the first week of classes one of my professors challenged his students to turn off the radio as we drove home from class. He told us that very few people are in tune with their thoughts because we’re constantly distracted. He wanted us to be alone with our thoughts so we could prepare for the intense philosophical questions we’d be discussing in his classical literature course.
I’d never considered this concept of distraction before. It’s humorous now to think back to those pre-smartphone days, when the radio was the only distraction while driving. Now people are constantly stimulated by the numerous apps on our phones. Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, Audible; whatever your preference, there are endless ways to distract ourselves from contemplation.
I was reminded of this story about my college professor because last weekend I had a sensory deprivation tank session here in Austin. For those unfamiliar with a “float tank,” it’s kind of like a large hot tub filled with 11-inches of body-temperature water and 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt. The “tank” can look like a pod or an enclosed hot tub.
After entering the tub, the lights are turned off and you float in complete darkness and silence. All of your senses are deprived of their usual stimuli such as sound, sights, and even touch. It can feel like your consciousness leaves your body and you’re floating through space; just you and your thoughts for 50 minutes. I’ve experienced deep relaxation and peace during float sessions and find them extremely beneficial.
The next day I shared with a fellow student at Pilates class that I’d done a sensory deprivation tank the previous day. She seemed intrigued, but told me she could never do it. Be alone with her thoughts for an hour? In the dark? Without her phone? She’d go crazy by herself in the dark for an hour!
It got me thinking about what my college professor had shared with his students all those years ago—so few people feel comfortable being alone with their thoughts.
Leadership expert John C. Maxwell once observed, “To grow yourself, you must know yourself.” Knowing yourself means spending time becoming aware of your thoughts, motivations, fears, and desires. Constant distraction and daily stimuli rob us of the gift of introspection and truly knowing ourselves.
We often go through life following a path that perhaps we don’t really want, but we’ve never spent the time to see if our decisions are motivated by those around us, or are truly what we want. If we desire to grow into the conscious leaders we want to be, it means knowing ourselves. Self-introspection is an integral part of knowing yourself. Coaching is also a powerful way to become aware of your desires, thoughts and motivations.
How often do you spend time alone for introspection?
This week, make time for complete silence and contemplation. It doesn’t need to be a float tank; it could be the patio of your house with a noise-cancelling headset, or lying in bed before you get up for the day. Spend time considering your areas for growth and what you envision for your future. Or simply bask in the silence of a peaceful, meditative state. By knowing yourself, you’ll grow yourself.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
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The way we work and build teams is rapidly changing. Leaders often feel unprepared to navigate the transition. As a conscious leadership coach, consultant and communicator, Meredith helps leaders and their teams create new ways of working and relating so they can prepare for the future by consciously co-creating it.
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