Hey Harold. For myself, I’ve been going through a dramatic transition the last five years or so, one that has me exploring within myself at a deeper and deeper level. In doing so, I’ve been striving to let go and unlearn my existing assumptions and beliefs that encapsulate my previous worldview. Think of this transition like shifting from a solid to a fluid, so as to allow your “self” to expand, thus expanding your worldview in turn.

Needless to say this can feel like a very unsettlingly experience at first, as you’re letting go of the “container” of your “self” and diving deeper within an ocean of possibilities and potential within yourself. In doing so, you begin to let go of beliefs that previously were hard coded within you because often these beliefs are the very thing limiting your own growth and development. In other words, often your internal concept of your “self” is often standing in your own way, blocking you from naturally spilling forth into a larger Self.

To make this a bit more concrete, think of your relationship to concepts and beliefs and how you perceive these as right or wrong which often are tied to their meaning. For example, for most people uncertainty or even change are considered bad things, so they’re avoided. But when you learn to step beyond that old meaning, uncertainty can be perceived as something good, where unexpected opportunities can emergently appear when you least expect them to.

For example, back in 2001, my life was completely turned upside down when the dot-com bubble burst and I felt it was horrible and unjust in the moment. Afterwards the growth that arose out of that event began to transform me (and still is), so I’m glad it happened even though it was tough and is still challenging. In other words, I may not be more “happier” at the moment in my life but it is filled brimming with rich meaning, much more so than ever before.

In terms of right now, for a lot of people, what Trump is doing is obviously hurting a lot of people. But from my newer perspective, I think it is what is needed to happen for people to truly see him as he is, not just as they might believe he is (ie Republican’s positive illusionary belief of him). So yes, it’s horrible what’s happening but the opportunity emerging in the pain and suffering is people (many of those who voted for him) waking up to who he really is versus just continually seeing the mask he is wearing.

In effect, often true growth and development doesn’t occur without some form of pain and suffering because its needed to wake a person up, slow them down, and help them perceive and see things that they were blind to before. Something that I think needs to happen (ie an awakening) in not just American but in many places around the world, Canada included.

PS. Check out triple-loop learning as this relates to what I’m talking about, as I believe you’re familiar with double-loop learning already.