When an Explanation is not enough

There’s a YouTube channel called the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows that has given me words for feelings I have, but couldn’t previously articulate.

When you have a word for something, it becomes easier to talk about it, write about it, and understand it.

I’ve written before about the power of changing perspectives, often in quite elaborate ways. Today, I want to give you a new word instead. A word that found me one late night, and that has been with me for almost three years.

It has helped me see things from new perspectives, just because I now know where to find that other perspective.

Things that look the same can still be very different

Look at the image below.

If I ask you to explain the difference between them, where would you start?

No, this is not a test to see if you can find five differences between the two images.

You might stare at them for a long time and arrive at the conclusion that there are no differences between them.

I promise you that there are. But the difference isn't visible from our current perspective.

We can’t explain the difference, because “explain” is tied to exposing things on a plane… the two-dimensional plane.

In order to see the difference between these two figures above, we have to move and look at it in three dimensions. We have to “Exspace” it.

If I ask you about the difference between these two images now, then you have no problem spotting how they differ.

Changing perspective revealed more information. This is true for many situations but often it is hard to just… find another perspective.

Now you can "Exspace” it, take one “step to the side” and include another dimension. Another perspective.

What Exspace can help you with

If you expect a simple definition of what Exspace truly means, I will disappoint you. This is still an exploration of what it truly means and what is actually included in the word.

What I can give you though, is a couple of examples of how I use it, and how you can use it as well. This is not a complete list but a starting-point so that you can keep exploring on your own.

1 Teach complexity

In my piece about “how to teach and understand complexity”, you learned about revealing layers without breaking everything into smaller, disconnected pieces.

As you can see, we have taken a step to the side so we can view all these layers at the same time. We are not explaining it, we are Exspacing it. Including more information and relationships, which can be shown to students or whoever you are talking to.

2 Choose what to focus on

Yes, I will refer back to yet another piece. A few weeks ago I wrote about the power of changing perspectives. This image was included and I guess you can start to see the pattern.

Layers on top of each other, revealing what is hiding in between them. By asking yourself questions you can move layers around or remove them all together.

I’ve been in situations where I got frustrated over details and instead of letting these influence the entire situation, I Exspace the situation. By putting things into perspective, you’ll see more than what’s bothering you, and become grateful for all the other things that you overlooked in that moment.

By choosing what to focus on, you will feel more powerful in your everyday life.

3 Increased Humility

Personally I’ve never liked fundamentalists. Individuals who believe they know everything and that their point of view is the only one that matters. The total lack of curiosity and humility, is something I’ve never understood.

Knowing that there are always more layers to consider makes you more humble. It is like the famous saying that the wise knows enough to know how little they truly know.

As a bonus it will also increase your curiosity since you don’t know how many layers there are.

4 Increased Empathy

You’ll find it very hard to judge someone else when you realize that you never see all the layers. This gap can help you ask better questions, which in turn increases your understanding, and with it, your empathy since you’ll be able to see more than you previously did.

This is true for your relationship with others as well as to yourself.

Looking back at your life, seeing all the incarnations, mistakes, choices, and experiences will help you see how far you have come. With that point of view, you will find that you start to see yourself differently.

Summary

Sometimes a simple explanation is not enough. The complex realities of our inner and outer worlds cannot be fully understood in only 2 dimensions.

When you can’t explain it, try to Exspace it.

• You will become a better teacher

• You will feel more powerful

• You will be more humble

• You will find it easier to forgive yourself.

As you have seen, this is not the first piece where I have included Exspace, and it is definitely not the last. Sometimes all it takes is a new word, to open up new ways of communication and understanding.

I will continue exploring the power of this new word and if you want to join me on this journey, you’re more than welcome to co-explore and co-create what this word might become.

Want to learn more about me,
send med a DM on LinkedIn

Until next time!
Daniel - The Talking Bridge

Ps. Music Motivation: