I love to read, and I stumbled upon a book recently that caused me to Stand in Inquiry in a deep and imaginative way.

I’m thankful that I’ve been able to use Human Systems Dynamics to transform wicked patterns in my life. There’s one pattern that I haven’t been able to transform - not because I don’t have the tools - it’s because I haven’t had the desire and courage to deal with it until now.

An unexpected and powerful question from a loving friend and critic recently inspired me to deal with my ugly truths and the company they keep. Staring at it in the face reminds me just how ignorant I’ve been. Fortunately, I’m not ignorant anymore, and I refuse to allow what I once didn’t know to be my forever excuse for not moving past it.

Are you holding tightly to unhealthy patterns because they’ve been part of your life for so long that it would feel uncomfortable to live without them? If that is part of your story, I invite you to zoom in and zoom out of your ugly truths with deep curiosity and envision what your life would be like if you had the courage to walk away from what’s kept you safely stuck in a wicked pattern.

Overcoming wicked issues can be a tough process, but nothing is intractable when we use Human Systems Dynamics.

Have you ever walked into a room full of empty tables and chairs? People are in the room and yet no one is sitting down. Conversations are happening all around you, but all of the chairs are still empty.

Who is going to be the first to take a seat? Which table do you choose? What makes one empty table more appealing than another?

I was recently faced with an opportunity to choose from several empty tables in a large room. I was the first to take a seat at the table, and I was joined by human beings I’d never met before, and it was the most magical experience!

Empty tables are an invitation to delve into the possibilities that exist because we are human beings with lived experiences.

What have you discovered from the tables at which you’ve chosen take a seat? What opportunities did you cease and were there any that you missed out on? What will you do differently the next time you’re at the table?

Living Cities is an organization that intentionally and collaboratively brings human beings to the table to center the topics that help us to thrive individually and collectively. To learn more about the work and the change they are committed to, visit https://livingcities.org/.