Do you have an Existential Sandwich on your plate?
tackling existential and practical problems that are layered together
Greetings and happy Monday - it’s about 9:30pm here in Austin and I meant to send this on Friday and, failing that, over the weekend. So, basically a success given recent performance!
I’ve introduced this idea of the “Existential Sandwich” so many times in client conversations and am delighted finally to have written it up.
Most everyone comes to me with a specific, practical problem in mind - typically procrastination, or difficulty making a big life choice.
But as I ask them about it, it turns out the problem is something much deeper and harder. Like… literally the meaning of life.
But *then* they realize how they sound, wondering about the deep stuff, and also suspect it’s not straightforwardly resolvable.
So they cap the conversation off with a “But I really just have to meet this deadline! lol fml 1!!1!!”
And that’s the Existential Sandwich:
So if this seems like you, you’re in good company. In fact, maybe every existential matter is necessarily sandwiched.
There’s usually no epiphany to be had, just an accumulation of experience and introspective wisdom that can be made more deliberate, where it used to be haphazard. With some structure, your mental and behavioral flailings-about can be given new meaning.
Read the post for some examples of how I’d begin to help someone move forward with one of these, and hit reply if you want to talk.
Have a great week,
Pamela