Kijun Times

Indicators are signs of what is to come.  They can be physical signs, like worn tires on your car, or social signs from people, such as curt replies or shrugs.  Ignoring either of these comes at a cost.  Firstly, it is about being aware of what is going on around you, both in the environment and with the people you come in contact with. Secondly, it is about the consequences of ignoring these indicators and of taking responsibility for what then ensues.

Many people will claim that they cannot understand how something happened and that it was definitely not their fault.  In a few cases, this is true.  However, in many more cases, there are signs and indications of what may occur and looking back we can see that had we attended to the small things, a larger event may have been avoided.

For instance, if you know your car tires are a bit worn and a weather warning of snow goes out and you do not act upon this knowledge, then later when you skid in your car, causing several thousand pounds’ worth of damage, it will not be true to say it was not your fault.  You can claim it was an unusual circumstances because of the snow.  You can claim that the tires were going to be replaced at the next service just a few weeks away and that it was bad luck.  However you word it, had you paid attention to the small indicators – your knowledge of the state of your tires and the weather report, it is possible you may have avoided the accident.  In some instances, avoiding an accident is not possible and it IS simply bad luck but when we have prior information which we choose not to act on, we must take responsibility for the consequences.  We do ourselves a disservice when we do not recognize our own part in events – we discount our own abilities and power to act and become helpless instead of proactive.

The same is true with people.  Usually, they will give off many signs that they are unhappy or dissatisfied with a situation.  People, generally, do not blow up out of the blue.  A change in behaviour such as long silences and shrugs instead of conversation, or body language such as crossed arms or the head turned slightly away when you are talking to someone are all indications that the person is unhappy about something.  As humans, we are designed to notice these things and it is well worth our while to bother.  Many relationships or friendships can be saved if the early-warning signs are heeded.  If you notice your friend being colder towards you than usual, if you value the friendship, ask if they are okay.  Perhaps a colleague cuts you off and ignores your suggestions. If you need to work with them it will be worth your while to pursue what is going on.  It is not okay as a functioning adult to claim that you had no idea what was going on.  This leaves you vulnerable to the loss of job or friends and to situations where things “appear” to go wrong for you.  If you are someone to whom a lot of “unexplained” things “happen,” start asking yourself: “Were there any warning signs?” “Did other people know what was going on?”  Often you will find out that there were signs.  You then need to make it a priority in the future to pay attention to early indicators.

If you are not generally aware, you will need to practice noticing small signs or get a friend to help you.  This will not be a wasted process as things will stop “happening” to you.  As you start taking responsibility for what occurs, you can make sure that it is the good and not the bad events which happen to you.  Lucky people usually turn out to be those that are vigilant and proactive.  This does not mean you need to be a “control freak” and monitor every single situation,  It just means being aware, acknowledging the obvious things you can do and taking responsibility for the care and safety of yourself and your nearest and dearest.