{"id":41100,"date":"2025-03-07T14:11:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T22:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=41100"},"modified":"2025-03-07T14:11:38","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T22:11:38","slug":"lets-go-for-a-walk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/lets-go-for-a-walk\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s go for a walk."},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s go for a walk! In Kahneman\u2019s book \u201cThinking, Fast and Slow,\u201d I\u2019ve discovered the fascinating differences between two thinking systems. While in beautiful San Diego, where I served as a youth pastor for nearly six years, I thrived in a lovely neighborhood! It was hard to resist the temptation of stepping outside, especially when the gorgeous California sun beckoned me to explore the delightful, sunny streets. Walking is truly one of my favorite activities! I once believed that we only had one way of thinking\u2014what I called \u2018regular thinking.\u2019 However, Kahneman enlightens us about two distinct types. System one feels like my brain is on cruise control\u2014quick, effortless, and like a car on autopilot. As I meander through my neighborhood, my thinking naturally falls into system one, which flows without much effort. When I prepare for my sermons, get ready for meetings, or plan events, I love taking walks because fresh ideas fill my mind\u2014it’s such an enjoyable experience! What isn\u2019t quite as enjoyable is when I have to carve out time to sit down and push my brain to engage more deeply\u2014what Kahneman calls system two. System two takes on the heavy lifting, tackling complex issues requiring serious mental effort. He says, \u201cLaziness is built deep into our nature.\u201d[1]<\/a> Yes, our brains tend to favor ease, and it\u2019s natural that we shy away from thinking deeply when we don\u2019t have to. But pushing ourselves to engage involves activating system two.<\/p>\n

In 2014, I was fortunate enough to intern in Southern California. This was my first experience diving deep into ministry with one church. I fondly remember how my supervising pastor decided to launch a second church service just to allow me to practice my preaching skills. I thought I had a handle on preaching until I found myself in a weekly routine. Until I challenge myself to think harder, I\u2019ll keep operating in system one. \u201cThe illusion that one has understood the past feeds the illusion that one can predict and control the future.\u201d[2]<\/a> At that time, it was one of the most challenging experiences for me because I wasn\u2019t used to preaching on such a regular basis. I had to seek out new study materials to build my sermons, find fresh illustrations, and weave in my life experiences to make them sound \u201cawesome.\u201d I wanted to be an amazing pastor in my preaching, but I certainly wasn\u2019t there yet!<\/p>\n

No one enjoys hardships, but it is during difficult situations that we learn to navigate life more effectively. If someone is always on mental autopilot, they won\u2019t learn anything new or challenging. \u201cThe world in our heads is not a precise replica of reality.\u201d[3]<\/a> When challenges arise, our brains shift into System Two, allowing us to think more critically and grow. Too many people simply let their instincts take over in everyday life. They get angry, sulk, and react to situations instead of thinking them through. When something appears in the news, it\u2019s easy to respond; however, without research, our responses could be based on false information. Kahneman points out that thinking is hard work; therefore, we need to push ourselves to think critically for our own good and for those we serve. He also gives an example of using critical thinking to seize opportunities when asking for what we need. For instance, if someone is hungry, that is not a good time to make a request. I remember traveling with my family as a kid. When I noticed my dad laughing and enjoying himself, I seized that moment as an opportunity to ask him for something I wanted (though I can\u2019t quite recall what it was) and he agreed. If you have an interview or an application needing approval, try to schedule it when you know the decision-maker will be at their best.<\/p>\n

Overall, instead of sitting in a room all day, get up and take a walk. If the weather outside is frightful with snow or rain, come visit me in Hawaii, and we can walk together! While our minds tend to run on autopilot, engaging System Two in our thinking is beneficial. Also, if you need something from someone, you can take them to get some shaved ice, or schedule an \u00a0appointment after their meal.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Kahneman p. 31<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Kahneman p. 201<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Kahneman p. 144<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s go for a walk! In Kahneman\u2019s book \u201cThinking, Fast and Slow,\u201d I\u2019ve discovered the fascinating differences between two thinking systems. While in beautiful San Diego, where I served as a youth pastor for nearly six years, I thrived in a lovely neighborhood! It was hard to resist the temptation of stepping outside, especially when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","cohort-dlgp04"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41100"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41101,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41100\/revisions\/41101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}