Switch or Dial

When you think of these two words, what comes up for you? What do you think of when you think of a switch vs a dial? This concept shows up in so many places in life. Here are the "definitions".

Switch - a device for making and breaking the connection in an electric circuit.

Dial - a plate or disk on a radio, stove, washing machine, or other piece of equipment that is tuned to select a wavelength or setting.

A light switch. Flip it up, light turns on. Flip it down, light turns off. And yes, for all you electrically savvy humans out there, the circuits of what a flip up or down can create are much more abundant :) Work with me here :)

This is a yes or no moment. Switch.

Yet, treated like a Dial... up or down depending on the circumstances. Dial... up or down depending on your capacity of what you want to deal with or be involved with.

When you know it's probably a no but don't want to say so. When you might go or might not. When you "try" to create the space for things to be more comfortable. For the temperature to feel natural. When you "try" to bring it back to homeostasis for a little bit.

Do you tend to be a switch or a dial? Does it change based on the situation?

The switch. Do you tend to be all in or all out? Hot then cold? Yes then no? Two options. The light is on. The light is off. Simple and effective. Completely on board or not getting on the wagon at all. Sticking with choices and decisions. Easily jumping in and out of emotions, not because of a back and forth but because of the capacity to turn off one thing to turn on another.

The dial. Do you tend to tune up or tune down? Adjusting based on where you are at and where others around you are at? Many options. A constant tuning to "your" ideal temperature in the room. Your's or someone else's. The change up or down to make you or someone else comfortable for the most part. There is also the possibility of being too hot or too cold for some.

Noticing when I am in switch or dial has created more awareness for me.

• When there are choices or situations where it works to be a dial, that is something I have practiced for years and it serves well to adjust and adapt.

• Then there are situations where I know that it would be best to flip the switch and answer the question- all in or all out. Often times I use it for permission to choose.

• Realizing I tend to be more a dial, I ask myself, if this was a switch moment, would I be on or off? In or out? It creates definition and I get to choose from there.

Questions for more awareness

• Where are the places in your life you are a switch? A dial?

• Of those, which work to your benefit? Why?

• Of those, which work to others benefit? Why?

• Which don't work very well to your benefit or others?

• What questions can you ask yourself when making choices and decisions to help discern where it would serve more to be one or the other?(i.e. For someone who tends to be a switch, asking yourself if being a dial and creating flexibility in this moment might serve better. )