Quadrant IV - The World We Live In

I had planned on going through the Quadrants in order but yesterday I was impacted by Quadrant IV and thought it a good time to write about it. Quadrant IV is our environment both natural and man made. It is the beauty of nature, the difference between living in a crowded city and a rural community, the comfort and/or beauty of our immediate environment, our use of technology, and the state of our living space. All affect us emotionally, physically, and socially.

So, what happened that led me to write about Q4 out of order? Well, the hard drive crashed on my main computer. I'm writing now with a spare. The immediate impact of losing use of my computer was devastating. I was obsessed with questions like; what was on the hard drive?, what was there that can't be replaced?, how will I write this blog without the notes that I made?, what about all of my contacts?, etc. Computers were supposed to be our saviors and yet for many of us we have instead become their slaves. Computers were supposed to make our lives easier and yet research shows that people are working more than ever. To the degree that we are tethered to dial up or broadband we are addicted to this electronic wizardry that has changed our lives and how we do business in the world.

Many young people are addicted to the internet. They cannot drag themselves away from it and they use it, like drugs, to distract them from their pain and their lives. Some are addicted to porn or online games. Others drawn to the social networking world that has changed how we communicate with one another. I was scared of what the impact of Sony Walkmen was going to be when they first came out. All I could think of was that people were walking around in a self contained mode reducing the amount of time that they made contact with others. Ipods, PDA's, cell phones, and high speed internet has exponentially increased the degree with which we are able to communicate and stay connected to our work or vices throughout the day. It's not that these conveniences have not had a positive impact on our lives but rather the fact that they may at the same time be impacting our lives in ways that are not healthy.

Young people are growing up with this technology almost implanted in their neural pathways. They text one another, surf the internet, and communicate instantly around the world. It's important that we consider what balance looks like. How do we find a way to use these conveniences wisely while maintaining a balanced connection with other parts of our lives and with other human beings.

Quadrant IV is also the natural environment. Depending on where we live we have more access to the natural beauty of our world and the universe. Most of us are aware of how much more peaceful we feel when we take the time to walk on the shore or in the woods. This is diametrically opposed to when we are in our offices (if yours is like mine) and are faced with the piles of work to be done, things to be filed, bills to be paid. The impact on my nervous system is palpable. The cumulative impact can lead to stress and addiction. In a world where young people have DVD's for baby sitters and rarel have a sit down dinner with the family it's important for us to stop and reflect on how balanced this part of our lives are.

Take a look at your own Q4. How balances is yours? What adjustments could you make. Reflect on the impact your environment is having on your life and relationships. How has your life been shaped by the your relationship with your Q4?