Fractals
I have a thing for fractals. They are widely recognized as futuristic patterns that repeat over and over again.
photo credit: SantaRosa OLD SKOOL via photopin cc
It’s a math thing. Don’t click away yet…this does apply to your life. In fractals, there are certain mathematical properties that are shared from the smallest to the largest components of a fractal structure.
I first got interested when I was 7 after my parents brought home a book of fractal images. They were just cool: 1980s cool! Fractals stuck with me. I majored in math in college, and my senior thesis was titled ”Fractal patterns in the US stock Market.” Exciting stuff.
Take a look at this head of Romanesco broccoli. It is a fractal. Each small floret is a replica of a larger group of florets which is a replica of the larger whole.
The concept is simple: the small is a scaled version of the large and the large is a scaled version of the small.
Applying Fractal Theory to Life
Your life is a fractal.
This means that your life in total is a version of the moments it’s made up of.
Each day I make a decision about what to have for lunch. This is a moment of life. The choice I make here replicates itself to impact my life as a whole. A healthy choice usually results in more overall health, energy, and definitely less guilt. An unhealthy choice leaves me bloated.
Small daily decisions compound. They matter. It’s these small moments that make up the big stuff.
Fractals tell us that we should focus on the choices and minutes that compile our lives. Each moment we are asked to be resilient and make choices that support our health, our relationships and our values.
It’s not about the big stuff. It is about the small stuff.
Looking at your life in total can tell you a lot about the decisions you’ve been making in the minutes. New habits and commitments can only be lived in the tiny daily decisions to stick to them.
This is easier to do if you slow down. Give yourself time to think about what you’re doing in the moment and ask if that is what you want the whole of your life to look like.
Join me for Romanesco broccoli for lunch?