Here is an exercise I often catch myself doing when observing people: Trading Consciousnesses. The game is a simple one but requires the use of your imagination. You may also look at it as exercise for your imagination but it also provides insight to your own life experience and how you may handle obstacles or challenges. So here is how you play: when observing somebody (without creeping them out of course!) imagine what it would be like to switch consciousnesses with them on the spot. You immediately inherit their life situation, memories, relationships, and overall situation while losing your own. Your consciousness exists – your “Am-ness” so to speak (you know, I am that I am).. Imagine how you would take their life and run with it. The other part of the game is to imagine how they might run with yours.

Here's an idea that has taken some time to evolve. What if we tried on a new belief system? I mean backup our current one, delete it from our brains, and upload a new one. What would the outcome be? If you take the simple question, "What do you know to be true?," the only possible answer is "I am conscious." Everything else is assumption, even for me to believe you are conscious or that there is anything 'real' outside of my projection of it. Taking the only thing I know to be true and removing the rest of the clutter allows me to reconstruct a different view of reality that I can upload and take for a spin.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

A favorite quote of mine by Dale Carnegie reads, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving." This thought carries serious weight. I read it some time back in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, and it has resonated with me ever since. But it has taken until more recently though, when I have been monitoring closely my thoughts and ego that I have witnessed how quick that part of my brain is to judge.