As participants embark on a learning journey, they find themselves confronted with many open questions. There are all those related to the learning itself, and then there are all those related to the relationships in the group and with the group. This includes the relationship with self in these areas.

In a recent workshop, a participant shared her metaphor of a GPS.

She explained that she doesn’t like to listen to the instructions coming from her GPS. It is more important for her to know the destination and have an idea of how she’ll reach it. It is only once she has that information that the journey becomes comfortable for her.

A different participant shared how in normal times he is aligned with the metaphor. However, entering a learning journey he’ll prefer to lean back and rely on the person in the driver’s seat. He explained that using this approach helps him focus on the questions related to the learning as it appears. When he is learning he doesn’t want to worry about the organization of his journey.

Independently from the pleasure of starting something new, and the excitement about the adventure ahead, there are also the trepidations as to how the journey will unfold and what destination will be reached. Both sides need to be considered.

For the individual, the questions that will bother them most are those linked to the area in which they want to feel in control. They relate to the aspects where they may find it harder to trust that they will be cared for.

There is no right or wrong there. While there often is the desire to be cared for, and feel safe when one feels vulnerable, there is also the possibility to care for oneself. It starts with the self-awareness of one’s vulnerability and the need it points to. This allows an idea of how one can be cared for or how one can care for oneself.

Sometimes it’s not much more than finding out that the information that is missing, is missing because of the conscious choice the facilitator made.

Time is limited and brings the need for choices.

Knowing which choices have been made helps participants see what aspects of their journey have been planned. But also, to check-in and learn what of it is fixed and has to be done by oneself.