In a decade of research, I have learned about things that I never knew existed and the more that I investigate the more that my personal world view has shifted. What I was taught in school doesn't come close to my view on the world today - and some of it is down right shocking. This has left me entirely fascinated and hungry to learn more. Particularly since what I have learned has had practical benefit to me and my loved ones - family and friends. And thankfully many have had open minds to listen! I even think our future survival depends on what we are willing to learn and understand right now! There is definitely a real awakening in progress!Needless to say, there's a lot at stake here! We make decisions and take certain actions based on our current beliefs that have everything to do with the knowledge we have acquired over our lifetimes. We are often keen to hold firmly to what we were taught as children. I have also become keenly aware of how I learn and how I assess the quality of the information I gather since it has literally affected my health, my quality of life, and I venture to say, my survival. Decisions about the foods we eat, vaccinations and environmental toxins, navigating the economy and everything related to finances and so on. The keys, in my view, are to be aware of your learning process so that we may become effective life long learners (keep it fluid and continuous), and keep an open mind always (not to say there aren't challenges). There will always be new information that will challenge your current belief - instead of trying to make the world conform to how we see things - by opening up our minds we may step into a whole new paradigm which may have the world show up for us in a far better way. Here is my process - enjoy!
Step One - Explore: Continually scout around a wide variety of sources - I keep my agenda and my mind open - I look for information that may be unfamiliar though if true could have important implications for me and my family. When I notice certain information cropping up several times in different places, I sit up and take note. One topic that started this way was information ten years ago of the possibility of economic and currency collapse as a result of all the financial derivatives - we've seen this come to fruition on an historic scale. You may spot trends for business opportunities and investments; new developments or understandings about health issues such as vaccinations, flouride, GMO (genetically modified organism) and so on. You get the idea. Keep in mind that each of us has a preference for seeing, hearing or physically touching things. Since so much valuable information is available through the window of our computers, take note of what stimulates you best - video for the visual, online radio for those with a preference to listen, graphics/maps/plans/blueprints for the avid hands on, and numbers/data for the analytic fact finders - there is a rich variety to attract and support your learning style.
Step Two - Research/Investigate: Then I continue by digging for more in-depth information to understand the scope of the subject - going to industry material, following links from industry experts, scientific studies, and in particular, finding as much information outside of the main stream to filter for agendas and bias. I value information from some of the little guys - passionate folks who have dedicated their lives to studying the topic at hand. And I reference any competitors to point out all the important aspects or distinctions of products or services that I should be considering! Smaller niche companies due to their passion have in many cases incorporated certain principals behind their product or service that the big guys have overlooked - I want to know what those are. This process applies to ideas just as much as tangibles where there will be no shortage of proponents and opponents for any point of view including scientific data to support opposing ideas. Global warming will likely go down in history as such a topic. 
Step Three - Study: Once I have found what I believe to be trustworthy sources, I narrow my focus to a handful of in depth and often lengthy articles and material (experiments, findings, personal accounts etc). By now, I know what the questions are that need to be addressed. What's left is a sniff test. Often you will hear the expression "follow the money" as a means to understand the underlying motivations. It is important to keep your eyes open on who and what is behind the information so that you can be aware of bias. And even that filter may not provide the definitive answers for you. So, in order to make my decision, I lean on my intuition for what feels right. What I have noticed is that the more reading I do, the more clues I am able to cross correlate - it's often the little bits of information that either connect up or not that help me make sense of the big picture and determine whether I discount or value those particular so called "facts"! Since I have years of study to fall back on with regard to the economy and the financial system, many connecting dots come into focus. Just keep at it and soon you will be synthesizing and analyzing from your unique perspective!
Step Four - Actions: Now I am ready to make a choice, take a decision, or I may simply summarize my findings with relevant links (or electronic pdfs in case that information may at some time not be available at that site - an example may to information on how to build something such as a chicken coop or growing bed) which I put into an electronic project file for future reference for when I am ready to proceed. I have a ton of email mailbox folders relevant to different areas of interest in my life - and many of them relate to my goals in each category of my life (more on that when we talk about Ten Year Vision and Goal Setting). Examples may be writing my book, buying and setting up my farm, starting another business to generate cash flow and ideas, empowering my children, adventure/travel, my art, creating community, and importantly health, and so on. As a family we enjoy kicking around some of our most recent findings - it helps us to crystalize what we have learned in our own minds by sharing with others - "teaching to learn". Further on we'll share about "learning to teach".
Step Four - Re-Examine: I am usually willing to re-examine my point of view as new information comes to light, particularly contradictory information. It is important to continually be willing to reevaluate previous decisions and make adjustments. There is too much at stake not to! Head-in-the-sand denial of relevant new information can be very costly!
Not keeping an open mind can lead to denial! This can be particularly painful when it affects someone you know and love who may be making decisions on outdated beliefs. The thing about truth is that we must come to realize it for ourselves! No one can do it for us and being human, this can take time!Quick Tip: When reading one of my books, I have a system of underlining in pen any sentence/s that represent an "aha" idea for me (I don't bother doing it in pencil anymore since I realized years ago that I will never erase those lines anyway). I know its an "aha" because it feels interesting - the revelation seems exciting when "I see" or "now I get it!" And then I fold over the corner of the left hand page of that two-page spread. I trust that that feeling is guiding me to where my awakening is wanted. This way I can continue to reread my library over the years by simply skipping to each of the underlined sections and reading the few paragraphs surrounding that quote to be fully reminded of that concept. I can be thoroughly refreshed on good writing and good ideas in 15 to 20 minutes or so and appreciate the book once again for the old "ahas", many that seem as valuable or powerful as on my first read. Only, on subsequent revisits, the "aha" has found new layers of meaning for me! Perhaps its the awakening process and expanding consciousness - imagining so. In any event, I have built my library gradually over 20 years. We've probably read many of the same books.
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