A simple way to make decisions that feel better
“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Have you ever asked yourself “What should I do”?
Me too.
Implicit in this question is an assumption that there is a right answer. Like we’re all still waiting for a test to be marked and a grade or a gold star to be handed down.
We’ve been taught to use our heads and think through the problem before showing our working. And whilst that might have worked to keep us in a steady supply of A grades at school, it’s often not a very useful approach to adulting.
Intellect and analysis have their place in decision-making but thinking only gets you so far.
We have a whole other source of intelligence that many of us rarely tap into. Call it intuition, gut feeling, somatic wisdom…it’s all pointing to our body’s role in helping us navigate a complex, changing world.
Next time you find yourself struggling with the question of what you should do, try asking your body rather than your brain.
What would feel good? What could the next step be? What is here in the present moment and where would it like to go? Where does your curiosity want to take you?
Your body might speak to you in different ways. Maybe a word pops up or a mental image. You might feel sensations in your body or have a sense of a colour or a sound. It might not even make sense to you straight away so see if you can get curious about it. What is the feeling like? What does that colour represent to you?
Here’s an exercise you can try. Write out your options on individual pieces of paper; I suggest no more than four. Put each option in a different corner of the room. Stand in the middle of the room and slowly walk to each option in turn, returning to the middle to reset each time. Notice what you do in your body. How does it feel in each of these places as you imagine yourself following this path? How does it feel to leave it?
An even simpler version of this is to flip a coin and notice how you react.
We all have the gift of this wisdom. This is a practice of listening to that intelligence alongside what our minds are telling us.
Originally published at https://vixanderton.com on December 23, 2022.
