Monday, July 5, 2010

Decisions

For me, decision making is always a funny thing.  I often find it easy to make 'big decisions' in a snap, and yet I get hung up on the seemingly little ones.

For example, a couple of weeks ago, I received an email about a course which is being offered next year.  The course is only available in the US and will require three separate trips to complete.  Yet, I immediately checked the dates and booked it into my calendar without so much as a second thought about the time, money or energy commitment it will require from me to attend.   In fact, I had it booked in my calendar before I had even finished reading the course outline. A snap decision.  I could easily see myself taking the course and felt immediately it's the right thing for me to do at this point in my life. There was something about it I found both exciting and compelling, stirring my emotions in a way that made it hard to ignore.

On the other hand, it has taken me literally MONTHS to decide on a new bed (headboard/footboard). I had narrowed my choice down to two, but for the life of me I couldn't decide which I liked better and I had resorted to asking others for their thoughts and opinions on the two.  Surprisingly, most people were non-commital saying they liked both as well.

So why was the bed decision such a challenge? Simply because both styles would blend into the decor beautifully though with slightly different results. One was more classic, the other more artistic, but both had an elegance and flow that greatly appealed to the visionary in me. Both made me feel a sense of tranquility, comfort and peace which to me are great qualities for a bed and a good night's sleep. It was certainly a rare moment to find that I really didn't prefer one over the other. I actually liked them both equally for different reasons. I think the challenge was really between deciding on whether I wanted the bedroom to have a classic elegance or an artistic elegance because that would determine which bed would be purchased.
 
I always 'see' my decisions first and then 'feel' them; meaning I visualize the situation or the end result first and then check on my emotions to see how I feel about it. Between the seeing and the feeling, I usually have a pretty strong impression about what I should (or should not) do in any circumstance. I follow my intuition knowing that it is always my best guide.

Intuition is something we all have though we call it a variety of things: gut feeling, hunch, seeing the potential, just knowing it's right.  No matter what you call it, it's that aspect which prompts you to do something, leaving it up to you whether you follow your instincts (intuition) or not. 

What I have learned over the years is following my intuition leads me to opportunities and guides me in ways that make my life a lot easier.  The times when I do choose not to follow it and it usually lands me in hot water.  Like everything, the more you work with it, the better you become at recognizing its subtle signs and signals.

Oh, and yes, I have made a decision on the bed. :o D

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