Does Your Heart Listen To Your Head?

We've all had moments when we had to make big decisions; those decisions that make you stay awake all night playing out every possible scenario in your head. What if I choose (fill in the blank) and it's the wrong choice? What if it's not the right time to (fill in the blank)? What if I choose one direction and find out later I should have gone the other way?

The thing is that none of us have a crystal ball. None of us have someone that can tell us what the right choice is. The choices we are presented with aren't always clear; we won't always know what to do or if the choice is really what is being presented. Maybe we think it is offering us one thing, when in reality it really isn't. Sometimes if an opportunity seems too good to be true, chance are it might be. It's always going to be difficult to know.

When you have to make a big decision or a choice, people will say to 'go with your gut', 'trust your instincts'. Then you have to ask yourself, 'Do you tend to react with your heart or with your head'. Those that react with their heart may be more emotional; how will something make you feel? Happy, sad, stressed, needed, appreciated? Some tend to react more with their head. They will look at a situation or decision and think about the pros and the cons. What will the job offer? How much time will I be on the road and away from my family? Will the choice they make get them where they want to be and doing what they what to do?

Choices can be about relationships, finances, starting families, choosing the right health treatment, new jobs, taking risks, going back to school, etc. We all make tough choices and make decisions each and every day. We need to have faith that whatever decisions we make are the right ones for us. Will we make mistakes? Undoubtedly, we are human after all. Will we learn from our mistakes? Hopefully so. Will whatever choices we make in our lifetime develop and define our character? You bet they will.

When you have a big decision to make do you tend to go with your heart or your head?

Does your heart ever listen to your head or vice versa?

Does making a big decision tend to keep you up at night?

Trust Your Instinct

When ideas, opinions, and remedies are being thrown at you like multi-colored splatter paint the best thing you can do is stop, breathe, and evaluate. IF you are part of a creative team then you are accustomed to professional brainstorming sessions. Your boss might tell you they want 3 brand new ideas before the meeting is over, but verbal demands won't always guarantee that the creative juices will instantly flow. IF you view any sort of social media you know people in various positions will saturate the airwaves, Internet, and TVs with opinions (mostly their own). The thing about an opinion is that it is just that ... it is a personal perspective; there is no guarantee that it is right or wrong. IF you are suffering from something as minor as a physical discomfort or as major as an illness, there will undoubtedly be someone who will step forward, ready and willing to save you with their version of a remedy (perhaps medical and proven - perhaps not).

So what do you do when the ideas, opinions, or remedies are not only unsolicited, but unwelcome? First, you consider the source (Is there any real experience there? Any first hand knowledge?). You should consider the intent of sharing the information (Is it for your benefit or the one sharing the information?). Will this new information sway you in any way from your own morals, values, and personal foundation in which you base your daily mindset and more importantly; how you live your life?

If an idea doesn't sit well with you, it is probably best to sit on it for a while. That's where the stop, breathe, and evaluate advice would come in. Stop what you are doing, don't just react. It's been my experience that immediate reactions usually come from the heart, not from the brain. If you then breathe and take the time needed to evaluate the situation you may come to a completely different consensus. Your reaction will then come from your head. Trust yourself and trust your instincts. Do your research and then do what you can. There is most likely always going to be 'something' you can control about any given situation; if nothing else ... you can control your first reaction, how you will deal with the results and long term effects, or what you will take away from the situation as a future lesson.

Not all ideas are bad. Not all remedies are useless. Opinion? That can be the trickiest of the three. Not many people share their opinions just so they can hear themselves talk, yet it does happen. Someone might think I am being hypocritical because I blog. A conversational  blog, such as this one, is mostly opinion. The difference with my point is that I don't blog with the intent of changing anyone's behavior or opinion. I may ask questions, but only because I hope it will make my readers stop and think about something; whether that be how they look at a situation, how they may react when having to deal with a dilemma, or even to suggest another possible solution. In the end whatever they choose to say or do is strictly them.

As of late, we have had our share of politicians, actors and actresses, professional people, young adults, etc share their opinions in many forms for the sole purpose of trying to convince others to step over to their side, because it is different than ours. My suggestion (and again, this is strictly my opinion, lol) ... do your OWN research and form your OWN opinion and reaction. Take opinions for what they are, just that ... an opinion.

Do you find it difficult or easy to trust your instincts? Initially, do you usually react to a person or situation with your heart or with your head?