If You Can Do These 3 Things Without Your Heart Racing, You’re Exceptionally Good At Making Decisions

Coping with change is difficult since there are so many challenging decisions to be made while emotions are running on overdrive. You want to set the intention of learning how to make a hard decision by hitting the pause button so you can have the opportunity to reflect effectively. 

We have the tendency to quickly identify a problem and then jump to conclusions in an effort to rectify the situation and decrease the discomfort. Impulsivity can lead to irrational and frantic choices. If your heart stays steady while otehrs piral, that calm is doing more than keeping you grounded — it's helping you think clearly.

If you can do these three things without your heart racing, you’re exceptionally good at making decisions:

1. Think before acting

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The initial stage of problem-solving is to create a space for awareness. It is essential to take time to give conscious attention to what is going on, how the problem arose, why the situation is triggering you, and how you feel about it.

Awareness requires setting the intention to be open to understanding the truth of what is going on. It allows you to stand back from the uncomfortable situation with some objectivity. This stage gives you visibility, vision, and a possibility for different choices. It requires asking questions of yourself, like:

• "What is it about this that I am not seeing yet?"
• "What is it about this that I am reading into?"
• "What consequences, such as losses or restrictions, am I feeling?"

Cognitive research explained how intentionally slowing down long enough to get a grasp of the situation before reacting creates an opportunity for reflection. It gives you the power to make a thorough investigation of the situation and its impact on you personally before reacting. There can be zero change without awareness.

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2. Accept what cannot be changed

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After an appropriate amount of awareness work, you are ready to move to the acceptance stage. It requires an open and honest examination of the issue, despite any discomfort that may arise.

Acceptance involves honoringwhere you are and who you are in the moment without any resistance. Focusing on acceptance means you have an emotional willingness to work through the losses and restrictions stemming from the problem to develop clarity. This stage requires additional time for you to take control of your life and to own the choices that are available to you.

Some questions you might ask yourself are:

• "What feelings are being brought up because of this for me?"
• "What choices can I make that will bring me peace with this?"
• "What do I want to stand for with this?"

"As you learn to connect to your three centers of intelligence — body, heart, and head — you will find greater ease and flow in your life," explained life coach Roland Legge. "Remember, this is lifelong work. The more you can make inner work an essential part of every day, the greater the flow."

Aligning your mind, body, and emotions will provide you with an opportunity to move through the challenging situation positively. Once the stages of awareness and acceptance have been worked through, you can effectively propel yourself forward into action because you will experience an increased feeling of emotional balance and peace of mind.

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3. Rspond decisively

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The action stage of the framework is where you effect change. It encourages a thoughtful and intentional response to the problem. Rather than a knee-jerk reaction, you allow yourself time to assess your choices and to move forward with a solution that aligns best with your feelings, values, and needs.

Questions you might ask yourself during this stage are:

• "How do I feel about moving through this?"
• "What resources do I need to move through this?"
• "What is the best choice for me?"

Moving into action uses up the energy that was stagnating and naturally makes you feel better. Creating a process to identify your choices and to act accordingly is extremely empowering.

Spiritual coach Polly Wirum advised, "Deep healing asks us to finally face the subconscious beliefs planted long ago, to sort through the stories that have shaped who we are. It's a process of taking the joy and beauty from our experiences while learning to release the shards of disappointment and pain — transforming not by forgetting, but by feeling everything and letting go."

Everyone can define for themselves the difference between what is acceptable and comfortable and what is not. It is extremely helpful when you have to make difficult decisions to use the framework entitled the 3 A’s of change:

• Awareness
• Acceptance
• Action

Implementing this three-step process when attempting to solve a problem will become a valuable resource for you. Taking time to move through each stage of the dilemma will enable options to become more visible and will facilitate lifelong personal growth and self-development.

The three-step framework brings your mind, body, and emotions together and guides you to experience a well-thought-out response to a given situation. By taking these steps, options become more visible, and you foster a course of action and an attitude that effectuates change and personal growth.

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Jennifer Warren Medwin is an experienced certified divorce coach and a Supreme Court of Florida family mediator. She is also the author of Strategies & Tips from a Divorce Coach: A Roadmap to Move Forward.