Some People Just Know When A Decision Feels Right — These 3 Inner Signals Explain Why
Nikita Pishchugin | Pexels Some people just know when a decision feels right, and a few inner signals hold the key as to why. With practice, you can learn to notice these signals, which arise from your inner voice and a direct connection with the energy that permeates everything in the universe.
Some people call this God. Some people call this spirit. Some people call this oneness. Psychology calls it the foundation of intelligence in humans. No matter what you call it, it's real, and it's accessible to us all. Your goal is to be as healthy as you can, yet most people are out of balance. When you're out of balance, you get stuck in the ego. When you're stuck, you have poor access to your intelligence, and the healthier you get, the greater access you have to know when a decision just feels right.
Some people just know when a decision feels right, and these three inner signals explain why:
1. Your instincts
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This is all about paying attention to the sensations in your body. Your body helps you to notice what is going on in the moment. The Enneagram, a personality theory describing how the psyche develops a worldview, reminds us that there are three centers of intelligence:
- The Instinctive Center (Body Center)
- The Feeling Center (Heart Center)
- The Thinking Center (Head Center)
The best way to notice what's going on in your body is through practices such as yoga, meditation, walking, dancing, gardening, and anything else that helps you be aware of your body's sensations.
Listen to your inner voice. Get curious and start exploring what's going on. Your body is sending you a message through the sensations. You might experience this as pain, discomfort, tightness, or a general feeling of malaise. Your body may be telling you you need to get another job, end a relationship, or go to the doctor.
The worst thing you can do is ignore what's going on. The more you ignore your pain, the worse it will get. Wisdom is a gift from the universe, and when you pay attention to your body's sensations, you will experience greater flow in your life.
2. Your emotions
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This is all about helping you know what's going on deep within you and those around you. Your emotions and your body can help you know what is going on in the moment to help you understand where to focus your energy. You can connect to your emotions by keeping a journal of how you feel. The more you notice what's going on in you, the more you will experience what other people are going through.
Try putting your hand over your heart to check if your heart is present. Is your heart warm and open? Are you aware of your heartbeat? If your heart is feeling closed, think of something that helps you to experience your emotions, like a favorite movie or song. Look at a photo of a loved one. If you feel a tear coming, don't be afraid to cry.
Listen to your inner voice, and you will find inner peace. With time, you will learn to notice the difference between what you think you feel and what you feel in your heart. If you've faced great emotional pain in your life, a study suggested you may have shut down your emotions because they became too painful. The trouble is, if you keep them hidden, they will come out in ways that don't serve you and those you love.
- What do your feelings tell you about your emotional state?
- Are you happy, sad, angry, joyful, playful, confused, or much more?
- What kind of energy are you projecting out into the world?
You have emotions all the time. When you're healthy, you can notice and name your feelings, which continuously change throughout the day. The more you practice naming your emotions, the more wisdom you will have available to make short and long-term decisions.
3. Your thoughts
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Thinking is about connecting with the inner voice. When your mind is quiet, you can connect with the wisdom that connects you with everything. The best way to open this part of you is through some form of prayer or meditation.
There are so many ways to quiet your mind. If you're used to having a busy mind, it will take time and practice to calm your head's conversations. Health expert Dr. Cynthia Ackrill, M.D., explained, "Even the most focused and grounded high achievers get sucked into today’s perfect storm of unremitting urgency and unhealthy expectations. Their sharp but overworked minds wind up circling in self-doubt or stuck on the simplest decisions, the result is overthinking."
If you have never meditated before, start gradually. Begin with five minutes of meditation daily, and gradually increase over time. You can join meditation groups online, and there are many great apps available. You can incorporate meditation into walking or dancing. You might appreciate beginning with a guided meditation to help you listen to your inner voice.
When your head is quiet, you will always know what you need to say and do as long as you know your area of expertise. There's nothing wrong with thinking. Thinking helps you to do daily tasks. However, you can benefit from learning to be present and only thinking about what you need to be concerned about, right in that moment.
Your goal is to keep the three body centers open and in good health. When your instincts, emotions, and mind are in sync, you will find a greater flow in life. It's not that life will always be happy and comfortable. You will still have challenging times, but you will know you are on the right path.
Roland Legge is an author, certified spiritual life coach, and teacher of the Enneagram. He helps people connect to their inner selves and find alignment with their highest purpose and values.
