Feelings versus Logic - Decisions, Decisions

"Choose feelings over logic, adventure over perfection, here over there, now over then, and always love, love, love." ~ Mike Dooley

I have this note stuck to my wall just inside my front door, so I read it often. A regular reminder for what I believe to be a wonderful philosophy to live by, because therein lies many of the keys to happiness.

Happiness is not a logical state of being, but a feeling state and no amount of logical analysis of the endless What if's can substitute for just dealing with what is in front of us right here right now, to the best of our current ability.

The trouble is, it's so hard to let go of the logical approach that has been ingrained in most of us over the course of our lifetime. Logic is a fearful energy - we engage in it to protect ourselves from making mistakes and to avoid potential future pain. Seems like a sensible enough approach really. But the truth I've come to know over the last few years, is that the wisest way is always the one where your intuition points you.

How to do that is to silence the fearful thoughts that logic throws up. Silence them in your own head, and disregard them when others offer you their own fearful thoughts on your behalf. They all mean well, but if you are to get in touch with what's truly right for you, you need to shut them all out for a little bit. Nobody else knows what's best for you.

Ask your intuition to guide you, and wait. Watch out for the signs and coincidences, and wait for the quiet insistent knowing. And when you get that, trust it and go with it. You don't have to know how everything is going to turn out in the long run, but if you trust your intuition you will know that it's going to be all right.

I've been a coward most of my life, refusing to take either physical or emotional risks. But since I've been training myself to go with what feels good or right, despite often feeling great fear, my life has become so much richer. But it's still a constant struggle between fear and love (at the root of everything we think, feel or do is an energy of either love or fear).

I know at the core of my being that I don't need to protect myself as much as I think, because whatever happens in life I will cope with it and come out the other end stronger. I know that when I choose to be guided by my fear I am missing out on something wonderful in the present in order to avoid a potential fear for a future that may never arrive. And yet, I give into my fear as much as I rise above it.

For the last few weeks I've been struggling between feelings and logic in a particular situation. Everytime I let go of logic and trust my feelings things have gone beautifully. But I keep letting logical thoughts creep into my consciousness and without fail trouble follows. I know better, but we're all a work in progress and I expect I will continue to have this battle throughout my life. I reassure myself though that I am getting better with practice ;-)

Tomorrow is my birthday, and my promise to my future self is to tune into my feelings every time I catch myself using the fearful approach of logic to make a decision or solve a dilemma. I promise to choose adventure over perfection because I know I will learn and grow through adventure. Perfection might be safe, but it will limit me too.

I promise to choose here over there and now over then because I know it is pointless to compare this point in time with any other (as this is the only one I really have) or to compare myself with other people - we all have our own unique path in life, and our own timescale and I trust that I will get to wherever I'm going in my own good time.

I promise to consciously think, feel and act from an energy of love rather than fear. And when I find myself unconsciously doing the fearful thing I will lovingly correct my course. I wish to live my best life, and giving into my fears will cripple my ability to do that. Therefore, I choose love, love, love.

Comments

[Ria Kennedy]

I'll add to that -- think what you reject out of fear. And what that means to you, your loved ones, the world, the universe, then, now and in the future. You could say I'm going through something similar, and I find your post's timing most auspicious.

I just figured this out recently: Don't let the world tear you down, allow the world to build you up.

Here's to us and our walk on the brighter side of life as we stop spurning the world and all its promise and start embracing it.

[Hilda]

Absolutely Ria! Let's embrace uncertainty and go with what feels right - I believe a mistake we learn and grow from is not really a mistake at all. Any experience that helps us to push past fear and live our best lives is of immense value to us, both now and in the future.

[Joanna Young]

Hi Hilda

Learning to trust our intuition is a big thing for most of us - perhaps it's the ultimate lifelong learning challenge :-)

I don't know if you're familiar with Adam Kayce, the Monk at Work? He writes about a lot of these kind of things - here's a recent piece from his blog on different sorts of passion, and how to work out which ones to follow...

http://monkatwork.com/2007/10/30/should-you-follow-your-passion/

Thought you might like it

Joanna

[Hilda]

Thanks for the pointer Joanna, I've just read the piece. Very interesting, and very helpful.

H.