Can’t think clearly, cotton wool in your head? Feeling flustered because you need to make a decision but you feel fuzzy and confused? There are three simple steps to sift through the noise and have clarity of thought.
Write it all out
Get paper and pen/pencil, and scribble everything and anything that comes to mind. If nothing does, you can even begin with “I don’t know what to write about. I find this exercise that Abelene recommended is ridiculous. Does she know what she is taking about? I am feeling confused now because …” and then it flows. Allow the inner noise an outlet, otherwise it is trapped in your head, confusing you with loud mixed messages. We all have the answers within us, always. We just have to silence the din to hear our inner wisdom speaking and guiding us.
Seek validation
Even though you have reached a decision, you may feel unconfident and want to ask others for their opinions. There is nothing wrong with this, it does not make you a weaker person. Speak to two or three different sources and see if their responses match up with yours. If they do, you have your confirmation. If they don’t, you can evaluate if what they say makes sense. You can switch sides or continue with your conviction. At least you can confidently say that the final choice you are making is the best one as you have considered all different options. Proceed with surety. If the decision you made leads you to an outcome you did not expect, it is not a mistake. It never is. It is either a lesson for you, or the universe’s way of gifting you something that is for your highest good even though you are unable to appreciate it just yet.
Pray, meditate, ground, centre, walk, listen to soothing music …
Do all of the above, if not, do the one that you feel most comfortable with. Anything to calm you down. We lose our minds when our emotions overwhelm us. The most immediate thing to do is to take deep belly breaths – enlarge your abdomen with air. It takes practise to sharpen this self-awareness, as well as a willingness to want to shift out of that emotion. Sometimes our stubborn side enjoys the wallowing or just wants to misbehave and throw a tantrum. When the situation remains stuck, that’s when you will wake up and take steps to shift.
Inner wisdom is clarity of thought. It is not as elusive as you think. It is right within you.
Image credit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/faisal-hoque/mindfulness-practice_b_4114543.html