Decisions. Maybe it’s because I have to make so many but I often find them hard. Even the simple ones! The finality of many decisions scares me. If I choose one option will it mean that others are removed from being possibilities? Maybe that’s it? Possibility and potential are so exciting and decisions seem to end that. However unfortunately I cannot go through life without making decisions. Whether it is the choice of tea bag in my morning cuppa or what route to drive to yoga class.
Also the need for decision-making seems to increase the more I expand out of my comfort zone. The more I don’t just do the same thing daily, the more I have to decide what I will do instead. What also amuses me in my dislike of decisions is that the more important they are, often the easier I find them. As I have a way of trying not to take the easy route, but to challenge myself, this often makes bigger decisions easier. I don’t want to restrict my options or live a narrow life so the decisions to, for example buy a house or a car are often made faster than those for the smaller things in life. I am presently having to decide on plans for a house extension…grown up decisions. Those that I will live with the results of for many years and I am therefore planning on taking my time to try and make sure they are right. However the decisions we make moment by moment also matter. For what we do in this moment leaves a footprint for the future. Karma is action and all action has result. For example how we look after ourselves today will effect how we feel tomorrow. If we continually choose an extra glass of wine and late nights we will feel very different to if we live a life of healthier choices.
I am amazed continually at the power of the subconscious to make these small decisions and choices for us without us often being conscious of it. We often drive the same way to work everyday, or always choose the same drink or meal at a favourite restaurant. We don’t question these habits and ruts we allow ourselves to slide into as they mean we don’t have to make conscious decisions through the day; we are designed to do much of what we do unconsciously. In fact this is part of the learning process. We often don’t realise how many of the small unconscious decisions we make every day will affect our everyday lives and our future selves. We may begin learning something consciously. At the beginning we are continually making decisions, thinking and analysing the hows and whys. Then as we become more familiar with a situation or activity it become less conscious. For example driving a car. At the beginning we think about every action and then after a while we don’t even remember changing gear or checking our clutch control as it becomes unconscious. Then we will take it further by driving new unfamiliar routes regularly enough so they themselves become less conscious. I am sure we have all found ourselves part way to somewhere familiar, such as driving the route to work, when we are actually on route to somewhere else. We need to be aware of this with other behaviors.
Behavior such as nutrition and exercise can also become habit. We can consciously decide to make more conscious decisions through the day and improve our health and hence our well being. To do what we have always done does not inspire, learn or modify. Obviously we all have preferences in food or behaviors but we need it examine whether they are preference or habit. Many people I know have a very limited palate, even many people in the health, fitness and nutrition world often don’t try new things just sticking with what they know.
We need to continually challenge ourselves in many ways. To learn and to change, to feel we are performing at our best it may be good to make our lives more conscious. Maybe as simple as driving a new way to work, trying a new food or seeing how you can introduce a new activity or skill to your life. Te very act of learning is good for us, as is change. That which takes us into new territory, opens our viewpoint and expands our potential is good. So take your day-to-day out of the subconscious habits and into conscious decision making. Decide to act. Act consciously.