One of the hardest things for us humans seems to be making decisions that both feel right in our hearts and benefit us in the long run. Most people who seek my help rarely stop and listen inwardly before making decisions, which leads to problems piling up just as quickly as feelings of inadequacy or guilt. Something as simple as actually stopping to think and reflect before each decision can, with practice, lead to a more intentional and healthy life.
You could call it living more morally. Morality is defined as your perception of right and wrong, which is manifested in concrete actions and behaviors. Ethics is the theory behind morality and explains why something you do is right or wrong. Many of us have a good understanding of the ethical reasoning behind what a meaningful life should look like, but not as many know how to go about actually living that life in practice. From what I have noticed in my practice, it is precisely this lack that in the long run causes mental suffering and difficulty organizing your life in a beneficial way.
Write down what you are confused about
Sit down in silence or with a well-chosen song playing in the background, about 5 minutes
Let go of thoughts about arriving at something specific
Just sit, observe thoughts, feelings, sensations
After the 5 minutes, note if any clues about your condition or answers to your questions have emerged
Write them down
If you have received more information about what feels like the right thing for you to do, the next step, which may be somewhat more difficult for some, is to actually start acting on your truth. This is where many people get stuck with the result of letting themselves and potentially others down, which is based on the mountain of negative thoughts about themselves and/or others.
Actually taking the first steps towards change should not be taken lightly. It takes a lot of courage from you to dare to leave a familiar and therefore safe belief system and way of life. Even though you are well aware of how familiar habits create more negative effects on your life in the long run, you are most secure in staying in it. Leaving your habitual habits means a new, unfamiliar and uncertain existence that feels uncomfortable to approach. However, you may need to ask yourself what kind of uncomfortable existence you want to live with - uncomfortable because you are letting yourself down or uncomfortable because you are starting to listen to yourself? The latter type of discomfort can potentially add a lot of value to your life in the long run. The decisions you make in your life affect how you feel and define the person you are. How do you want to feel and what kind of person do you want to be?
Good luck,
Liv