Bank Your Experience, Trust Your Inner Knowing

When you’re presented with options as to what course of action to follow, you can check facts, visible clues, or even use a system of advantages and disadvantages to make a logical choice. But how many times have you just known that something is right or wrong – a house, a car, a person, a vote – without having to resort to an overwhelming load of information? And how many times have you ignored your inner knowing and regretted it? Or, alternatively, found it to be lacking?

I had a blood test last week. My veins, over the years, have proven hard to access. So during the process I was mindful of my breathing and actively relaxed my body. I imagined my veins rising towards the surface and having the procedure go smoothly.

But what was most fascinating was watching this particular nurse at work.

She looked for signs of veins. Then gently laid her finger on each of the two that presented themselves in turn. She closed her eyes while she did so. I could see her relaxing and her breathing slowed.

Only then did she choose her vein. She inserted the needle without any effort on her part, or pain on mine (her eyes open now!), and drained off the required amount of vital red nectar.

I asked her what she was doing when she closed her eyes. Replying, she said she could feel when it was right.

So often, it’s easier to know that things are right when we relax, slow our breathing, and pay attention to our inner knowing. Limiting the amount of information we use to make a decision can prevent overwhelm. In this case, closing her eyes helped her to ignore extraneous input. It was only necessary to feel the pulsating blood in the vein. If she’d been just looking, she might have picked the other, bigger, one. But she knew the right feeling to make the right decision. She’d had plenty of experience to prove its worth. She’d paid attention and learnt. Consequently, the whole experience was more pleasant for me than previous occasions.

In what situations might it help you to check your inner knowing before acting? Even if you don’t feel it yet, you could build up a bank of valuable information just as the nurse had. Simply pay attention to what’s going on and how it feels when you make a choice. Consequently check the outcome. Did it go well or leave something to be desired? How does it resonate with you? Learn to bank your experience and trust your inner knowing to make the right choice.

Thanks to KSG123 at imgbin.com for the image.