Hello and welcome to The Daily Insight.
My name is Lou Redmond and today's practice is on making better decisions.
We're faced with dozens of decisions a day.
Big ones like where we're going to send our kids to school.
Little ones like what yoga class we should go to.
And I don't think the power of decisions is talked about enough.
Because the truth is,
It's difficult to make decisions.
We pause or shy away because it takes effort.
People get paid the most money not because they're the most talented,
Although maybe they are.
It's because they have to make the most decisions.
They are ultimately responsible.
Making a decision is taking a risk.
The reason we don't make decisions is a fear of getting it wrong.
A fear of failure.
A fear of looking like an idiot.
You deciding to listen to this is a risk because if you don't like it,
You may feel like you wasted 10 minutes of your time.
I hope that's not the case,
But there's no way for you to know unless you decide and learn for yourself.
We are the CEOs of our life.
We're the only ones who can lead our lives forward.
The most successful people are the ones that learn to make decisions in the face of ambiguity.
And if you're walking a spiritual path,
It can seem like ambiguity is all there is.
A decision is how you say yes or no to the universe and progress on your journey.
To make better decisions,
We must get comfortable making wrong decisions.
A wrong decision is better than no decision because with a wrong decision,
We gain feedback and we learn.
No decision keeps us confused.
We must develop the habit of decision making and see it as a skill we can build.
So how do we practice making better decisions?
We tune in to the expansion or contraction in our body.
What choice makes us feel light?
What choice makes us feel heavy?
We choose what feels expansive and lighter.
We're going to explore how to do this in our guided practice and uncover the confidence we need to move forward.
Let's begin.
And just slowly start to close down the eyes and find your comfortable space.
And let's start to tune into the rise and the fall of our bodies.
So feeling the breath either at the chest or feeling the breath at the navel,
The abdomen.
As you tune in,
Lengthen where you need to lengthen and soften where you need to soften.
Let's just take one minute here.
Notice how your body feels right now.
What's tight and what's stuck and what feels open?
Each breath in and out,
Each expansion and contraction,
Just noticing,
Tuning to the energies in your body.
Now let's take a breath in and let that go.
I'd like you to ask yourself,
What is a decision that you can use some clarity on right now?
Maybe it's a decision of a job to take or to leave or how to parent,
Or it could just be clarity on what book you should read next.
And if you can't think of something specific,
Maybe just ask the question,
Where do I need help making a decision?
Where do I need help specifically or where do I just need help in general?
And in your mind's eye,
See if you can bring whatever visual comes to mind.
And if you have something concrete that comes up,
Notice when you think of it,
How does it feel in your body?
Maybe you ask the question,
Should I leave the job or should I not leave the job?
Maybe you ask kind of both sides of the choices or whatever your experience is.
And see if you can just notice and tune in to how the body is feeling.
Continuing to feel the rise and the fall in the chest and the abdomen.
Notice if there's a lightness and maybe noticing if there is any contraction.
And it may be difficult to attune,
But this is the practice.
We're just practicing asking a question out into the world and noticing the feeling that our body has in reaction to that question.
And it's our power that is in not necessarily getting it right,
But practicing noticing and then making a choice.
So to help us embody this,
We're going to do a few affirmations and you're welcome to say them out loud or you're welcome to just listen to the sound of my voice or say them silently to yourself.
My power is in deciding.
It's okay to get it wrong.
I have everything I need within me to learn and grow.
I am my greatest teacher.
Let's take a breath here.
God or the universe or whatever higher power will only meet you halfway.
It's in our power to decide that brings about unseen help and moves our life forward towards the direction of our highest self.
So I'd like you to begin to look forward and see if you've gotten any clarity.
Maybe you can visualize the best possible outcome or if there's nothing specific,
Maybe just imagine an ideal future for yourself.
Imagine yourself being firm in your decisions and taking future risks that feel aligned with who you are.
Let's take a moment here into seeing things work out for you in the best way possible.
And then start to bring your energy into your heart.
And let's practice letting all of that go,
Surrendering the choice,
Surrendering the decision that it needs to go anyway and you think it has to go.
Sometimes things not going our way,
In hindsight,
Is the best gift that we've ever gotten.
So with each breath,
Trust that whatever you decide is the right choice.
Whatever happens,
You will learn and you will grow.
Another moment here,
Letting all of that go.
And then slowly start to come back to your body,
Come back to your space.
I hope this practice helped.
Wishing you so much love,
Peace and guidance as you move forward on your journey.
Much love and namaste.
