Trusting My Instincts

Please leave your thoughts...I love when you do that!

This weeks prompt made me think and then rethink where to go with this idea.  I wanted to talk about learning to trust my instincts, but seriously, I have a long way to go in that area.  I am an over-thinker.

As a young mother I believe I did better with following my own instincts than I do today.  If my babies seemed to need something, I just 'knew' what would help.  When they were toddlers, I 'knew' what I should be doing for their health and teaching life skills that would serve them always, but now, I second guess myself much more often.

I have decided that with age comes wisdom and that wisdom tells me that sometimes my instincts are not the best solution because my inner-self just wants peace and gentleness all around me.  My instincts are going to lead me in that direction.  I have trained my instincts to lead me NOT onto the best possible path, but onto the path that will bring me the quiet life I so desire and enjoy.  That means that on occasion, I will choose to allow something that needs to be addressed to go unchallenged because in the grand scheme of life, it won't make a difference.  Years ago, I had to challenge everything that didn't feel right or was obviously wrong.

You have all heard the expression, "Don't sweat the small stuff and by the way, it's all small stuff."  I think that is my new mantra.  I don't think I deliberately made any big decision to embrace that, it just happened to me gradually.  Life is too short and too precious for me to be irate about things that I cannot change or affect in any way.  I have a limited time here and I want to spend what time I have loving and appreciating.  Being and growing. Sharing and learning. I want to be surrounded by people and things that make me smile or feel content. The years of fighting the good fight or leading the charge are pretty much over for me.  Not to say that I won't stand up for myself, if need be and not to say I won't go to the edge for someone I care about or someone who is being abused, but I won't go looking for it!  It'll have to knock me up side of the head to get my attention, then I will take action.  I'm a force to be reckoned with, if I'm riled.  I just don't want to be riled.

My instincts are always in tune with where I am in my life, so I think I need to remember that and remember that those instincts do have my best interest in mind.  I have them because I am on a journey through a life I have carved over the years.  Big mistakes and big failures are as much a part of who I am as the big successes and majorly good choices.  All in all, I am the person I have been working to be and so far, it isn't too bad.  With work to do and improvements to achieve, I believe I am on the right road.  I believe my instincts are right on target.

So...from this moment forward, I am going to trust those instincts much more than I have of late and I will go with my gut a lot more often.

"Life may not be the party we expected or wanted, but since we're here, we might as well dance."
 Don't know the author of that line, but I do love it.  <3

Jo