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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

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

15 comments:

  1. Love this post, Jo, as I can relate to it completely. I used to have a much shorter fuse than I have now. I think I've learnt "to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference" - one of my favourite sayings.

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  2. You are such a smart woman...and you are a wise one, too. Your words always ring true for me, and that makes me smile. I love having that 'kindred-spirit' feeling every time I stop by to visit you.


    Oh, and by the way, I loved this: "I'm a force to be reckoned with, if I'm riled. I just don't want to be riled." :O)

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  3. @Paula...Thank you so much for the praise. I so agree with you, as you can tell. We all strive for the Wisdom part, don't we? C:

    @Beth...I say that all the time! I love your mind and I share your heart. We were destined to be friends and thanks to Sweet Gawy, now we are.
    Love you and thanks so much. <3

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  4. Great ending! And I think you are right, in the end there will always be a way, either governed by wisdome or suggested by instinct :)

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  5. Claudia,,,maybe the best ending is governed by both! thanks for visiting & sharing! <3

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  6. When bothered by something minute, I like to ask myself, "Will matter tomorrow or a year from now?" That seems to calm me down.

    Joyce
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  7. Joyce...I do the same. I am not a worrier by nature, I just Let go and Let God. thank u for commenting. C:

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  8. This is a wonderful post. I think that whether you have a good or bad instinct of someone, if you go into the situation with a good mind, then there shouldn't be any problems with who you meet. This is a great post.

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  9. Diana...thanks, but I think you may be a bit naive about meeting people...your good mind doesn't make creeps good people. Instincts will usually give you a clue, again, if you listen. C:
    Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts.

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  10. Great post! I too have learned with age to not sweat the small stuff. Very little in life is huge when put in the proper perspective of the grand scheme of things.

    Kathy
    http://www.thetruckerswife.com/

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  11. Kathy...thank you for stopping by and for commenting. Life teaches us how to live.

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  12. I be fussin, it's just what I do. ;-) People know not to take me real serious. But, internally I'm actually quite calm.

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  13. Eccentricity...Okay then! Good for you and your mental health. C:

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  14. My instincts tend to lead me into noise, chaos, the unexpected, which is so what my brain tells me I don't want... but you know something? When I follow those instincts I feel happier than if I don't, so my brain may think it knows better, but my instincts actually do *wink* Great piece, Jo *hugs*

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  15. Not sure how I missed this post back in August, but I just found it today! I am thinking your instincts know who you really are and just maybe you like excitement! ((hugs)) Sorry about the 4 month delay in response! :)

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