Your emotions are the greatest weapons you have at your disposal. Think of it as the beacons used to guide a ship to safety. You being the ship of course navigating the vicious terrain called life. We all have emotions but do we really know how to effectively use them? One such area where people tend to ineffectively use emotions is the area of decision making. This will article will show you how to stop making decisions based on emotions and instead focus on the logical and level headed approach.
Giving Time For Emotions To Settle
Emotions are erratic. You are able to go from happy to sad in moments. It is therefore important to realize that emotions are not a stable basis to make decisions. The decisions you make in a state of anger will be very different from when you are calm and relaxed. For e.g. can you think about a moment when you lost your temper with a co-worker or family member? at that moment you decided to vent your frustration instead of looking at the situation when you were level headed. The result was a weakened relationship and probably you feeling bad about how events unfolded.
Another interesting thing about emotions is that they are usually triggered based on a subconscious routine in your mind. So as with the example above – if you are used to losing your cool when someone disagrees with you; then an angered response is likely to overcome you without you even consciously being aware of it. This results in impulsive and destructive decisions being made by you – affecting your relationship with yourself and others.
Also read: using the emotional bank account for better relationships>>
Taking Logic Into Consideration
Instead of basing decisions on emotions; the better alternative is to use the logical approach. This logical approach means being in the present moment and not going by the routine programmed in your mind. So for e.g. instead of losing your cool then next time someone offends you; you stop and take a breather. After collecting your thoughts – you realize that whatever the other person is saying has no real truth. Therefore to be upset over the matter will bring you no satisfaction. In doing this you avoided the health issues that come with being temperamental and you came out on top being the calm person in the argument.
Also Read: How to win an argument everytime – guaranteed!
The following are some useful ways to more consciously make decisions:
- Practice meditation and mindfulness
- become self-aware when you decisions are being driven by emotions and not conscious thought. Mental journaling can help with this
- Rehearse how you could have handled situations better – so that the next time you are placed in a similar situation you don’t respond in the same impulsive way
Also read: How to effectively do a data analysis for better decision making>>
The Role Of Emotions In The Bigger Picture
In the end; the role of emotions is to be used as a guiding system. When you set values for yourself and take action; your emotions tell you whether you are on the right track. If you are continuously sad and depressed; your emotions are telling you to change something in your life to get a better result. However; emotions should never be followed impulsively. When making decisions that could alter your life – you need to take solid facts and careful conscious thought into consideration. This is why it is important to sleep over important decisions.
Also Read: Creating your personal values list – what to consider!
To learn how to live life consciously and with a clear perspective; read this ultimate guide: A Mindful Approach To Self Actualization
