Emotional GPS

Do you ever wish you had a road map for life, something to help guide you through difficult decisions and confusing times? What is that beeping? Oh, that’s my GPS, alerting me with caution not to proceed. Abort mission. ABORT!

Wouldn’t it be nice if life came with little instruction booklets, in the form of personalized advice, counseling us every step of the way? Wouldn’t decisions be so much easier?

Well, Guess What? Life doesn’t have to be so hard! We actually do have personalized GPS systems already built into our bodies… in the form of emotions. All we require are the tools to tune in to them, pursuing our deepest wishes. Once we learn to listen to our Inner Guidance, our lives fall into place.

By following our Emotional GPS (our inner guidance), we fall into alignment with our True Selves, and life flows positively. This little instruction booklet is really quite short. All you have to ask yourself is...

How does this feel, good or bad?

If it feels good, you are on the right track. If it feels bad, something needs to change. Most of the time, we don’t notice when we feel good, because everything flows easily, so we go about our days effortlessly. Or we tend to cling to the good. Oh God, I want it to stay like this forever!

And then, when times are tough, we resist. Fear. Sadness. Anger. Jealousy. Frustration. Guilt. Shame. Resentment. Anxiety. This is not ok. This is so not ok! Just make it go away. We struggle. We fight it. We wish it were different. We may turn to exterior means to distract us from the discomfort. We grasp for any type of anesthetic or distraction available. Booze. Sex. Shopping. Gambling. Television. This isn’t happening.

We are listening to old tapes.

What if we listened to these emotional visitors with curiosity and interest? What if we didn’t turn them away, back to the streets where they team up to invade our lives with greater force? What if we stopped and inquired? What if they were (are) trying to tell us something?

Pssst. Hey you…You are going the wrong way.

Sometimes following our heart, our gut, or our emotions, contradicts our thoughts. As a matter of fact, most of the time they do. Our thoughts have a way of convincing us otherwise, confusing us. Our neuropathways get stuck in habitual ruts, if we let them. It can be difficult to steer away from self-destructive patterns if we are so used to going there. Our minds will try and talk us into it, or out of it. Our thoughts can be extremely seductive. But you will hurt her feelings. But this will make you feel better. But you’ve always done it this way! Why would you want to change now!?!

You don’t have to believe everything you think.

With enough effort, it is possible to take the wheel. It’s within the hard times that change and growth can stem. This is our Inner Guidance System encouraging us to transform. We need to make adjustments in our lives in order to feel better.

It’s ok to say no to, or disappoint others. The more we follow this inner GPS system, the better we will feel, the healthier we become and the more this health and happiness will flow outwards. Happiness is contagious, but it starts with you.

And remember, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You are in charge of your life. Be courageous. Take responsibility. Follow your Emotional GPS. That’s what it’s there for.

Have you followed or chosen not to follow your emotional GSP? What have you noticed?

Written by: Tara Palov

THE GUEST HOUSE

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-rumi