It is incredibly powerful to have a secondary navigation system available when the mind is struggling to cope with all of the information it is trying to process. Blink discusses the concept of thin slicing, taking in the minimal amount of information to make a reliable decision in the moment. This can be described as intuitive decision making, and ultimately it is based on the familiarity with what is the basic information that leads to predicting the outcome with pretty accurate results. Our bodies know what is best for us if we allow ourselves to listen. Body wisdom comes in much faster than conscious understanding. We can respond faster without having to slow down and process logically. This is how we can move through life with a sense of trust in the unknown.
It is also important to recognize when we just can’t get through – like the high intensity activities that create an elevated heart rate for a sustained duration of time. We no longer have control over the way we see information. The focus narrows dramatically and the decision making becomes even more reactive instead of from a place of full awareness. This is a stress response and it is important to regulate this response first before trying to make big decisions.
Ways to help this concept are learning how to regulate the nervous system in the midst of stress. Removing yourself from stresser and giving yourself alone time. Breathing while focusing on coming back to a centered state. Grounding by putting your feet on the earth, etc. There are many ways to help regulate the energy so that decisions can be made using the body wisdom that bypasses the anxious mind.
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