An automatic thing

Recently I went to a fruit stall to get some natural sugar after handing in an assignment. As I was getting my change something happened automatically: I put the change into my wallet without looking at it. Is this an automatic thing?

Action without thinking

Perhaps I was too preoccupied with the crowds in a very big city, or became engrossed at the amount of fresh fruit for really low prices. Either way I did something automatically.

Automatic reactions are a good thing because our brain has this amazing capability to keeping on top of things, even if we are not concious of it.

Have you ever remembered that a light is on, or you left your [X] on?

At the time we don’t notice, but our brain has the amazing capacity to keep us right. A few minutes/hours pass and we get this sudden reminder.

So much so, nothing too serious happens whenever we are distracted. Leaving the light on, for example, is not a big deal.

But what about the change?

I don’t have money to throw away, but after this automatic reaction I could have lost a few coins. How would I have known I was overcharged if I put the change straight into my pocket?

Maybe an automatic reaction happens whenever we feel really safe. Maybe this automatic reaction allows us to show trust towards another human. Did I simply trust the fruit stall guy and felt so safe that he wouldn’t screw me over? Maybe

PS, he gave me the correct change. This time it really was a good automatic thing.

What are your automatic things?

What have/did/do you do? Is there this one [thing] that you keep forgetting and suddenly remember?

Gut feeling

Post 64:

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
(Benjamin Spock)

Thinking this, that or the other

Everyday we are faced with the (joys) of adulthood – decisions, decision making etc. As a young child I remember thinking (constantly) why my parents always told me that school days were the best days of my life. At the time, getting up early, having to do routine work was more like a dreaded chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Nearly two decades later, I look back thinking that this wise statement was correct and accurate.

Today, I have to make several decisions within a day! Yes, I guess I am lucky to be able to actually make decisions, in fact, I am very grateful for having the ability to decide on what to do in the many decisions of life!

Easy to difficult decisions

Decisions for us adults can be as small as deciding what to wear in the morning. What food to have for dinner. Whether or not to text/call that friend etc. But there are some decisions we are faced with in life which just seem to be impossible to make at the time.

Difficult but not impossible decisions

Touch wood, I haven’t had to make a life or death situation so far in my life, but I have a friend who had to give written consent to turn her Dad’s life support machine off a few years ago. At the time, I remember thinking how difficult that would have been. As an outsider (non blood related friend) this looked impossible to do, let alone consider. But to my surprise she decided (after a few hours of thinking) to let her Dad to be out of his pain by agreeing with the medics in the hospital to turn off his life support machine.

As a friend I was there, ready to listen and support my friend as she made a very difficult decision. I was literally there physically (in person) and emotionally.

In this episode of life, I have learnt that we really can make decisions, often whenever we think we cannot.

Next time…

• you need to see if you should put a laundry wash on, just do it. The chances are, your gut is telling you it’s right
• you feel you need to call that person in your mobile phonebook, just do it. The chances are, your gut is telling you it’s right
• you feel it would be nice to go for a walk, just do it. The chances are, your gut is telling you it’s right
• you are left with a really difficult decision, have a think to yourself, then just do it, make the decision. The chances are, your gut is telling you it’s right

Life really is short, and precious. Our gut will often steer us in the right direction. Even in times of turmoil. It seems to be that it’s rarely wrong for us, you, and other people. So just try to go with your gut more today, than you did yesterday!

Post 64, over and out