Wise Mind

Wise mind helps you make decisions by balancing your emotional and reasonable mind. This exercise lasts 10 minutes in total. Try to do this exercise (using your wise mind) three times a week. The more you practice it, the more skilled you will become.

Wise mind is an exceptionally useful skill. You can use this skill for guidance for problems, doubts, or confusions that have lingered on in your life for a while (or that are new). People often get stuck at one end of the spectrum from being either too emotional - or too factual. So, let's see what we can do about that.

Step One: Find a Comfortable Space

This is a skill that requires practice and a comfortable environment where you wouldn't be interrupted. Remind yourself that you are on the path of learning a skill that has the potential to really help you with your emotional decision making or too factual decision making.

Step Two: Thinking About a Problem in Your Life

Before we can proceed with asking our wise mind for help, we first need to settle into our breathing. Put your arm on your belly, and let's do a little abdominal breathing (covered in our previous exercise Mindful breathing). As you breathe, become aware of how your belly goes up and down as you inhale and exhale air. Breathe several times, and relax your body.

Now, try to think about a problem in your life that has been bothering you lately. Give yourself a couple of minutes and think about that. What do you feel has been an issue for you lately? Maybe you feel like you are not happy with your job and don't know what career path you really want to take, and that has been making you feel uneasy. Perhaps you started thinking about how bored you feel in your free time and how monotonous your past several months have been.

Tune in and gently observe what the main thing or issue that you started thinking about is.

Step Three: Using Your Wise Mind

After you have observed the problem that your mind started thinking about, practice wise mind decision making. Set your timer for 5 minutes and go through the steps below.

a.) Gather Information: Start gathering relevant information about the situation. Seek out facts, data, and opinions from reliable sources. Consider the logical aspects, pros and cons, and potential consequences of different options.

b.) Identify Your Emotions: Take some time to identify and acknowledge your emotions regarding the decision. Notice any strong feelings, fears, or gut instincts that arise. Name and validate your emotions without judgment.

c.) Reflect On Values And Goals: Consider your values, priorities, and long-term goals. Reflect on how the different options in this situation align with these aspects of your life.

d.) Mindful Awareness: Engage in mindfulness practices to cultivate present-moment awareness, as we have practiced before. Stay open and curious, allowing yourself to fully experience and understand your internal state.

e.) Integrate Rational And Emotional Factors: Reflect on the information you’ve gathered and your emotional awareness. Integrate both factors into your decision-making process. Ask yourself: What does logic suggest? What are my emotions telling me? How do these aspects align or conflict with each other?

f.) Take Time for Reflection: Avoid rushing into decisions. If this particular situation is more difficult to solve, consider stepping away from the situation for a bit, allowing yourself to fully process the information and insights. By doing this, you can return to the situation with a fresh perspective.

g.) Embrace Flexibility: Remember that decision-making is an ongoing process. Don’t forget to be open to adjusting your course if new information emerges or if you realize that your first choice actually doesn’t align with your desired outcomes.