I’m talking about cautionary feelings today!
I have always considered myself intuitive. Certain feelings made me think I was receiving cautionary messages from someone who had a bigger vision than I. I would not go into a store when this negative feeling came to me. Or I would choose another campsite when this uneasy feeling came over me. I sometimes would get a hunch about someone.
I understood negative feelings to be messages directing me to avoid certain danger. I imagined that I was being protected. I became apt at recognizing these emotions and responding accordingly.
I was vigilant. I watched for negative emotions. I recoiled and ceased to participate until I could feel better. I was proud that I could recognize these messages and save myself from an unknown fear!
I now realize that these interpretations are not only rescuing me from unhappy situations, they are putting me in a cloister safety zone. I can continue using negative emotions as my personal safety net, but my life becomes narrower and narrower.
Participation is one of my biggest desires. Yet my desires were conflicted by refraining to participate. I needed to take a second look at my attitude.
True or False: Negative emotions send messages of fear-and-flight?
Yes and no. The question is, has this understanding of intuition served me? I can only decide this from looking at my life experiences.
Fleeing more and more opportunities because I feel the “fear emotion” has trended toward isolation and a non-social lifestyle. It has permitted me to write, paint, play music, meditate and enjoy nature. but is this the only lifestyle I want? Don’t I love being and sharing with people?
The flee or non-participation approach seemed to work fine for me at one point in my life. Now it doesn’t.
If I felt a negative emotion when I was invited to a party, I would politely give reasons why I could not go. I read articles that confirmed it was a better idea to Just say no! than to force yourself to do something you didn’t want to do. It was confusing. If I was invited to go on an outing and received a negative emotion, I would not go. If I got an idea to call a friend and a negative emotion came up, I would put off the phone call. I actually believed this would help me. I thought to myself, My timing may be off and it is not a good time to call. I was pretty proud of this intuitive gift of safety.
This approach led down a path where I convinced myself I was predestined to have a more quiet life. This is something I would need to accept. As time went on, friends gave up on me, thinking that I wasn’t interested in them or what they did. I had little idea that this approach was leading to the opposite lifestyle that I desired.
And here is wherein the premise is faulty for me. There is more lovely and luscious life to experience! I am tending more toward the belief it is possible to be safe, enter into unknown situations, and interpret your uneasy emotions as Please take a second look! It could hold the kind of adventure you are looking for. I now am moving ahead into new spheres of my life. How this will happen? Life experiences are my only way of knowing.
Life experience tells me that I can participate by changing my point of talking about a situation or thinking about a situation. Life experience tells me that there is always time to stop and listen to the thoughts that feel bad. When I hear the thoughts, I have the opportunity to see through different eyes. In changing my thoughts to a more comfortable, positive attitude about my situation, I change my situation… every time!
So, the way I was thinking of a friend who I wanted to call but didn’t, was triggering an uneasy feeling. I realized I was thinking I might be bothering my friend so I didn’t call. I consciously changed my thoughts to I always am a loving person and my friends feel good when I call . Now it is easier to call. Now I have something to give.
I know that my attitude can change my ability to see what is in front of me. Attitudes are like great, magical glasses. They can change the look of anything! …and instantly! My cautionary feelings are alerts to look at things in a new light. You never know what you will see differently. You never know what can develop within one day when you take second and third looks!
I hope these words are helpful to you and look forward to hearing about your attitude perspectives. Today is a good day to have a good day!
