What I wouldn't give...

to be back here

In a dramamine-induced coma on a trip with a total pleasure seeker. You know exactly the the type of person I'm taking about. The kind of person that sighs after taking a bite of something delicious, stops to really put their feet in the sand, and always sees the beauty in life (which make her a great photographer to boot). Not an over-indulger per se, but rather a satisfaction seeker (SS) who snarls at the idea of personal homeostasis. I have traits similar to an SS, but really I teeter back and forth. Sometimes I allow amusement to guide me and at other times I don't.

Speaking of what guides a person, I recently read this series in O magazine (I don't subscribe to the magazine, but read it at every possible chance: nail salon, doctor's office, Bliss, etc.) on intuition. In the series of articles, Martha Beck writes about how to tune in to your voice within to find personal fulfillment. Martha explains that everyday we have two voices in our heads, two advisers, your logical (somewhat pedantic) self and your passionate, satisfaction seeking, self. This is so very true for me. I often lack clarity as the multiple voices chime around in my head.

Beck argues that when making a choice we should ignore the voice of social conditioning (voices that echo our parents, teachers, and other authority figures) and listen to you own wisdom that often appears as emotions or physical sensations in the body.

She suggests that if you are wondering whether a choice is wise or not, that you shouldn't search your mind for a rational arguement. Instead, hold each option in your attention, then feel its effects on your body and emotions. When something is wrong for you, you'll feel constriction and tightness. The wise choice should lead to feelings of freedom and even excitement. A prime example of our conflicting selves comes from my friend over at ramshackle glam whose blog post on the day she quit her job  I carried around with me for MONTHS. Whenever an overwhelming sense of dread came over me, I pulled out the ratty paper and read her words on how she let intuition lead and stepped away from safety.

P.S. O's series on intuition was also written up on NPR.

(picture by pleasure seeker of me in the Thai islands)