Often, making decisions is not easy. Doubts or fears arise that make us rethly what is going on in our lives and that somehow make us stay in a difficult position that requires the decision to continue or change the path How do you know what the right path is?How do you identify yourself when you make mistakes? The practice of mindfulness can help us.
The latest research in the field of mindfulness indicates that this practice and the various techniques it encompasses can have a very positive effect on decision-making. Mindfulness decision-making is a conscious process in which our focus is on the present and we turn off our autopilot, which offers many long-term benefits.
“Let your decisions reflect your hopes, not your fears. ” -Nelson Mandela-
Buddha taught us that suffering comes from ignorance, the result of illusory errors and illusions, if we understand this, we will understand that the mind has its own reality, therefore, to free the mind from suffering, we must know reality as it really is. Is.
Thus, one of the most powerful tools to develop this deep vision that we need is mindfulness, a practice that helps us to become aware at all times, that teaches us to be attentive to what is happening and, of course, also to focus. of how we feel in every situation.
Mindfulness helps us gradually move from the surface to the depths of our minds, although our minds are absolutely cloudy, no matter how many clouds, this technique helps light enter through the cracks.
That’s why they recommend mindfulness so much to improve decision-making, because technique helps us see more clearly what we need to do, what we’re capable of, and how to react appropriately. Of course, it is not easy to be aware and therefore requires a lot of practice.
Through conscious breathing, we systematically learn to turn our attention to the present and to receive everything that appears in our minds without judgment, without feeding us, without violating ourselves. Training to be aware is no different from any activity or skill we’ve learned before. such as cooking, walking, reading or playing a sport.
In fact, the more we practice, the more skills we have in this task. Gradually, conscious moments increase in quantity, until we are conscious days, conscious weeks, conscious months, conscious years?
“Any decision, including the wrong one, is better than not making any decisions. “Ben Horowitz.
The decision-making process takes place in four phases, in each of which the practice of mindfulness has proven to be very useful, providing positive effects, see below.
The practice of mindfulness allows us to be proactive because it helps us to identify when the decision should be made or, on the contrary, if not necessary at the moment, all this is possible through the search for clarity of our objectives, generation of opportunities, avoid the irrational escalation of guilt by previous decisions, as well as recognition of the ethical dimension of the decision to be made.
Some studies state that people who practice mindfulness and take breaks to reflect and listen to themselves are also more aware of their ethical principles. Therefore, conscious decision-making generally generates decisions aligned with our values. On the contrary, people who can’t link their decisions to their fundamental goals and values can find the the the place they didn’t want to go.
This phase is to find the information necessary to make the right decision, two important aspects are the quantity and quality of the information collected, we already know that by practicing mindfulness we develop a greater tolerance to uncertainty, which allows us to be more relaxed. decision-making despite the doubts that inevitably arise.
Thus, mindfulness decision-making is an example of recognition of the limitations of one’s knowledge and the magnitude of situations, always marked by uncertainty.
“Every moment is a moment of decision, and every moment moves us inexorably towards our lives. ” – Mary Balogh-
On the other hand, mindfulness helps us examine and quantify the gap between intuition and systematic analysis that we perform when making decisions, this means moving away from emotions and thoughts to gain a better perspective and clarity, separate relevant information from irrelevant information, and be less likely to believe in stereotypes.
Reaching a conclusion includes implementing a decision. Some studies show that people who practice mindfulness are less likely to fall victim to the “behavioral intent gap. “In other words, go through a disconnect between knowing what to do and actually doing it. In this way, mindfulness reduces cognitive rigidity and the tendency to make decisions using automatic thought patterns that will never leave our minds through the real world.
This last phase is a very important step in the process. Accepting errors can sometimes seem very difficult. Mindfulness can help us make it a little simpler by reducing defensive tendencies in our minds, opening it to negative reactions, and fostering courage and endurance.
This way, more conscious or attentive people are more likely to learn from past experiences. In addition, it is easier to free yourself from the clutches of the ego by being more open to the reactions of the mind through negative experiences.