Pay Attention to Life’s Signs

Many years ago I was engaged to a very volatile woman. I was approaching 30 and it seemed like the right time in life to settle down. She had many of the attributes that would make her a good wife. She was a pediatric nurse which would certainly be a great skill set for a mother. She was attractive, intelligent, and socially adept. My clients liked her so she would be good for my livelihood. The problem was that she was very manipulative and demanding. I got engaged mainly because I caved into the pressure she put on me. About two months prior to the wedding date my brother asked me why I was going through with it. My answer was that I didn’t want to lose her. He then pointed to the fact we were in counseling before we were married and suggested that I take that as a sign. The discussion hit home so I decided to ask her for more time. She responded with an ultimatum, “either we get married on the date we decided on or we don’t get married at all.” She then handed me the engagement ring with the expectation that I would fall in line. I took the ring, put it in my pocket, and walked the dog for 2 hours. Not only was I not sad, I couldn’t get the smile off my face. Clearly this was a sign that I had done the right thing. Had I not acknowledged all of the signs, my life would be very different today (and not in a good way).

Bodily Signs–The human body sends us signals when our health is not balanced. That constant headache, extra weight, or nagging knee pain are all warning signs something is off with our health. Rather than recognizing the physical warning signs and doing something about it, at some point it becomes accepted as your new normal. If the check engine light comes on, and your car isn’t running as well as it once did, you bring it to a mechanic. We update our computers to ensure optimum performance. So why do we immediately react to signs from our computers and cars while neglecting our health? Perhaps it’s time to pay attention to life’s signs that are coming from your body, and become more disciplined around maintaining your health. Is there some aspect of your health that is not ideal? Is there something you can do to positively influence the situation? Make it happen!

Justification–Do you ever notice how people come up with reasons to justify the actions or inactions of others? If your friend has a few dates, then a week goes by without a return phone call, it’s a clear sign that this person is not into your friend. Stop trying to come up with reasons to justify why and accept the facts. If you haven’t gotten a promotion or raise at work for a long period of time and those around you have, maybe you are under-appreciated. Stop trying to justify what’s happening and start asking your superiors why. If you are unsatisfied with the answers you get, start pursuing other opportunities. There is a fine line between justifications and excuses. Stop justifying, see the developments as a sign, and move forward with your life.

If it doesn’t feel right, take it as a sign. If you’ve recently made a decision to hire a contractor for your home renovation, and you immediately get a lump in the pit of your stomach, perhaps that’s your body’s way of telling you, you are making a mistake. If the thought of taking a new position on the other side of the country is creating sleepless nights for you, maybe it’s a sign that it’s a bad idea. Your subconscious is far more powerful than your conscious mind. Tune into it and take your body’s reactions as a sign. Your feelings are the best gauge you have.

We often find ourselves going through the daily motions in life. Make this your wake up call to stop justifying and start tuning into the signals you get each day. Pay attention to life’s signals. If things don’t feel right, they probably aren’t. Trust your feelings. View things from an external perspective, and use that feedback to fine-tune your direction in life. Let me know how it works out. [email protected]