Our quality as humans lie on every decision we make. We want to turn right or left. We want to go to the Gym or not. It decides our quality of life. The accumulation of our decisions shapes who we are. Good or bad decision, that’s us.
There are two things that play important roles in a decision-making process, logic and emotion. These two are often clashing, creating an inner tension and disagreement. The logical thought process, reasonable mind, reaches a decision in a considered, rational and analytical way. We focus on the facts and critically observe and evaluate a situation. This can be done to plan your future, saving money or excelling in our careers. Meanwhile, emotion, emotional mind, leads our decision-making quickly and reflexively, forced by emotions such as happy, sad, scared, angry-the whole human condition. If we’re too emotional, it’s difficult for us to look at the facts. We could end up doing impulsive and self-destructive behaviors. We might overindulge in food, abuse substances or engage in compulsive spending.
Which is more valuable?
Logic and emotion might seem disparate but they’re actually inseparable.
As humans, we have many different types of emotion which make us relate to each other though we come from different countries and race. Emotion is the drive for all human decision-making. If we’re feeling stressful because of our jobs, we decide to go on a vacation. We pity someone for being homeless then we give him or her some food and clothes. Without emotion, it would be hard for us to make a decision. For this reason, it’s very important to experience our emotions. Nevertheless, emotions can lie and distort our reality. An emotional decision is not accurate although it might kind of make sense. How we feel may not be what is best for us. For example, couples who feel like they miss their relationship after they break up and choose to get back together. This can be a mistake because missing someone after a relationship is a common thing as a part of your life has changed. This is when we need logic. After we give ourselves a room to allow our emotions to go out and flow, it’s the moment when we use our logic to analyze and evaluate objectively so that we’re not controlled by our emotions.
If our decisions are based on logic, they might be rational and the best decision. However, emotionally, are we satisfied? Are we happy or sad with those decisions? For example, you work in a company with a high salary but you don’t enjoy and feel content as it’s not your passion. Logically, a man is handsome and he has a steady job but you feel nothing. You’re not attracted to him. Then he may not be the right person. After all, career, relationship, and other major decisions are not just about a piece of paper. We need to feel happy, appreciated, safe, peaceful and loved. We’re not robots. Emotional needs is crucial for our lives. If it’s not fulfilled, it can cause negative impacts on our lives. We could be frustrated, depressed, or even we could hurt other people.
The Wise Mind
Wise Mind is a way of thinking where we balance logic and emotion to make a decision. Instead of choosing the head or the heart, we can combine the two so that we become wise and can make the best decisions. It’s the secret of a good decision-making. In order to do this, here are the steps we can take to get logic and emotion to work together :
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Tap Into Logic
After we feel and acknowledge our emotions, then we give space for our logic to work. Trying to think rationally when we are very emotional is difficult, but it's possible with a lot of practice.
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Think of the Consequences
Consider the consequences that will occur. For example, we feel annoyed and angry because our superiors reprimanded us. This makes us want to stop working and resign from the office. To fight that mind, think about how you would make a living if you were unemployed and know that finding a job is not easy.
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Ask questions
Asking question is a critical way to evaluate a situation. It draws out your unexamined assumptions and then challenges those biases. For example, you feel very sad and left out because most of your friends are married while you are not. You can try asking yourself these questions:
- Does being unmarried make us less valuable? After all, marriage is not an option for everyone.
- Do you really want to get married? Or, you’re just afraid of not fitting in.
- Are you happy with yourself? Because you have to be content with yourself first before you open up yourself for someone.
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H.A.L.T.
HALT is an acronym that stands for “hunger, anger, lonely, tired.” It’s a method suggested by many psychologists that can help us make better decisions in which we should never make a decision when we’re in those states.
Balancing logic and emotion is an ongoing practice. It’s by no means something that we honestly perfect. But, we can get better at allowing time to each of those processes. When we discover ways to locate stability with both of this stuff, we’re more likely to create a life that’s both practical and heart-warming.
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