Follow what feels good.
Not what looks good. Not what sounds good. Not what might-if-I-do-this-for-20-more-years-feel-good.
And not just surface-level pleasures or discomforts. I’m talking about a deeper “feeling good” underneath all of that.
It sounds too simple to be helpful. But that’s because we’ve spent a lifetime only listening to our mind, which thinks life needs to be so damn complicated.
Nature doesn’t think that’s too simple.
In fact, that’s how this insanely complex ecosystem with billions of moving parts conducts itself with such grace and ease.
Everything from the birds to the bees are just following what feels good (and pulling away from what feels bad).
Be like nature. Or more accurately, stop pretending you AREN’T nature. And follow what feels good.
“But doesn’t that mean I’d just skip studying for finals and get high and play video games instead?”
Sure, why don’t you try that.
It might be fun at first but I guarantee the closer it gets to that final, the shittier and shittier you’ll feel in the pit of your stomach. Until eventually, studying will actually feel waaaay better than not.
Following what feels good is simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
We’re so good at fooling ourselves. Convincing ourselves that being comfortable and “safe” is what feels good to us. And it CAN for some time. But often, if we’re paying attention, there comes a point when that doesn’t feel so good anymore.
Or chasing exciting highs and superficial buzzes, telling ourselves this feels good. While trying to shove down feelings of emptiness and unfulfillment, pretending they’re not there.
To follow what feels good, we have to start being honest with ourselves.
We have to start listening to our body, instead of solely our mind.
We have to trust ourselves over what our friends/family/culture tells us.
If you’ve spent an entire lifetime not doing this (and let’s be real, that’s nearly all of us!), then this may feel overwhelming. Too big to tackle. “How do I start? How do I know if it feels
good or if I’m lying to myself?”
Luckily, the answer is simple:
Just follow what feels good. Wherever you’re at right now.
Just by asking yourself this question, things will start to move. Clarity will start to arise. Bullshit will begin to be seen through.
Just like anything else, it’s a skill. It will deepen with practice.
And shit…who doesn’t want to practice feeling good? 🙂
The more you begin to follow what feels good, the more life will begin to open up, ease, unburden, and feel how you always hoped it would. Better, even.
And the more you’ll be living YOUR unique life. Not anyone else’s.
This is how nature, life itself, guides you exactly where you’re meant to be. Just like a body guiding it’s cells towards a cut that needs to be healed.
When we follow what feels good, we’re not serving our selfish needs. It’s actually the opposite.
We’re listening to instructions from LIFE itself.
And how arrogant would we have to be to ignore them and think we know better?
Photo by Dmitry Grigoriev.
