A Neurological Approach to Becoming Proactive for Those Who Don't Know What They Want

~Anesthesia of the Nerves and Recovery of Sensation~

"What should we have for dinner today?"
"Where do you want to go on your day off?"

When you are asked that.

"Anything is fine."
"Wherever you like is fine."
Don't you find yourself prioritizing the other person
and answering that way?

From small daily things
like deciding on a menu,
to major life decisions
like changing jobs or getting married.

"What I really want to do"
has completely
slipped away.

Do you fall into self-loathing,
thinking, "I'm so indecisive"
or "I'm a person without a sense of self"
regarding yourself like that?

But please, rest assured.
It is not that you do not have
your own opinions.

You are not indecisive,
nor do you lack a core of your own;
that is definitely not the case.

Your "true desires"
exist properly
within you.

It is just that your brain has applied
a powerful "anesthetic"
so that you don't notice them.

Because in your past environment,
your brain learned that
"if I speak my true feelings, I'll get scolded"
or "my opinions will be denied."

From here on out,
I will explain the true nature of the "sense of self"
that you have lost.

I will share concrete steps to
wake up clearly from the anesthesia
and regain the feeling of "This is what I want to do!"

Let's put an end to the painful days
of searching for someone else's correct answer.

■ Switching off Interoception

In the worlds of psychology and neuroscience,
there is a term called
"interoception."

This refers to the sensations inside the body,
such as heartbeat, breathing,
stomach pain, or
"feeling comfortable" or "feeling unpleasant."

Many people who worry about
"not knowing what they want to do"
have the switch for this interoception
completely turned off.

Why did it get turned off?

That is because you were in a harsh environment where you had to
prioritize the moods of others
above all else.

■ The Nervous System's "Automatic Mute Function"

If you were to notice every single one of your
true feelings of "I don't like this" or "This is painful,"
your mind would break.

Therefore, your brilliant nervous system
forcibly blocked out the sensation of pain
to protect you.

Just like
muting the volume on a TV,
it forcibly turned the volume of your emotions
down to zero.

In other words, being in a state of "not knowing"
does not mean your mind has become weak;
it was a "powerful defense system"
to protect you.

■ Exercises to Regain Body Awareness

So, how can you unmute this
and reclaim your true feelings?

Trying to suddenly find "what you want to do"
with your head is counterproductive.
First, we will begin rehabilitation
starting from "body sensations."

In your daily life,
try asking yourself only this binary question:
"Am I feeling pleasant or unpleasant right now?"

For example, when you wake up in the morning:
"Is the room temperature comfortable right now?
Or is it a little chilly?"

When choosing clothes:
"Do I like the feel of this fabric?
Or is it itchy and unpleasant?"

When drinking tea:
"Does this warmth feel soothing?
Or is it a little too hot?"

You pick up those trivial "body sensations"
one by one
with care.

Instead of thinking with your head,
focus on how your body feels.
The accumulation of those small "pleasant/unpleasant" moments
is the key to unmuting.

"I like this"
"I dislike this"

When those certain sensations
return to your body,

you will naturally
begin to clearly understand
the path you should take.

You no longer need to
search for someone else's correct answer.
Because your body
already knows all the answers.