Successful Relationships Reading Corner

This week, we wrote about why it is important to listen to both your head and your heart. Here are some interesting posts on how people decide on which to follow.

Resolving the Head vs. Heart Dilemma “My thoughts say one thing, and my feelings say another. It’s a real conundrum. We might decide one way, change our mind, and even change it back again. We might put off making a decision, or make no decision at all, sometimes losing out on an opportunity. Or, we might make a quick decision to get it over with, but later regret it. When we believe our head and heart are in conflict, the decision-making process becomes uncomfortable and frustrating, and this – as you are about to learn – only compounds the problem.”

Should You Follow Your Heart or Your Head? “Friends and family will likely tell you to “listen to your heart,” as it “knows what’s best for you.” … But is that really good advice? Think back on the times when you did follow your heart. How did it work out? Maybe there were occasions when you threw caution to the wind and let your emotions take the wheel, and all went well. But it’s likely there are at least as many times when your decision delivered the opposite outcome. Unfortunately, we tend to be bad statisticians when it comes to taking stock of our own prior experiences.”

Are You a Head Person or a Heart Person? “Imagine meeting a stranger and having a chance to learn what sort of person they are by asking just one question. You might try the obvious: “Are you an introvert or an extrovert?” Or you could probe their political leanings: “Are you Republican or Democrat?” In each case, you’d hope the answer would tell you a fair bit about the person’s psychology. Here’s a question you probably wouldn’t think of, but which new research suggests could be surprisingly informative: “Do you think your ‘self’ is located in your heart or in your brain?”

Tell your friends!