Are You OK?

We have a barometer known as an OK feeling (or not OK feeling) that we too frequently ignore.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

Are You OK?

Let me suggest something that might ruffle your feathers a bit.

In an argument, we don’t start with facts. We start with feelings.

We react. We tense. We decide.

And then — once the emotion is locked in — we go shopping for opinions that sound like facts. We call it logic.

But most of the time? It’s justification.

Now don’t get me wrong. Facts matter. Information matters.

But if we’re honest, our intellect is often the clean-up crew. It comes in after the emotional explosion and says, “Don’t worry. I’ll make this make sense.”

The problem is, there are two kinds of feelings.

There are the hot-button, conditioned reactions — the ones we inherited, absorbed, practiced.

And then there’s something quieter.

A deeper sensation. A steadier signal.

An internal barometer that simply asks: “Is this OK?”

Not “Can I defend this?” Not “Can I win this?” Just — “Is this OK?”

And we’ve gotten very good at overriding that signal.

Our gut can be tightening . . . pulsing . . . whispering “no” . . . while our intellect is busy building a beautiful closing argument.

It reminds me of that story about Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. One advisor supposedly suggested declaring war on Canada — the idea being it would unite the North and South brothers against a common enemy.

Whether the story is perfectly factual isn’t even the point.

The point is this: stir the emotion strongly enough and people won’t check their OK meter. They’ll just move.

We still do that.

How often do we defend a friend, a family member — even a political leader — when something in us knows it’s not OK?

Teachers see it all the time in parent-teacher conferences. The evidence can be right there in black and white on the desk. But the parental partisanship was decided long before the meeting started.

And when that deeper barometer keeps getting ignored? The body starts keeping score.

You can continue arguing at the surface. You can keep polishing your position. But underneath, something starts to ache.

I’m sure there are elegant examples to the contrary. But people who live steeped in hate — even if they can line up facts like soldiers — don’t seem to live a healthy life. Their arguments may seem airtight to them.

But the body isn’t.

Because facts don’t neutralize a not-OK feeling.

Let me bring it down to street level.

Imagine you collapse on a city sidewalk. The only thing between you and staying alive is mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Now further imagine the person who kneels down to save you belongs to the very category you’ve trained yourself to despise.

In that moment . . . are you arguing?

Or are you just hoping you’re going to be OK?

That’s the barometer.

Strip away the opinions. Strip away the talking points.

What’s left is simple.

Are you OK? Is this OK?

Maybe it’s time for us to give attention to that quieter signal – our OK barometer – before the intellect races in to justify our position.

This practice will keep us from taking too many head trips, and fewer excursions into the terrain of never ending pain.

All the best,

John