The "NO" inside

I guess we tend to refer to the "no" as our conscience, but I thought it warranted a little more specificity. That's because our consciences can ramble on with rationalizations, exceptions, and debates. And quite frankly, our consciences, were they a little less subconscious, would often no doubt mimic schizophrenia. The "no", on the other hand, which for the sake of this discussion, I'll assume is a special segment of the conscience, is very definitive and unwavering. I think that if you can be honest with yourself, you would have to admit nearly hearing the "no" at times because it is just that powerful. Nevertheless, despite its awesome potency, the nearly audible "no" is frequently overwhelmed by the oft confused vacillations of the greater conscience. The result is a conscious decision to override the "no".

The consequences of overriding the "no" is what makes this discussion worth having. Some will argue that because what's done is done, and because ultimately the choices that we make are generally not subconscious, but very much conscious by the time we make them, discussing that voice inside is an exercise in futility. I contend that by taking a look at what's going on when we make the decision to muzzle the "no" we might find a way to give the "no" a bit more leverage in these internal contests. I'm confident that there are very few if any "sane" adults who have not had regrets about overriding the "no". Our current circumstances usually are in some way affected by those decisions. This is not to say that the "no" is an infallible prognosticator of our destiny. But, in general, it's probably safe to say that it is those decisions not to transform the ethereal "no" into a verbalization or action that we tend to rehearse in out minds and to regret.

The "Just Say No" campaign is a great example of a unified effort to empower the "no" that exists in probably every mature individual. It is an acknowledgment that there is a great benefit to converting this internal intentionality into actions or words. And now I would like to join ranks with those who view rehearsing regrets as a useless endeavor. We can not change the past. But hopefully, having had this discussion will give your "no" some traction in your next crossroad. Because it seems that, while the greater conscience is focused on the here and now, the "no" seems to have been transported into the future and gotten a quick glimpse of the potential repercussions of the decisions about to be made. The "no" inside is powerless. It has to be released into the atmosphere for its energy to help steer our courses. Writing this has made me feel like I've strengthened my "no", but only after the next test will I really know if that's the case.