It’s difficult sometimes to figure out the best way to utilize our time. There are so many incredible opportunities so many choices to be made each day but how do we know we’re picking the ones that are in our best interests?

 

For instance: you hear your mother’s voice calling up the stairs for you to come and help her set the table for the Shabbos seudah but you’d rather just pull the covers over your head and go back to sleep (sigh). Should you do what your mom wants or should you listen to your body which is urging you to go back to sleep? On the one hand there’s the mitzvah of kibbud av v’eim and the concept of a metzuveh v’oseh (one who is commanded and does) which earns you tons of reward in the Next World. On the other hand you’ve had a really rough week filled with tests papers deadlines and friendship dramas. You deserve and need to relax this Shabbos. Hmmm...

Decisions and life in general can often be confusing. On the one hand our bodies have needs — to eat to sleep to exercise relax and have fun. And our neshamos have needs too: to do the retzon Hashem to fulfill our life’s mission to be mesakein the world to live a life of giving kindness and sipuk (satisfaction). Our minds have needs as well: to think create imagine and dream. How do we reconcile all of these diverse forces? How do we unify them to live our best life?

The answer is in Rav Dessler’s Michtav MeEliyahu. This sefer contains a piece of the puzzle that can help us all get in touch with our higher deeper selves and in so doing choose the best course of action for ourselves no matter what decisions life throws at us to make.

Rav Dessler’s advice? Listen to the voices in your mind your internal dialogue as you are trying to make a decision. When you hear the word “you” — as in “You really should get up. Your mom needs help. You can go back to sleep afterwards” — know that you’re hearing the voice of the yetzer tov. On the other hand when you hear the word “I” — as in “I’m really tired. I just want to go back to sleep. I had a hard week and I need a break this Shabbos” — know you’re dealing with the yetzer hara.