Today’s question comes from a friend in our Workbook Support Group.
🎧Click here to hear the audio version.
Here is what she asked:
QUESTION:
“What are the Rules For Decision in A Course in Miracles, and why are they so important? How can I apply them in my life?”
This is such a powerful and beautiful question because the Rules for Decision are foundational in A Course in Miracles.
These 7 Rules help us:
- Start our day with God
- Hand over our choices to Him instead of the ego
- And stay truly grounded in the peace and happiness that are our birthright
So if you want to know how to make better decisions… how to remain calm and centered no matter what’s happening… and how to bless and transform your entire life — this is for you.
I’m so excited to walk you through these teachings from Chapter 30 in the Textbook of A Course in Miracles.
Why Should I Use the Rules for Decision in A Course in Miracles?
MY ANSWER:
We use these Rules because there’s a big spiritual problem we all need to face:
- We often decide what something means before we ask for guidance.
- We judge first — and only then ask if we were right.
But that’s backwards.
In A Course in Miracles, we are taught to ask first, and then do as guided.
If we decide first on our own — if we think we know — we close the channel to guidance. We’ve already told the universe, “I’ve got this.”
And when that happens, guidance can’t come through, because free will means God will never override our choice to rely on ourselves.
But when we ask first —
when we open our hearts and say,
“Show me the kind of day I want. Show me the guidance. Show me how to see differently.”
— that asking becomes our willingness.
It’s our invitation to God, saying:
“I am willing to learn. I am willing to see differently.”
This is why Jesus says deciding on our own is our major problem.
Because deciding alone is a form of spiritual self-sabotage.
It leads to fear, doubt, guilt, confusion, and that aching sense of being alone or out of alignment with God’s unfolding will.
If we want to use the Rules correctly, we first need to understand their purpose:
- To reverse the habit of making decisions on our own
- And to start making them with the Holy Spirit.
Their purpose is to start our day in alignment with Spirit — and stay there.
The True Purpose of the Rules for Decision
From the moment we open our eyes each morning, we are meant to apply the Rules for Decision.
Their purpose is simple — but profound.
They help us:
- Recognize when the ego has taken over — and correct course immediately.
- Learn how to pause midstream and reset right away.
- Reopen our heart and mind to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, so that we live in cooperation with a loving universe, not apart from it.
These rules remind us we never walk alone.
They also help us:
- Remain peaceful — even when we don’t know what to do.
- Offer kindness and love first, instead of judgment.
- Seek solutions, rather than dwell on problems.
So this isn’t just about “making good decisions.”
It’s about surrendering our need to control — and letting Love lead the way.
When we do this:
- We stop battling with God.
- We start trusting our inner guidance.
- We act from inspiration.
- We become calm, clear, and kind — both within ourselves and toward others.
We become a healing presence in the world, simply by being what we are — living in unity with God instead of separate from Him.
A Real-Life Example of Applying the Rules for Decision
Before we dive deeper into how to apply this in your life, I want to share a story — a beautiful example of how the Rules for Decision work in practice.
This is the story of Sarah, a single mom working in a corporate job she didn’t love.
Life felt heavy.
Work felt heavy.
She joined our A Course in Miracles study group and started working through the Workbook.
One day she said to me,
“Why don’t I feel peace yet? I’m doing the lessons, I’m doing the work… but I still feel like I’m drowning.”
When conflict arose
She shared that she was in constant tension with her boss.
She’d already decided he was unfair, ego-driven, and controlling.
She said she had prayed for guidance — but nothing was changing.
That day, we introduced the Rules for Decision.
She began her morning with the affirmation:
“Today I will make no decisions by myself.”
She also chose the kind of day she wanted to have — the emotions she wanted to feel — and committed to being defenseless, not judgmental.
Catching herself in the moment
Midway through her day, when tension flared again, she caught herself.
She paused and thought:
“There it is. I’m judging.”
Then she turned inward and reflected:
“There must be something out of alignment in me if I’m judging.”
Instead of blaming her boss, she took responsibility.
She said to herself,
“I have no questions. I forgot what to decide.”
That openness created space for the Holy Spirit to guide her next step.
Sarah’s Moment of Willingness
From this open-minded state of willingness, Sarah moved through the rest of the Rules for Decision.
She admitted:
“At least I can decide I don’t like how I feel.”
Then she said:
“I hope I’ve been wrong — because I want another way to look at this.”
And she added:
“Perhaps I have nothing to lose by asking.”
That was her moment of willingness.
For the first time, she saw something deeper:
- She realized she was expecting her boss to flare up.
- She was scanning his face for judgment.
- She was anticipating the same conflict — over and over.
And suddenly she saw it:
That pattern wasn’t about him. It was familiar because it came from her past. She remembered watching her father speak harshly to her mother.
She realized:
“This is exactly what I said I never wanted in any relationship.”
And in that moment, she paused.
💡 “Wait,” she thought,
“What if my boss showing up like this is part of my healing? What if this really isn’t about his character at all? What if there’s something in me projecting onto him?”
That, my friends, was her miracle moment. 🌟
Seeing Differently
She realized that if she changed her mind about her boss, maybe her whole situation could change.
She didn’t have to wait for him to act differently — she could choose again right now.
So, she did.
The next day, she went into work without dread or fear.
Her posture softened. Her heart softened.
She stopped focusing on his facial expressions, on what she expected to see — and simply listened.
The Shift That Followed
And then… something amazing happened.
Her boss began to soften too.
He cracked a smile. He called her by name — with kindness.
After a few weeks of her staying calm, gentle, and open, he offered her a new role with more autonomy.
She messaged me later and said:
“I didn’t get guidance on what to do this time. I got guidance on how to see and how to love. Just seeing him differently — and coming to work with love, not fear — has changed everything. I’m so grateful. Thank you for the Rules for Decision.”
And that, my friends, is the power of the Rules for Decision.
They help us step out of the ego’s story and invite in the Holy Spirit — so that miracles can unfold naturally.
It’s time, my friends, for you to learn how to apply this framework too.
So, How Do I Start the Day With Spirit Again?
The Rules for Decision begin by setting the tone first thing in the morning.
Before you do anything, say:
“Today I will make no decisions by myself.”
This is a declaration of humility and willingness.
It’s an acknowledgment that:
“I don’t know what anything is for — but the Holy Spirit does. And I trust the Spirit.”
Then, you’re invited to imagine your day ahead of time.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want to feel today?
- What do I want to offer and receive?
- What kind of energy do I want to carry?
- What do I want to experience?
Take a moment to see it, to name it, and to hold it in your awareness.
What Kind of Day Do I Want to Be Given?
Once you’ve envisioned your day, you are asked to proclaim:
“If I make no decisions by myself, this is the kind of day that will be given me.”
Notice those words — given me.
When you give your day to God and say,
“This is what I would like — or something even greater,”
He responds,
“Yes, my child, I love you.”
Because our will is one with God’s:
- He wants us to be happy.
- He wants us to be free.
- He wants us to live a quality of life that brings peace to our hearts — and to those around us.
When we set the day with Him, we witness the kind of day we wanted being given to us.
But of course… life continues on.
Things happen.
Emotions rise.
Triggers appear.
And Jesus knows this. That’s why He gives us a way to catch ourselves when we’ve fallen out of peace.
What Do I Do When You Get Triggered?
This is where the midday check-in comes in.
When you notice you’re frustrated, confused, or off-center — pause. Take a breath.
Say to yourself:
“I have no questions. I forgot what to decide.”
When we’re flustered or upset, we can’t ask the right question. We can’t see clearly.
So Jesus invites us to throw it all out — to completely reset the mind and release the ego’s grip.
Next, we admit:
“Well… at least I can decide I don’t like how I feel.”
This moment is powerful. 💛
Because God, our Creator, is love — peaceful, kind, humble, and giving.
So when we’re not feeling those qualities, it’s a gentle sign we’ve stepped out of alignment.
Whatever you’re feeling — frustration, anger, hurt, sadness — it’s okay.
Just recognize it.
“I don’t like how I feel.”
That simple admission is the open door. It’s the doorway to another way of seeing.
From here, Jesus gives us the next step:
“And so, I hope I have been wrong.”
Because if we don’t like how we feel, we want to be wrong — so the Holy Spirit can be right instead.
The next affirmation is:
“I want another way of looking at this.”
And the Holy Spirit always has another way.
When we’re willing to be wrong — when we want to see differently — we place ourselves in a position of true receptivity.
Asking for Another Way
Now, the next step is to activate willingness — to open communication with Spirit.
We say:
“Perhaps there is another way to look at this. What can I lose by asking?”
This question opens the flow.
It reminds us that there’s nothing to lose when we ask for a shift in perception.
When we ask for another way to see, we’re calling upon Jesus and the Holy Spirit to heal our minds — to show us a way back to peace.
And here’s the promise: There’s no way this prayer can go unanswered. That’s why the next step is simply to rest.
To listen quietly.
To trust.
To open your heart and know that the guidance will come — whether as a shift in perception, a peaceful feeling, a kind word, or even a deep breath that helps you relax and remember:
“God’s got my back.”
Always.
Will These Step Really Transform My Life?
So, my friends — these are the Rules for Decision.
You start your day right, and you correct yourself throughout the day whenever you drift off course.
Ultimately, these steps help us to:
- Consistently choose the Holy Spirit over the ego.
- Remember that Spirit — not the self — knows what truly makes us happy.
- Walk in partnership with Divine Love, moment by moment.
It’s a cooperative endeavor — a shared journey into joy.
They also remind us that we can start again — anytime. Every moment offers a fresh beginning.
There’s no guilt here. No shame.
Only the gentle invitation:
“Notice how you feel. Ask to see it differently.”
When we do this, we realize something beautiful:
We’re never alone.
Not in life.
Not in decision-making.
Not in our moments of confusion or doubt.
God walks with us — always.
And friends, this is so important to remember:
🕊️ Decisions are continuous.
We make them all day long, whether we realize it or not.
When we start making them with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, instead of relying on ourselves, we discover that miracles are natural — and always available.
So, my friends — this is The Rules for Decision.
I encourage you to open Chapter 30 in the A Course in Miracles Text and read it for yourself.
If you have questions, feel free to reply to this email or fill out my Ask Me Anything form at the bottom.
And if you’d like further support with either the Textbook or the Workbook, you’ll find both links below.
I truly hope this teaching blesses your life as deeply as it has blessed mine — and Sarah’s — and everyone who’s applied it.
This is a true framework for returning to the Heart of God, to the Love you are,
and to the peace and purpose that are your birthright.
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Wishing you a beautiful, blessed weekend and week ahead.
May peace and love guide you on your journey. 💖
If this message resonated with you, feel free to share it with others.
Much love to you, Beautiful Soul. ✌️
Britney
>>> If you find this topic interesting, click here, to watch this YouTube video I posted!
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