I don’t know about you, but making choices can be really difficult and occasionally overwhelming. There are so many choices these days. From the time I wake up in the morning, I am constantly bombarded with choices.
What time should I wake up? To exercise or not exercise? What should I spend my time doing when I have time? What to wear? What to eat? What to watch on Netflix, or should I watch Hulu? Should I read this article or that book? And those are just a few of the small, everyday choices.
What about the bigger choices? Should I buy a house? What kind of car do I need/want? Who should I date? Should I marry him/her? What about my job? Do I want children? Should I even have a child?! The list of questions and options is endless.
We are in an information age where we flooded with messages asking us to make choices. Gone are the days when you had 2 or 3 options at best. Now you have tons. Just ask Google. And if you are not a quick, confident decision maker (is anyone?!), this can lead to anxiety and thoughts of, “Did I make the right decision?”
With all of the choices you can make, how do you make the choice that is right for you? Well, here are a few suggestions.
Identify your “ideal” choice
I often spend more time evaluating all the choices available instead of evaluating my end goal. Most of the time we go through life being reactive rather than proactive. No matter what you are trying to decide, take some time and identify what it is you truly want. Get clear on what things are non-negotiable for you. It will help you limit your options, and you will make a decision aligned with your desired outcome.
Give your brain a break
We can get so wrapped up in making a decision we get stuck on it, not being able to think of anything else. It can drive us “batty” to the point of not remembering what decision we were actually trying to make. At this point, holding it all in is not a helpful solution.
Instead of keeping it locked up inside, try writing down your thoughts. It gets them out of your head and on paper for you to be able to process. Not a writer? Well, another option is to talk it out. Find someone you know and trust with good sense and wisdom. Let them know you need someone to talk through a decision you are trying to make. I do this a lot (maybe too much), but I find it often helps me gain clarity as well as different perspectives I may have missed.
If that still doesn’t help you in your quest for clarity, then distract yourself. Take a break and do something else. Sing, dance, play a game or hang out with friends or family. Stepping back from the situation and doing something else can be helpful, especially when you are unable to reach a resolution. You never know, by the time you finish doing something else the choice you need to make may be right in front of you.
Trust thyself
Many roads often lead to the same destination. Yes, the scenery and journey along the way may be different, but you can still make it to the same place. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. There is no magic mirror that helps you see the future (I’m still looking for mine).
So when it comes to making a choice, let go of expectations and make a decision. Once you make a choice, commit to moving forward. You are the only one who really knows you. Sometimes we have to trust ourselves enough to know what we need.
As you go forward, try not to look back. We can’t undo the past. We can only go forward into the future. You owe it to yourself to not get wrapped up with the coulda, woulda, shoulda of life. It’s fruitless and just creates more trouble than it’s worth.
If you remember the movie Finding Nemo, you probably remember the character Dory who couldn’t remember much. She forgot everything as quickly as she remembered it. However, the one thing she knew was she had to move forward and keep going. So in the words of Dory, “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.”
Whatever choices you have to make, just know there is often no perfect choice. Just try your best and leave the rest.
BE INSPIRED
What is the hardest choice you’ve every had to make? Comment below.
The hardest choice for me is taking the risk of running towards what I fear and stop avoiding it. Many things we fear are not that bad once we take that step.
Casey, this is so true! Most of it is just taking the first step which is always the hardest.