Everything happens for a reason. Even if you don’t believe in it, I bet there’s been times when (usually in retrospect) you understand why something had to happen in your life.
One of the inherently annoying things that is common in most of us is the desire to be in control. Control the outcome. Control what other people say or do. Control our own emotions.
While it’s an amazing skill to have – to be able to predict and mediate the risk for any future endeavour – no matter how good you are at it, life will turn your plans upside down.
If you are anything like me – a striving high achiever, who is always on the lookout for bigger and better. (A firm belief that this is how we grow, by constantly pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone.) If you are the one who is constantly analyzing your own behaviour and the reactions of other people when making decisions, here are a few thoughts on how to not get yourself to go completely crazy during the process:
-
Explore your options
Sometimes this is the hardest part. Most of us have many options available and choosing the right one could be a struggle. Interestingly enough, there’ve been some marketing studies done that the more options you give to people, the more engagement you get from them (people will be interested but won’t buy). The less options you give to them, you will get less engagement (interest), but your sales will be much higher. Be aware of this human trait and give yourself the freedom to look around, know your options, and know that you don’t have to commit right away.
-
Sleep on it
If you tend to change your mind often, or are uncomfortable making decisions under pressure. When you assess your options, make your mind, but allow yourself to sleep on it. Make sure the decision is yours and is not guided by any external factors. In a way – make sure you are acting, and not reacting.
-
Make the decision
Once you made your mind, just before you pull the trigger, tell yourself that this is your decision and you are going with it. It’s your final choice and you are going to commit to it, no matter what. No matter how big or small the decision, you might have second thoughts and doubts. This is especially true because of the multitude of options we have these days (going back to point one above), and because many of our decisions are highly transparent these days, with social media, et al. The moment you share your mind, people will comment and will provide unsolicited advise. Be ready for it.
-
Trust that it was the right decision
Now, the best part – trusting that this decision was the right one. Going back to my initial thoughts – everything happens for a reason. And even if you start having second thoughts about the validity of your choice, you must know that there was a reason you made your choice and that things always work out in the end. Exercise trust.
-
Move on
Go on, enjoy life. No matter the magnitude of your decision, there’s always something bigger in life that might come your way. There’re bigger things people are dealing with right now on this planet. Put things into perspective and go on, live life. Because no matter what your decision was, the only one decision that always holds the most importance in our lives is this very minute, and how you decide to spend it.
#LiveLife
Leave a Reply