Are you the type who agonizes over every decision? Do you find yourself unable to make choices, whether it’s what to order for dinner or which career path to follow? If decision-making causes you stress, you’re not alone.
Many people suffer from indecisiveness. Sometimes it’s because we’re insecure, sometimes we don’t trust ourselves or we get hung up on past bad decision. Sometimes, it’s easier to let other people decide things for us or they just seem more capable.
Yet, making decisions is a part of life. When you give that power to someone else, you lose control of your own destiny and you lose the pride that you could experience when your decision pays off.
It’s time to learn to trust yourself and take charge of your life. Here are six ways to restore faith in your own decision-making abilities:
Stop overthinking it. Do you obsess about every decision, trying to calculate in your mind all the possible outcomes? Not even a psychic can tell you exactly how it will all turn out—too much is determined by your actions. Instead of overthinking your decisions, make a pros and cons list. Get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper so you can see things more clearly.
Don’t act on impulse. Sure, there are times when a quick decision is required, but usually the pressure to decide is self-imposed. Is the decision as urgent as it feels? While you don’t want to overthink it, it’s ok to take some time to decide. Don’t let other people pressure you if you’re not ready.
Let yourself be scared. It’s easy to choose the path of least resistance. Who wouldn’t prefer a life without conflict, fear and struggle? Yet, it’s those challenges that can yield the greatest rewards. Don’t make decisions based on fear. Try to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Sometimes the decision that scares you the most is the right one.
Listen to your emotions. When you consider a certain decision, reflect on what your inner voice trying to tell you. How do your options make you feel? Once you know, then it’s time to trust your gut.
Stop trying to please everyone. If you want to make everyone around you happy, you’re bound to be indecisive, because pleasing everyone is not going to happen. While we may have others in our lives that we have to consider, don’t forget to base your decisions on what is best for your well-being.
Let go of the past. Everyone has made a decision they regret. Some of us have made many. But it’s time to forgive yourself for past mistakes, take the lessons you have learned from them, and rebuild confidence in your decision-making. Try writing down a list of good decisions you’ve made and remind yourself of these when you’re feeling uncertain.
The most important step in decision-making is learning to trust yourself. Remind yourself that you are a strong, capable and intelligent individual who has the power to decide for themselves. Of course, if you’re truly conflicted, a spiritual advisor can help shed some light on your path ahead while encouraging you to build intuition and confidence.
