4 Things That Happen When We Can’t Make Up Our Mind.
And 6 ways to regain control.
I came across a beautiful character recently. This person had a wicked sense of humour and charm. The story goes they had put money aside to buy their resting place. They went out and viewed various sites and chose one they loved.
The emotion behind the story and reason for doing so grabbed me. This person didn’t want anyone else making that decision for them.
They said they chose a beautiful spot so they could rise daily and dance amidst its beauty.
What a mind. What an outlook. What a dance it will be.
What is the lesson in the story?
This person was living their life in full control of the decisions they wanted. Decisions that mattered most to them, even in their demise.
Some people never do that, even when they are alive.
Why?
Because they wait and think someone else can make the decision for them in the way they want them made.
They give their power away.
What benefit does that serve us? None
What happens when we can’t make up our minds about what we want in life?
1. People choose for us.
2. People force us to choose.
3. People move on.
4. Life goes on without us.
Who gets to decide what you want?
How can you take back control of your decision-making today?
Here are some tips to help you move forward.
1. Get A Go-To Thing.
Create the space to remove yourself from all the external triggers that cause you to derail.
Do what works for you: a few weeks of meditation, yoga, reading, music, and walking. The goal is to support your return to your definition of your reality.
When we know who we are, it empowers us in life. It allows us to define our core values with more clarity. When you know your values, you can take ownership of the direction you want your life to go.
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.
Roy E.Disney
2. Observe Your Emotional Responses.
What does your gut tell you? Are your head and heart values aligned to make the right decision for you?
When I take a step back and breathe to access my rational mind, I become aware of the feelings in my body. An idea I now term emotional fitness in my coaching practice. I help my clients become more aware of how their emotional responses can benefit or divert them from their vision in life.
When my mind is overthinking, emotional hijacking occurs. I am confused, but I can sense that my body has already given me a distinct answer.
When I make the wrong decision, I can feel the muscles in my body tense up. Then I listen to my head and my heart combined with my gut. I make u-turn and reroute. I experience a wave of release. It embodies me.
We can tap into our subconscious mind and whole body systems by pausing to listen to our bodies. Developing this skill enables us to access our natural instinct. It also allows us to become creative, resourceful and complete in all our decision-making in life.
Intelligence is present everywhere in our bodies . . . our own inner intelligence is far superior to any we can try to substitute from the outside.
Deepak Chopra
3. Acknowledge The Best Outcome That Could Happen.
We often envision the worst possible outcome before arriving at a decision.
Don’t get bogged down in over-dramatized disasters. You know, the kind that has no evidence to support this outcome. Change your frame of mind and thinking by envisioning the best outcome that could happen.
Making our decisions based on the best possible outcome allows us to clear a cluttered mind, free up space, and see all the options available to us. It disables the self-doubt that often paralyzes us and leaves us stuck. Make staying in the moment and living on purpose a top goal. Focus on the here and now to get you to the then and when.
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
5. Face Your Fears.
Your fears are always presenting you with false evidence against your reality.
Step into it, smell it, sense it and experience it.
When you identify what you fear, you can then take small steps to proceed in that direction. It’s where the real opportunity lies.
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
6. Foster An Abundant Mindset For Life.
Society and the media can lead us to believe there is never enough. Don’t allow yourself to fall down this rabbit hole. I have seen many people adopt this lack of mindset. It limits them in their outlook and perspective.
Instead, tell yourself:
“If I have enough to do my best and know I am enough, I will work hard to achieve what I can. I will be successful in my own right.”
Where there’s one opportunity, and you take it, plenty more await.
The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.
Marianne Williamson
For more on emotional fitness in life and business, connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, or my website. You can download my free emotional fitness blueprint for life here, it is free, no sign up required.
