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I believe it’s strikingly important to remember that when you know better, you can do better. With higher levels of awareness, you can make smarter choices. And the more clarity you get as to who you want to become, the quicker you can start making the choices need to get you there.
– Robin S. Sharma
We have all the choices around us to create our best in life, business, and our organizations yet seeking the perfect choice can lead to disaster. It can lead to paralysis by analysis. You would think choice leads to freedom. Choices can give us freedom yet for having too many choices can lead to anxiety. Sometimes that anxiety comes from worrying about what others will think. You may have heard the phrase, “What others think of you is none of your business.”, so don’t stress over it. When there is an unlimited amount of choices or an overload of options to choose from it can lead to the inability to make a decision. Weighing the pros and the cons of a choice can be exhausting and anxiety provoking.
Anxiety puts us on guard and directs us to play it safe. A little bit of anxiety or nervousness is not always a bad thing. It alerts you to pay attention to details and your intuition. However, sometimes being too cautious can hold you back. The front part of your brain, prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making – weighing the consequences and processing your thoughts. The prefrontal cortex helps release some of the emotional steam from decision making by calming the amygdala, a small part of the brain responsible for instinct (the flight or fight response), impulsiveness, and fear. When emotions are high, the amygdala goes into high gear by reacting to protect versus calmly responding. Decision-making can be impaired when emotions are high as rationale thought tends to go out the window. Focus moves from facts to feelings.
Paralysis tends to occur when there are too many choices. You may have even narrowed the choices down and now you are worried that you are going to make the wrong choice. Chances are if you were able to narrow it down that neither choice would be the wrong choice. What if you made a decision that no choice would be a bad one or the wrong one?
There are some things you can do before you get caught up in paralysis by analysis – basically overthinking things.
Practice Mindfulness.
When you practice being mindfulness, you pay attention to everything around you. You can pickup on things that are that may add to anxiety such as distractions and clutter. You can eliminate or avoid those distractions so you can feel confident in your decision-making.
Identify Your Triggers.
What triggers you to feel anxious about making a choice? How is the anxiety influencing your decision right now? Where is this trigger coming from? Past events. Childhood.
Slow Down to Be Self-Aware.
What feelings come up for you? Remember when emotions are high, rationale thought is low. What thoughts are you having?
Be Intentional with Your Actions.
Self-awareness is important. Your thoughts and feelings impact your behaviour and the actions you take impacting your results. How what you think and feel about your results impact your next set of actions.
Act As IF.
Why not act as if you were making decisions and handling situations with ease? Your subconscious mind does not recognize the difference between reality and your imagination. Better yet, think to yourself, “What would my mentor or someone I admire do? How would they respond to this situation?” Act as if and soon enough you will.
What choice have you been deliberating on? Go through these steps to help you move through making the choice you need to so you can feel the freedom you need. The peace of mind knowing that you made a good decision and no matter what you have the skills and ability to move through your decisions with grace and resilience, if needed. Let anxiety you have guide you into making the “perfect choice” for you in that moment.
Don’t overthink it…make a decision…take action…and follow through.
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DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free e-book download today! www.debrakasowski.com
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