4 tips to Make a Decision You wont Regret
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” -Nelson Mandela-
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions, Sometimes making decisions is hard, especially when some doubts or fears make you reconsider your position, and so you hesitate and wonder if you should give up or keep going. This indecisiveness can be a torment if we allow it to be. Trying to make a choice that feels unclear is really difficult to do. Choosing to move on from something, to take a new job, to begin or end a relationship – you know the big decisions – can sometimes be so all consuming, confusing, and fearful that we end up making none at all, and just settle for the status quo.
So, how can we teach ourselves to make our decisions with confidence?
The best way through is to try to be objective.
Ask Yourself Questions
To be objective, ask yourself a question as if someone else is asking
you. Try to remove yourself from any apparent emotion that may influence you and ask...
a. how do I choose the right thing?
b. How do I know that I am not making a mistake?
In this blog, I am here to share with you that Mindfulness can help you in this regard.’
Along with prayer, I have found Mindfulness to be a powerful tool that enables your mind to focus your attention to get the answers you need. It can become more than a practice, but a lifestyle that helps you be aware at all times. Mindfulness teaches you to pay attention to what’s happening right now. It also answers how and why, enabling you to focus on the decisions you need to make.
If you want more details about Mindfulness and how to implement it into your life, search my blog post because I have many articles that will help you with that.
To make the right choice, you need to understand each part of the step-by-step process that goes into making informed decisions. Here are Four Simple steps to help you make informed decisions and each one of them can benefit from Mindfulness.
Identify the problem
Gather the information to define the decision to be made
Make a choice
Learn from feedback
1. Identify the Problem. For effective decision-making, you need to accurately identify the problem to be solved. This might sound straightforward, but it’s impossible to begin working on a plan of action when you don’t fully comprehend the question you are trying to answer. Mindfully (stay in the moment) and reflect upon the problem, develop questions accordingly, and then write them down. Look at them and allow them to soak into you. Ensure that these are the right question to ask. Wrong decisions are repeatedly made when the question is incorrectly identified, so make sure you precisely and accurately spot the decision that must be made. When you are satisfied, move to the next step.
2. Gather the information to define the the decision to be made
.Now, Take your notebook or computer and write down the information you gather. This is part of the mindfulness process. Mindfulness is kind to your brain and your brain cannot remember all what you need to. So use your notebook so you can refer to it later. Also, by writing it down it can be shared with others.
Decision-making requires a good understanding of the current state of the problem to be solved to understand all implications of the potential choices you have. For this reason, it can be valuable to consider the views of all parties involved because they will be affected by the decision. These may include family, customers, employees, or suppliers. Gather accurate information on how the current problem is affecting people now.
Be sure to identify existing conditions that may be connected to the decision in question. As much information as possible should be gathered to build your confidence that a decision has been accurately and appropriately made before additional evaluation and alternatives begin.
It is rare for there to be only decision is conclusive and there’s no alternative; Once a decision has been defined, the next step is to identify the alternatives to select from. Try to identify as many different alternatives as possible without making too narrow a distinction between them, and narrow the list based on evaluation, resource limitations, or time constraints, or any other revenant factor. You may decide to do nothing, which is an alternative worthy of reflection.
3. Make a choice
To make the right choice Meditation or if you prefer to call it- reflection is a mindful process.
It gives time and space just for you to clear your head od any bias, and look at the facts objectively. There is nothing worse than an emotional decision- I know I have a lot of them behind me!
But when you sit down and close your eyes to meditate or reflect, you are pressing pause for a few minutes. This is a moment of quiet and peace that can help to put all the heaviness and confusion surrounding a big decision into a balanced perspective. This mindful process helps you to connect with what is right for you. There is an inner voice we all hear – our intuition. We often make decisions with our emotions which can be all over the place. If you’re confused, unsure or overwhelmed by a decision, concentrate on listening to yourself and the voice of others.
4. Learn from feedback Feedback isn’t simply about someone telling you what you did right or wrong – it's a process in which you reflect on your decision and take action to correct it or improve future decision making.
Feedback is quick and easy if you ask yourself these questions….
what is the outcomes of the decision?
what I need to improve, or adapt and
Could I have dome thing differently - If so, How?
As ever, Thank you for your company today and Live Life on Purpose and Virtual hugs- I'll see YOU in the next Blog!
Bye for now
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