How have you been making decisions lately? Are there decisions you've been avoiding? Maybe you’re feeling uncertain, doubting yourself, or even frozen in place. Decision fatigue is real. Our brains process thousands of options daily, and when faced with important ones, it's easy to get stuck.
Making little and not so little choices is a big part of life. Honestly, it feels really daunting sometimes (and easier to not do anything). One of my favorite reminders to myself is not making a decision is a decision! So to move forward, I use this simple and structured approach to decide things clarity and confidence.
Step 1: Think (The Cerebral Step)
The first step in decision-making is to engage your rational mind. Look at different angles and perspectives. Ask yourself: What are the facts? Be mindful of distinguishing between old stories you tell yourself and actual facts. Let those old stories go! Stay with what is real.
Neuroscientific research shows that when we write things down, we engage the prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain responsible for logic and reasoning. This helps us move past emotional bias and gain clarity. Play out different scenarios, making a pro/con or possibility list. Sometimes running through the “worst-case scenario” can help you realize that the "worst" isn’t all that bad. It’s easy to get stuck in overanalyzing in this step. Set a a time limit here. Depending on the weight of the decision, spending 30 minutes, an hour, 2 hours, etc to think, write down, and analyze your decision. Know how much time you are willing to spend. Then let yourself move forward to the next step.
Step 2: Feel (The Intuitive Step)
What is your body telling you? Close your eyes and think through your different options. Do you feel different sensations in your body? Research on the gut-brain connection suggests that our intuition often picks up on information before our conscious mind does. What path feels expansive, and what feels constrictive? Align your choice with your values - the core beliefs of what is important to you. When you make decisions tied to values, they will stick longer and feel more ease.
This is also the step where your intuition plays a major role. Getting out of your conscious mind and tuning into your body can provide insights that logic alone may miss. Trusting your instincts doesn’t mean ignoring reason. It means integrating both mind and body for a more holistic decision-making process.
Step 3: Act (The Commitment Step)
You’ve used your brain, your gut, and your intuition. Now, what are you willing to do? Many of us (myself included!) fall into the trap of overthinking and delaying action. Fear of failure, self-doubt, and external judgment can lead to analysis paralysis. But what if we reframed failure as simply information gathering?
Behavioral psychology tells us that action can reduce anxiety. The moment we take a step forward, we shift from uncertainty to momentum. And remember, there’s no such thing as a wrong choice (as long as you aren't hurting anyone of course). Only a path that helps you learn, grow, and refine your next decision.
Push that good old frenemy of rumination aside. Give yourself permission to move through these three steps and make wholehearted decisions, knowing that nothing you do is ever the end. Use a growth mindset that this is an opportunity! Every choice is simply the beginning of something new. So trust yourself, take the step, and watch your decision-making confidence grow!
