Making good decisions has never been easy and yet, as we work and live in the context of a pandemic, it feels more important than ever to “get it right” the first time. You’ve likely noticed this feeling brings increased anxiety, confusion or sense of paralysis. The last thing you want to do is make a decision in this state – and yet there is also a necessity to make timely decisions to mitigate risk.
Asking family, friends and co-workers can definitely help but if you are still unsure of the right decision, here are a few questions that will help. Tip: Writing out the answers to these questions will support you in building more clarity rather than answering them in your head.
Question 1: For a moment, suspend reality and park your anxiety. Ask yourself, If I didn’t have to worry about getting sick or how to support myself and others or whose worries I feel I need to manage what decision would I make?The objective of this question is to release you from the restrictive thinking of, “I should do this” Or “I should do that”. Be honest with yourself. Dare to name how really feel.
Once you have the answer, you can more clearly decide what compromises you will make – what you want to do versus what you feel compelled to do.
Question 2: What am I afraid of in making this decision?Let’s be honest- naming your fear can be scary and you may want to skip this question. However, if your intention is to feel confident in your decision making, then answering it is necessary. So, name the fears you have in making this decision. The following two questions will support you to address them.
Question 3: Review your answers to the question above. Now ask yourself, Is there some truth to this fear?This question is key for you to make the right decision and for protecting yourself. For example, if you fear possible danger to your life or the inability to sustain yourself, it’s important to clearly name this. But if you’re feeding negative thoughts that don’t actually serve you, creating self-awareness of this is helpful.
Question 4: What am I doing – or what can I do – to prevent this fear?In answering this, you bring full self-awareness to what you are doing or what you will do to take care of you! Alternatively, this question propels you out of paralysis-mode by having you name the actions you need to take to make the right decision for you. Follow-up questions to ask are, If my fear becomes a reality, what can I do to repair things?and Who can I reach out to for support?Answering these will help reduce anxiety as you create awareness of your options and determine your support system.
Question 5: Does this fear serve me?Ask yourself if the time and energy spent focusing on this fear helps you. Maybe it does. It could be a legitimate way to protect you. But, it may also be an outdated mode of protection. The fear may have served you in the past but because you have grown, changed and had more life experience, this fear, may have outlived its purpose. If this is the case, instead of judging yourself, thank yourself! Thank the part of you that wants to take care of you and say, “It’s ok. You’ve got this!” You’ve found an even better way to make the right decision for you.
So, there you have it. These questions consider your current state and support you in making a compassionate and clear decision on what is right for you, right now. After answering these questions, you won’t regret the decision you make because you’ve invested time to get clear on why you made it.
Take good care of yourself. Be gentle with yourself. I know you are taking the time and investing your energy in something worthwhile; To feel empowered to make a difference.
I’m right here with you. You are not alone.
If you need more help, let’s connect.
With so many things to worry about presently, I’d like to make things a little easier for you so, from March 24th, 2020 until April 30th, 2020 or until sessions are available, I’m offering a $45.00 USD discount off the regular price of a coaching session with me.
Let’s work on decreasing what worries you, building some clarity on next steps and increasing your resilience.
Select a date, read the terms and conditions and then book your session using this link.
If you’re looking for longer term support, book a free needs assessment using this link and let’s determine the right package for you.
