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5 Important Steps To Making A Smart Decision.

We are constantly making decisions.

Some of them are easy, simple, routine. We ask ourselves, what should we wear? What should we eat? Which one should we buy? Where should we go tonight?

But every once in a while, we’re faced with a much bigger decision. A decision that might take us off the road we’ve been traveling. A road that we’ve grown to tolerate, or even love. A decision that leads us straight into the unknown.

These questions sound like, when should I leave? When should I quit? When should I start? Which way should I go?

These type of decisions can be paralyzing, stifling and even painful. In these, the pros and cons aren’t clear, and the road ahead can seem extremely confusing.

We can end up sitting at those crossroads for hours, days, even years, wondering which way to go, checking the direction of the wind and looking for signs.

This type of indecisiveness creates tremendous suffering, and this suffering clouds our decision-making ability. It quiets our soul voice and it amplifies the voice of mental doubts.

Making a deliberate decision can save us heartache, anxiety and time.

Have you found yourself stuck in indecision? Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting yourself unstuck.

 

1. Determine what your mind thinks you should do.

The mind-voice or should-voice is the voice that wants to keep us safe. It wants to keep us secure. When you’re listening to your mind, it’s the voice that sounds afraid.

This voice can be scattered, wishy-washy, and might have a hint of desperation behind it. This voice tries to impress, it tries to appear better than it is, it is worried about what other people think.

It’s the voice of comparison. It’s the voice of doubt. This voice is confused, it misinterprets familiar discomfort and reads it as true comfort. These are not the same.

 

2. Determine what your soul really wants to do.

Your soul is the true voice of who you really are, it’s your essential self. Its voice is that deep-down voice that has no fear. This voice believes that anything is possible.

It knows that everything will be okay, and that you are stronger than what you give yourself credit for.

The soul sees life from a higher perspective — it isn’t interested in appeasing the mind, it’s interested in the higher good, for you and for others.

This voice doesn’t speak loudly. It’s more like a constant whisper. It doesn’t change its mind. It stays focused. Even if we don’t want to act on what this voice says, we need to give it permission to be heard.

Let it speak freely. Listen. This voice speaks about what is right for us. It takes away all the static. It speaks of our own life, our own desires, our own future.

 

3. Consider all consequences of the mind and the soul.

There are no good or bad decisions from the soul’s perspective. Ultimately, no matter what you choose, life goes on. Good things happen and bad things happen. There is no decision that will immunize you from future suffering.

Every decision comes with a set of consequences.

Some consequences seem easier than others, and some last longer than others. Some mean more to us than others. And some just don’t have the return on investment that we might require be looking for.

Consider all the consequences if you follow your mind’s advice. Take an honest inventory of the pros and cons. Then, consider all the consequences of following the soul. Again, take an honest inventory of the pros and cons.

Tell yourself the truth about each set of consequences.

 

4. The Universe has the final say.

Ultimately, the Universe decides which way and for how long we travel down our paths. Even when we feel like it’s really up to us, life can show us otherwise. In the end, decisions tend to make themselves.

Whether it takes five minutes, five days or five years, life has a way of taking you down the road that you were always meant to travel. Always opening the way for our soul. Always opening the way for the greatest good.

 

5. Commit.

Making a decision means I will, not I hope. It means committing to our own choices and being willing to own the consequences of our decisions.

It means acknowledging the doubts, fears and rationalizations, and then deliberately silencing those voices. It means stepping forward, listening to that soul-voice‘s guidance.

We need to also understand that not making a decision is a decision in itself. Indecision is choosing not to act.

When you find yourself stuck at a crossroads of doubt, give yourself a time limit for how long you’re allowed to choose inaction. Then decide, and make a commitment to your choice.

Deliberate decisions set us free. They unstick us at the stuck points. They bump us out of indulgent navel-gazing. They change our lives immediately. They set the direction.

Great people don’t become great by accident. And we’re made of the same stuff.

Great things don’t happen at the crossroads. Great people don’t wait for the wind to change. They set their course, own their consequences, and set out into uncharted territory.

I’ll meet you there.

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Meadow DeVor

Meadow DeVor

Founder at Yoga Church
Meadow DeVor is an internationally recognized Yoga teacher, master life coach and writer. She's the founder of (Yoga Church) and writes a popular inspirational blog on her website. She's been published in Woman’s Day Magazine, Rebelle Society, YOGANONYMOUS, teach.yoga, The Good Men Project, Enemy of Debt, and has had the pleasure of being a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a Yoga-beach-and-sunshine-loving mom who lives with her husband, her three kids, and her insanely cute maltipoo in the quiet countryside of the Central Coast of California.
Meadow DeVor
Meadow DeVor
Meadow DeVor

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