On Deciding

Coming at you live from the corner of the couch that has committed my form to its memory.

Some notes on deciding:

I've been having conversations with loved ones lately about how the pandemic has brought about more cause for decision-making, and it's exhausting. Especially when we're grappling with decisions such as, "is it safe for me to do this?" or "am I putting myself or others at risk?" or "what option is best for my mental health and does this conflict with restrictions?"

Do you ever find that when faced with big decisions, sometimes it makes the smaller ones feel overwhelming, too? It seems much harder to decide what toothpaste to buy or what movie to watch when every day for the past 9 months we've been having to make hard choices about what is safe and smart. Not to mention the pressure of knowing these decisions impact the people we love and come in contact with. This is a lot, and we've never done this before. No wonder we're exhausted!

How do you practice self-care when deciding?

This will vary from person to person, but some things that have helped me:

✨getting into a space of quiet with my thoughts through meditation or prayer
✨self-regulating by deep breathing
✨making lists - I've been a long-time fan of writing everything out, it helps to see it all on a page
✨talking things through with someone I trust
✨& my biggest superpower is sleeping on it, I find I often wake up with more clarity once I've allowed myself to absorb and feel my way through it

What does it look like for you to care for yourself while making big (and small) decisions?

Affirmation:
I trust myself to make challenging decisions
The answers exist within me

Sending love to anyone who may be feeling overwhelmed by decisions. You're definitely not alone.