what's left of right

Life is full of decisions. Whether you know it or not, you’re making them every day: everything from how many times to hit the snooze button, to the type of creamer you’re going to put in your coffee, to the time you decide to go to bed.

These don’t seem like decisions, however, because most often when someone refers to a “decision” it’s because it’s a pretty big deal (and you know, worth talking about, because no one else really cares how many times you hit snooze yesterday).

It’s the big decisions, those that have the ability to change the course of our life, that stand out most. They take time and energy to make. Knowing a decision has the potential to change your life, there may even be rounds of deliberation with friends to help solidify your thoughts.

What I’ve found, though, is that often, whether people know it or not, these seemingly tough decisions really aren’t all that hard to make – it’s the action to move forward with the decision that becomes the challenge. When I speak with friends who want advice, by the time they get to me, I can usually tell that they’ve already made up their mind but are simply having a hard time taking that first step in the right direction. It’s like they have come to a fork in the road, know they want to veer left, but it’s such a different path than the one they were just on, they need to stop and reflect before they can proceed.

When I see this happen with others, I truly appreciate the process they’re going through. I’ve been there myself on a number of occasions, and the theme tends to be the same: decision time, gut tells you one thing, head may or may not tell you another, you know to follow your gut and a period of waiting happens – whether mere minutes or even months – there’s typically a period of hesitation when it comes to acting…especially if your decision impacts other people.

I have learned that sometimes you can’t follow logic, you can’t make a decision based on what the butterflies in your stomach are telling you. Rather, decisions based on a feeling, a sense that this is just something you should do, often ends up being the right path. The truth is, whatever road you travel, there will be positive and negative outcomes along the way – that’s just called life. The real challenge is making the choice to focus on the positive, find the good in the bad, learn from the hardships and apply those to the rest of your life so you can truly live the life you’ve always dreamed.

Still stuck on a tough decision? I can promise you the answer isn’t in that self-help book, it’s not what your friends or family think is best, it’s what your gut is telling you. Quiet your mind, find a place to be alone and really listen – you’ll find the answer, and the strength to make all your dreams come true. Have patience with yourself, take the time you need and act. In the end, the path to the left isn’t all that scary after all.