How to make the right choices – and who defines what is right

Do you find yourself often overthinking your life choices? Whether or not you should stay in this relationship, find a new job or stay in this one, move across the country or start studying…

Why is it so hard to make choices?

There are so many big choices, and even more small ones. When your choices are big and important, it can be hard to make a choice at all. Maybe you’ve been thinking about finding a new job for years, but never take concrete steps towards that goal. Or you choose the job that seems more sensible and acceptable, ignoring the small voice inside that was considering something else. Or you just drift around, accepting whatever floats your way, without paying much thought whether or not it’s what you want.

What’s common in all these scenarios is that you’re not listening to yourself and what you really want.

Why not?

Don’t you feel worthy of anything more than what life happens to throw your way? Does the new and the unknown make you feel apprehensive? Are you worried what other people will think if you don’t do the thing that seems to make sense? (Note the word seems.)

The right choices aren’t given from above or found outside of yourself. Only you know what the right choice is for you.

One step doesn’t define the whole journey

Now I’m imagining you protesting: But I really don’t know, what if I make the wrong choice!

I understand how making the wrong choice can be scary. What if it doesn’t take you where you really want to go? However, if you’re not happy with where you are now, the only way to get elsewhere is to take a step in some direction. Your first step doesn’t define the whole journey. But when you learn to take step after step in a direction that inspires you and makes you feel excited, sooner or later you’ll find yourself somewhere else – somewhere that looks like you.

You don’t even have to start with the big decisions. Start with the mundane choices, make them your own: What do you want for lunch today? What will you buy from the grocery store? What music will you listen to? Which route will you take?

What inspires you today?