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Let’s face it – life feels overwhelming at times. So many choices about jobs, moves, relationships, money, and health. The stakes feel impossibly high. Paralyzing even.
It’s enough to make anyone desperate to bury their head under the covers and avoid deciding anything ever! Like when you flip a coin and leave your fate up to chance rather than take responsibility for the direction of your life.
But moving through life deliberately (instead of defaulting through fear) leads to greater fulfillment and purpose in the long run. Easier said than done, though, right?
With some soul searching, planning and push from your gut, more mindful decisions become totally possible. We’ll share the main steps that have helped us take the wheel in both big choices and daily judgments.
Reflect On Your Passions and Priorities
Do some serious soul-searching about what matters most to pave the way for choices aligned with your deepest values.
Start by setting aside quiet time to check in with yourself and reflect on a few key areas:
What activities bring you joy and energize you? When do you feel most alive and engaged? For us, that’s painting, any activity with friends, planning trips, learning new skills.
What relationships are most nourishing? Which people consistently make you feel seen, respected, and supported through life’s ups and downs? These may be friends, partners, mentors, or community groups.
What conversations or topics light you up? Pay attention to moments when you lose track of time discussing issues that feel meaningful, intellectually stimulating, or emotionally charged in a positive way.
Consider your current stress levels. Are there activities or relationships causing disproportionate anxiety compared to the joy they bring? Our energy is precious – we all deserve peace.
What are your strengths? Personality tests like Myers-Briggs and Enneagram provide insight. Or ask trusted friends what positive traits they see in you.
What are your natural talents? Think beyond formal job skills to more inherent gifts like creativity, relating easily, persistence, adaptability, nurturing, building, strategizing, healing, listening, organizing, connecting, performing…you get the idea.
What issues in the world speak to you? We all want to make a difference. Reflect on societal, global, and community problems that break your heart and spark passion.
What does financial independence look like to you? Consider income goals that afford the lifestyle you envision for fulfillment without excess.
What does work/life balance mean for you? We all need downtime to recharge and enjoy life beyond professional demands. What ratio feels right?
What goals or dreams keep resurfacing for you? Some desires linger for years as clues to our destiny. Which aspirations reinforce themselves through time that should be honored?
Create Your Unique Vision
Once you’ve reflected on fundamentals, synthesize learnings into a personal vision statement – essentially a snapshot of your ideal life.
This vision grounds upcoming choices, functioning like a compass whenever you’re feeling unmoored or spread thin. Our vision:
To make a positive difference through uplifting art and writing while continually deepening spiritually. Financial freedom allows us to create freely, travel often, and support causes we care about. We maintain balance through close relationships that inspire growth, regular movement, and quiet downtime refilling our cup.
Of course, not every day resembles that vision perfectly, and that’s okay! It’s more about the general direction than dogmatic adherence. Tweak your statement anytime revelations strike. Post it where you’ll see it often as a guiding light.
Weigh the Tradeoffs of Any Decision
With your passions and priorities clearly articulated, evaluating options through that lens becomes much easier.
We think of it as a balance scale. As decision difficulties arise, visualize placing each potential choice on one side, weighing the pros and cons. Which direction tips the scale?
- Which options most align with your values, vision, and idea of purposeful work?
- Which of them seem to make you sacrifice freedom or integrity?
- Which seem sustainable vs short-lived or draining?
- What doors open and close with each one?
- What will you gain and lose with each?
- Which seem to hold space for both professional and personal growth?
There’s almost always some sacrifice or compromise required in choosing one path over others. Get super clear about what you’d need to relinquish before deciding.
Make An Imperfect Choice
At some point, you’ll feel an inner “yes” rising about one option over others. Not with absolute certainty or without doubts, but a sense this next step aligns. Even when we make very deliberate choices, second-guessing still creeps in!
Embrace imperfection and follow it anyway. No need to overanalyze or control every detail. Trust you’ll course-correct as needed.
Once you commit, own it. Literally, announce your decision out loud. Tell supportive friends and family. Share affirmations about why you chose it.
When those inevitable fleeting “what ifs” arise, remember the discernment process that led you here. Then, redirect back to the vision that inspired your path. You’ve got this!
