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Too confused to make a decision
10 tips to help break things down.
Everyone runs into life problems at some stage. There’s simply no way to avoid them. If you are feeling confused, overwhelmed or perplexed about your worries, check out our guide and get working on them. There is a solution out there somewhere!
- Don’t hide from the problem or suppress it. That strategy simply never works. You will have to deal with the problem anyway, so putting off dealing with it will just make it worse in the long run. Instead, you can use your energy to get working on the problem.
- Ask yourself what’s the worst that could happen? If you think it through, you may realise that the worst possible consequence is either unlikely to happen or might actually be acceptable. Writing down the very worst and the very best possibilities may be sort of freeing really.
- Try not to compare your issues with others. Most people put up a front to some extent. Even those who seem to have the perfect life may be battling personal demons. As the saying goes, ‘Don’t compare your insides with someone else’s outsides.’
- Try to be as calm and relaxed as possible when making your decision or working through your problem. You won’t really be able to make a decisive choice if you are very emotional. It may be easier said than done, but perhaps have a good cry or shout about it all before you try and work through things.
- Look for others’ opinions and help. Reaching out is often the best way to work through a problem. Whether you talk to a friend or a family member, talking to others can give you a different perspective. You could also seek out professional counselling if it seems you can’t solve it on your own or with friends.
- Think of a few ideas/solutions to the problem, instead of just one. Maybe you can give all of the ideas a go. Obviously, this won’t work for everything, say whether to end a relationship or not, but it can work for some challenges.
- Try to break the problem down into smaller pieces/steps. Perhaps you don’t need to make a final decision on the issue now. For example, if you find yourself dealing with a surprise pregnancy, you don’t have to immediately decide whether to keep it or not. Instead your steps could involve: 1) Telling your partner 2) Phoning a crisis pregnancy line 3) Visiting a crisis pregnancy counsellor 4) Doing some reading and talking on the issue. 5) Making your decision.
- Try to visualise a positive outcome. Yes, it’s all very The Secret, but it’s worth a try.
- Check in with your gut instinct. Relaxation techniques like meditation, a nice walk, or some soothing tunes may help you chill out and tune in with your inner wisdom.
- Take a break. Distract yourself with a walk, a movie etc.
