Making Decisions At The Right Time.

Decisions are hard enough and so making them at the right time in your life is crucial.

We all have to make decisions about our health, finances, career, business and relationships………..

One thing we shouldn’t do is underestimate the impact that one decision can have.

A wrong move can ruin a relationship, a business etc.

The right one of course, could change your life for the better.

You arrive at a crossroads and you have to decide which road to take. You begin to ask questions………

Should I do this…?

What if…..?

How do I know it’s the right decision?

Example of Some Decisions I Have Made

Deciding whether to give up my career with the Local Authority to begin a business. I took a huge risk to do this and it paid off. It changed my life forever.
I made a decision to buy the Ladies Boutique where I had shopped for years – Bad decision. The recession hit soon afterwards and I lost a lot of money. This proved decisions made at the wrong time can be catastrophic. At the time, I was bored. I had sold my shares in my previous business and was at a loss what to do. What I should have done was wait a while.
I decided to marry when I was 19. Wrong decision. Believe it or not, I thought I would be “on the shelf” if I didn’t marry then.
I then jumped into another relationship on the rebound and that failed as well.
I waited years and then met my now husband. We have been married 25 years this month and it was one of my best decisions.

I could list a whole lot more. At my age I have made many decisions during my life and as you can see, some were good, some were not.

So, how do you make decisions at the right time?

I found a great article from the HuffPost which outlines 8 rules to follow when making decisions. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/8-rules-for-making-the-right-decisions_b_9408892

8 rules When Making Decisions – taken from the above article.

Pay attention to signs.

This rule asks us to open up to obvious signs. We often are given signals that we often miss or neglect if we aren’t tuned in. Anything can be a sign. The article suggests: your late Mothers name on a truck, a person you were just thinking about calling you, receiving an offer when you need it most etc. When you recognise something as a sign, don’t dismiss it. Reflect on the potential of the message being delivered to you.
Take your own advice.

If you cant take your own advice, you’ve learned it in vain. All of our lifelong experiences strengthen our wisdom and clarify our choices. If 5 or 10 years ago you knew what you know now, what would you have done differently? Allow former things to dictate present decisions. What did a bad decision in the past teach you? If you took the same actions now, the same results will repeat themselves. What would you advise someone else to do if they shared an issue identical to yours? Drink from your own fountain of knowledge and take your own advice.
Keep your conscience clean.

No decisions should stain or mark your spirit. Do your best to act for the good of everyone, not just for you. Decisions that hurt others and only benefit you will eventually turn against you. When in doubt, look at your values and moral codes. Keep your conscience clean by making clean choices.
Detach from negative emotions.

There is nothing like our own fears, impatience and frustration to keep us stagnant. Moving forward with the right choices means we have to get rid of these negative emotions. If we had no fear, we would act with incredible courage. If we weren’t impatient, we would wait until the right opportunities came along. And if we didn’t become so frustrated easily, we extend our perception. The feelings mentions can really hold up and block our progress in life and when you get rid of them, your decisions don’t come from your ego but from your highest self. Always remember: NEVER make a decision when you feel desperate.
Know your influences.

We all quite often turn to our friends for guidance when we are confused. Why do we do this, when the right answers are inside us? When we see who influences us, we can decide whether their advice is causing positive or negative effects. Ask yourself: Who am I listening to, instead of listening to myself? Remember that people are naturally biased and flawed because they are dealing with their own problems. Anyone can offer you their take on what’s right but no one can offer you what’s right for you…. Only you can do that. Go inside yourself and find your solutions there. If I had listened when I gave up my career, I wouldn’t have taken the risk to begin the business. My friends and family thought I was crazy mad. I knew deep down, it was the right decision for me.
Follow your intuition.

Our intuition puts into perspective the whole of a situation. It takes beyond the one moment in time and shows us how things will unfold in the future. The truth is that we already know exactly what we must do and what will happen if we just follow our internal GPS. Intuition is what feels right inside, and it isn’t just a “gut feeling”. Our instincts can reshape our lives. Allow yourself to instructed by your inner voice.
Don’t cross red flags.

We are offered signs AND red flags. If unexplained coincidences keep popping up that stop you from doing something, reconsider your decision. Step back and reflect: is this a sign I should stop doing this? Is it a sign that this relationship isn’t working?
Organise your thoughts.

Positive thoughts turn on possibilities. When we think something good can happen, we take the right actions to make sure it comes true. If we decide its time to meet a new partner, we may take more time to look good in the morning. We take more care of ourselves. Write down a situation that you have to make decisions about. Include all your thoughts- the good, the bad the ugly. Jot down your choices and the potential outcome. Imagine what would happen if you did one thing versus another. Circle the choice you believe will lead to your highest good. Organised thoughts lead to wise decisions.

We can become overwhelmed with making the right choices in life but if you act on the above, then choices can become infallible and improve our lives.

What choices or decisions do you have to make in your life right now?

Before I decided to become a full time coach, I asked for advice from friends and colleagues. Even though deep down I really knew it was the right choice for me. No matter what anyone said, I KNEW I would do it anyways.

Next time you need to decide something, take a look at the rules above and see how it can help you. AND remember the golden rule not to make a decision when you are upset, stressed or in a major transition in life. Making decisions at the right time is crucial for your future.

Acknowledgement to Dr Carmen Harra for this article.