Every single person those through the process of having to make important and perhaps difficult decisions. This is a normal and expected part of life as it is inevitable that decisions need to be made. Some people are better about making decisions and we typically call these people decisive; on the other hand, there are people who struggle greatly with making even the smallest of decisions let alone the larger and more significant decisions that impact their life or the lives of those around them.
A lot of people seek therapy because they are struggling with making a big decision in their life. Alternately, people also may seek therapy because they have made a big decision and are now struggling with the consequences of what they decided. If you fall into the former group, therapy can be very beneficial in helping you to work through your different options and providing you with perspective to see things from different angles in order to feel as though you have assessed all options and are making the best decision for you and perhaps, for your loved ones.
Questions to Ask Self When Making a Big Decision
- What is it that I hope will come from this situation or decision? In other words, what are your goals/objectives? What is it you would like to have happen?
- What are the possible paths/routes I can take? Essentially, what are the different options?
- What are the possible outcomes of my decision options? This question really gets at understanding the different outcome possibilities that may occur as a result of the different routes/decisions that are available to you.
- What is the worst thing that can happen?
- Is anyone else involved in the situation or can anyone else be affected by my decision?
- Which option feels the most right to me? While this moves away from the logical aspect of decision-making, it is an important question to ask yourself as sometimes we have a gut instinct about what we should do in a situation.
- What is the most rational way of handling this situation? In contrast to the last question, this really looks at the logical way of appreciating the situation, and possibly making a decision based on what makes most sense rather than what feels right.
- How can I combine the rational and the emotional aspects of this decision (in order to make the best decision possible)? Neither the emotional or logical approach is always best. In many cases, it is better to combine these two and make a decision that examines and takes into account both the logical and emotional aspects of the situation.
How to Sort Through These Questions
These questions can be used to work your way through making a large-scale decision. If possible, have a discussion with a supportive friend or family member who will take the time to listen and discuss these questions and your options with you. If you are by yourself, it is suggested to write down your thoughts instead of typing them on your computer or cellphone as this is often helpful in allowing you to take your thoughts and move them externally. This allows for greater organization and to take connect with your feelings related to the decision.
It is not suggested to type out your thoughts as this takes away from really connecting with what you are feeling and tends to cause you to focus more on editing what you are writing rather than connecting with the content to make the best decision possible.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
At Tampa Therapy, we are committed to providing a relaxing, healing, and non-judgmental environment to support you on your journey to mental and emotional growth and health. If you want things to be different, you have to change them. This means being open-minded, committed, and recognizing the power you have in your life. If you are struggling with making one or many decisions in your life, we can walk you through the process of building insight and gaining clarity on your next steps. Give us a call or email us today to start the process of making important changes in your life.