Making decisions
Decision making is something that almost everyone struggles with. It is a skill that not many of us are taught. Almost everyone I speak with is scared to decide on something.
“What’s the right diet to lose weight?”
“Should I start looking for a new job or just suck it up here a little longer?”
“What should I order of the menu? Salad? Burger and Fries? Tuna Poke? It all looks so good!”
“Should I go on a second date with this guy?”
Highly Sensitive Souls struggle with this phenomenon even more than the average person. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons, but I want to talk about the top 3 today.
Highly Sensitive People’s brains process information and feelings more deeply
HSP’s are natural People Pleasers
Highly Sensitive Souls overthink every little detail
Now, let’s look into this a little deeper.
Highly Sensitive People’s brains process information and feelings more deeply
You notice things that normies (aka people who are not HSP’s) do not. There are sounds, smells, sights, ideas - and so on that are coming at you at all times. Your brain tries to take everything into consideration when it comes to decision making, when in reality not everything matters. And because you are trying to process it all at once, you become easily overwhelmed.
HSP’s are natural People Pleasers
You have a tendency to want to be liked and understood by every single person in your life. When it comes to decision making, you are worried about how your decisions will impact the people in your life. Whether that is your husband, children, parents, siblings, friends, enemies… Your desire to be liked is a trauma response. Because you are created differently, you may have felt like an outsider for a good portion of your life. Your desire to belong is keeping you from living the life you truly want.
Highly Sensitive Souls overthink every little detail
You tend to think about what will happen if you choose Option A. You tend to think about what will happen if you choose Option B. You think about who will be upset if you choose Option A, as well as who will be upset if you choose Option B. You wonder how you will know what the ‘right’ decision is. Perhaps you need to wait for a sign from the universe. Perhaps you need to consult every professional, read every book on the subject, and listen to three audiobooks on the subject. Since every single person, author, and podcaster has a different opinion, you will still be confused.
Listen darling, your life right now is the way that it is because of the decisions you have made (or not made). Putting off a decision is still a decision. Like I already mentioned, making decisions is a skill that everyone can learn and there are only two things that have to happen. I have made it super simple for you.
You decide
You decide to love your decision
That is really it. Mind blowing, I know. Now, what does it mean?
I will give you an example. You decide to order the Burger and Fries at the restaurant. You decide that you have made the right choice. You do not entertain the idea of the Salad or Tuna Poke anymore. You savor every bite. You leave the restaurant satisfied.
It seems almost too simple, doesn’t it? It’s because it is simple. It’s just that our HSP’s tendencies overcomplicate it. Think of Decision making as a muscle. It gets stronger as you put it to use more often.
What decision have you been putting off making? Go make it, boo.