alicia

When you’re trying to make a difficult decision, bear the following points in mind:

1. Ask yourself if you will look back and feel proud of yourself in a month, a year, or 10 years from now. That should influence the choice you make.

2. Think about the strategies you used when making decisions in the past. What worked and what didn’t? Apply that information to your current decision.

3. Try and quieten the voices around you and listen to your heart.

4. Take your time. Rushed decisions are rarely good decisions. Don’t act in haste.

5. Think about the impact it will have on others, especially those who are closest to you.

6. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Few decisions are irrevocable – and living without risk is a life half lived. If nothing else, we can always learn from our mistakes.

7. Talk it over with people who know you well – and are willing to be honest and speak the truth (and who won’t only say what you want to hear.)

8. Ask yourself: What’s the worst thing that could happen? What are the chances it will happen? And can I survive if it all falls apart?

9. Get as much information as possible. Try to see the problem from every angle, and think about every possible outcome and effect.

10. Take time out and walk away from the decision. Opting for some space usually brings a new, and more objective, perspective.

11. Be brutally honest with yourself. Don’t sugar coat the truth, or try to kid yourself.