Choices. Which one is the best? Which one do I want? Just choose one. I want both — don’t make me choose one. I don’t want either — don’t make me choose one. Sound familiar? These are the kind of thoughts we have all had while trying to make choices.
While we all enjoy having the freedom to make our own choices actually choosing can be difficult. There are times we really wish someone else would choose for us. But that rarely works out, does it?
So why can it be so difficult to choose?
Fear of making a mistake/fear of the consequences. What if I make the wrong choice? What if my choice just makes things worse? Do I really want to be responsible? Am I ready to live with my choice?
Both choices appear equally good. In this case, we may wish we could have both. Sometimes we can have both, like a scoop of ice cream on a piece of our cake. Other times we really do have to choose just one good thing.
Both choices appear equally bad. There just wasn’t a good choice. People of all political persuasions were saying that after the last U.S. Presidential election. When there doesn’t appear to be a good choice we can always regret the choice we did make — even if the choice was not to chose. If you choose not to choose you are giving other people the right to choose for you.
Peer pressure. It can be difficult to make a different choice than it appears everyone else is making. This happens when we live differently than those around us as well as being the lone vote for or against something in a group decision. Making choices can be lonely. But sooner or later we all have to choose — something.
Please join us this month as we look at some of the choices we make and how we make them. Feel free to leave your comments below. Give us some tips on things you use to make the decision making process easier so everyone reading these articles could use them. I would love to get a discussion going about this.