Are you one of the millions who is functionally unable to make a decision?
Does the prospect of choosing a course of action cause you anxiety and sleepless nights?
Congratulations, you’re in the company of most of the living population on earth.
Let me ask you, one of these nights when you can’t sleep, get up and write the decision before you very detailed. It’s OKAY to have a racing mind and sweaty palms, you are just writing words on paper….nothing is happening.
Now fold your paper the long way so that you have two columns.
Draw a line under your “decision”.
Fold your paper again so that you can see only one of the columns.
This is the “Go with it or Yes” column side. So think about if you “go forward” and say “yes”, what are all the outcomes of “YES”. The good, the bad, the scary, the ugly; all of it. Just write and write until you have exhausted yourself.
Let out a big sigh and put down your pen and close your eyes and roll your neck and shoulders.
Without opening your eyes, turn the paper over to the other side which will be blank.
Now this column is your “I’m not going to go there, no, no way no how”.
So think about all the things that come with: “I’m not going to go there, no, no way no how”.
Write and write until you are exhausted.
Put down your pen, let out a big sigh, stand up and close your eyes and roll your shoulders.
Disconnect yourself now completely. You should be depleted now, and be able to go to bed.
New day, new thoughts?
At some point today when you have a some time to sit alone, take out your paper from last night. When I have clients who are stuck like this, I often suggest they take a brown bag lunch and go to their car or other place where they can be out of the environment which ramps up the emotions. Take out your list and thoughtfully read it.
What’s true about anything on that paper, that you can actually prove?
Mark through anything that you cannot prove to be true.
What’s left?
How do you feel?
More next time…..
Let me know what happened when you did this exercise.
