At the beginning of 2020, as a Mompreneur, you most likely had plans that were a result of decisions. These decisions were meant to lead you on the path towards achieving your vision.
You can think of it in this way. Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.
Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that you would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING DECISIONS
You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. There are too many possible outcomes, which you really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.
Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.
TAKE THE RISK: DECIDE
Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveler or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:
GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR SITUATION
You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.
IDENTIFY AND CREATE OPTIONS
What options does the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. What do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.
WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS OF EVERY OPTION
Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option. I take it a step further by consulting with God on every matter.
TRUST YOURSELF AND MAKE THAT DECISION
I don’t always get an immediate answer from God. When that happens, I take it as a cue to trust in myself and my ability to make decisions. I believe most times we already know the answers. You should assess our options and trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.
Now that you have made a decision, prepare yourself to see the outcome: good and bad. It just may take you to a place of promise. The important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. I used to wait for answers from others concerning major life decisions. That meant waiting on their solutions, which did not work in my favor in most situations.
Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it, whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.
Xoxo
Kelisha
P.S. Our Ultimate Mompreneur Planner arrives this week! Be sure to get your copy at www.ultimatemompreneur.com before the first batch sells out!