The Real Reason You Can't Decide (And How to Fix It)

What if I make the wrong decision?

This is a question I've been witnessing first hand lately as many of my friends navigate the college decision process with their kids. It's a time where every option seems to come with its own set of pros and cons, leaving families feeling stuck in analysis paralysis.

Here’s the thing that often gets overlooked: beneath the surface of this decision-making struggle lies a deep-seated fear. It's the fear of what happens if we make the wrong choice.

What most people don't realize is that this fear isn't just about the decision itself—it's about how we'll talk to ourselves if things don't turn out as planned. We're afraid of the self-criticism and the internal berating that will inevitably follow if our chosen path leads to disappointment.

But the truth is that there's no such thing as a "perfect" decision. 

Life is messy, unpredictable, and full of twists and turns. No matter how much we analyze, there will always be unknowns and the chance that things won't go as planned.

So, what's the antidote to this fear-induced paralysis? It's learning to be kinder to ourselves.

And you do this by:

• Recognize that you’re making the best decision you can with the information you have.

• Agree ahead of time to practice self-compassion if the decision doesn’t pan out the way you had planned. No berating yourself, no “I should have”. Nada. Okay?

These two steps are the secret to being confident in your decisions (that and a strong gallbladder but we covered that in March!)