Just Say ‘Maybe’

When you have a tough time making a choice, it can drive you crazy… and waste a lot of time. Here’s the internal dialogue of an indecisive person.   

Maybe I should do this.

No, maybe I should really do that.

I don’t know what I should do.

OK, I’ll go with my first idea.

No, that’s not the best idea.

Oh, I can’t stand this. Just decide already.

I can’t.

Why not?

It’s not so simple.

It’s complex; I’m complex.

You’re not complex, you’re neurotic.

No, I’m not.

Yes, you are.

All right; stop all this going back and forth and just decide already.

You’re right. So maybe I’ll do this!

Is there any help for indecisive people? Must they continue to torture themselves with even the most mundane decisions?

If you are struggling with interminable indecisiveness, here are a few ideas to help you move forward.

• In real life, as opposed to your fantasy life, there is rarely an absolute best decision. 
  Sure, you want all your decisions to be safe, secure and the “right” one. Yet, decisions are a risky business. By making a decision, you risk being wrong. By taking a stand, you risk being ridiculed. By making a choice, you risk regretting it.  Can you take steps to minimize these risks? Of course. Will you ever eliminate all risk? Never. But, is it better to make a decision than to be bogged down with indecisiveness? Yes! Yes! And Yes!
• Trust your intuition. 
  You probably equate more thinking with better thinking. However, too much thinking reaches a point of diminishing returns. Then what happens? The paralysis of analysis. Too many options, too much reviewing of your choices stirs up anxiety. Then, you freeze! If you are having difficulty making a decision, try trusting your intuition. Intuition is not the enemy. Unless you are on a destructive path, it is most often your wise friend.
• Enough is enough! 
  If you are second-guessing every decision you make, then driving yourself crazy with buyer’s remorse, tell yourself “enough is enough.” Make a decision. It’s done. For better or for worse. Let go. Then, use your beautiful brain to get on with your life.

© 2017

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2017/04/06/just-say-maybe/