According to Google – the average adult makes over 335,000 decisions in a single day. Sometimes we make the wrong decision – Like Ross from the show ‘Friends’ when he tries to take the couch up the apartment stairs and it just doesn’t fit. Sometimes we are so sick of deciding on an answer that we randomly go with whatever sounds good, feels good, looks good, or seems like it will be alright. Other times we really care about what way our decision plays out. Sometimes we make decisions about how and when we make decisions….
Sometimes we are aware of what decisions we are making. Some times we care more than other times about what the outcome of our decisions are going to be. One moment we might go with short term pleasure – like in the picture my sister and I decided at her local farmers market to get coffees, mini donuts, and cheese curds. We also got corn on the cob – not pictured. Was it the most healthy lunch? No. Did it taste amazing? Yes. Do I regret it? Not one bit. Would I make that choice every day? No.
Other moments we will care more about the long term results of our decisions. Changing my career path was a long term decision that took me a long time to make. So far, I am really glad that I did. I now am a Patient Care Coordinator aka “receptionist” at a local physical therapy office (OST) where I will eventually get to work on wellness blogs and other writing projects as I get settled. I am learning a lot right now, while I brainstorm creative ideas for them. I am so far enjoying being able to sleep until it is light outside, having energy after my work day is done, and practicing taking one day at a time as I am learning a little more each hour.
Before I got to this week at my new job, I felt like I was blindfolded in the middle of a bunch of doors. I was able to move, but I wasn’t sure which door to open. I knew I could stay put, but I knew I wouldn’t be happy staying still. I had knocked on a few doors and had conversations with friends to learn about the different door options. I wouldn’t really know what each door held until I picked one to walk through, but I could only walk through one at a time. I was really close to two different doors, and had said no to a few other doors. Of these two, I knew that I would be happy with either. God would be with me at either, and both wanted my presence at their company. I ultimately had to sit with myself between these doors and ask myself which would help me towards my long term goals that I want to make/ have made for myself. Getting back into the wellness field out won the other option for many reasons, but mostly because it is something I have been wanting to do, but I had too many excuses not to before now.
Saying no to things has been the hardest part of this pivot in my life. I knew that having too many things on my schedule with starting a new job was not going to be a good thing. Saying no does not mean “never again” – it just means “no for now.” There is a time and place where both no’s are needed. Bob Goff wrote in a couple of his books about how he likes to quit things on Thursdays. Just because that has worked well for him. It is okay to give yourself permission to quit something/ say no. I have put reminders to myself to keep my no’s in my planner so that I do not pick them back up at least for this year.
Take some time to sit with yourself. Journal about where you are, and where you want to be. Figure out what steps you need to take to get from point a) to point b). You may feel blindfolded like I did, but you will not be alone in your choice. So many others are going through or have gone through what you are experiencing. You just have to reach out and talk to them to learn about their experiences. Take notes on how your experience goes to help the people who come to you and ask what worked, and what didn’t. Know that you never have to be stuck. There is always an option to take a step. The direction of the step is up to you.
Make one decision at a time.
Laugh when you make a stupid mistake like Ross.
Quit something when it is time to.
Don’t rush yourself through the process. Take the time to make the right decision.
Remember that you are not stuck, there is always a way out. You may just need to ask for some help from your Friends.
-Em
A Time for... Everything 
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