Making Choices a Romantic Endeavor

Every day we wake up and make the choice to roll out of bed, or go back to sleep. The choice to put on clothes for other people or clothes for ourselves. Sometimes we have too many choices and are paralyzed in the decision-making process. Sometimes we know exactly what the right choice involves. Either way, making choices involves mystery, energy, excitement, and fear. When these choices include people, places, or things that we care about or even love, they can become all-consuming. So how can we make decision-making less of a stressful time and more of a romantic experience?

Simplify your choices. President Obama, in a Vanity Fair article, said, “You need to remove from your life the day-to-day problems that absorb most people for meaningful parts of their day…” He simplifies some decisions such as what he wears and what he eats in order to save energy for the more important decisions he must make as a former President of the United States. This strategy can be helpful whether you’re the most important man in the nation or the most common man on the corner. When you have more energy to focus on priorities, these choices become less of a burden and more of opportunities.

Trust your instincts. One of the most cliché sayings about making decisions is a cliché because there’s some truth behind it. Although you don’t want to make decisions based solely off of your feelings, pay attention to your emotional response to a situation. It can tell you a lot about your subconscious needs and desires. If you’re trying to decide whether to leave a job you like for a new job that might pay more, listening to your gut instincts when you talk or think about the choice can help you decide how you feel. Write journals about your decision and express how you’d feel if you made Choice A compared to Choice B. Taking note of this intuition and its effect on your decision-making ability can help add the romance back into making decisions.

Make pro-con lists. After you’ve paid attention to your own gut feelings, be sure to make note of the logical side of the decision you’re making. Pointing out the anticipated positives and negatives of both choices can help you realize where you stand. If you’re making the choice to buy one house over another, making a pro-con list for both could easily help highlight which one is more suitable for you. The idea of logically listing the positives and negatives of a choice helps balance out the intuitive side of trusting your gut. Utilize a combination of both to help making choices seem like an adventure rather than a nightmare.

Do research. If you’re still stuck on making decisions, Google it. See what others have said and done. Read the reviews on products, vacations, services, professionals, or whatever you’re deciding on. Be sure to use credible, valid, reliable sources. While you’re researching, add to your pro-con list and journal writing. Knowledge is power and powerful people make powerful decisions.

According to PsychologyToday.com, here are some more scientific tips on good decision-making:

• Keep your blood sugar or glucose level stable
• Get some rest
• Use routines
• Eliminate easy decisions early
• Commit to activities and people
• Prepare for when you know you’ll be weak about your decisions
• Make time for self-care

So when you’re feeling stressed about a decision, use this advice to make the opportunity more romantic and exciting.