Whether we realize it or not, every decision we make impacts our future. Even seemingly small decisions such as taking action now or later can have a big impact on our relationships, success, and lifestyle. We are more aware of the consequences of the bigger decisions like choosing to move country, or committing to a relationship, but we tend to overlook how our day-to-day choices shape our reality.
I’ve learned that we tend to make decisions from three different mindsets: 1) The “Should” mindset, which has a moral yardstick behind it ready to judge if we were right or wrong. The consequence of deciding from here is that we will either feel good or guilty, and the judgment doesn’t end. 2) The Emotional mindset, where we let our emotions take over us and we react to situations from anger, sadness, guilt, or whatever else we are feeling. The consequence of this is that when the emotion finally subsides, we may not be aligned with our decision anymore and wish we did something different. 3) The Wisdom mindset, where we can see the big picture and accept that the outcome can have parts we like and parts we don’t like. When we can see both the light and dark aspects of our choices and can be with these consequences, we are neither idealistic nor pessimistic. In fact, we feel more in charge of our lives and more at peace.
Think about all the decisions you’ve made so far today including the time you choose to wake up, the actions you took, places you went, and most importantly how you chose to feel. Were these choices made with full awareness and wisdom, or did you come from the “should” or emotional mindset? Most importantly, are you aligned with the choices you’ve made so far, and if not what would you do differently?
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