With Halloween this past weekend, I was thinking about scary things. I realized that while kids fear dragons and monsters, most people I know fear what’s right in front of them far more than what’s under the bed. They fear all decisions they have to make every single day.
This week is National Vocations Awareness Week and I’ve been talking a lot about following your call, even when it’s scary or unknown. Making decisions can nearly paralyze you with fear. What if you’re supposed to be doing something else? What if your friends and family don’t support you? What if you fail.
So, even though we’re a couple days after Halloween, here are some tricks and treats I’ve found helpful when I’m afraid or nervous about making a decision:
- Get Informed: It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you not only have decisions to make, but also tons of questions. Take the time to sit down with someone who knows about the decision you’re going to make. Even a simple Google search can help you feel in control of your decision.
- Take One Small Step: Start with a small decision and then work up to the big ones. Decide to call one person who can answer your questions. Spend just 10 minutes meditating on the decision. Simple steps can make the big ones feel less overwhelming.
- Learn From Mistakes: No decision will be perfect. You will stumble, blow off course, and have to right yourself. You will mess up. Remember that those are opportunities to learn and not reasons to get discouraged.
- Get Motivated: Put on your favorite song, get an accountability buddy, and remember how fun it can be to make new decisions in your life.
I know if can be scary to feel called to make decisions that feel so much bigger than yourself. If you need anything, I’m here to help.