Why You Don’t Make Life-Changing Decisions When You’re Really Stressed

Those decisions tend to come back and bite you hard. It’s better to deal with the stress first, then make the decision in the calm light of day.

As I reflect on this, I am reminded of the many decisions I’ve made in the heat of the moment. Highly charged, stressed—though I didn’t always recognise it—the decision seemed to be “A good idea at the time,” often aimed at escaping the current predicament.

Research has found that prolonged stress affects the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for higher-order functions like planning, analysing options, weighing outcomes, and rational thought.

Under stress, decisions often become emotionally driven rather than logically considered—a phenomenon known as amygdala hijack. The emotional amygdala, takes over, bypassing the logical prefrontal cortex. This can lead to impulsive actions or, conversely, total inaction.

Impulsive decisions are often the ones that come back to bite hard later.

Chronic stress drains your mental energy, ramps up the fear of getting it wrong, and leaves you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or avoiding decisions altogether. When cortisol—the stress hormone—is running the show, it messes with your memory and makes it harder to think on your feet or trust what you already know. Finding creative solutions? Forget it. Everything feels harder than it should

What’s the Answer?

Mindfulness, setting priorities, and focusing are all good in theory—but when you’re already knee-deep in alligators, maybe a better option is to:

Seek Support. Find someone you trust—preferably someone who is not emotionally involved and has no ulterior motive other than helping you. A trusted peer or mentor can provide clarity and insight, seeing what you can’t in the moment.

This isn’t a reflection on your abilities—it’s about recognising that in moments of high stress, clarity can be elusive.

But here’s the key: addressing the immediate stress is only the beginning. To truly find peace, you need to uncover the underlying causes—the sources of stress that aren’t always obvious.

Peeling Back the Layers of Stress

Stress is cumulative. By identifying and removing smaller, more manageable stressors, you can peel back the layers to reveal the core issues and address those if needs be. Often just dealing with the issues below is enough without having to unearth everything.

From a dental perspective, one surprising but critical stressor is the impact of your bite on the rest of your system, soma and psyche. This imbalance having far-reaching effects that contribute to overall stress. Addressing this may involve collaboration with chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists, podiatrists and allied professions to restore balance. While the dental aspect may appear strange, its impact cannot be over emphasised and should be included in the whole picture.

Other hidden stressors are environmental. The water you drink, the air you breathe, the shower you take, and even the cleaning products you use can expose your body to toxins, creating a significant burden, especially those who are hypersensitive.

Electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) from devices and Wi-Fi networks further contribute to oxidative stress, free radical damage, and inflammation. These often-overlooked factors can silently erode your health and energy.

And then there’s the emotional toll: dissatisfaction with your job, feeling unrecognised, underutilised, or trapped in work that lacks meaning. These can be soul-destroying, compounding physical and mental strain.

Taking Back Control

Living life on your terms—doing what you want, when you want—requires a clear plan. That’s where a trusted peer or mentor comes in: to help you identify the problem, navigate solutions, and regain control of your life.

This is where I come in.

If you’re ready to address your stress from a different perspective, improve your health, and create a life filled with purpose and vitality, I’m here to help.

Message me so we can set up a chat.