Are You Harnessing The Power of Decision-Making?

There is incredible value in decision-making. It’s a simple act that can virtually eliminate anxiety and stress in our lives. Let’s explore the power of decision-making.

Make or Break Moments

Firm decision-making is incredibly?important and valuable. In fact, it can prevent you from derailing from the path you are on. It also frees you mentally allowing you to make better decisions in all aspects of your life.?Making firm decisions?isn’t just about making the decision not to drink. It’s about making firm decisions elsewhere, too. Then, if presented with a trigger to drink, you have the mental capacity to make the right decision. We often become so focused on alcohol as our issue that we forget we must learn to?deal with other triggers and stressors?as well.

The Power of Decision-Making Ahead of Time

It is vitally important to decide whether or not you are going to drink BEFORE you are in a situation where alcohol is present.?This is because when we are in those situations, our decision-making ability becomes weaker. It is more likely for us to fall into drinking if that is what we are most used to doing. This is especially true when not drinking is still a novelty to us. We haven’t built up those neural pathways that know to automatically say “no, thank you.”?

Studies show that when our decision-making is fatigued, we tend to default to the most normal/comfortable/automated response. For many of us, the most conditioned and practiced response is to have a drink.?

Start Reading

Learn more about decision-making fatigue and all the factors that influence our unconscious mind! Start reading?This Naked Mind?for free today!

Defense Tactics

To avoid falling into this pattern, you can simply make a?solid decision?before you go out. Commit that you will not drink. When you do this, you tell your unconscious that it is not up for debate. This is a done deal. Turning down a drink becomes easier because you are not having to sift through the decision-making process at the moment.

The Power Trip

This is where the power of decision-making really kicks in. Many of us agonize over what choice we will make. It really is an incredible source of stress and anxiety. Looking back, I experienced how draining that process is when making decisions about my children and returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I can not even begin to tell you the incredible relief I felt once we’d reached a decision and committed to it. I no longer had to mentally weigh all of the pros and cons, what-ifs, and worst-case scenarios that could come with my choice. We committed, put the plans in motion around it, and it was mentally checked off the list.

Finally Free

Until we commit to making a firm decision, we’re perpetually stuck in the cycle of decision-making. With the overwhelming number of choices we’re presented with each day, it’s no wonder we’re tempted to default to our most comfortable choice when taxed. With everything that is taking place in the world right now, I’m incredibly thankful I’m not faced with making a choice whether to drink or not.

There are so many incredibly big and important choices we’re all facing daily – do we really want our headspace to be taken up with choosing white or red? Or are there more pressing choices that need all of our available reserves and faculties? The power of decision-making is freeing because it allows you to place your energy where it is most needed.