The more you move through life, the greater the choices you have to make. Or do you? Do you find yourself making choices based on your needs, those you love, or simply because if is what society expects of you?
While there is nothing wrong with making decisions that favour others occasionally, it is important that you consider your wellbeing as well. It is okay to be okay with making decisions for you. Decisions that align with your goals, dreams and most importantly – your values.
When making decisions to achieve your goals it is helpful to make choices that help you long term rather than going for short term gratification. Today we have the freedom to choose many options but making the right one may mean you delay satisfaction in order to make a better one. Better decisions will put you in a position of power over your life and ultimately your future.
However, it is not all bad. Delaying satisfaction means that the choices you make are those that you value higher. You may have the freedom to have everything you want, but there may several options you need to choose between. By knowing what you truly value means you actively engage with your true values and in turn your decisions reflect what really matters to you.
Let’s do an experiment. Imagine you only have one day of freedom a year to do whatever you want to do. How would you spend your time?
- Would you spend that day with your family and friends?
- Would you jump on a plane and go somewhere new?
- Would you go to the beach, swim and read your favourite book?
The choice you make will reflect what your deepest and highest values are. It will also tell you who you are and what really matters in your life.
When you make value based decisions, they will be more meaningful and ultimately more memorable. You can then have the courage to say no to the things that don’t mean as much to you or aligned to your value system.
You want to be making decisions that light you up.
By understanding your passions, skills and goals in life means that you know yourself better and increases your ability to be authentic in the choices you make.
When you are unsure of who you are can lead to you putting limitations on yourself and your freedom to make meaningful decisions.
- Can you name any limitations you have placed on yourself?
- How have those limitations impacted your life?
- How have those limitations impacted your decisions making?
- How has your self-knowledge and life direction been impacted?
At first, these limitations may appear negative and to be holding you back, but they can also teach you a valuable lesson in learning about what truly matters. They can also bring positive change and a valuable shift in your perspective of life.
When you make choices that are not aligned to your true values can lead to you feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed resulting in a dissatisfaction for life. Meaningful choices promote more happiness and in turn improve your quality of life. Making meaningful choices is important to your autonomy and essential to your wellbeing.