You’re not the only one that’s been paralyzed by making decisions. In this capitalist world we live in, the options are endless. Human beings have to make more decisions daily than ever before.
Of course, this isn’t only mentally exhausting, it can be physically and financially draining as well (what is capitalism without you spending money eh?). We need to learn how to stay on top of the decision-making pressure without missing out on the little bits of enjoyment our world has to offer.
My solution? View it all as an investment. It’s like someone said, always ask yourself: will future me thank present me for this?
Will Temi 2 days from now thank present Temi for eating this whole piece of cake when she has to walk two extra miles to get rid of the bloating caused by the sugar? (She won’t appreciate it but maybe she’ll understand? Lol)
I’m no expert, but these are some questions I ask myself to make wise decisions and invest in myself in the best way possible.
Does this benefit you and at least one other person?
We are selfish by nature. It’s hard to not be. And with the Self-care/treat yourself movement, it’s even harder to not be selfish. But as long as we’re on the planet, every decision we make directly or indirectly affects one other human being.
So, I like to take a moment from my haze of self-absorbedness to ask myself, does this have a total, absolute benefit for me and someone else? Or will this in some way help me positively impact someone else? It is a Yes/No answer, and the first answer is always right.
Can I afford this?
This is not only “do I have enough money for this right now?”. It is also, “Have I thought about this enough to know that if this doesn’t do what I am hoping it will do, I won’t have regrets?”
I like to make lists of things I want to buy or need to do. Usually, the things that make it to the list are things that are necessary to my daily life/survival. If it doesn’t make it to the list, it is not needed. I cannot afford it.
Will it make a good story?
After asking and answering the questions above, you might have concluded not to do the thing that’s presented to you. While this is always good way to ensure that you’re mostly—if not always—doing the right thing, sometimes do it for the experience.
Give yourself a little room to not do the ‘right’ thing, even if all you get from it is a good story your future self will enjoy retelling over and over again.
20 Strands 