Like Your Reasons

If you've been around here for a bit, I'm sure you've heard me say that I'm a recovering people pleaser/perfectionist. “Recovering” means that I’ve worked damn hard to turn down the volume on those propensities. While my perfectionist hasn’t been banished, she and I have come to a roommate's agreement of sorts and get along much better these days.

But, you can surely imagine how having these tendencies can cause decision making to be *ahem* challenging. “What if, what if, what if?!”

Recently I was struggling with a decision that could have a big impact on my business and potentially on an important relationship. To me, the stakes were high and I was afraid of making the wrong decision.

So, what is a girl to do?

Fret. At least that’s what I did initially.

But then my wiser self kicked in and instead of stewing, I enlisted input from people I trust deeply. What helped me turn the corner was a reminder of a phrase I use often…

“Like your reasons”

I don’t like to make a decision out of fear.

If I chose not to grow my business in the way I want to, it would’ve been because I didn’t want to disappoint someone I care about.

I was willing to sacrifice something really important to me. Hell, I have sacrificed a million times before because I was afraid of having someone upset with me, thinking I was selfish, being disappointed, judging me or because I made their needs more important than mine.

Not this time.

It doesn’t mean that I now revel in letting people down. Disappointment is an unfortunate side effect sometimes. I’m just not letting it be the roadblock that it used to be.

Are you wrestling with any kind of decision right now? Try questioning whether you like your reasons for your choice and see what kind of an impact it has on you.

And feel free to hit reply and tell me about it. I’d love to hear what you’re working on.