Stop fretting over your decisions

I used to spend a lot of time fretting over the choices I made - both big and small.  

• I should have ordered that other sandwich for dinner.  
• I should have picked that other color for my walls.  
• I should have purchased that other bird feeder. 
• I should have purchased that other car.
• I should have written that other blog this week.
• The list goes on and on.  

I am sure that many of you do the same thing.

Stop. 

Stop beating yourself up for what might have been. Enjoy the choices you make. Own them. Fretting over what could have been only detracts from what is. 

Early on in my marriage, I thought we might end up divorced over my trying to buy the perfect entertainment center. I bet I drove to over a dozen stores. I spent hours dragging John to various stores to look at my "final" choices. In the end, I ended up buying one of the ones I liked at the very beginning of my search. I really enjoyed it. Years later, when I bought a larger TV, this entertainment center no longer fit the new TV.  All those hours of fretting over it, and it was no longer going to work. When I bought the replacement entertainment center, I searched online and quickly found three I loved.  I ordered one online and never even touched it. It works great and I really enjoy this one too.  Probably took me 1/100th of the time to make this decision and I was able to spend that time doing other things I enjoy more than shopping for furniture.

I have learned a lot of truths over the years about fretting over decisions:

• Nothing lasts forever. Chances are good you will make a decision over the same thing numerous times in your lifetime.
• Use the power of three to help make the choices. Your mind will thank you.
• After a day or two, most of us can't even remember the other choices we could have made. 
• Embrace the choice you made. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Make an improved choice next time.
• Use the energy and time you save by not fretting over a decision, to do something you love.

Honestly, I am so much happier not wasting time beating myself up on the choices I could have made. I embrace and enjoy the choices I did make. And, if it isn't a perfect choice, it is certainly good enough - someday soon I will get to make a new choice.  

If you enjoyed this blog, please check out a few related topics:

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