Help Someone You Love Make Good Decisions Simply and Effectively

Does it seem that every decision you make blows up in your face? It doesn’t have to be that way. You can find personal peace in a simple and effective way right there in the privacy of your home computer, laptop, iPad, or smart phone.

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My desk is so cluttered it seems at least half my time is spent looking for things. If your mind is cluttered the same way, it’s really hard to make good decisions. It’s even harder if your mind is cluttered with all sorts of distracting emotions tugging you this way and that.

Decisions made emotionally run a much higher risk of being the wrong decision.

If you’re stressed, you can make bad decisions.

If you’re on an emotional high, you can also make bad decisions. Have you ever had buyer’s remorse? That new car drove so fine and smelled so good and later you realize the payments are SO high.

We’ll use the term “distracted thinking” to refer to both emotionally-high and emotionally-low thinking. Anything that distracts us from doing the best thing is not good for us.

All kinds of things drive our emotions in the negative. Depression, anger, stress, fear, anxiety, phobias, and so on create situations that call for a decision and also create the situation that probably will cause us to make a hurried and often bad decision.

All emotions are triggered by thoughts. When we let those thoughts take away our ability to do what we need to do properly, it can create an unhealthy situation for you.

The thoughts are typically about something that has happened in the past. It other words, it’s a memory that is bothering us.

Right now, I want you to pause and think about something that leaves you feeling anxious or frustrated. But DON’T dwell on it. Immediately say to yourself, out loud, “I’m not going to think about that.” If it recurs, say it again.

You’ll discover that the frustrating thought will go away. It will go away every time you demand that it go away.  

Dealing with distracting thoughts is so simple that many people have trouble accepting it. The most effective way to control negative thinking is to say to yourself, out loud, "I will not think about that." Do it as often as necessary and do it out loud.

Someone said, “That’s easier said than done.”

Not really. You were made with an innate authority to decide what you want to think about. If a thought causes you to be distracted or emotional, don’t think that thought. It’s your choice. As you make that choice again and again, your subconscious remembers how you like to respond and will start to make your response automatically. It’s amazing how quickly this can happen.

Furthermore, you were made with a subconscious mind that has over time formed the opinion that you like making bad decisions. The process of choosing not to dwell on those thoughts will, over time, convince your subconscious that you do not want to think about that those things anymore. It’s this process that creates the habit of peace and breaks the habit of bad decisions.

At some point, you won't even realize you are thinking distracting thoughts because your subconscious is automatically responding to the thoughts before they become conscious thoughts.

Nothing could be more effective than having your subconscious mind handle your distracted and emotional thinking for you before you even think about it.

Resources you can use

Help someone you love make better decisions. Take 3 minutes to learn more at http://findingpersonalpeace.com/s012.

You can use this idea for just about any negative emotion or habit that bothers you including making bad decisions.

I hope Finding Personal Peace helps you as much in making better decisions as it helped me with my anger problem.

Rod Peeks

Thanks for reading our blog today. I invite you to respond in several ways: (1) Comment in the space below if you agree or disagree with what I’ve said. A dialogue could be interesting for all; (2) Share the post with your friends using the buttons below; and (3) sign up to get an email with each new post. There’s a place to do that on the right. Then you won’t have to remember to look for our subsequent posts. Thanks again!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="160"] Are You Making Good Decisions?[/caption]

Life is filled with decisions. Maybe dozens if not scores of them every day. Some decisions are relatively insignificant – Do I want to turn the ceiling fan on? Others may introduce serious problems – Do I want to go to work today? Others may be deadly – I’ll have just one more beer before driving home.

Three criteria of a good decision

Onlinesuccesscentre.com defines three characteristics of a good decision:

“First, a decision is whole and sound when we've done the homework and understand what is involved. We've talked with, or at least thought about, others who deserve to be considered. Finally, before we act, we have reflected on what really matters. We have covered the bases.” Seeking wise counsel may be part of the necessary homework before an important decision.

“Second, decisions made with integrity are coherent in that the reasons we give for our decision actually align with the decision itself. Coherence is not accidental. We create it. When we deliberately integrate our beliefs and actions, we walk our talk.”

“Finally, good decisions are transparent. Accountability and trust rest on openness and honesty. When we speak directly and candidly to others about our decision and its impact, we become accountable for our choice. Integrity requires telling the truth, including the hard parts.”

Clear thinking vs. distracted thinking

All three criteria require clear thinking. Decisions may not always be right, but making the decision in an atmosphere of clear thinking greatly increases the likelihood of a good, effective decision.

Unfortunately, many important decisions are made under a cloud of emotions or distractions.

Negative thinking

I've said a lot in my posts about negative thinking. We simply do not have the capacity to make a good decision when we are stressed out emotionally.

An area pastor recently murdered his wife and attempted to kill his daughter before attempting to take his own life. I don’t know his circumstances but I’m sure that his emotions were in an uproar when he decided to pick up that gun.

When we’re strung out emotionally, we tend to make snap judgments just to relieve the pain or stress.

Hyper-emotions

It can also be risky to make decisions when our emotions are hyper-elated. How many cars are bought from the smell and feel of the test drive without considering the monthly payments, not to mention the insurance?

How many lives are irrevocably changed in the height of passion when it’s virtually impossible to make a rational decision?

Life doesn’t have to be that way

Fortunately, we can create a clear-thinking environment by taking control of our distracted thinking. One of the lessons in Finding Personal Peace is about making good decisions.

Good decisions can become routine; not a shot in the dark.

Regards,



www.findingpersonalpeace.com

Thanks for reading our blog today. I invite you to respond in several ways: (1) Comment in the space below if you agree or disagree with what I’ve said. A dialogue could be interesting for all; (2) Share the post with your friends. There are buttons below for Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites; and (3) sign up for an email with each new post. There’s a place to do that on the right. Then you won’t have to remember to look for subsequent posts. Thanks again!