Articles

Select an Article:
Article Topic:	Personal Growth: Purpose Personal Growth: Path Personal Growth: Manifesting Personal Growth: Tools for Change Philosophy of Change and Growth: Aligning with Reality Philosophy of Change and Growth: Values Philosophy of Change and Growth: Virtues Philosophy of Change and Growth: Concepts and Misconceptions Looking into the Future: Astrology Looking into the Future: Tarot Looking into the Future: Pendulum Looking into the Future: Inituitive Senses Spiritual Phenomenon: Past Life Regression Spiritual Phenomenon: Spirit Guide Commmunication Spiritual Phenomenon: Transpersonal Journeys Spiritual Phenomenon: Dreams Life Adventures: Travel and Experience Life Adventures: Travel Opportunities Life Adventures: Commentary
Article Name:

Personal Growth: Purpose

In the Land of Over Choice

By Mary Lee LaBay, Ph.D.

Does it seem like your life requires ever-increasing numbers of decisions? Do you find yourself perplexed, confused, or paralyzed by all the choices that you face in a given day? There is an answer to the decision-making dilemma, and a strategy to find peace of mind in the land of over-choice.

Whether it is choosing between insurance providers, political candidates, or cell phone features, life is filled with persistent requirements to make commitments large and small. As the far reaches of our world have become more accessible, and the speed and diversity of technology evolve exponentially, our choices are expanding while the time required to make them is contracting.

We may measure progress by the bounty in the marketplace, yet are we paying attention to the toll it is taking on our psyche and perhaps even our soul? While it seems a luxury to enter a store and have, laid before us, a large variety of goods to choose from, studies have shown that this same plethora of variables leads to anxiety and distress

The anxiety caused by excessive choice is brought about by our tendency to second guess, leaving us to wonder what we could have or should have chosen. Did our choice exhibit the proper taste, reflect our strong morality, provide the necessary functionality? Was it purchased at the best price, is it “green” enough? Will I be the envy of all, yet engender the ire of none? It is a fine line, and our peace of mind hangs by that thread daily.

Our choices reveal our values. When we have no choice our values are not a factor in the equation. When our choices are limited, it is much easier to be satisfied with what we end up with. According to Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, limiting choices not only curbs anxiety, it actually creates happiness. With fewer options, he argues, people are more likely to accept their circumstances and experience satisfaction.

How can you simplify your life, minimize your choices, and move towards a satisfying and happy life? Here are a few suggestions to consider. Just remember you don’t have to choose between these suggestions, just incorporate the ones that work in your lifestyle.

Learn to differentiate between life’s big decisions, and the smaller everyday choices. In other words, pick your battles. Limit the amount of time you will ponder choices of less importance, saving your time and energy for those that will forever change the course of your life. Instead of an extensive wardrobe, purchase a small assortment of really great outfits that you can quickly throw on and know you look great. Save your research and  brain power for choosing colleges, life mates, or which house to buy.

Be willing to make mistakes. Learn from them and move on. Give yourself an hour or less to dwell on any regrets over choosing the wrong wine, the wrong words, or the wrong lane in traffic. Then quickly focus on what you have learned, how this has helped you grow, and what you will do differently in the future. Documented research studies show athletes who repeatedly visualize the right shots perform better than their team mates who spend the same time practicing. This occurs because those who practiced had shots that were less than perfect, while those who visualized only focused on the perfect shot. In the same way, if you dwell on your mistakes, you are training your brain to continue to act in the same way. When you let go of regrettable mistakes and train your brain to do better in the future, you are commanding the brain to move in that direction.

Simplify where you can, choose where you will concentrate your decision-making energy, understand your values and live by them, take calculated risks, and keep your regrets to a minimum. While choice and variety make for an interesting world, happiness makes it enjoyable. It’s your choice!

» Back to Top

©1999-2010 Mary Lee LaBay. All rights reserved.