When No Decision is a Good One

Remember back in the day, when our parents and teachers would be saying, and sometimes nagging daily, “please…make a decision”?

Of course, we were being asked what coat to wear outside…. what we wanted for supper……what answer would be needed for that difficult question, when do we go out…now, or after our homework was done?

Sometimes, a parent or teacher would start to snap their fingers like this decision was on a time clock and needed an answer now…..like the sun would not rise again because we were a little late in making that decision.

A client reached out to me a few days ago and told me the sad news that her husband had passed. She told me in frustration, and these are her words, “being hounded to make so many decisions my head is spinning”.

After talking through some issues, I said, “How would it be to not make any decisions for a week?” A moment later I realized that’s like asking your son or daughter to give up their iPad for a day…..truly a mission impossible……but she agreed.

I then said, let’s move on to the issue that’s really bothering you….and she said sheepishly, “because I cannot locate any papers, documents, old bills, tax returns or credit card statements”.

So here was the new plan with a week of not having to make any decisions: she will begin the hunt to find the paperwork that, without a doubt, is in her house, in a desk, and in some folders that she will now discover, because she has calmed downed from the angst of making decisions, at least for a week.

I received a call back from her a week later, and she reported, she had found most of what she needed, and can now move forward to organize what will come next. She further asked in a low voice, “Mr. Baer, can I get permission to take a few more weeks without making a decision…. I’m finally sleeping better!”.

Take It For What It Is….It’s Just As I See It.