I’ve made a lot of decisions over the last two months. Not just little decisions. Big ones. We all make decisions constantly and sometimes these decisions move into a territory that can be all-consuming, have a lot at stake and have profound impacts. The greater the impact, the more consuming and debilitating they can be. 

As I examined my approach to making decisions, I soon realized that a lot of the strategies I put into place for difficult decisions could be applied to the simpler ones, as well. What we are really talking about is getting clarity. Once you have clarity, it is much easier to make a decision.

I’ve put together my steps for clarity when making decisions. I hope this is useful for you.

C—Core Values. What core values are involved in this decision? What core values will be honored?

L—Leaning into friends and family. Sometimes a sounding board can be useful. Sometimes it can be a distraction. I often think out loud and having a trusted friend I can lean into for a conversation can be beneficial.

A—Activate movement. Movement keeps things flowing. I like to take a walk when I’m making decisions. It keeps things flowing and my head stays clear. I often get my best inspirations while walking. I even throw in a boxing session or two if the decision has me really wound up. Find what movement works the best for you. Keep the energy flowing!

R—Room to Move. I give myself space before making the decision—unless, of course, it is as simple as going when the light turns green at a crosswalk. If it’s a larger decision, I give myself time and space.

I—Intuition and Prayer/Meditation. I always take my decisions to prayer and meditation. Sometimes I feel like I wait for awhile before getting an answer. It is eventually there if I quiet my mind and listen. When this mind is quieted, I also access my intuition.

T—Trust. I trust the process.

Y—Yes and No. What am I saying yes to? What am I saying no to? Every time we say yes to one thing we are saying no to something else. I find that writing down my yes/no column often helps.

Once you have made the decision, empower it! As one of my mentors, Rick Tamlyn, would say—empower that decision until further notice.

What decisions are you making right now? I hope providing clarity will be helpful to you as you make them.