i've been thinking a lot about decision-making since a conversation with a friend last night. I am not a great decision maker. I belly-ache to no end about which option will be better, be safer, or more fruitful. and it's tough. I prefer when stuff just happens and I have to rise to the occasion, whatever it is.
I've made some bad decisions in my life. some things had a short impact, while other things had a longer lasting negative impact. I think we're all likely to make bad decisions from time to time. what I've concluded is that it's not a matter of IF we make bad decisions or not, but instead, how we respond when we find ourselves in a difficult situation as a result of a decision we made.
we can blame external factors - point fingers and demand sympathy or support from others*. or we can own it. take responsibility, choose to do things differently to what we did in the first place, and make amends (financially, relationally, emotionally, punctually). I feel like owning it is really the best way to redeem our situations.
*needing support from others is understandable. as the song goes "I get by with a little help from my friends". but we've got to put in most of the grunt work ourselves if we're really going to own the problem. it's not fair to ask more of others than we expect from ourselves. i guess it's a boundaries thing. my crap is my crap, and i can't spread it around and make it other people's crap :p
sometimes i struggle to give sympathy to others and that has damaged relationships in my life. it can be embarrassing, even regretful. but I know this... I'm much more effective at demonstrating sympathy when it's not expected or demanded. it's probably that emotional dance that bren is always talking about. as one dancer moves towards its partner, the partner moves further away. but I digress.
let's all just face our decisions with fortitude, and see where that takes us.
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