Decision Versus Choice

Why do twenty-somethings find it so difficult to make decisions? Often making the decision is harder than taking the action that we would have to take as a result from the decision. A reason that we may struggle with decisions is because a part of us thinks if we decide one thing, we are going to lose or miss out on something else. To help you in feeling some freedom around decision making, I want to share with you a distinction between the words CHOICE and DECISION.

Notice how you feel inside when you think you have to decide something. Does it feel different from how you feel when you get to choose something? Many of us experience feeling overwhelmed, dread and anxiety when we use the word decision. Why is that? Well look at the root word of decision: DECIDE. It contains the Latin root of “cide” which means to “cut down or kill.” How is this relevant? Well because the words we think and say have a lot of meaning to us, especially on the unconscious level.

 When we feel we have to decide something, some of the anxiety that comes forward has to do with the feeling that we are cutting or killing off something, therein creating more internal conflict. We often buy into the limiting belief that if we decide one thing, we will loose something else instead of seeing the bigger picture of how much we can actually gain from committing to a choice.

When I work with my twenty-something clients who agonise over decision making, I always get them to look at it as a choice. The words ‘Choose’ and ‘Choice’ elicit a lot more personal power and sense of freedom than ‘decide’ and ‘decision’. Try it yourself and you will see what a difference it can make!

Paula

It is our choices ... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
— J.K. Rowling