Wednesday; February 23

I am not an expert in anything, but one thing at which I excel is making things more difficult than they should be. I can overthink things with the best of them and easily talk things to death. While I don’t consider myself a perfectionist, I do find it hard to step back and say, “that’s good enough”. This might be perceived as a good character trait (or at least I fool myself into believing it is), but it creates a lot of emotional wear-and-tear on me. By fixating on things, I tend to take the joy out of them – even those things that are supposed to be fun. (If you don’t believe me, just ask Jeane what I am like when it comes time to plan a vacation!)

While being prepared can be an asset, there comes a point in time when we just have to let go, do our best and move on. But, for us compulsive types, how do we do that? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Trust your instincts. Most of us have spent a lifetime collecting the data by which we make decisions. Rather than filling our minds with superfluous new information, it may be best to just go with what we already know.

2. Don’t always look for the perfect solution. Pursuing the best deal or making the perfect choice might be a goal, but there comes a time of diminishing returns. When we can find a compromise we can live with, maybe that is the best time to make the decision and move on to the next project.

3. Avoid turning all decisions into major decisions. Is there a significant difference between a vacation to Mexico or the Dominican Republic? Can we just as easily drive a Kia or a Hyundai? Not everything is life-and-death so we should avoid treating them that way.
If you are like me, let’s learn to relax and enjoy the fact that we have options. When we stop over-analyzing them, are decisions will be easier and we will be much easier to live with.

Think About It!

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