A friend recently asked if I had advice for choosing between two things that have their set of pros and cons. I assumed it was work-related since she’s currently looking for a job. Not knowing the context or what the choices were, I gave her general advice.
If I have two choices where one doesn’t stand out, I would weigh my options and write down the pros and cons of each. Then, I would ask the following questions:
- Am I clear on what it is I want? If so, which of the two choices is most in alignment with what I’m looking for or would like?
- What are the possible consequences of each?
- Are there any “cons” I cannot live with? (e.g. deal breaker)
- Does one choice feel better to me? (Our intuition lets us know which choice is better.)
Sometimes one choice can be more practical or easier, but I wouldn’t necessarily use those reasons as the deciding factors. There are likely other variables or factors to consider.
What I would recommend is to get still and silent before making a choice. Pray and meditate on it. Sometimes I’ll ask myself a question before I go to bed and have an answer when I wake up.
One thing I’d like to add is that I don’t think there is necessarily a wrong choice. I say that as someone who has been indecisive in the past because I was afraid of making a mistake or “wrong” choice. I’ve learned that we can change our mind or course correct later.
