Back to Back Issues Page
Are You Stuck?
March 06, 2018
Hi

The Life With Confidence Ezine

One of the things a confident person is able to do is make decisive decisions and feel good about the choices they've made.

But sometimes the trickiest part is actually being able to follow through on those decisions and this is where a lot of people end up getting stuck.

That's the main topic of discussion for this newsletter issue.

In This Issue:

  • Are You Stuck?
    7 Reasons Why You Can't Follow Through On Your Decisions
  • Motivational Quotes on Instagram

    Are You Stuck?

    7 Reasons Why You Can't Follow Through On Your Decisions

    Have you've ever found yourself saying something like, “I know what I need to do and I’m motivated to do it but I just seem to end up procrastinating instead of actually working on it.”

    Even when you know it’ll be a really good thing for you to do, you don’t seem to make yourself actually do it. It’s confusing, isn’t it?

    Being in this state might also trigger your self-doubt and make you wonder if you're capable of actually achieving your goals or make you wonder if you should just give up. This agonizing over decisions can then lead to a lowering of your self-esteem. It also wastes a lot of energy going around and around in circles never seeming to get anywhere.

    It doesn't have to be this way though.

    The solution is to gain an awareness of what you're really struggling with. It's not taking the action, it's with the decision.

    Once you know why you're hesitating to follow through on the decision, then you'll be able to work through it.

    So, if you're feeling stuck, here are 7 of the most common reasons for not being able to put your decision in motion:

    1. Anxiety

    You could be very confident in the decision you've made but not feel comfortable with the thought of "doing" the decision. The very thought of taking action can trigger a sense of anxiety.

    For example, you might fear the reaction you'll get from others. This could be something like you need to let your friend know you can't help them move this weekend.

    You might know this is a necessary decision but when you think about speaking to your friend you then start to imagine how they're going to respond. They might be very upset, or disappointed, or angry. Whatever their reaction, you probably don't want to let your friend down either and you might feel guilty about it. So, the thought of having the conversation will put you in a state of anxiety and you won't want to do it.

    Other emotions that might cause anxiety are:

  • Uncertainty
    You might not know exactly how to do it. You might have a general idea of what needs to be done but not a clear picture of how to do it. This not knowing will make you feel anxious.

  • Overwhelm
    You might feel overwhelmed at the thought of doing it. Big decisions like changing jobs or moving or letting go of relationships are by their very nature overwhelming. Even small decisions can also cause you to feel overwhelmed at the thought of the change it'll make in your life when you actually go through with it.

  • Fear
    You might worry that it's the wrong decision. Or it might mean you have to step out of your comfort zone. There's lots of different ways that certain decisions can trigger fear within you and fear is a huge factor in causing anxiety.

    To know if it is anxiety causing your self-doubt and hesitation, pay attention to how you're feeling inside. Is there any tenseness anywhere? Do you feel suddenly tired when you think about the situation? Do you feel like escaping or procrastinating? Do you feel knots in your stomach? These are all signs of anxiety.

    One way you might be tempted to deal with your feelings of anxiety is to come up with a reason for why you shouldn't take action.

    You think, "It doesn't need to be done right now" or "I'll do it after..."

    This can happen even in situations like decluttering your home. You're cleaning out your closet and you're considering tossing something. This can trigger anxiety in you and you'll then tell yourself, "I might need it. Better keep it just in case I might use it in the future."

    Anxiety is an uncomfortable emotion and this thought process allows you to avoid dealing with your discomfort. You think you've made a decision but all you've done is put it off until you find that item in your closet again.

    Pay attention to what you're telling yourself and you might discover you use this word more than you ever realized to avoid dealing with your anxiety about whether something is the right thing to do or not. Listen for sentences like, "I might need it" or "Things might change". Using the word "might" will relieve your anxiety in the moment but it will only be temporary. It's also preventing you from actually acting on your decision.

    Other Words To Watch Out For

    Telling yourself, "I’ll do it later" or "I'll do it when..." – this again is done to relieve your anxiety of why you’re not taking action or to put the issue off until another time.

    If you catch yourself saying 'later' then also ask yourself when later will be. Set a date. Be specific.

    Also, ask yourself:

  • What is the real reason you're waiting?
  • Do you really need to wait?
  • Would it be better to act now even if you don’t have all the necessary info?
  • Would it be better to act now even if it's going to make you uncomfortable dealing with this situation?

    Of course, you may also decide it really is better to be patient and hold off on taking action but you need to be very aware of why you're waiting and that you're not just putting it off because it's a difficult situation.

    You can also ask yourself:

  • What is the cost to continue waiting?
  • What are you putting on hold by waiting?
  • Are you lengthening the time you're going to feel uncomfortable because you're waiting for the perfect time to do it?

    So, what's the solution to this?

    Well, the answer is....

    Read the full article

    Whoa, this newsletter is already super long but I've still got so much more information to share with you on this topic. I think it's really valuable to understand why you're hesitating so head over to where I've got the full article posted at:
    Why Am I Stuck?.

    This is where you're find out the solutions as well as the other 6 reasons.

    I'm sure you'll find it easier to read it online there.

    #4 is one that I often find myself dealing with lately.

    Motivational Quotes On Instagram

    Want to read some great motivational quotes on your phone?

    I've got an Instagram account now where I'm posting inspirational and motivational quotes.

    You can check it out here:

    Life With Confidence on Instagram

    Understanding Yourself

    Understanding why you're hesitating with your decisions really could be the key to saving yourself from getting locked up by procrastination paralysis.

    The more you understand why you act and react the way you do, the more effective you become as well as more balanced and more at peace with yourself. And, you'll be that much further to actually achieving your ultimate life.

    Understanding yourself is always worth the time and effort.

    So, be sure to check out the full article: Why Am I Stuck?

    That's it for this week.

    Have a good week and I'll talk to you again in two weeks.


    Catherine
    www.Life-With-Confidence.com



    The Legal Stuff
    -------------------------------------------
    You are receiving this email because you are a confirmed subscriber of the Life With Confidence announcement list. You would only receive this email if you had signed up for the newsletter and then confirmed your decision via email. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, unsubscribe instructions are at the bottom of this email.

    Please be advised that the opinions expressed here are purely those of the author, Catherine Pratt. You read and act upon it at your own risk.

  • Back to Back Issues Page