Coping With Stress & Making Difficult Choices ~ How You Can Improve The Decision Making Process

When you’re feeling under pressure due to challenges in life, the decision making process becomes very difficult. The key to making sound decisions that resonate with who you are, is to learn to start coping with stress so that it doesn’t prevent you from following the path that is meant for you.

One important place to start when making any decision is your core values. These are ultimately going to be the guideposts for how you navigate through life’s challenges. In other words — what are the things that make you feel inspired? Just knowing your core values can bring a lot of clarity to any situation in which the choices are difficult.

When you know what it is that inspires you, it makes coping with stress much easier because it shows you what is really important. When you know what is important to you, it takes some of the uncertainty out of the decision making process.

Another useful strategy is to go to people who are your trusted advisors. These trusted advisors could be your best friend, a colleague, a family member, or anyone else who you can listen to for advice. By talking with someone whose judgement you value, you can gain some perspective that you wouldn’t normally have.

Another important element to consider when making decisions is why you’re choosing a particular option. We often think about what we think will happen as a result of a choice, but especially when coping with stress, it’s equally important to consider why you’re doing what you’re doing.

There will always be difficult decisions in your life. But by getting clear on your values, and by letting the people you trust weigh in and offer their own insights, you can make the decision making process much easier.