All the world’s a stage, and some of us only enjoy theatrics related to action, thrill, and adventure. The good thing is that you can imagine your life as an adventurous road trip. As the main character, you’re behind the wheel, navigating through diverse terrains. Some are smooth, some are challenging, but every stop, turn, and detour involves a choice.
Amid the fun and excitement, it’s crucial not to forget that every choice shapes the road ahead, for better or for worse. What would a careful and seasoned traveler do? They would plan their route, try to mitigate risks, and adapt to roadblocks. This is exactly what those who practice conscious living do.
It involves intentional decision-making, adaptability, and self-awareness, all of which can lead to a fulfilling life. Recent studies reinforce the importance of rational decision-making in enhancing quality of life.
A study conducted among emerging adults discovered that those who practiced adaptive decision-making were at lower risk of anxiety or depression compared to those who didn’t. Are you ready to make conscious choices that lead to an empowered and fulfilling life? If yes, then this article shares three useful tips you can follow.
Practice the Pause
We live in a world where one of the most dangerous weapons is looked at as inconsequential: instant gratification. The reason why people willingly remain stuck in a vicious cycle of instant gratification is due to the placebo effect.
No matter what the guilty pleasure is, be it retail therapy or impulsive speech, we expect to feel better right away. That expectation alone triggers a mental and physical response. Since the brain gets a dopamine hit, it becomes too tempting to resist the desire to have more. A good example would be the urge to binge on junk food during stressful times.
The world has largely lost the art of practicing the ‘pause.’ Everybody is perpetually in a hurry to buy, eat, speak, own, and whatnot.
Don't let the world’s wisdom fool you. Amid pressures to reply instantly and act fast, be counter-cultural by pausing. This simple act will allow you to have a greater sense of self-awareness.
The space between a stimulus and a response is the room to reflect and reconnect with your principles. It can give you clarity about a decision that you may not have had before. After all, the adage goes: never make a decision that is more important than its consequences.
Take the example of a major health choice. Instead of choosing hastily based on fear, convenience, or marketing, you can pause to answer some critical questions.
They can be as simple as whether you’ve explored all your options, and if the decision aligns with your values. In that short gap, you give yourself the power to act, not out of fear or pressure, but out of purpose.
Honor Your Core Values
The previous section briefly touches upon aligning with one’s core values. This is non-negotiable because honoring your core values is the only way to live an authentic and fulfilling life. There is no way around it.
A recent study found that aligning one’s actions with core values can improve psychological health. This is the ripple effect of achieving a sense of coherence and meaningfulness.
A simple example would be deciding to leave a lucrative job that's been disrupting your work-life balance. Even if the decision may seem strange to others, it is right if you are someone who values family and wellness.
When your actions and values clash, there's usually inner conflict. You may feel drained and out of sync with yourself, even if everything looks fine on the outside.
Let's take the example of a woman who deeply values truth, advocacy, and protecting others. She experiences painful complications after using a non-hormonal birth control called Paragard IUD. TorHoerman Law shares that over 3,000 affected women have taken legal action against the manufacturer, something which she discovers later.
As the news of the Paragard IUD lawsuit spreads, she decides to join but later backs out. In the short term, doubts about one’s impact and the fear of emotional toll may seem like valid reasons. With time, silence only begins to feel like complicity because her decision was misaligned with her core values.
Her ticket to experiencing a free and fulfilling life lies in joining the battle, holding the liable party accountable, and getting justice for herself and others. Every decision that honors your values makes you more grounded, no matter what others think.
Take Ownership and Adjust Your Course
One of the most empowering habits that leads to a fulfilling life is learning to take ownership of one’s choices. This has nothing to do with perfection and everything to do with being reflective, responsible, and open to growth.
People who take ownership for their actions firmly believe that life is a sum of the choices they make. They do not allow circumstances to control their response. This is a completely different way of living compared to leaving it all in the hands of fate.
Now, it’s important to understand that your emotions and personal life experiences do play a vital role. However, they should be changing, or rather evolving, your perspective for the better. Then, you will avoid relying on past decisions.
Taking ownership will help you reflect with honesty on the following:
- Is this approach still working for me?
- What am I contributing to the problems I face?
- How can I realign with what matters the most?
Even workplaces are working diligently towards building a culture of accountability. As you discover answers to these questions, it’s time to take concrete steps and adjust your course. Flee the temptation to view adjustments as failures. They are proof that you’re maturing and taking better decisions as and when necessary.
Besides fighting internal guilt, you may have to stay strong in the face of external criticism. Some past choices may have affected others deeply, and they may voice their displeasure or disbelief at your changed ways. Their reactions are valid, as it takes time for trust to build.
However, you can also shed the shame and live in the freedom of knowing that everyone gets to choose differently. The beginning is always the hardest, they say, so keep going no matter what. The more you adjust and stay consistent, the more your habits and integrity will be set in stone.
In a nutshell, the path to a fulfilling life is seldom linear. So, when you know better, do better!
A new survey revealed the most common regrets among American adults. They included not speaking one’s mind, fighting, and impulsive buying. One-third of the surveyed Baby Boomers even admitted to being haunted by decisions they made decades ago.
This study only reiterates the fact that choices are not made in a vacuum, ever. No matter how insignificant they seem in the short term, their good or bad repercussions are capable of following us to the grave. Thankfully, you don’t have to let life pass you by.
Start making conscious decisions, by applying the three tips shared in this article. That way, you will have fewer regrets at the end of your life. Most importantly, even the missteps will have served a purpose: to transform you into a wiser individual.
