You Can Re-decide

Sometimes we stop, or are stopped, and look back over our lives and consider decisions we have made, directions we have gone. If you are fortunate, you are pleased with your decisions and their outcomes and satisfied with the direction your life has gone. If you are like many others, there are points where you made a decision that turned out not to be a wise one and it sent you off onto a dimly lit, unfamiliar path. If that applies to you, what I would encourage you to do is to re-decide; admit you made a poor choice and start again.

Often, we allow our thoughts and internal messages to control our actions. We dredge up thoughts like, "My father always said I wouldn't amount to anything." or "What were you thinking, you knew you're too old to do ____?!" Or maybe, "But people would think I've lost my mind if I ______." or "Mama warned me not to _______ but I wouldn't listen..." It is so easy to say to yourself, "I should have done ____, but now it is too late." It may be hard to do, but try to shut out those messages and focus on what is in your heart. Try asking yourself, "Is it really too late?"

Of course, in some cases, yes it may be too late, just don't assume that it is without considering the possibilities. But if it is something you still want, try to get clear on the real situation before you decide that. Listen to what your heart is saying and figure out how to make that happen. It may involve giving yourself permission to admit you were wrong. It may require you to take a few steps back and restructure your plan - or scrap it entirely and start over with a fresh approach to reach your goal. But it is important to remember that as long as you are still breathing, you have the capacity to decide differently and change your mind and your plans. You just need to give yourself permission to re-decide. Then if people question you, or just look at you like you may have lost your mind, you can simply look them in the eye and say, "Yeah, I really am going to try it this way!" But you will know that you are simply listening to your heart and that can be a very good thing, indeed!

Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, planning for retirement, loss of job, coping with an empty nest, preparing to return to work or school, and other life planning issues. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone helping them to find solutions to problems related to life transitions. Mary Ann is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.