BalanceSeptember2016 - 12

Results the The Procrastinator YOU MOSTLY ANSWERED A You may find it easier to be decisive in some areas of your life but, at significant crossroads, you'd rather get comfy on the fence rather than commit to going right or left. You're in distinguished company. It's not until the final act of his play er The impulsive decid YOU M OSTLY ANSWERED B You make decisions on a whim and use your gut to guide you. Consciously or unconsciously, you feel that stagnancy is the worst state to be in and that any decision is better than none. It's likely you enjoy a higher degree of spontaneity in your life and this carefree attitude to decision-making may be paired with a willingness to face the outcomes of your decision, whatever they are. Alternatively, you may be quick to decide but are then plagued with doubt, in common with the old proverb: marry in haste, repent at leisure. Perhaps there's something reflexive about the speed of your decision making. atist The intentional pragm YOU M OSTLY ANSWERED C You tend to approach important decisions with your eyes wide open. Rather than leaving things to chance, you'll engage in careful, and sometimes long, deliberation. You're likely to be aware that with difficult decisions, it's hard to choose one path and commit to it, but once you've decided on a course of action, you find you are resolved to make the best of it. The advantage of an active approach to decision-making is it goes hand-in-hand with acceptance of your power and resources. Rather than feeling at the mercy of circumstances outside your control, you are likely to feel that you are, to a substantial Maybe, by avoiding labouring over the that Hamlet finally decides to kill degree, the author of your own alternatives, you are deliberately trying to the uncle who murdered his father life. We live in a time in which avoid anxiety. When this nature becomes and married his mother. Hamlet's greater emphasis than ever is compulsive, it can be as if someone else situation is, admittedly, unusual, but placed on the ways we can take is making your decisions for you. It's nevertheless, Shakespeare shows responsibility for our lives. understandable to want to avoid anxiety, us that to procrastinate and feel It would be possible to make but in bypassing these feelings, you can anguish when the stakes are high is the mistake of thinking that end up making decisions that are not in part of being human. making difficult decisions could line with your higher wisdom. Perhaps you feel decisions involve become easy after paying for the TRY: With your next significant decision, too much sacrifice, or you worry right book, course or coach. In set yourself a longer time frame to make about making the wrong choice. fact, much effort, thoughtfulness the choice. If this feels uncomfortable, Perhaps you hope circumstances will and care is needed in order that we explore what is behind the discomfort. resolve an external decision. can move forward in our lives in a way And maybe there's something which feels true and meaningful. to be said for being less active in TRY: Explore the degree of spontaneity deciding. The Chinese concept of you allow in your life. Look out for an 'wu wei' - or 'non-doing' - suggests opportunity to grasp the unexpected. Pascape Salvatore, we move with the flow of life rather 22, Italy, student than straining to make decisions. 'The best decision Scarlet Griffiths, 17, I ever made was There are times, however, when London, student quitting business 'It takes me about 20 there is a need to commit to a course school. It was not minutes to decide even my thing, now I am of action. Endless procrastination little things, like what a tailor. I feel it in sandwich filling I want.' is avoidant behavior and in the long my stomach when something isn't right.' term you run the risk of never taking action or finishing projects: which IONS, illicits feelings DECIS NS... IO of shame DECISce asked n g la and regret. Ba t makin rs abou o they e n o TRY: With d L on p-d inds u t's their m sy? And wha your next a y e e it h t d n n fi io significant st decis Ania Placzkiewilz, 32, the be r made? London, writer eve decision, take a peek at just what you're trying to avoid by not facing up to it. 12 'Sometimes it can be confusing whether the decision is intuition or fear. Sometimes you can clearly hear it's intuition, but I'm still learning to tell the difference.' BALANCE September 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BalanceSeptember2016