8 Reminders When You’re Struggling To Make A Huge Decision

You might not have a long time to figure out what you're going to do about your issues -- but you do have some time. Don't rush yourself.

1. You’ve felt this way before. Maybe you’ve never dealt with this specific problem before — but you’ve experienced this feeling before. You know what pain feels like and you know you’re capable of surviving it. You know you have what it takes to get through this predicament and come out stronger than ever before.

2. You don’t have to make a decision today. You might not have a long time to figure out what you’re going to do about your issues — but you do have some time. Don’t rush yourself. Take a breather if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Relax, do something you enjoy, and then return to the drawing board. You don’t need to make your choice right this second.

3. You can talk this through with someone. No matter how alone you feel in your suffering, you are never really on your own. Whether you decide to talk to a trusted friend or a therapist, there is someone out there who is willing to listen. You don’t have to keep your emotions bottled up inside. You can release your deepest secrets if they’re eating away at you.

4. One day, this problem won’t seem so massive anymore. Once everything is said and done, once you move forward with your life, you’re going to look back and feel a weird mix of emotions about this time in your life. Although what you’re going through seems monumental now, you’re going to look back on it one day with a fresh perspective. It’s going to seem small in retrospect.

5. There probably isn’t a perfect solution. You’re probably going to be picking between two equally crummy choices. After all, if one choice led to guaranteed happiness and the other led to guaranteed misery, you wouldn’t be so stressed out right now. The answer would be obvious. The reason you’re having so much trouble fixing your issues is because there isn’t one easy solution. Every path is hard. Life does that to you, sometimes.

6. You can’t predict the future. You don’t want to make the wrong decision — but you really can’t tell which decision is right until you make it. You have to listen to what your gut, your heart, and your mind is telling you. Make the most informed decision that you can. That’s all you can do.

7. You can’t worry about anyone else but yourself. You have to make the decision you want to make. You can’t let your parents peer pressure you into something they want. You can’t let your partner guilt trip you into choosing their side. You can’t let your friends or your coworkers or your hometown sway you. You have to do what’s best for yourself.

8. You’re not the only one in a tough spot. You might feel like everyone else has it easy, like you’re stuck in an unfair situation. While the latter might be true, you’re not the only one who is going through a hard time. Plenty of people are as frustrated and confused as you are. You aren’t the only one.