Journaling has always been a key element in my decision-making process. The more difficult or complex the decision, the more journaling helped me find my way. Decisions that have too many variables usually trap me in a quagmire of “what if.” Journaling is my shortcut out of the morass.
In the past six years, I have journaled about the decision to move from Oregon to Tennessee. I spent time talking to my journal about deciding to form a relationship with the man who became my husband. I spent two full journals deciding what I wanted to do with my life after an illness almost took it from me. In each case, the insights and concerns revealed through the journaling process helped me to be content with each decision made, even if it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped or the results are not yet in.
If the decision is a major one, such as a cross-country move, it can take some time. Every day, for as many hours as it takes and as many days as it lasts, I will explore the decision in my journal. Basic pro and con lists start me off. If I still feel conflicted or concerned, I follow the road of one choice as far as I am able, then another option, and so forth. Every day I will write myself out on the topic.
The benefits of this process are logical as well as emotional. Giving yourself freedom to really dive in to what the future might bring can reveal hidden issues and motivations. It also brings clarity. This allows you to apply logic to your intuition and emotions by reading what you have written and examining your words critically.
The evolving process allows an emotional adjustment to the outcome. Getting your feelings AND your thoughts on paper in continual fashion allows fears to subside as well.
Toward the end of this process, which could take an hour or a year depending on the scope of the decision, your reasoning and your reactions come together in a cohesive whole. You are able to say “this is my decision. It is best because…” You will find great peace then as you move through and beyond the decision to be made and be comforted in the knowledge that you examined all sides and decided what was right for you.
B J Keltz
Bjkeltz's Weblog 
Leave a comment