Choices. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em, right? We always want options and to feel we are in control, yet often selecting between alternatives brings anxiety and stress. Here is a quick and dirty way to start evaluating whether a choice makes sense for you, based on the idea of AFFORDABILITY.
Affordability has to do with what something costs relative to the amount that you are willing/able to pay.
So in considering a choice or a change, ask yourself whether you can afford it in terms of 1) money, 2) emotional costs, 3) time commitment required.
Once you think through the amount of money something will cost (or money you have to give up for the new choice, such as quitting a job you don’t like), AND the emotional costs (such as managing the uncertainty or rejection you might feel in the face of others who think you are nuts for leaving your job!), and finally, the time commitment (hours you will have to spend looking for a new job, or cleaning your house if you can no longer pay someone else to do it, etc)… you may find a surprising sense of peace and clarity as to whether the choice makes sense for you or not.
The keys to choosing wisely with this system:
1) Making sure you think through both what you will be taking on and what you will be giving up in making the choice, so you are powerfully related to the reality of the implications.
2) Operating from YOUR personal framework on what you are willing and able to “afford” on each of the dimensions. While your husband or sister might have no problem eliminating retail purchases for a month to save money, or allocating an hour an evening to web research supporting the new move, YOU may not!
In making choices, as everywhere in your life, remember that you will reap the greatest sense of satisfaction and reward when you keep your own values in mind and progress on the path that fits YOU!
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