Have you ever had a decision to make?
Asked three different people what they thought.
And somehow ended up more confused than when you started.
You ask a friend.
You ask your partner.
You Google it,
You ask AI,
Or maybe even ask someone who has absolutely no experience with the situation,
But has a very strong opinion about it.
And somewhere along the way,
You forgot to ask.
Yourself.
When did everyone else become the expert on your life?
Now,
I'm not saying we shouldn't ask for advice.
Other people can offer valuable perspectives.
But there's a difference between gathering information.
And handing someone else the keys.
And the authority to decide what is right for us.
And sometimes we don't even realize we're doing it.
Think about the last time someone asked you to do something you really didn't want to do.
Maybe you were exhausted.
Maybe your schedule was already jam-packed.
Maybe something just didn't feel right.
But instead of listening to that,
You started figuring out how to make it work.
Because you didn't want to disappoint anyone.
Appear selfish.
Or have to explain yourself.
Sound familiar?
Here is something I've noticed.
We can be incredibly capable in one area of our lives and still second guess ourselves in another.
You might manage a team,
Run a business,
Or be the person everyone turns to when there's a problem.
You make difficult decisions and choices all the time.
But when it comes to your personal life.
Suddenly everyone gets a vote.
And some of those people aren't even qualified to be on the committee.
The interesting thing is.
.
.
That you have lost your ability to make good decisions.
You may have simply gotten into the habit of trusting other people's judgment more than your own.
And that habit.
Can change.
And that is where mindfulness comes in.
Mindfulness doesn't promise that you'll always know the right answer,
And it certainly doesn't mean following every feeling or impulse.
Sometimes what feels like intuition is actually fear,
Exhaustion,
Or an old pattern showing up again.
But mindfulness gives us enough space to notice the difference.
So the next time you're facing a decision,
Try this before asking everybody and their brother what they think.
Take one slow breath.
Feel your feet on the floor,
And ask yourself three questions.
What do I already know?
What have my experiences taught me?
What information do I already have?
Whose approval am I looking for?
Am I genuinely seeking useful advice or am I hoping someone will give me permission to do what I already want to do?
What would I choose if I trusted myself?
To handle the outcome.
Not because the decision is guaranteed to work out,
But because I trust myself.
To learn,
Adjust,
And move forward.
Give yourself a moment to consider that.
You might discover that you already have an answer,
Or you might realize you need more information.
That's okay,
Too.
The point isn't to stop listening to other people.
It's to stop leaving yourself.
Out of the conversation.
Here's the thing.
You can appreciate someone's advice without following it.
You can disappoint someone without making a bad decision.
And you can feel uncertain without being incapable.
So this week,
I want you to notice where you already trust yourself.
Maybe it's at work.
Maybe it's in how you care for others.
Maybe it's how you handle a crisis.
Then you ask yourself.
Where you might bring a little more of that same trust.
Into other parts of your life.
You don't need to have every answer,
But you do deserve a say in the decisions that shape your life.
And sometimes.
The most helpful question isn't.
What does everyone else think?
It's simply.
What do I already know?
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Where do you find it easiest to trust yourself?
And where do you tend to second guess?
And if this conversation is helpful,
Subscribe for more practical mindfulness you can use in everyday life.
I'll see you next time.
