Is the Decision Hard? Let Your Core Values Light the Way

Life is filled with moments in which you need to make big decisions. Career decisions, relationship decisions, family decisions ... and on days like today, political decisions.

And the pressure to make the right decision may feel significant.

Complicating matters is the chatter. The pressure. The input from every angle that seems to always jump into your space at the exact moments when you just need calm. Time to think. Room to ponder.

Your spouse or significant other may have a strong opinion on what you should do.

Your friends will be more than glad to try and help you "see the light."

Your colleagues will weigh in, whether you welcome it or not.

You will find endless input -- online, at family gatherings, at church, over coffee, at the office, on the sidelines of your kids' soccer games -- on what you ought to do, for any big decision.

And it will be very tempting to take their word as gospel, especially if you've come to believe that you're not strong enough, smart enough or capable enough make the right decision on your own behalf.

You are all of those things.

You are an incredible being, with capacity to do so much. You can and, if you let yourself, will pull of amazing things in your life. You'll make good choices, take interesting paths (and detours), grow as a human. You'll also make big mistakes that will teach you plenty and mold you into something even stronger, greater and more invincible than the you of today.

So before you hand the keys to your future, to your decisions, to your life over to someone else -- someone who may be completely unqualified or not entitled to have those keys -- I beg you to get quiet.

If you're facing an enormous decision -- like, something that could change the trajectory of your life, or your family's future -- and you're feeling overwhelmed, confused or stuck, don't just throw away your power by giving someone else your vote, your voice, or your choice.

Instead, get really quiet for a bit and let your core values be your guiding light.

Sometimes, eliminating the noise that's everywhere around you is the ONLY way to do this on your own behalf.

It may take an hour. It may take a week. It may take months.

But no matter the time it takes, give yourself the gift of silence and space.

Ask yourself, "What am I here to contribute?", "Does this align with who I am, and what I stand for?", "Will I regret it if I don't go in this direction (or that)?", and "What have I got to lose?"

And then as the haze begins to clear, go out and kindly thank all who have so graciously contributed an opinion on what you ought to do.