Killed by Indecision

Did you know there's such a thing as Decision Paralysis? Basically, it's if you are given too many choices often we won't be able to make a decision, or at least a confident decision.

Now, I have a story to tell that shows that this totally happens, at least to me. 

Every year we go get a Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving. We like to go to a tree farm to cut down our own tree (minus the year we went to the WOODS to get a tree... Boy, was it hard to find a good looking tree in the middle of a forest full of scrawny, snow-worn trees). 

Every year, it usually goes something like this.

After we get to the tree farm, full of anticipation and excitement, we head out in the midst of a field of trees. We spy one that looks good, head that direction, then see it's faults once up close and then look on to the next one. The problem is not that we don't find good trees, it's just that none are perfect and HOW TO DECIDE??
This is the tree farm we've gone to for the past few years.
Just LOOK at how many they are and this is just a small part of them.

The past several years we've gone to this rather large, family-owned and run tree farm that is quaint and nice. Those years it was always hard to make a decision because they had so many options! I always second guess which tree is "the perfect tree" until the point where my husband chops down the tree that I painstakingly picked out and then the decision is final.

This year, however, we went to a small tree farm, a little closer to home. It was so small I thought we'd made a mistake and that we wouldn't be able to find any good tree. 
This is the tree farm we visited this year (there are more trees than what you see here).
See why I thought we'd made a mistake?

Sure, we looked here and there for awhile but there really wasn't much ground to cover so we quickly found a good one and I said "yes" to the tree. My husband before he began sawing it down gave a tentative "Are you sure?" because I'm never sure and never decide on a tree so quickly.

"Yes, I'm sure, and don't ask me that because I might second guess myself."

So, he pulled out the saw and down went the tree. My girls argued over who got to carry the tree and Dad got them both to carry the tree, holding either end, and off it went to be measured and paid for.

It was the FASTEST we (I) have every picked out a tree! It was really nice and I was very happy with my choice.

We have LOTS of option! In stores, in presents to buy, in color options of paint (another areas I struggle with indecision), in food at the drive through, there are LOTS of options, often too many to make a confident decision and it can cause decision paralysis.

But when it comes to motherhood, know that there is a million ways to parent but your way of parenting is the right one for you. Follow your heart, and your instincts, weigh your goals as you make decisions, and don't let all of the options distract you from what decisions you are supposed to be making for your child.

Merry Christmas and Much Love,
-Joy

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