When I first became a widow, everything felt overwhelming and new. Every day I was faced with what felt like hundreds of decisions, and most of them were related to things that Steve always weighed in on or decided. Buying a new car, replacing the front door, getting a new dryer, what schools to send my kids to.  Daunting. I thought, “I am a smart person—I know I have the capacity to do this.” Why was I paralyzed?

At times, I questioned whether it was grief clouding my judgment, the fear of making mistakes, or the stark reality of facing a future filled with solitary decision-making. It was likely a combination of all these factors. However, I soon realized that dwelling on the paralysis of indecision only compounded my challenges.

So how did I break free from this cycle?

⭐ I embraced the understanding that there are no inherently “wrong” decisions. Each choice I made was based on the information available to me at that moment.

⭐ I sought guidance from others. I learned to lean on friends, family and professionals for their perspectives, enriching my own decision-making process with additional insights.

⭐ I adopted a proactive approach. Instead of allowing decisions to linger and accumulate, I made a conscious effort to tackle them head-on, recognizing that postponing only hindered my progress.

Now, before the ducks start landing in the rainwater that is not draining from Lake LaVoie in my backyard, I’m off to get bids from drainage specialists. What about you? What step will you take today to move forward with one of your decisions?