The Surprising Truth Behind Rash Decisions by Jessica Cerretani

The Surprising Truth Behind Rash Decisions | meQuilibrium

Before we get into the blog this week by Jessica, I want to personally thank all of you for your support during the launch of our first “Take Aim” podcast. Yesterday evening myself and Pamela Blackmon had an up close and personal talk on why we make choices out of desperation. We discussed it from a mental, emotional and social standpoint. I even disclosed why I make desperate choices, and what I am addicted to.

If you missed the show. No worries. Click the link! This is one that needs to stay on replay! Also, would you do me a favor and share it with your friends and on your social media pages? Be sure to join me all month as we continue to discuss why we make desperate choices. We are going to discuss topics such as relationships, finance, business and career, as well as health and wellness. I can’t wait to have Melody Dennis Spencer and Kayla Sikes on the show! Okay until next time live life on the promise of IMPACT! Enjoy the blog from Jessica!

It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s true: Making rash decisions when you’re stressed may make you too optimistic. Hard to believe, right?

An article published last month in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, shows that people weigh risk and reward differently when they’re stressed.

What Happens When You’re Stressed Oddly, when you’re stressed, rather than skew to the negative, you’re more likely to anticipate a positive outcome.

While that seems like a good thing, it means missing the whole picture—and potentially discounting important negative criticisms, which you need to make a balanced decision.

If you’re stressed about money, for example, you might be more apt to accept a job that’s not the best fit.

How Rash Decision Undermine Your Goals Similarly, making rash decisions can undermine your long-term goals, even if you have the best intentions.

Maybe you’re amped up about starting a new healthy diet or exercise program. That’s great—but if you only look on the bright side without considering potential pitfalls, you could end up failing at your plan.

In an experiment led by researchers at the University of Illinois, people were shown a series of words (either action words like “start” and “active” or inaction words like “stop” and “rest”) and then faced a test of their self-control. People who viewed action words had poorer impulse control than those who saw terms suggesting inaction.

Sleep On It Of course, that’s not to suggest that you should stay stagnant. Instead, keep in mind that the best decisions usually involve some serious forethought. Give yourself time to process information and don’t rush.

It never hurts to relax before making a big choice, so practice stress reduction techniques before you make that big decision.

Jessica Cerretani is a Boston-based freelance writer. Visit her jessicadcerretani.com

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