Making Changes

How do you make changes? Do you make them gradually, over a long period of time? Do you make them hastily and then fight with everything you've got to make them stick? How much information do you gather before you attempt to make a change? Do you do careful research or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type person?

I am someone who has a hard time making a decision, but once I've made up my mind that's usually the end of it. I don't like loose ends and "maybes". I like to know what to expect and what the final outcome might logically be for decisions that I make.

Expecting a baby has brought with it a whole slew of new decisions to be made. Some were, for me, no brainers. As someone who is passionate about recycling as much as possible and trying to waste as little as I can, I certainly didn't rush out to create a huge baby registry at some overpriced store. I'm not interested in stockpiling the nursery full of a bunch of stuff we'll probably never need. Yes, it took me months to create an alternative gift registry, and yes I've probably forgotten to include things that we will end up needing. But by putting time and thought into our registry, it will result in a more eco-friendly option for us.

Other things to consider when planning for a baby have ranged from minor, like which type of prefold cotton diaper do I want to use versus more involved, like will I choose to breastfeed? There are so many decisions to make.

One thing that I've learned is that while doing research on a subject is good, it can also paralyze you. Sometimes you need to shut out all the voices, advice, and information and be still. Think about what you truly want to do and why. And then choose to do that, no matter what others think and say about your decision.

My husband and I decided we'd rather have a big summer outdoor "eco-friendly, meet-the-baby" party, instead of a traditional baby shower. Some people don't seem to like the idea, others do. But instead of worrying about pleasing everyone (a habit that's very hard to break), I've decided to let go and just enjoy the parts of my decision that feel good and right to me.

How about you? What are some areas of your life in which you find it challenging to make a decision? And once you've made one, do you stick with it no matter what, or do you tend to change your mind?