I don’t like being lost.

I don’t like being confused.

I don’t like being overwhelmed.

On a recent trip, I took an unintended detour off the interstate. The roads were unfamiliar to me and not very well marked. The directions on the GPS didn’t seem to match the reality before me. Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly my idea of fun. But I made one decision that made the difference. I decided to keep going north! I knew that eventually I would get back to my intended route.

Maybe, at times, you have unintentionally drifted through a season of life. It wasn’t where you wanted to be or what you wanted to do. You were confused and overwhelmed. I’m guessing it was not your favorite time, either.

Whatever the situation, it helps to ask some questions.

• 1.    What values matter to me?
• 2.    What decision can I make?
• 3.    What action can I take?
• 4.    What can I do differently?
• 5.    What can I eliminate?
• 6.    Whom can I ask for help?

Asking questions and making decisions helps you get past feeling helpless. Doing something is so much better than doing nothing. And there is always something that can be done, even if it isn’t always immediately obvious.

Consider the frustration of sometimes forgetting to pay a bill or getting charged a late fee. Regardless of how much income you have coming in, you can ease the stress of paying bills by having a written monthly budget. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. Just one sheet of paper with what bills you normally pay in a month. List them in chronological order with amount & due date. Check off as you pay with cash, check, or online payment. With that one simple tool, you have eliminated the confusion of paying your monthly bills.

Consider the stress of preparing evening meals. Again, a written plan will bring clarity to this daily dilemma. Decide to simplify your meals. Ask everyone in your family what are their favorite meals. Decide what themes would work well, such as Taco Tuesday or Pizza Friday. Post the intended meals on the frig so everyone knows what to expect and how to help. Look at your activities for the week. Soup and sandwiches might be best for an evening with later activities. You can decide to do something to eliminate the last-minute rush to the drive thru. Or you can plan that and not feel guilty about it!

Perhaps the holidays bring a sense of being confused and overwhelmed to you. Give yourself grace to determine what “have a happy holiday” means to you. Let that be your filter as you decide what to do in the coming weeks. It doesn’t have to look like last year and it certainly doesn’t have to look like a staged magazine article. There is no “one-size-fits-all” for celebrating holidays. Let your values, your season of life, and your personal resources be your compass. Have confidence in determining what works best for you! No apologies necessary.

Values and goals.

Decisions and actions.

That is how you get past confusion.

Give yourself the gift of a no-confusion holiday!