Decision-making strategies

Serena Cornwall
2 min readNov 26, 2023

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How Emotions Shape Our Commitments

Photo by Jarrod Reed on Unsplash

Don’t make Promises,
When you are Happy.
Refrain from replying when you are Angry.
And don’t decide when you’re Sad.

Why?

Because emotions can cloud our judgment. Just because you are experiencing a specific emotion does not necessarily mean it is the most appropriate time to act on those feelings.

Let me break it down for you:

Why should you avoid making commitments when feeling Happy?

Because the bliss of happiness can lead you to believe that anything is achievable. Everything appears fantastic in that moment. Still, as those feelings gradually dissipate, your promises may no longer seem as feasible as they initially did.

Why should you refrain from responding when Angry?

Simply put, when our minds are clouded by anger, we often utter words we regret later. Those words may seem justified in the heat of the moment, but they can result in remorse upon reflection.

And lastly: Don’t make decisions when feeling Sad.

Sadness is an emotion that can bring us down emotionally and mentally. Making decisions when we feel vulnerable and perhaps lack the motivation to do anything is not a good combination.

Photo by Cathy Mü on Unsplash

Emotions are temporary. There are days when we experience happiness, anger, and sadness, but these moments will pass. You will not be tethered to a single set of emotions for your life.

There will be good days and bad days. However, decision-making should occur when you are mentally stable enough to wholeheartedly stand by your choices, regardless of the circumstances.

Serena

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