🧠Weekly Mind Sweep #91| What’s On My Mind | Decision
Friday night, my husband and I made the 90-minute journey to watch a High School football game under the lights.
From all of our conversations, I became fascinated to observe my thoughts and actions around decisions that we needed to make.
What will we be having for dinner?
What time will we need to leave?
Do we need to bring chairs or will there be stands?
Some decisions require thinking through puzzle pieces, and some require no effort.
I reached out to a colleague in the area for a recommendation and found a place that sounded delicious to us.
I put the address of the restaurant and game field into Waze, and it magically told us when we had to leave.
We don't need chairs; this team mom can't sit still on the sideline and must follow the ball.
*Similar footage of me on a football side line. Also, we need women coaches in the NFL
What I didn't know then was that I'd need to make a more time-sensitive and impactful decision later that evening.
When we arrived at the field, we'd need to make more decisions, things we couldn't have predicted. The field lined the parking lot by a chain link fence, and most of the fans had their raised-up trucks backed in against the fence in true tail-gating style to support their team.
This area was also the "visitors" side.
There were no stands, just a small section of field to stand alongside our team in front of the opposing team's crowd. In true high school student fashion, they commented loudly in support of their team, shared judgment and jabbing of our team, and loud cheers as their team ended with a 37-12 victory.
Our team fought hard.
They brought their best to the field, supported each other, celebrated small victories, and stood tall by each other. This game brought some injuries common to the sport of football. A few players had ice packs on their shoulders, one tending to a sprained ankle and one that wouldn't come until the game was over.
As we said goodbye to the families that had made the trek out to see the game, with mentions of "better luck next week" and "I'm thankful we're on a home field next week," We got back in our car and started the 90-minute trek home.
We didn't make it far before my son called me. "Mom, my friend is not OK, and we need your help."
I started asking clarifying questions, but my body was already in motion, turning the car around to head back to the field. I weaved my way past the crowds of locals gathering and celebrating their win to find a player getting off our bus that needed help. I left my running car to find an EMT to determine better what our player needed.
Our player needed to be seen by a medical professional. Now.
We all jumped into action, calling the parents as the EMT performed the necessary protocol, got him into my car, and loaded the address to the closest hospital. Fortunately, it was on the same street as the school!
In the end, our student is thankful, OK, and healing.
Now, as I sit with a regulated nervous system, I can reflect on the experience with awe and gratitude.
My son's life experience with this friend prepared him to recognize that something was not OK and he needed to take action.
My life experience prepared me to move into swift action to support the situation and help during a time of need.
When our brains are in a time of urgency and safety, we pull from these resources to make thoughtful decisions at a record pace.
I'm in awe of the swift decisions we made. I've gained a deeper awareness that being in these situations teaches us how to manage them when we need to act during a time of need.
Were there things we would have done differently given the circumstances as we look back at the experience? Possibly. Overall, I'm grateful that our teammates are home safe and healing.
This experience reaches much farther than just a Friday night under the lights.
My brain now has evidence and validation that:
My practice and experiences matter. They reach even deeper than emergencies. I have a tremendous amount of knowledge to pull from.
My intuition will guide me to safety when a decision needs to be urgent.
When I reflect, I can learn what I might have done differently, given the opportunity to make this decision again. I am creating new neuropathways for my brain to pull upon again.
Sometimes, we put a lot of weight and thought into decisions that require less effort. [*1]
I can stay up past my bedtime. [*2]
Making decisions can feel challenging at times.
Especially when they are about our business and there are finances involved. Some decisions require care and precision. Others can be swift so we can get into action.
If you could use support, I can help.
If you could use more of a “team effort” of support:
This is the last week to receive a discounted MindSweep Mapping Session [*3] when you join The Entreprenur's BrainTrust.
We begin 10/02/2023.
There are three spaces left. One of them is yours!
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This has become a new space for my digressions.
[*1] Overthinking and decision fatigue are a real thing. The first step is the awareness that you are in that state. If you are still determining which you are facing, contact a friend or colleague for another perspective. They are often less emotionally attached to the situation.
[*2] I am a creature of habit and tuck myself in a 9 p.m. to read every night. We didn't get home until 12:30 a.m., and I could recognize how different my brain and body felt Saturday from the lack of rest.
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