Coffee shops, cookies, and choices

Are you good at making decisions? Yes? What's your secret? No? Well, look to the people around you for help. That's what I do.

I have had to make so many decisions these last few weeks. Personal, professional, home, clothing, food, kitchen unitaskers, paperwork, this thing, that thing, this side, that side, where does, how about, what about, could it, what then, how then, if then...

"The quality of any given option cannot be assessed in isolation from its alternatives." (Barry Schwartz).

Have you heard about the "Tyranny of Choice" study?

https://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bschwar1/Sci.Amer.pdf

I'm obsessing over this study. Life is not simply opting for a simple A, opening option B, which then allows C with the option of C(2) or C(3), etc. and it comforts me to know I've been programmed to think of things as a whole picture rather than just one task.

I feel like I'm a spider deciding on where to put a web. Pinpointing landings, calculating distances, factoring the airspeed velocity of both laden and unladen swallows... and hoping the kid on the sidewalk doesn't step on me...

...and to be honest, I couldn't have made any of these choices without all the beautiful people in my life. I'm grateful and comforted to have some stellar people to bounce around ideas and provide direction and guidance for these landings and factors.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. <kissy face emoji>.

I hope that whatever decision you have to make, you can make it without stressing about a "what if" or the "other side" or "better alternative".

To the girl with the brilliant smile and fabulously optimistic personality at the coffee shop, thanks for making my today a bit lovelier - please bring your G-uitar to K-tar. I found a really great coffee shop there I think you'll love.

Slainte.