The Mental Load is Real!

 Do you ever get so overwhelmed with everything thing you have to do and remember, and all the decisions that you have to make? I do! Just yesterday I was trying to decide if I wanted to watch a movie or read a book. I went on Disney Plus, to try to find a movie, but quickly gave up, because I got so overwhelmed with all of the choices. It’s the same way when I try to read a book. I get so overwhelmed with all the choices, that I give up, unless I have a specific one in mind that I want to read. So I did what Hermione Granger would do, and I went to the library, well Google anyways, and researched why I can’t make decisions. 

   There were several reasons that I think apply to why I get decision paralysis, the first one is anxiety, I’m afraid of making the wrong decision, and then getting in trouble for it. That comes from childhood trauma, of course. 

  The second reason  is the amount of items I have to choose from. It’s so much easier to choose when the number is smaller. If I walk into a bookstore, I get so overwhelmed with the amount of books, that I usually just walk around and then leave, unless I go in for something specific. That applies to Disney Plus and Hulu also. I get so overwhelmed with the amount of movies to choose from that I just exit the app and give up on watching a movie, or I go to my Fandango app and watch a movie I have already seen 15 million times. 

   Another reason for decision paralysis is perfectionism, what if I pick the wrong movie or book or whatever? What if it’s the wrong choice? I know that when it comes to books and movies, picking the wrong one really isn’t that big of a deal. For me, though, if I have to buy a book or movie and I don’t like it, and don’t finish it, then I feel guilty because I wasted money on it. 

  Another I get decision paralysis is because of daily stress in life. The more stressed or exhausted I am, the worse the decision paralysis is, which then causes more stress for me, and the cycle continues. 

Then, of course, you have a the whole mental load, in general. The more exhausted I am physical and mentally, the worse my decision making skills are. When I’m having to remember drs appts, grocery lists, to do lists, church stuff, personal stuff, my family’s stuff, and everything else I tend to shut down at times. Mental load is a big factor for so many people, especially women because they, usually, take care of the household and have to juggle and remember so many things. To those other women who struggle with the mental load, and/or decision paralysis, I want you to know that you are not alone, and you are seen. God sees you and He hears you. When you are feeling exhausted and the mental load is weighing heavily on you, take a few moments to sit and be still before God. Say a prayer, read scripture, sit in nature, or sing some praise and worship songs. It helps…God helps.