What is Make Up Your Mind Day?

Jake Newby

| 3 min read

Shot of a young woman looking thoughtful while studying at home.
Have you heard of Make Up Your Mind Day? It shares a date with New Year’s Eve, so it’s understandably overshadowed.
If you haven’t heard of Make Up Your Mind Day, it’s a day meant to challenge indecisive people to quit waffling so much and make firmer decisions. And what better time to work on this personality trait than on the cusp of a new year? Have you been unhappy at work and contemplated a career change? Have you gone back and forth on whether to share feelings you’ve had with someone significant in your life? Use Make Up Your Mind Day as a motivator to become a better decision maker.

How to observe Make Up Your Mind Day

Dec. 31 is a great day to take concrete steps toward your goals. Do you have a habit of procrastinating and putting off big decisions? These steps could help you find clarity:

Start journaling

Getting your thoughts out and organized on paper can be a big help. For some people, seeing their goals and desires written down can make them real, in a sense. They become categorized, defined, and realistic. Your journal can include pros and cons lists, too, to help you analyze.
If you really want to go all in, you could create flowcharts, as well. Flowcharts can help you map out your goals so you can identify the steps you need to take to make them happen. They provide you with a glimpse at the bigger picture.

Meditate

Meditation can bring clarity to the mind. When we focus on our breath and our body, it can help stabilize the mind. It’s also a stress-reliever. If you are the indecisive type, try meditating and practicing breathing exercises a few times a week. Your feelings of confusion and uncertainty may start to wane as your body, mind and spirit align through meditation.

Work on decision-making

If you are indecisive – maybe, you consider yourself a textbook overthinker – you probably won’t suddenly become a confident and concise decision maker overnight. But it’s something you can work on. Practice visualizing the long-term outcome of significant decisions, like adopting a pet or choosing between buying a truck or a car. Do your homework on big life changes like these and consider how your future self may feel about each option. For smaller, relatively inconsequential decisions – like choosing which restaurant to eat at or which pair of shoes to wear to a party – make swift decisions and stick with them.
Make Up Your Mind Day is a day to take a stand on issues that we may have wavered on. At its core, it’s about decluttering our minds, organizing our thoughts and ultimately living with a little less stress.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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