7/6/26:  The 24-Hour Rule: How to Make Better Decisions When Emotions Run High

Today is a hard day to be an entrepreneur. 

Well, the day I am writing this is/was.

You see, I’ve been considering a lot of things in my business:

Do I keep plugging on, as is, knowing my business can take awhile to get to where I dream of?

Do I explore the other services I’ve been considering?  If yes, do I do those instead of coaching or alongside it?

Do I go back to a “traditional” job?

I woke up on this particular day hoping for a sign. 

The problem is, I didn’t get the sign I was hoping for. 

I didn’t get the project I had written a proposal for.  I didn’t get a grant who’s funding would’ve launched HUGE projects.  I found out about those two things within two hours of each other.  What a bummer!

Admittedly, I cried…and I do not like crying.

You see, I firmly believe no big, direction altering decisions should be made when emotions are running high.

Then I wiped away the tears, said out loud “today was a hard day, professionally,” and decided to stop my racing thoughts.

Instead of continuing to work, which had me feeling like I was chasing ghosts, I put work away.  I played some cards, read a book, and went on a small adventure with my daughter.  The hurt and uncertainty still lingered, but I knew I wasn’t going to do anything rash in a moment of emotion.

I woke up the next day and treated it for what it was, a brand new day.

With the emotions removed, I knew I wasn’t ready to pursue a full-time job.  I know what I’m passionate about, what my dreams are, and what I want out of my business.  I knew I was not ready to give up. 

AND, with a shift in my mindset came a shift in my perspective.  I was able to see opportunities that had been buried beneath disappointment.

I received a favorable email from a connection I had reached out to, one that I am very excited about.  One who carries a similar desire to serve people.

Five years ago, I might have started making decisions, or doing and saying things out of a place of hurt.  But then I heard one of the best things ever from a man I respected a lot. 

A keyboard warrior had decided to tear down a sizable accomplishment that this man and his people had achieved.  As our committee reviewed it, we all felt ourselves getting angry, saying mean spirited things, and you could tell he was “hot”.  But then he said, “I’m just going to sit with this for 24 hours before I decide anything.”

The “24 hour rule” was something he had employed to take emotions out of his words and actions.  He would sit with something for at least a day before he took any action, to ensure logic won out over emotion. 

I love that rule and since hearing about it I have implemented it many times. 

Just a couple weeks ago, my daughter was making a fairly big decision (for a 14 year old), one that was coming from a place of hurt and sadness, and before I would let her settle on her final decision, I let her sit with it for 24 hours. 

Take a moment to think about the events around you.  How many conflicts have arisen, how many hurtful words have been said, and how many poor decisions have been made because someone didn’t allow themselves time to sit with the feelings that were bubbling over?

We live in a fast-paced world that thrives off instant gratification.  The 24 hour rule lets you get the better of a world who wants to demand immediate, irrational action. 

I challenge you to take some time with those big decisions that plague you in work and life. 

Take some time to sit in the initial overwhelm of emotion, let time wash away those BIG feelings, then come back to that thought or decision.

The other thing I’ve learned, if I feel that I cannot totally confront a feeling or emotion on my own, whether it is related to work or home, I find the right friend to lean into. 

During my tough day yesterday, it was my husband.  During some of my toughest personal challenges, especially this year, it has been my best friend.

What has been overwhelming your thoughts lately?

Could separating yourself give you the clarity to make a well thought out decision?

Who can you lean into when challenges present themselves and you need help finding your footing?

Sometimes clarity doesn’t come from finding the answer immediately. Sometimes it comes from giving yourself enough time and space to hear the answer that was already there.

Personal Perspective:  Personally, I have spent a lot of time wrestling with negative thoughts and emotions on my own.  Whether it be because I don’t want to bring anyone else down, trouble someone with my emotions, or honestly, don’t trust someone with my feelings. 

Especially if you have struggled to trust people in the past, exposing thoughts and emotions can be incredibly difficult.  I know!  Vulnerability is difficult for me, and I practice it, but here is what I will say.

Life is not going to get easier.  We will always have challenges, they just look different in each season of life.  You need someone to lean on, and that relationship needs to be built on trust.  In making the decision to be more vulnerable (admittedly, I do not do it 100% of the time) people are able to see what and who I really am. 

Here is the small “sale” – if you do not have that person you feel like you can lay it all bare to, I can be that person!  Coaching is confidential and I listen without judgment.  In fact, in that 30-minute discovery call, I will give no advice…just ask questions and listen. 

So, if you need someone to share the hard things with, let’s have our FREE discovery call soon!