The 3 D’s of decision-making can turn a very hard situation into an easier process. You can write them down or run through them in your head in order to help you figure out what’s best for yourself and the people around you.

1. Define the problem

Ask yourself the question, what exactly is going on here? Are you choosing between something you feel might be right vs. wrong? Do you have options? Is there even truly a problem or do you simply have a choice in something?

2. Determine options & outcomes

What are some of the possible decisions you can make when it comes to the problem you’ve identified? With every possible decision, you should also write down the consequences of those decisions could be. Keep in mind that each decision could have more than one consequence and that consequences don’t have to be bad! Questions to ask yourself when understanding consequences include, how can this affect me? Could this work out badly? Could I get in trouble? Is this the right thing to do? How would I feel about that? Is anyone else impacted?

3. Decide, Act, & Evaluate

Re-read everything you’ve written down until this point. If an option is illegal, unethical, or simply wouldn’t sit well with others, cross it off your list. Pick the one that feels right to you, and make sure it’s something you’re comfortable doing. Will you be okay with either of the consequences? If not, is it worth the risk?

Re-evaluate after you’ve made the decision and talk to yourself about how it went. Is this something you would do again? If not, what would you do differently? Decision-making is a process that gets sharper overtime. Learn from mistakes and give yourself credit when you make good choices.