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Writer's pictureIsabelle

Tuesday Thoughts And Decide


Hi Friends, I hope you gained strength to keep holding on last week. Today might give you just enough umph to finally do that thing you wanted to do. To start with, I will tell you about a word that inspired me. That word is "decidere". It is Latin for decide. I am so happy that my Latin language classes, back in a German high school, are finally giving me some inspiration. Who would have thought? The meaning of the word “decide” comes from the Latin word, decidere, which is a combination of two words:

  • de = ‘OFF’ and

  • caedere = ‘CUT’

CUT + OFF = DECISION!

To decide literally means to CUT OFF everything except the things that matter most. This concept can be very powerful once we start applying it in our lives. But to apply it, we need to know what we want in life. In other words, we’ve got to have an idea of:

-what we’re ultimately here to do—our purpose.

-and then we need to know what to do on a smaller scale to ensure that we’re living out our purpose on a daily basis.

This isn’t as airy-fairy as it sounds, I promise. Here’s an example from my own life:

My purpose in life is: to inspire and help women in midlife to navigate these sometimes confusing and challenging times and show them that clarity and growth is possible and can even be fun. Amongst all their life's changes, they will learn to live a more positive and intentional life.

I’ve got a lot of different ways to fulfill this purpose, and my most important decisions on a day-to-day basis are in some way related to me making sure that I focus on maintaining a connection between my purpose and my projects. On a much smaller scale, as not to scare you with living your life's purpose, what about deciding to do the thing you always wanted to do. Look at the woman in the picture. I do not know her, but I do know, she wanted a photo shoot in the forest with a green gown. That photo didn't just happen. She dreamed it up and then, at some point, decided to plan for it. She needed to get the dress, the photographer, set a time and so on. She needed to get clear. She needed to cut off everything else for a while. What about you? I wrote about one decision I made while in Germany for my brother's memorial in the following blog. https://www.isabellestephenson.com/post/tuesday-thoughts-and-i-should There are many decisions we make every day; many on auto pilot. Let's talk about the things that are on the back burner. You know, the things you put there, while you were busy raising children, and or being in a demanding career? Or whilst caring for your elderly parents? What were they? Dig them up and take a look at them. Are they still something you'd like to do? I remember being at a student harp playing workshop where the instructor talked about volunteering in hospitals with harp playing to sooth patients. The vibrations of the harp strings literally lower a patients heart rate and breathing. Cool right? I loved the idea and put it on the back burner as I was busy raising my 6 children. It happens not to be important to me anymore, so I can take it off the back burner. It might be a place you always wanted to visit. Now, don't let me discourage you from a world tour or living in the Tibetan mountains for a year. I mean Elizabeth Gilbert who write Eat, Pray, Love, did exactly that. Something extraordinary. Let's scale it down a bit. How about:

  • that book you wanted to read

  • that class you wanted to take

  • that town you wanted to visit

  • that relative you wanted to call

  • that photoshoot you wanted to have

  • that dress you wanted to buy

  • that party you wanted to host

  • that book you wanted to write

  • that art project you wanted to start

  • that movie you wanted to see

  • that restaurant you wanted to try

  • that volunteer work you wanted to do

  • that person you wanted to talk to...

...fill in the blank.

Now it takes only a few steps, only one decision at a time to ...read that book, for example. You decide to go to the library and take it out. You decide to order it online. You put other things on hold until you are through the process of getting that book. You cut off other things that are less important at that moment.


Right now, I am taking a class about the Hawaiian forgiveness prayer of Ho'oponopono. I decided to learn more about forgiveness. I have a friend who is also a coach and we exchange what we have learned. We both made a decision to buy this class and then another decision to listen to the first module. Then we made a decision to exchange thoughts about what we learned in a phone call.


Take a few minutes to sit down with a blank piece of paper and a pen. Write down what you want to do. Keep writing. This list is your list. And anything on it is ok. Maybe you want to write a devotional or start meditating. Or maybe you want to talk to your sister who you haven’t spoken to in ages. Maybe you decide to write a letter to a loved one. Maybe you decide to take 10 minutes a day for yourself to just be.


There is a relief when you decide, when you cut everything else off and do that one thing. Relief sounds good, doesn't it?

I can't wait to hear from you about what you decided to do. I just love hearing from you.




"Good decisions come from experience.

Experience comes from making bad decisions."

mark twain And just like that I have an idea for my next blog...

PS: Message me for a free consult to start moving toward a more confident you.

You are loved. Deeply loved. Loved beyond measure.

Until next time,

Isabelle Call or write for a free life coaching consultation #732-331-2246 Isabellestephensoncoach@gmail.com

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