Quick, Choose!

Hello, hello! 

Friends, have you watched any of the Interactive Movies/TV shows on Netflix? This week, I have for the first time, and WOW was it an EYE OPENING experience. 

In our fast-paced world, making decisions under pressure and within time constraints has become increasingly common. From everyday choices to life-altering decisions, the ability to think quickly and make “sound” judgments is becoming more and more expected of us. However, my experience with “Choosing Love”, a new interactive movie on Netflix has shined a light on a crucial part of my personality —I struggle to make decisions under pressure. *smh*.

It’s something that I’ve always known deep down… but I never realized the anxiety that comes with it. In this movie, you have around 10 seconds to actively participate in the narrative and make the decision you’d want for the main character. They would present you with two options and you had to jump in and shape the storyline. 

I initially started the movie with the intention of enjoying it and experiencing this cutting-edge, fascinating technology (?), but I soon became so nervous that I let the “computer” make the decisions for me twice before abandoning the movie altogether. In spite of my expectations, I had no pleasure in it at all. Only anxiety.

The irony in this is that I do this for a living. I am “supposedly” a screenwriter. I decide the actions of my characters almost daily. The time limit, however, made a difference in this situation. And at that, I absolutely FAILED. The pressure of time within the movie mirrored my real-life events. (Narcissistically, I found myself living vicariously through the main character). So, in my mind, I was making the decisions for myself as well.

With each choice I had to make, I began to notice a pattern in my process; whenever the clock was about to start, I would experience heightened anxiety and a sense of being overwhelmed. I would hesitate, second guess myself or freeze under the pressure. This self-realization prompted me to delve deeper into understanding the root causes of my decision-making struggles.

The fear of REGRET. 

One of the underlying factors that contributed to my difficulty in making those decisions was the fear of making the wrong one. Every time I’m about to make a decision, the fear is amplified, as the consequences of my decisions directly influence the outcome of the story. This fear of regret led to indecisiveness and a reluctance to commit to a particular course of action.

So, naturally, this was my new obsession this week. To improve my decision-making abilities. I explored various strategies that could help me navigate time-sensitive situations more effectively. And I came up with a few techniques that I think suit me personally. I very generously would like to share them with you:

(of course, in real life, we are rarely faced with decisions to make in under 10 seconds only).

Nevertheless, here they are:

• Clearly define the objective or desired outcome of your decision. Having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve will definitely guide you.
• Evaluate Pros and Cons. (Rory Gilmore comes to mind, it worked for her, why not us?).
• Consider long-term implications. Think beyond just the immediate outcome.
• Trust your intuition. ALTHOUGH, I read this somewhere a few months ago, “Never mistake anxiety for intuition”, thought I’d warn you too.
• Seek different perspectives. Hearing another’s opinion might give you the “coin flip” effect, I believe you would know exactly what you want once you’re presented with an outside view. 
• Set deadlines for yourself to avoid unnecessary delays. Never allow yourself to get stuck in analysis paralysis. It’s a bottomless waterspout. 
• Practice mindfulness. I have become a big fan of mindfulness. 
• Learn from past experiences.
• Embrace flexibility. 

And my favorite,

• Embrace the journey, not just the outcome. Something I need to actively remind myself of. 

So, I initially wanted to give this “movie”  a bad review, but actually… It served as a powerful catalyst for self-reflection and personal growth. The plot may have not been the best, but the experience was eye opening for sure. 

And that’s it, lovelies! 

This is my update, what’s yours? Tell me!

XOXO, 

FFB