Kristan Swan

Decision Making is Part of the Process

Making a decision is part of the process-not the destination. Too often we feel pressured to make a decision with the sense of it being the final destination when in reality decision making is part of the journey.  I have recognized this tendency in my children, my clients, myself. A recent example-selling my house. I have been renting my home for the past 15 months. I moved into my new husband’s home. I love it, and he has so much stuff I can’t imagine us ever moving from here! My tenant reached out to me a few weeks ago to say she was moving. She had bought a house and was giving her 30 day notice. I don’t really like being a landlord. I had kept the house because this is my third marriage. We were engaged after just 4 weeks of dating. It felt like the safe thing to do-keep the house, my escape hatch, my security blanket. The reality is that it is a great house. My husband and I will never move there. Even in the unlikely event that Phil and I get a divorce or choose to live apart, that is not where I see myself landing. Oh yes, the philosophy is to keep ahold of every bit of property you can. Oh no, once you sell how will you ever get back into the market. This all may be true, and did I mention, I don’t like being a landlord. It is a good time to sell. I can see using the money for other things that are more meaningful at this time. I want the freedom of not worrying about a house. So actually the decision to put the house on the market was pretty easy once I was able to shed everyone else’s expectations and thoughts about it. Now the journey, what to list it for, do I stage it, do I pre-inspect, and the list goes on. The good news about this particular journey which is a lesson for all of us, is that I have a guide whom I trust. My dear friend who happens to be a real estate agent. We have known each other since we were 12 and she is just fabulous. Not everyone I have known since middle school would I trust to sell my house. Dhari, yes! So, I asked her what she thought regarding timing, price, staging, inspections. And I got to make my own decision with good information. And I do think when you can make your life simpler, go for it.

Ready for your next post?

Everyone is right at least once.

I have a wise friend. She is stealthy, not showy. Her personality is outgoing; most people who meet her would describe her as an extrovert. I have the privilege of knowing better, knowing her better. She is an introvert and a master of deflection.  Over the decades we...

Talk to Strangers

My husband tells a story of his dad as a young boy taking public transportation to watch a sports game. In the story, his parents remind the young boy to talk to as many strangers as possible on the train. It is a sweet story and feels a bit like a fairytale,...

Inspired Decisions

I have been thinking about the various types of decision makers-my girlfriend and colleague told a great story the other day at lunch. She is a microwave and her husband is a crockpot. What if we could all be insta-pot-make a variety of decisions with ease and...