The Courage to Change Your Mind

This is a story about having the courage to chang your mind.

The other day, my daughter agreed to trade stuffies with a friend.

Given that she sleeps with literally a million of them in her bed (seriously, it’s like a plush zoo in there), I figured it sounded like a fun little exchange.

That night before bed, she brought the chosen stuffy downstairs so she wouldn’t forget it for school the next day. But just before lights out, I found her curled up in tears.

“I don’t want to give it away,” she whispered.

The Courage to Speak the Hard Thing Out Loud

As I sat beside her, I first thanked her for saying the hard thing out loud—because that’s not always easy to do at any age.

I told her, “Sometimes we make a decision and later realize it doesn’t feel quite right. And you know what? It’s OK to change your mind.”

We also talked about how her friend might feel disappointed, and that being both honest and kind is important too.I reminded her she could say something like, “I thought I was ready, but I’m actually not ready to do a stuffy exchange right now. Maybe I’ll feel differently another day.”

The Bigger Lesson for All of Us

It felt like one of those life moments that holds a much bigger lesson:

• The power of listening to your intuition.
• The courage it takes to speak your truth, even when it feels uncomfortable.
• The permission to change your mind when something no longer feels right.

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck in a Choice That No Longer Feels Good

Because here’s the truth.

We’ve all been in situations where we agreed to something and then felt stuck—
worried about letting someone down, afraid of looking flaky, or unsure how to backtrack.

But it’s brave and wise to pause, check in with yourself, and honor what’s true for you— even if it means disappointing someone else in the short term.

Try This When You’re Unsure What to Do Next

If you find yourself going back and forth on something, you might ask yourself:

“If I trusted myself fully… what would I do next?”

Or, try saying your choice out loud and paying attention to how your body responds.

Do you feel a sense of peace? Or does it feel heavy and sticky?

Sometimes your body knows before your mind catches up. The key is to slow down long enough to listen.

Pause + Reflect

Take a moment to check in with yourself:

1. Have you recently changed your mind about something—and felt relief afterward?
2. Are you currently sitting with a decision that doesn’t feel quite right, but you aren’t sure what to do next?
3. Could this be a gentle reminder to listen more closely to what feels true for you—not just what others expect?

Notice which one feels most true for you today.

Let it guide how you move forward from here.

Ready To Take It Further

If you noticed yourself relating to any of the reflections above, I’ve got something that might help you move through it—literally.

Check out my Soul Stroll: Overcome Perfectionism. It’s a powerful audio walking meditation designed to help you let go of overthinking, take imperfect action, and move forward with confidence—one step at a time.

You can access it inside The Movement along with dozens of other uplifting workouts, meditations, and walking audio sessions when you start your 7-day free trial.

Because the truth is—you don’t have to have it all figured out.

You just have to be willing to take the next step.

Start Your Free 7-Day Trial Here

Love,
Erin