“I wish I could go back.”
Do you ever wish you could go back in time and change a decision you made?
Rethinking, flip-flopping, and re-negotiating in our minds creates additional stress when we have serious decisions to make. Not having all the information to make a decision can cause us to feel “stuck.”
Pregnancy is not a one-size-fits-all medical condition or decision
If you don’t understand something it can be very scary.
Start by collecting the facts, the information, and the evidence.
- What are my options for this pregnancy?
- Is the pregnancy viable?
- Can measurements be verified?
- Is the pregnancy growing in the right place?
For every serious decision, we collect evidence and take it as far as the information can lead us; after that, we go to our “influencers.”
According to Merriam-Webster, an “INFLUENCER” is a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.
Social Influencer vs Relationship Influencer
We may lose our confidence when new “evidence” shows up through others’ opinions and popularity.
Social influencers on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram present themselves as experts, and have a social prestige among their followers. According to human behavior studies on relationships with social influencers, “Research shows that expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness are the three most important attributes of effective spokespersons.”
- Ask yourself, what’s in it for them?
- Is this a paid promotion in which they will benefit from my decision, comments or views?
- Will I still respect this person’s social identity 10 years from now?
- Can his/her communication be medically verified?
A Relationship influencer is like a mentor or friend. A relationship influencer has your best interest in mind. This person is honest, kind, and trustworthy.
You can ask the same questions about a relationship influencer:
- Ask yourself, what’s in it for them?
- Is this a paid promotion in which they will benefit from my decision, comments or views?
- Will I still respect this person’s social identity 10 years from now?
- Can his/her communication be medically verified?
Any decision has its risks and uncertainties. Make the best decision you can with the correct information, and with the most trustworthy support. Move forward with your best decision: one that does not compromise your truths, even 10 years from now.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3392605/
https://utswmed.org/medblog/social-media-pregnancy/
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/influencer
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563221002338