“We shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God; for, beholding his greatness, we realize our own littleness; his purity shows us our foulness; and by meditating upon his humility we find how very far we are from being humble” (St. Teresa of Ávila).

In a recent season of waiting, my coach gave me an assignment: to pray the Litany of Humility. It’s a hard prayer that cuts right into pride and trust. It’s also helped me detach from expectations and be obedient in my waiting. Between taking this litany to heart, winding down the summer fun, and settling into more routine schedules and decisions, I’ve been considering some ways to simplify the process.

In addition to praying the Litany of Humility, here are five takeaways you may want to take to heart so you can be at peace with your decisions:

1. When You’re Inspired, Don’t Delay Action by Overthinking

How many times have you been inspired to make a change or build a new habit but tell yourself, “I’ll do it (next season, when the kids do this, that happens at work, etc.)”?

Don’t talk yourself out of making a change, because there may not be a “later”; there is only right now. You don’t have to know how it’s all going to work in order to start; you simply have to take the first step.

But, hang on: Aren’t there times when the Lord is asking us to wait? Absolutely! But, there is a difference between waiting and procrastinating. One comes from obedience, the other from fear.

2. Take the Simplest Path

The more complicated the path, the more you’ll delay taking action. Simply take the next step. Avoid going too deep into the weeds of how someone else did it or is doing it. Theirs is not your path, because you’re unique.

It’s helpful to see how someone promoted their service or product or to learn from their process, but you’re different from them. Do what feels authentic to you!

3. Detach

I see two types of detachment. One is detaching from the outcome. Focus on the steps you need to take, and resist looking backward or at what you think is the ideal. The other is recognizing that you may need to stop doing something you’re currently doing or holding onto in order to stay on your path.

Saying “no” may make you or others uncomfortable at first, but those feelings are temporary. The more you practice saying “no” to opportunities or conversations that divert or distract you, the more clearly you can see your next step and the easier it is to say “no” without worrying about how someone else will respond to your choice. Their response is out of your control, anyway, so detach from worry.

4. Be Consistent

Remind yourself what you’ve committed to (a specific goal or a lifestyle choice) when other opportunities come your way that sound good. They may actually be distracting you from your path.

I had to remind myself of this idea recently. While it was uncomfortable for me to decline, because typically I’m a “say yes and figure it out later” kind of gal, I was at peace with my choice, because what I was saying “no” to didn’t align with my path.

5. Be Obedient

If God is calling you to something, trust the journey. If He’s asking you to detach and be consistent, keep going. He’s not going to give you all the answers; He’s asking you to trust Him. You’ll better understand when you reflect on how far you’ve come. Then, you’ll recognize His provision and clearly see His protection.

These five considerations mean most decisions take a bit more time than our culture is used to. Claim that time! Most texts or emails don’t require your immediate response. If it’s truly timely and important, they’ll call you. Even then, you have the power to say, “Thank you and let me consider your request.”

Liz Montigny is a Catholic life coach for women and retreat leader. She coaches her clients to reach their goals with grace instead of hustle. Liz lives with her husband and their three boys in Massachusetts where she homeschools and builds her theatre ministry. Connect with her at lizmontignycoaching.com.