In a world spinning faster than we can catch our breath, decision-making has become an intricate dance between logic, emotion, and an overload of possibilities. The simplicity of yesteryears has been replaced with endless shades of uncertainty. Where we once had 24 shades of grey, today we navigate 226. What was once a straightforward rainbow of colours has blended into indecipherable hues of confusion.

 

It’s no longer just about making choices — it’s about making the right choice, the best choice, the optimal choice, while standing in the crossfire of a thousand perspectives, algorithms, and unsolicited opinions.

This is the world my daughter is growing up in.

The other day, she came to me, caught in the thick of a decision. As a mother, I wanted to help, but I also knew that my experience was rooted in a different time — a time when ‘the olden days’ were not just a nostalgic term but a way of life.

 

I offered her a lesson I have learnt in my years of navigating this ever-changing world: Sometimes, you don’t need to go full speed ahead. Sometimes, you don’t need to slam the brakes. Sometimes, you just go amber.

She looked at me, confused.

 

I explained: Green means go. Red means stop. But amber? Amber is the pause in between.

Amber is that sacred space where you take a breath before the next move. It’s the moment of grace between impulse and consequence. It’s where clarity has the chance to rise before action takes hold.

That guy waiting for a response?

That job offer making you feel torn?

That life-changing decision hovering over you?

Go amber.

Give yourself permission to pause. To reflect. To feel. To decide from a place of truth rather than urgency.

She smiled. She got it. She thought it was clever.

And in that moment, I realised how much we all need amber in our lives. The world demands that we react instantly — reply now, decide now, choose now. But wisdom often whispers ‘wait’. Not out of fear, but out of intention.

And from this shared understanding, we birthed something beautiful.

A phrase. A reminder. A declaration of love.

Whenever she or I need reassurance — when the world feels overwhelming, when the shades of life become too complex, when choices feel like weights — we say, ‘I love you green’.

Because beyond the amber, beyond the uncertainty, beyond the hesitation, love is #unshakable.

No matter how fast the world moves, no matter how many choices cloud our vision, some things remain steadfast. Some things deserve the green light — always.

Love. Family. Understanding.

These are the #unshakable bonds that hold us together when everything else feels uncertain and inconsistent.

 

So now, when life feels too fast, we remind each other: It’s okay to go amber for a while. Because in the end, when the moment is right, when the decision is clear, we’ll move forward with certainty.

 

And through it all, one thing is certain —   I love you, green.

Why do I feel like I just gave some creative wisdom there? Let me know your thoughts.

 

‘See’ you next week.

Sally Chiwuzie
+ posts

IG Handle: @unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind