
The Calm Decision Framework: Don’t Make Big Decisions in Small States
From Essential Skills for Humaning Podcast by Christina Eanes
April 1, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 470
About this episode
Christina Eanes and Lori Muhlstein discuss the Calm Decision Framework and how regulating your state can improve decision quality.
In this episode of the Essential Skills for Humaning podcast, Christina Eanes and Lori Muhlstein explore the Calm Decision Framework and the idea that most bad decisions aren’t logic failures; they’re state failures. When we’re exhausted, rushed, or emotionally triggered, our nervous system narrows our thinking and pushes us toward quick relief rather than thoughtful resolution. We discuss how regulating your state before evaluating options, identifying the real decision being made, recognizing whether a choice is reversible, and assigning clear ownership can dramatically improve the quality of decisions at work and at home. Because the quality of your decisions rarely exceeds the quality of the state you’re in when you make them. For more info about Christina, Lori, or Eanes Training, visit EanesTraining.com.
People in this episode
Host: Christina Eanes
Guest: Lori Muhlstein
Topics covered
- Calm Decision Framework
- decision making
- emotional regulation
- state management
Keywords
- decision quality
- nervous system
- thoughtful resolution
- ownership
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