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Choice or Chance

3 Feb

Lots of things happen to us in life. Some of them are planned for and expected, others are surprises, both good and bad. We make a lot of choices that work out, and some that don’t, and sometimes we take a chance that something we want will happen without us doing anything. The only thing we can really control is ourselves and the choices we make. If we’re proactive we’ll make important choices before they need to happen, or at least try to. But if we put them off, sometimes we take a chance that things will work out anyway. We can make choices or we can leave things up to chance. If we don’t take control of our lives, life will take control of them for us. Nobody knows what’s best for us better than we do. It seems therefore that the best course of action is to ensure we’re involved in decisions that impact us. If we just let things happen and do nothing to direct our lives, we may find ourselves in places we didn’t want to go, doing things we don’t want to do.

Making good choices takes time and thought. The big choices like where we’ll live, what we’ll do, who we’ll spend our lives with, and where we’ll go, are up to us to decide. We can create our lives any way we want them. If we don’t like cold weather, we can choose to live in a warm climate. If we hate office work but need a job, we can choose something we enjoy. If we’re in relationships that aren’t working we can change them. No matter what we need to be happy, we can make choices that will bring it to us. We know what we want, and we know who we are. We know what we need to feel successful and confident. It’s important that we do what is necessary to make choices that will enable us to gain everything that makes our lives the way we want them.

Some people have trouble directing their lives and instead just go with the flow. There is nothing wrong with being spontaneous and we don’t have to plan everything, but if we aren’t in control of where we’re going, somebody or something else is. If several influences are involved we may end up doing things we don’t want to do. Our lives belong to us. If we leave our direction up to chance it might be easier for the moment, but in the end the lives we end up with may not be the lives we most want. Only we know what we want the most and unless we determine to make it happen, chances are we’ll never succeed. We have enough courage and wisdom to direct our lives and make whatever choices we need to be happy. Once we decide where we want to go and what we want to do, nothing can stop us. But we have to decide. We can do that. And when we do, the control we feel over our lives will give us the confidence we need to go forward and get to any destination we choose.

Today if you’ve been leaving your decisions up to chance, or letting others decide for you, think about what you really want. You can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do. You’re in charge of your life and you deserve to get everything out of it you desire. Take charge today. Set your path and start moving toward your goals. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You are amazing and capable. Decide what you want, and then go get it.

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Lottery

16 Jan

There are a lot of things we may wish for – to win the lottery, to be taller, more attractive, more successful, and dozens of others. We can buy a ticket and try to win the lottery but the odds are heavily stacked against us. We can go to bed at night and hope we’ll wake up taller, more attractive, richer, happier, and anything else we’re wishing for, but the odds of those things happening overnight are even worse. We can wish for anything we want, but wishes are just hopes and desires for things to happen. They have nothing to do with what is needed to actually make them a reality. If we really want something in our lives, the first thing we must do is determine if it’s possible to achieve. Unless we’re still growing, it’s unlikely we’ll get any taller. But most things are achievable. We can stop wishing and turn our wishes into goals. Then we can set up steps to achieve those goals and if we really want to, we can change our lives.

Sometimes we say we want to change something, but when it comes to doing what is needed to facilitate the change, we might decide it’s not worth it. Change always brings with it the need to adjust. The level of adjustment is often directly related to the level of change. If we change our hair color, the adjustment is relatively easy. If we move to another city, the adjustment is more difficult. But if we want change in our lives, we can make it happen. We have the power to change almost anything we’re currently experiencing. If we want to be thinner, we can change our eating habits and get more exercise. If we want to make more money, we can expand our education or look for better job opportunities. If we want to be happier, we can change the things in our lives that are preventing us from feeling better. We can become more successful, and we can be happier. We can move forward by objectively determining what is needed to make the desired change a reality. We are in control of our lives and can make them any way we want.

Sometimes there are things we can’t change right now and must work around. For instance, if we have a responsibility or a job we don’t like but haven’t yet been able to modify the situation or find something new. When that happens, we can be patient and understand our current situation, and work our lives around it so that we can be comfortable until it changes. Nothing is permanent in this life and whatever we’re going through today will eventually change. If we keep our focus looking forward and do our best to find joy even when we aren’t exactly where we want to be, we can navigate our time more easily. Every day is a gift and no matter what we’re doing there are opportunities for growth and happiness. Identifying those opportunities and making the most of them will help us gain as much as possible until we are able to move forward.

Today if you’re wishing your life was different, if you want something more, make a plan to achieve it. There isn’t anything you can’t do. Work around your current situation and prepare for the future you want. You can go anywhere you want to go taking one step at a time. Take the first step today. You’ll be there before you know it.

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Circles

12 Jan

As we live our lives we have three choices when we think about our progress. We can move forward, we can stay where we are, or we can go backward. Sometimes we’re happy where we are and comfortable, and we don’t need or want the challenge of change. Sometimes we have to go backward to accomplish something that needs to be addressed. But generally we want to move forward in our lives. We have goals we want to achieve and plans for our future. Sometimes we get caught up in a situation that stalls our progress. We can get stuck and end up going around in circles unable to move forward. Sometimes it’s because of a relationship that isn’t working, or a job situation that has us frozen in time, and sometimes it’s because we really aren’t sure how to go forward so we keep repeating the same pattern over and over. Going around in circles is frustrating. Even when we recognize that’s what’s happening we may not know how to stop the process. A circle is just a continually repeating pattern. All we have to do to break the cycle is step a little to the right or the left to change direction. It sounds easy but patterns have a way of taking control, and unless we are determined to make a change, we may find ourselves stuck for a while.

Healthy relationships are active. They are constantly changing and if we’re paying attention to them, can be continually improving. But sometimes relationships can become stagnant, and don’t change, and we may get stuck. If it’s a relationship that’s important to us we may stay in the situation longer than we’re comfortable. However, if we want things to change, we have to speak up and express our concerns. We can ask for what we need to make the relationship move forward and if the other person is in agreement, things may improve. But if we can’t do anything to change the situation we must decide how we want to proceed. For some people, staying on the same course is fine, even if they’re stuck, so long as they have the other person in their lives. For others, if they’re unhappy and things don’t change, it may be necessary to leave the relationship behind. We’re all different and only we can determine what’s best for us.

If we have plans for our future and goals we’re working toward but find that we aren’t getting any closer to them doing what we’ve been doing, we can change. If the road we’ve been on isn’t taking us where we want to go, we can change direction. We can achieve almost anything we want to if we want it badly enough. If we aren’t moving closer to our goal then we’re either moving further away from it, or we’re standing still. Once we determine where we’re headed and what we want, we can adjust our plans and change our course whenever we need to. All the roads are open to us. All the avenues to get there are available. We can pay attention to what we’re doing and modify our plans for success. If one path doesn’t work, we can simply try another. If we stay true to the objective and keep our eyes on the prize, we’ll get there. We don’t have to go around in circles, and we don’t have to be stuck any longer than we want. We have all the power we need to move forward.

Today if you feel like you’ve been treading water and going in circles and you’re no closer to a goal you want to achieve, switch things up. Try something new. Let go of the things that are holding you back and modify your plans so you can move forward. You can do anything. See the destination in front of you and steer yourself toward it. You’ll be successful and everything you are hoping for will come to you.

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Resolutions

31 Dec

At the beginning of a new year, many people make resolutions. This generally involves a determined resolve to stop doing something, or start doing something, or change something in our lives or our behaviors. Sometimes we can be successful when we resolve to instantly change, but often we fail because when it comes to changing ourselves a hard line in the sand is rarely effective. We all have things we want to change from time to time but instead of making a resolution to immediately stop or begin something, it’s often more effective to set a goal rather than expect our decision to create an instantaneous transformation. Goals are positive things we can work toward and we can take action to adopt the desired change one step at a time. Then we can move forward in ways that are comfortable and incorporate change in our lives little by little until it is achieved.

The quickest way to feel overcome and defeated is to expect more from ourselves than we can reasonably deliver. If we want to lose weight, no matter how much it is, it’s not going to happen overnight. If we remember how long it took us to gain it, and then give ourselves at least that long – or longer – to lose it, we’ll have a more positive experience. Behavior traits we want to eliminate take time. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to eliminate them all at once. They are learned patterns we’ve developed and repeated over and over. We can certainly change them, and if we give ourselves the opportunity to do that one step at a time we’ll be successful. For instance, if we use swear words and want to eliminate them from our speech, we can. But odds are that because they are a customary part of our daily vernacular, they will pop out from time to time. If we decide to be aware when we say them, and then try again to eliminate them each time we slip, over time we’ll be successful.

Learning to be patient with ourselves as we try to change is imperative. Impatience will not help us get to the goal any more quickly. We can give ourselves space and time to learn the new patterns and adopt whatever change we are seeking. We can be our own best friends and show the patience and support a best friend would offer. There isn’t anything we can’t do if we want to badly enough. We can accomplish any goal we set, we can change any behavior we choose, and we can go forward any way that’s best for us. Setting goals and then working toward them one step at a time will ensure success. Nothing can stop us if we keep our eyes on the prize. Being reasonable with our expectations, giving ourselves the time we need to correct our course, and exercising patience as we change will help.

Today if you’ve decided it’s time to make some changes set the first goal toward getting there. By taking it one step at a time you’ll reach every objective you seek. There is plenty of time to accomplish whatever you want to do, and get to wherever you want to go. Take the first step today, and each day forward take another one. Before you know it you’ll reach the target and be successful. You have everything you need to do this. Today is a good time to start.

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What We Have

28 Dec

Today, getting more, being more, doing more, and buying more seem to be a constant focus. The message we hear over and over is that no matter where we are, or what we have, it isn’t enough. We should be striving for more in one way or another. If we believe it, we may spend more money than we have for things we don’t need but think we deserve, and do things we don’t really want but feel we should achieve. It can be confusing to figure out where we are and where we want to be with all the influences around us telling us where we should be. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our lives are our own to design and it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of them. We don’t have to dress a certain way, we don’t have possess material things that show status, and we don’t have to become people we don’t want to be. We are enough as we are, and often what we already have is enough to make us happy.

There are limitless things we can do with our lives, countless things we can acquire, and an infinite number of expressions we may adopt. They all have their benefits and draw backs, and we can choose whatever we like. We can get hung up trying to impress others and mimic a lifestyle they embrace instead of one that is genuinely our own. If we don’t want to work out in a gym but prefer to walk in the park, we should walk in the park. If we can’t afford a new car even if everyone around us says we need one or deserve one, we don’t have to buy it. We don’t have to put on airs or pretend to be something we aren’t. We can recognize and accept that who we are and what we have is sufficient. If it doesn’t match what someone else thinks we should have, it’s their problem to deal with. Not ours.

Being grateful for where we are and what we have is a blessing and will bring us contentment and satisfaction. Constantly chasing after something new, something better, or something we feel we deserve can be exhausting. If we’re always chasing something we don’t have, it’s impossible to be grateful for what we’ve already got. We end up living in the future, waiting until we get this or that, or until we achieve one goal or another, and our lives go by day after day without our notice. Each day we have is a gift and the most important thing we can do is live in the moment and appreciate our days as they go by. We are enough just as we are today. We can strive for greatness but while we work on getting there, we can appreciate where we are now. There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve our lives, but we have a lot already, and it’s good to recognize that. Everything we want will come to us if we want it badly enough. While we’re moving toward it, we can embrace our lives as they are right now and be happy. Happiness is a gift we give ourselves. Setting our own personal standards helps us achieve it.

Today if you’ve been pushing forward and only looking ahead to what is coming next, stop for a moment and see where you are. You have a lot already and while you’re seeking for something more, don’t forget to appreciate today. You’re great right where you are now. Be happy with what you’ve already achieved and continue to press forward with your eyes on the goal but your feet firmly planted in the present. You have a great life. Live every day wide awake and aware of all you have. You’ll be happier and more content going forward.

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