Archive | Choice RSS feed for this section

Doing it Right

11 Jul

When we’re trying to get something done and we encounter a complication that takes time and effort to navigate we have lots of choices we can make.  If we’re in a hurry to complete the task and don’t care how we get it done, we can push through whatever problems arise, focus only on our goal and rush forward.  If the goal is something we’ve worked toward for a long time and are tired of dealing with it we might ignore problems and go around them instead of solving them.  We can get to any goal any way we want to.  We can work problems and find the best solutions as we go or we can shove our way through in order to finish the task and move on.  If all we see is the finish line and pay no attention to how we get there we might take shortcuts to get there sooner but in the end neglecting details may cause us more headaches.  Doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest thing.  But if we do our best to completely address each situation and solve whatever problems arise as go our path will often be less complicated later.  It may take a little more time to tie up all the loose ends but left dangling and unsolved, problems have a way of circling back and tangling up our future plans.  They say a job worth doing is worth doing well, and that’s true.  If we effectively try to do our best as we go, the road will be easier and less complicated in the future.

Quick fixes are great.  We get in, do what absolutely has to be done now, and get out.  But the quick fix isn’t always the best option.  In the material world if we have something that’s broken and needs repair but we don’t have time, we might do something to hold it for now.  We know the fix won’t last forever and it’s just a patch until we can return and take care of the problem permanently.  In our personal lives we sometimes use quick fixes as well.  The problem with using quick fixes is our lives continue on and more things happen.  We have other situations to address and before we know it time has gone by and we haven’t returned to finish the situation we set aside.  If we do this continually our lives will be cluttered up with all kinds of problems that are half finished and half solved.  They’ll be in the back of our minds niggling at us to return and may chip away at our confidence because we haven’t completed them.

Most problems have a beginning when they arise, a middle as we process them and figure them out, and an end when we solve them.  Solving a problem is the only way to get rid of it.  It’s the only way to leave it behind and move ahead.  If we get stuck in the middle, and set it aside, the problem sits and waits for us to return.  Most problems don’t go away on their own.  They hang around until we decide to look at them and solve them.  While they wait, we carry them with us.  They weigh on us and may impact our ability to move forward.  It’s like dragging something heavy behind us as we try to step ahead.  We can keep our lives clear if we address our problems and do our best to resolve them when they appear so we can let them go and move on.

Today if you have unresolved issues that are weighing on you, choose to solve them and let them go.  You don’t need to drag them along with you.  You deserve to feel free and confident, and taking care of things now will give that to you.

Tags: , ,

Take My Hand

7 Jul

There are many joyous experiences in our lives but sometimes things can be complicated. There are times in everyone’s life when things go wrong and we feel overwhelmed, or sad, or unsure, or lost. We may struggle to find our way, we may search for answers, we may find it difficult to keep going and we may feel hopeless. During times like those it’s hard to see the sunshine with all the clouds that encompass us. It can feel like everyone’s life is better than ours and it can be a bleak period to endure. During our darkest moments if someone reaches out to us and says, “Here, let me help you. Take my hand,” everything changes. The compassion of someone near can break through pain and pull us up from misery. Sometimes it only takes a small gesture to lift us from the gloom, and when we look up again, we can finally feel we’ll survive. There is nothing more powerful than the human touch. When we’re desperate, lonely, sad, overwhelmed or any of the other difficult emotions we’re going through, someone’s offer to “Take my hand,” can be priceless. It can turn the tide back to our shore and help us find our way home again.

There are countless experiences in our lives that teach us many things. We learn by doing and each new thing teaches us something valuable we can take with us. Some of the lessons are easy, even fun, but some are more difficult. When we’re going through trials and feel beset it can be hard to see the end from where we’re standing. The road we have to traverse can look impossibly long and if we are heartbroken because of the experience, can feel impossible to navigate. We may feel isolated, lost in the confusion, and alone without help but when someone reaches out for us, everything changes. The kindness of someone close who is willing to listen and offer support can turn the tide.

Our lives are busy and we have much to accomplish. There are others around us most of the time and if we look up we may see someone struggling. Maybe it’s a physical challenge that is pressing them, or maybe it’s personal. We don’t have to pry but we can step up, offer our help, and listen. We can be a safe harbor for someone else’s storm and when we are they are lifted, and we are blessed. Nothing brings more blessing or personal joy than helping others. We can be the one to say, “Take my hand,” and offer help and encouragement. There is nothing more tender than true compassion. We can offer it and when we do lives change. We have so much to give. We can change the world.

Today if you’re overwhelmed with a challenge that has been difficult and someone offers to help, let them lift you and share the burden. There isn’t anything you can’t do. If someone near you is struggling, offer your hand and support. You have so much to give. We’re all blessed because you’re here.

Tags: , ,

Not So Common

6 Jul

We’re all familiar with common sense and generally it’s a good idea to pay attention to it.  When we have a problem, there are things we know will work based on our experiences and the experiences of others.  When we’re confused and trying to find our way, we can use common sense to help figure things out.  But sometimes because we don’t care, or we’re determined to do something a certain way we may ignore the more sensible approach and choose a path that is unproven or unsure.  If we try to outsmart our common sense we might succeed, or we may go down in flames.  We can use our intellect to justify a choice that’s outside the box and risky, or we can just storm ahead for any reason at all.  If we want to we can find lots of reasons for going one way over another.  But common sense is usually sound judgment and oftentimes proven to work.  We can ignore it if we’re determined to go another way, and we can try to outsmart it but that may not take us where we want to go.  We can choose the unknown path over the paved road anytime we want to but the journey will often be more difficult or even treacherous.  If we really want to succeed it’s wise to listen to sound judgment and consider the proven path.

Using our intellect to figure out problems or questions is wise.  We can weigh all the options, consider each solution and determine what works best.  But if our emotions are highly involved in the situation we may not see things clearly.  If we really want something to go a certain way and we aren’t sure it will we may choose answers that are extreme or risky.  We might push the edge of sound reasoning thinking it will help us get what we want.  That might work but if it doesn’t we may find ourselves further from the goal than where we started.  We don’t always have to do things the way they’ve been done before and we can certainly devise any plan we want to.  Sometimes our ideas will work and sometimes they won’t but ignoring answers we know will succeed isn’t generally in our best interest.

Every situation is different and unique and there are always unforeseen complications.  Even if we do everything possible to solve a problem we may still miss the mark.  Thankfully, few decisions we make are etched in stone and unchangeable.  Most often if the first try doesn’t get us where we want to go, we can try again.  We don’t fail unless we quit trying.  We aren’t defeated simply because the first answer didn’t work out.  We can try again.  We can modify our plans, adjust our trajectory, re-direct our course and go forward.  There isn’t anything too complex for us to unravel.  We have everything we need to succeed.

Today if you’re trying to solve a problem and what you’ve done so far isn’t working, think about the issue openly and see if there isn’t an answer you’ve missed.  Think about what’s worked in the past and consider the situation logically.  You’ll find the solution and successfully work the problem.  You are wise enough and smart enough to figure out anything that comes and you will succeed.

Tags: , ,

Making it Right

4 Jul

We make a lot of decisions in our lives. Sometimes we choose well, and other times we may struggle to find our way. We make a lot of choices and it seems obvious that choosing the right way will take us where we want to go and choosing the wrong way won’t. But life is complicated and there may be times when we convince ourselves that taking a wrong turn will take us to our destination. We can believe that going one way will eventually take us another. If we only focus on what we want and all we see is the prize, we may choose a path we believe will get us there quickly without seeing the whole picture. We can choose any road we want and do anything we like but a wrong choice, although it might be the quickest answer or the easiest, will never be the best decision. Nobody is immune from making mistakes but we have a better shot at getting things right if we take our time and choose carefully. If we rush, or if all we can see is the finish line we may take a wrong turn that in the end may cost us more than we imagined.

We understand how to get from point A to point B when we plan a trip. If it’s a road trip we plot the course that will get us there most effectively. If we want to travel north, we don’t choose roads that go east or west or south. We choose the roads that take us north to our appointed destination. But it can sometimes be difficult to use the same simple logic when making our personal decisions. There may be others involved, or complications we have to navigate around, and sometimes we only have a general idea of where we want to be. If we are desperate to reach a goal, we may take chances on paths that are undefined or unproven that cause us to fail. We are all capable of making excellent decisions but it takes determination and a clear understanding of our situation to ensure we get there.

It’s impossible to turn a bad decision into a good one. Making decisions are the most important things we do every day. They determine where we go and have influence over what happens next. If we blunder blindly through and carelessly choose this or that, trying to patch our way from one step to another, our lives will be convoluted and confusing. We create unnecessary drama when we don’t proactively choose our course. Bad decisions can be powerful deterrents. They can prevent us from moving forward, hold us down when we want to get up, and create congestion that prevents us from seeing clearly. If we take the time we need to see everything openly and determine exactly how we want to move forward, we can often prevent complications and enable success. We can do anything and we can do it well. If we are careful, we can make excellent decisions that take us where we want to go and bring us happiness.

Today if you’ve been stopped by a choice that took you to a dead end instead of a clear path, redirect your course. Think about the best way forward and begin again. There isn’t anything you can’t do. You know where you want to go and you know how to get there. Change your direction until you find the best way forward and then start walking. You’ll find the right road and every success.

Tags: , ,

Sand

28 Jun

If you’ve ever been to the beach and played in the sand for any length of time you know how insidious it can be. The shore is covered with sand and as we walk on it, play in it and swim around it we get it in our swimsuits, in our shorts, in our shoes, in our hair and everywhere else. But we’re having fun and although it can be annoying and gritty to deal with, it’s worth the trade-off. In our lives there are lots of people around us all the time. Though not as numerous as sand particles on the beach, there are many continually in and out of our lives. If we surround ourselves with good, strong people our associations may be beneficial and helpful. But if we continually interact with others whose choices aren’t positive, and who do things that bring problems and heartache to those around them, our time with them may hurt us. Like the sand that finds its way all over us and then begins to chafe, if we continually associate with those who hurt us we will be unhappy.

We build and create our relationships for lots of reasons. Sometimes they evolve because of association, sometimes they are part of our family, sometimes we build them because we like what they bring us, and sometimes we’re in them because there is history that cannot be undone. And sometimes our relationships change and become difficult to navigate. We don’t have to keep any relationship that makes us uncomfortable or that brings us hardship but it can be hard to stop a pattern if we’ve been involved for a long period of time. We might try to distance ourselves from a toxic situation but if we don’t sever the ties that hold us to it, that will do little to fix the problem. It’s like brushing sand off the outside of our bathing suit but doing nothing to wash out the grit that has made its way inside it. Things may look better on the outside, but the problem is still there. No matter who we’re involved with, and no matter what their relationship is to us if we are not happy, we can change it.

If we stay in relationships that hurt us and do nothing to change them, our unhappiness may increase. No matter what the situation is we always have the power to modify our circumstances so we can move forward comfortably and happily. If we’re dealing with someone who is rude and offensive, we can speak up and clearly state our boundaries. If we have a difficult family member we can set the example for patience and insist on being treated with respect. If we’re in a relationship that isn’t working and we want to move on we can do what is needed to make that happen. There isn’t anything we can’t manage and if we’ve got sand in our shoes, we can shake it out. If it’s in our hair, we can wash it out. And if it’s in our clothes, we can change them. Our lives belong to us and we can do whatever is needed to be happy and successful.

Today if you’re in a situation that is making you uncomfortable, be honest and do what is needed to change it. You deserve to be happy. Take charge and change your course. Shake out the sand and enjoy the beach. You have everything it takes to move forward.

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →