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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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Shortcuts

1 Feb

When we’re going places and we want to save time, sometimes we try shortcuts we think will help. They might help us avoid traffic, or cut the distance down to get us to our destination more quickly. They’re great when they work, but sometimes the shortcuts become complications instead. When that happens it’s frustrating and can cost us more time than the direct route would have. Our brilliant shortcut can turn into a headache. Our lives are like that sometimes. We know where we want to go and we have the road mapped out but then think we can find a way to cut some of the time out by eliminating a step or two, or going a different way. Sometimes it works, but many times it ends up costing us more time and aggravation than we planned on. It’s like get rich schemes. They look good at first and we get excited thinking about how quickly they’ll get us what we want, but often they end up costing us more time and money in the long run. We can’t see that going in, and unless we stop to think about what will happen if we don’t get rich quick, we can lose more than we bargained for.

Every destination has a road leading to it. We can go anywhere we want to go and sometimes we go on long journeys that take a lot of time and commitment. But the most important things we want to accomplish in our lives rarely come quickly. They take effort, planning, and diligence. We have to be willing to stay true when the inevitable complications come, and be strong enough to keep going. If we want the goal badly enough, nothing will take us from our course. But we might be distracted by a shortcut. For instance, we might think we don’t have to finish a degree to get that job, and try to learn the skills needed more quickly in another way. Or maybe we think we don’t have to earn a promotion by working hard for the next year, and instead try to befriend those in position to grant it. There are all kinds of scenarios we can think up. But in reality, short cuts for what we really want rarely work. Additionally, they take our focus off the plans we’ve already made. If we get distracted trying a different route, we can’t go further down the road that’s proven to get us there.

It takes patience to accomplish big goals. We can’t expect to achieve anything of value overnight. There are no get rich schemes that always work. If we really want something and there is a proven and sure way to get to it, even if it takes time, it’s worth the investment. We can spend our lives like bees in a field of flowers, flitting from one idea to the next, one path to another, and continually try to cut corners and find shortcuts. If we do, we may find precious time goes by and we have moved no closer to the goal. However, if we focus on one road, and keep our eyes trained on the destination we will succeed. It’s like the old story of the tortoise and the hare and the race they ran against each other.  As you may recall when the race began the hare took off and rocketed ahead, while the tortoise slowly began plodding along toward the finish line. The hare got distracted running here and there and jumping all over, and was way faster than the tortoise, but the tortoise never left the path to the destination. He slowly continued forward never taking his eyes from the goal. And we all know that’s exactly how he won. That’s how we’ll win too. We don’t need a shortcut to succeed. If we set the goal, make a plan, and diligently keep to the road that will take us there, we will not fail.

Today if you’ve got a goal in sight and are considering changing your plan and trying a shortcut, make sure it’s something that will continue to move you forward. There is no rush, and you can take the time you need to achieve whatever you want. There is nothing that will stop you if you keep your eyes on the goal. Keep moving forward. You will be successful and every moment you invest in gaining that success will be well spent.

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Heads or Tails

30 Jan

We have a lot of choices in life and make millions of decisions as we go along. What will we wear, what will we eat, where will we go, who will we see, what will we do, the list is endless. Sometimes the decisions we make are important and the way we choose alters our lives in one way or another. If we choose badly when there’s a lot at stake, we can lose a lot. If we choose well, we gain. But sometimes there is no one right answer. All the options are possible and appropriate. If all the roads we can take are good, how do we choose between one or another? It seems strange but at times like that, when every possibility is workable, those decisions can be the hardest to make. It’s like flipping a coin. There is no right side to the coin when we choose. It just depends on how it lands. If we’re considering which road to take and they all look good, perhaps it won’t matter which one we choose. But every road has an end, and every choice takes us somewhere. If we can determine exactly where we’ll be be at the end of the road, we will choose more effectively.

Ice cream comes in many flavors, and if we like ice cream, we probably like a lot of them. Chocolate is rich and deep, strawberry is light and fresh, butter pecan is creamy and incredible, mocha is amazing, and all the others have wonderful qualities as well. If we go to a shop with dozens of flavors, it’s hard to choose. It doesn’t really matter which one we pick because they’re all good. When we’re facing a decision with lots of possibilities, and they all look good at first, we can take some time to evaluate all the parameters of each choice, and we’ll be able to narrow the field. Then we can choose what most fits what we want to achieve. If it’s a decision we can only make once, we’ll have to weigh all the options more carefully. If it’s something we can change after we’ve started, and the first choice doesn’t work out, we can stop at any time and choose another road.

Our lives have no “re-do” option, like games we played as children. Once we do something, it’s done. It will always be done, and nothing we do can undo it. We can’t go back and edit or delete anything. It will stand as it happened until the end of time. That’s great if we always make the right choice. But mistakes happen and if we aren’t happy with a choice we’ve made, although we can’t go back and make it again, we can modify our lives, turn our course, and change direction. There are few things in our lives that can’t be adjusted or corrected. We can’t change what’s been done, but we can change ourselves, and where we’re headed going forward. We are in control of our lives and every decision we make. If we aren’t happy, we can do what is needed to change things. If we aren’t where we want to be, we can alter our course to another direction. There isn’t anything we can’t do. Making decisions will help us find our way. Making them well, will take us where we want to go.

Today if you’re unsure about a decision you need to make, and all the options look good, take a closer look. You’ll notice differences and find the one that fits the best. You already know where you want to go and what you want to do. Choose the choice that takes you there. You can do anything you want. You are perfectly capable of making excellent choices. Today you will do just that.

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Exfoliating

29 Jan

As we go through life, each experience gives us something to take forward. We learn something new, or gain a different perspective, or maybe discover something new about ourselves. We collect and hold onto these souvenirs each day and they color who we are and how we act and react. Some of them are beneficial and we use them to help us be our best and get where we want to go. But some of them are painful reminders of where we’ve been. If the memories hurt they may influence our decisions as we continue on, and may keep us from fulfilling our greatest ambitions. But we can choose to let them go. We can take a good look inside ourselves, see where our insecurities lie, look at how we lost our confidence, and we can change. Like exfoliating dead skin cells from the outside, we can remove bad reactions on the inside. We don’t have to hold onto the pain of bad memories any longer than we want to. The memories will always be there but we can scrub the pain away and keep the memory and the lesson learned.

We all experience good things and bad things. When we’ve had a very painful event, one that is etched deeply in our subconscious or something that changed our lives in a big way, it may be hard to overcome. If we’ve been hurt badly and had to learn a difficult lesson, we may hold onto the pain afraid that letting it go will make us forget what we learned. Although lessons are sometimes painful, the pain is not inexorably tied to the lesson. We can go forward with what we’ve learned and leave the pain behind. Holding onto feelings of sadness, betrayal, loss or distrust will not help us move forward. They may hold us in place, and keep us from advancing afraid of what will come if we let go. But letting go is the best we can do. Once we’ve learned all we can, we can set the experience aside, and look to the future.

Fear is a natural response and nature’s way of keeping us from harm. When we feel it, we step a little more carefully and proceed with caution. There is nothing wrong with feeling afraid but it’s important to understand why we’re feeling it. Is it because there is real danger, or is it because we are unsure? Is it because we may be hurt, or because we aren’t positive we won’t be? We carry every experience of our lives with us every day. If we hold onto those that hurt us, we may be less confident, and more fearful. But we don’t need to carry painful experiences any longer than we want to. We can let them go and leave them behind. We are capable of facing anything that comes to us. And we are capable of recovering from any problem or crisis. We just need to be determined in our pursuits, and convinced of our abilities. We have everything we need to be strong and confident, and we can conquer any obstacle placed before us. Letting go of the heavy burden of pain will help.

Today if you’re struggling because of something that has already passed, you can turn around and let it go. You’ve learned all you can from the experience and it has not diminished you. It has made you stronger and more capable. You know more now than you did before and you’ll use that knowledge going forward. You have everything you need now. You can do anything you want. You are strong. Be confident knowing you will succeed. There isn’t anything you can’t do.

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Smoke and Mirrors

27 Jan

It would be wonderful if everyone was honest with us and told us the truth. But there are all kinds of people in the world and sometimes that doesn’t happen.  Most people are honest most of the time, and try to choose the best path going forward. But there are some who aren’t, who don’t see any reason not to lie, and will do whatever it takes to get what they want. We can try to avoid people like that and sometimes we can, but unfortunately they look just like everyone else and sometimes we get tangled up in them before we know what’s happened. Trusting others is a noble trait and until someone gives us a reason not to trust them, it’s good to give them the benefit of the doubt. The catch is when we trust them at the beginning, if they aren’t worthy of that trust, we don’t find out until the end. And then it’s too late and we’ve already been deceived.

It’s like a game of smoke and mirrors. In a very smoky place, it’s hard to see and discern details. We can make out large forms but have to be careful where we step because we can’t see what’s in front of us. Things may appear to be one thing but upon closer inspection are something entirely different.  And we all know how mirrors may distort our vision. The best magicians in the world use them in their most amazing tricks because of their ability to bend what we see and how we see it. People who lie are like that. Some can look us in the eye and tell us something completely untrue, insisting it’s fact. Or they may convincingly make promises they have no intention of fulfilling. If what we’re being told is something we really want, or the person telling us the story is someone we love, we may believe them. As time passes and the promises don’t become reality we may question them, and try to find the truth. But if they are intent on keeping the lie, they may talk in circles and spin stories that sound reasonable to keep us on the hook. It’s confusing trying to find our way between what we’re being told and what is really happening. No matter what we ask them, if they are determined to keep the lie going, they will find an answer to keep us locked in.

Human beings are very perceptive by nature. We can discern what is real and what is false. If we get emotionally caught up in a lie, it may take us a little time, but eventually we’ll figure it out. And when we do, we must determine how to go forward. If the liar is someone very close to us who we really want to trust, even though we’re sure they aren’t being truthful, we may stay in the game. Emotional attachments can be very strong and hold us even when we know we need to let go. But we are important and deserve to be treated with complete honesty. If we remember that, we will find the right way forward. Dishonesty never brings lasting happiness. It can never make us noble or honorable. We may find immediate gratification by lying, but it will always bring us sorrow in the end. If we want real, lasting happiness, we must choose the higher road and be truthful in all things.

Today if you’ve discovered you’ve been lied to, think about your way forward. If you are the one deceiving others to get something you want, stop. You may get to your goal, but in the end it will cost the trust and respect of those you care for. Honesty is a noble choice. Strive to be your very best today, and require honesty from those near you. You are worth more than you can imagine and you deserve complete honesty in everything. Strive for that and demand it in return.

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