We live in a world of possibilities and possibilities give us choices. Lots of choices. But, many of us don’t see the possibilities and therefore, we don’t realize what choices are available to us. When things don’t go the way we thought they should or when something happens to us that is unfortunate, we still have a choice. We can believe “things happen for a reason” or we can choose to become a victim of the circumstance. We can discover possibilities in even the most difficult of experiences if we are willing to look for them. It is what we choose to think about each experience that determines how we respond to it. How we respond determines whether or not we find richer, more purposeful, more joyful lives. We are the only ones who can choose our attitudes and the principles by which we live.

Whoever you are, whatever has happened to you, be sure to remember that you have always done the best you could with the knowledge and skills you had at the time. As you grew, had more experiences, and learned more lessons, you may have looked back and thought you could have done better, but you couldn’t at that time. You can now. You can make different and better choices.

We can all begin to live new lives any day we choose. It doesn’t mean our old lives go away. It means we’ve started down a new path. Yet, developing new beliefs isn’t always easy. We have to commit to this new way and that takes work. Like any other journey we take, we will surely come across roadblocks, dead ends, and detours. We may even run out of energy. But, we must remember, we have the power to make the choice of which direction we will take and whether or not to complete the journey.

Life is a succession of choices. You have the ability to choose. Don’t choose to spend your life wallowing in negativity, failure, ignorance, poverty, anger, fear, shame, guilt, or self-pity. Choose instead to let go of old hurts and old beliefs. Choose to raise your sights, develop new belief systems, and reach for the success you desire. Choose happiness, confidence, peace of mind, contentment, fame and fortune. Choose to navigate your difficult path wisely and you will meet with a success you never believed possible.

“But,” you ask. “How?”

Make a list of everything you’ve ever wanted to do, everywhere you’ve ever wanted to go, everything you’ve ever wanted to see. It doesn’t matter how impossible it seems, when you believe you have choices, they will begin to appear in your life.

When I was working in South Africa, I was asked to come to the Hospice in the West and present a program on “Goal Setting.” At first I thought, “What? Goal setting for people who are dying?” So I prayed about it and the answer came. “Entitle the program, ‘Goals for Today.’ Everyone needs goals. Everyone needs something to look forward to.” But what do I say? “Just go. You’ll know what to say when the time comes.” And that’s when I learned how important it is for each of us to really embrace the present moment. None of us know how much time we have left.

In his book, Psycho-Cybernetics, the author, Maxwell Maltz, tells us “A human being always acts and feels and performs in accordance with what he imagines to be true about himself and his environment.” It is important for you to imagine being and feeling who and what you want to be. Imagine all the choices that are possibilities for you.

The technique of imagining actually imprints new data into your brain and your central nervous system causing you to create a new self-image and a new life. If you will practice “imagining the new you” for a while, you will find you don’t need to take any conscious action because your subconscious will direct you to the choices which will automatically begin moving you toward the life you desire.

The ancient philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, wisely said, “Every man’s life lies within the present, for the past is spent and done with and the future is uncertain.”

No matter who you are, how old you are, or your level of success, it is never too late to make the choice to be who you are meant to be. Don’t be afraid to make changes. Don’t be afraid to make an attempt to achieve your goals.

As long as we are alive, we should be choosing the lives we live. It is never too late to start over, be happy, fall in love, give up your prejudices, or dare to accomplish something you never thought you could.

Life is a succession of choices. You have the ability to choose. Set your “Goals for Today.” Chose purpose, choose passion, choose power.

Author's Bio: 

Judi Moreo is an author, speaker, and life coach. She has written 11 books including “You Are More Than Enough: Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion, and Power.” Judi can be reached at judimoreo@yahoo.com