Choices and Decisions

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make rnLife is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment. rnJust like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would end, which road should you take? What is the guarantee that we choose the right one? Should you randomly pick or should you stand on your current path? rnThere's no way to know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees in life. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you make, and how you handle life's many challenges. rnMaking decisionsrn rnA decision is the act or process of deciding: the act of or need for making up one's mind. So if you made up your mind on something and the consequences were not to your liking. What should you do? Should you spend the next X days/months/years beating yourself up over it? Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it can you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly if not, accept the consequences and move it. It’s in the past, over and done with. Learn not to dwell too much on matters of the past. Learn from them, grow from them and move on. rnTake the risk: Make a decision. rnSince life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it is also true that one wrong turn and lead to limitless opportunities. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid care should be taken so that you choose the best option in the face of life's crossroads. Here are a few general tips: • Get as much information as you can about your situation. You cannot find the confidence to make a decision when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W's: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation. • Identify and create options. rnWhat options do you have? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when it appears there are no options? Create your own! Unleash your inner creativity, from the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the best one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but in the end, make a decision. • Weigh the pros and cons of every option. Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. • Trust yourself and make that decision. Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are just opportunities to learn and grow. You have the skills and abilities to overcome any situation, so choose... decide... believe that you are choosing the best option and go for it. Make the choice to be an active participant in your life instead of a bystander. Learn from your opportunities and obstacles and remember that the power to live your life is in your hands. rnWishing you health, wealth and success,rnTerrianne