There are always choices that we must make in our daily lives. The idea of choices can be very empowering and will set you free. The grasping of this concept may cause you to evaluate the very things that you listen to and the impact you let them have over your life.  The power of choice we recognize as real, but we fail to take advantage of its importance in shaping our thinking. Denis Waitley says ”There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”

The headlines today and in years past can be disturbing. Some days it is very difficult to read or listen to what we tend to call “the news.”  It is full of tragedy, hate, anger, disappointment and revelations about how people really feel about each other.  In families, at the workplace, on the streets, everywhere you turn, it seems that negative energy is taking hold of us and will not let go.  If you sit still for just a moment and reflect on how these things are impacting your life, you may feel like shouting “WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD?” The stress of it all can be overwhelming. But the truth is, every day it is up to each of us to change the dynamics in our own lives so that we can have a ripple effect on the universe and each other.

WE are responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word and thought throughout our lifetime.  I start each day by knowing that I will strive to remove all my historical prejudice that bombards us now more than ever. We can never go back to the way things were in spite of the slogans and false promises of a return to greatness. My choices reflect my hopes, not my fears.

The greatest time for each of us is now, and that means we must strive to create our own greatness in our current station in life. Each day we can make the choice to change the world and leave it better. What choices can you make?  The ability to even answer that question starts with recognizing that you have the power to do just that – make choices.  What will these choice look like?  You can make that decision each and every day. William James says it best: “When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice.” These choices can range from the way you feel about yourself to how you would change your situation.

Often the most powerful choice may mean that you have to give up something to gain something.  Sacrifice is indeed part of life, but we must do it in a mindful way to take full advantage of what we are seeking.  I want now more than ever to understand not just about living, but about bringing choices to my living in order to really live.

A Dose of Truth: “Your choices make your life truly worth living.”