CHOICE

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

—Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist
who survived Nazi death camps.

Everyone has the power of choice. Regardless of what position you are in now, what conditions you were raised under or what may have happened to you, you have the power to choose how to respond and to choose what you will do next.

Dealing with life’s challenges can be extremely difficult. But how youdecide to deal with what you encounter will always be a matter of choice. Never lose sight of that fact.

You will always have the power of choice,
even if it is limited to choosing how to react to events
or circumstances that you did not choose.

A great deal happens in life that is beyond our control. We don’t choose many of the experiences, disabilities or tragedies that may be thrust upon us but we do have the power to choose how we respond to them.

We all make choices every day and these choices profoundly affect the lives we lead. Choices have consequences. Good choices generally have positive consequences and bad choices generally have negative ones. The problem for some people is that they don’t think about the likely consequences of their choices. And that failure to think ahead can be costly.

The consequences of some choices may be immediate, intended and/or obvious. Other consequences may be less immediate, less obvious and/or unintended.To make informed decisions, you need to try to anticipate and consider all the potential consequences of your choices; and the list of possible consequences is virtually endless. You therefore need to learn, over time, how to make good choices regardless of the circumstances.

You need to learn to think ahead.

You may not be able to anticipate all potential consequences but you can usually anticipate many. The more you can think ahead and consider what could happen, the better off you’ll be. Make the effort.

Think about the potential consequences of your actions—before you act.Make good choices. And understand that you have the power to choose, that the quality of your life will depend on the choices you make and that you alone are responsible for your choices.

In thinking about your choices, reflect upon the below insights of Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Eleanor Roosevelt and Nelson Mandela.

“In my experience working with a variety of people over several decades, far too many individuals choose to be anonymous members of the pack, therefore suffering from the inner remorse that makes them feel like failures, filled with conflict and resentment and wondering what the meaning of life is.”
—Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, author and speaker.

“In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”—Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States.

“May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears.”—Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa.

Make choices that are consistent with the life you want for yourself. Choose carefully.