Several times a day I am faced with indecision and I
have to ask myself, “What do I need most?” If there are unwanted elements embedded in the right choices for me, I have to decide if I need what I am prioritizing enough to tolerate the concessions I’ll have to make. Some things may seem intolerable, but if at least one favorable factor is present, we might decide to make it work.
For instance, I usually won’t walk when it’s really windy; however, if the sun is shining, the bright, warm energy negates my resistance to being blown about. Today is that blustery spring day, gorgeous and sunny, but with wind gusts up to sixteen miles per hour. I could have gone to the gym to get my body movement and mental health reset, but I needed the sun more than I needed the
comfort of the gym, or to avoid the wind.
Yes, I was battered about, hair whipping around wildly, but I filled my lungs with fresh air and focused on the sun warming my head and my back. I noticed the beauty of the bright
blue sky and the vibrant green grass and trees coming to life. The wind was fierce, but I remembered my choice and why it was important. Inside the comfort of the gym, I wouldn’t have been able to experience the calming, inspiring (blog-material-providing), perspective-altering glow of the sun.
Another example. We’re planning our summer beach vacation with so many things to consider. Ocean view? Private pool? Stay in a smaller condo on the beach or rent a larger home a few blocks away? There is no perfect place so we have to decide what we value the most and what concessions we’re willing to make to enjoy the highest priorities of our trip.
Choices. Priorities. Concessions. Risks. Discomfort. What challenges are you willing to endure in order to pursue what you need or want most? Almost everything we could want is on the other side of Maybe. Possibly. That might work. And, I’m not sure, but I’ll
try.
Occasionally, unexpected blessings arrive that require no sacrifice, but more often than not, my choices include concessions.
What choices are you contemplating? How well do you prioritize what will meet your most important needs? Maybe you feel like having fast food, but you recognize and honor your need to nurture your health, valuing that more than the momentary satisfaction? Perhaps you often skip small purchase temptations
in order to save for a down payment on a home or a vacation? Do you tune in to yourself enough to know what you care about most?
If I commit to something, I aspire to do so without complaining about the part(s) of it that
I don’t really like. I’m an adult and I made the choice. I will enjoy what I needed most, and adjust to the concessions I must make. It’s futile to make an informed decision, get what I want, but spend energy complaining about what I knew was going to be part of the bargain.
Blaming and complaining are a common way we passively reject ownership of our lives. We are where we are because of the choices that we have made. Our futures will reflect our past priorities. Not making a choice is still making a decision. It’s better to make a decision and course correct as needed, than let life happen to us randomly.
When we make a choice that comes with other less than ideal circumstances, let’s refuse the indulgence of dissatisfaction. Because when we express negativity, we bring ourselves down and that spills over onto others around us. Even if we don’t say anything out loud, by harboring complaining energy, we
still negatively influence ourselves and those who cross our paths.
Every day we get to choose to be the sunshine in our own lives and those of people we encounter.
We are not in charge of most things, but we are in charge of our attitudes, decisions and actions. And if what we’ve chosen no longer meets our needs, we simply have another choice to make. What is the next right course of action that is best, all things
considered?
For today, let’s embrace what’s good about the choices we have made. Let’s take ownership of our lives, and own our choices in full, even when they include concessions we don’t love. Let’s remember what we
stand to gain, and focus on the gifts in the midst of the accompanying challenges.
