The Power of Choice

Consider the incredible opportunities choice gives our lives. Choices are available in all parts of our life activities. The human capacity for choice is possibly unlimited and separates us clearly from other species. By grasping the power of our ability to choose, our lives are changed. Yet, so many of us ignore or even deny this power, unhappily so. The power of choice can be frightening because it makes us responsible for what we choose. Consider the notion that where we are today is the result of many choices. Many of these choices are openly ours. Others are subtly ours because we accepted or acted on the choices of others. What we almost always choose is how we respond when a choice is made. Even when a choice seems inescapable, we can often choose the actions and attitudes we take.

Practicing the power of choice is not really difficult but requires that we accept certain ideas because they lead us to understand how we can make better choices. Here are some of these ideas:

• Take responsibility for the actions and attitudes resulting from your choices or the choices of others. Don't find reasons to blame others for what you do.
• Accept the choices already made and simply choose to begin making better and healthier choices from now on.
• Try to realize choices are seldom either/or. There is usually a large range of alternative choices that can be made in almost any situation.
• Practice choosing by being attentive to the possibility of the many choices available and rarely accept one choice as the only one.
• Practice choosing based on new information rather than thoughts such as "that's the way it's always been done".
• Be willing to involve others in your choices and be open to the way they look at things, but remember, the choice is really yours!