The Most Important Gift You Get to Use Each Day
Every day you have one POWERFUL thing in your control column. Even if things go wrong at home, at work or on the road. Even if things feel strained with your family or friends. Even if you're having a rough day. Even if you're struggling financially or have an abundance of wealth. Even if you work for yourself or work for someone else or don't work at all. Whether you're a stay at home mom or a full time wage earner. Even if you grew up in poverty or in a mansion on the hill. You have the gift of choice.
You can choose how to respond to strangers and loved ones if they challenge you. You can choose how you show up on social media for good. You can choose to invest your time wisely in your dreams or squander it away with major and minor distractions. You can choose to focus. You can choose how you spend your time. You can choose to OWN how you spend your time. ;) You can choose to invest in yourself and others. You can choose to be kind. You can choose to be happy. You can choose to help others. You will always have the gift to choose.
When I was freshly out of a quickly failed marriage I remember my wise therapist constantly asking me, "Is that in your control column or no control column?" She reminded me that many times I CHOOSE to spend time worrying about things completely out of my control, while the things I CAN control go without attention. Again, a choice. Now, this little tool helps me on a regular basis. Even if something goes wrong in my business, I can choose to scrap it, try again or go a different direction. Even if I choose to yell at my kids and not have enough patience. I can worry about what I did and fret over the yelling, but it won't make it unhappen. What I CAN do is choose to apologize and make stronger efforts to try again. Even if my husband and I have a disagreement, I can choose to put a wedge up and wait until he tears down the wall or I can make the initiative to make things right in our relationship again. My choice.
Too often we wait for others to make their choices before we make our own. It's the fastest way to LOSE power and ownership in our own lives. Choose to be the first one to help, to apologize, to smile, to say something kind, to NOT say something, to turn the other cheek, to reach out, don't give up this power and put it in the control of others.
Each day is made up of a series of choices. May you feel empowered in your forks in the road and may you find that each day you choose powerfully those things in your control. Make It Happen!