We are the sum of the choices we make

We live consequences.

Every day we live with the consequences of the choices we make.

When you hit the snooze button on your alarm this morning, you made a choice. The consequences of that choice were perhaps waking up late, feeling rushed, getting late to work, and working after hours to catch up on the work you missed…all leading to unnecessary stress and anxiety, which impacted your entire day.

We always have a choice, whether we know it or not.

Not choosing or inaction is also a choice.

Our life is a series of choices and consequences.

Every day we make countless choices. What we eat, watch, and read, the time we go to bed and wake up, what we say, what we do, is our choice.

We choose our life, not the other way around.

When we embrace that mindset, we are no longer a victim of our circumstances. Instead, we hold power.

There will always be things that happen outside our circle of control, but what we do about them is OUR CHOICE.

Seemingly insignificant choices can lead to significant consequences.

For example, a choice such as staying up all night partying may seem trivial; its consequences may not. Because you stayed up all night the following day when the alarm rang at 6am, you were too exhausted to get out of bed, so you snoozed the alarm, making you miss your morning workout. As you didn’t work out, you didn’t feel motivated and energised enough to make your usual healthy smoothie, so instead, you grabbed a muffin for breakfast. Still feeling tired, you lie down on the couch to watch TV, and the next thing you know, you binge-watched 5 hours of Netflix. You see where I’m going with this, right?

While occasionally, this might not be a bad thing. However, if you’re not self-aware, there is a high probability that you’ll repeat this behaviour. One poor choice could lead to a series of poor choices and consequences.

This is not to say that one poor choice is the end all be all. You ALWAYS have the choice to intervene at any stage and choose better.

“You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something or that you were forced to, but actually, whatever you do, you do it by choice. Only you have the power to choose for yourself.” - W. Clement Stone

Every moment presents us with an opportunity to make a choice.

Whatever choices we make, big or small, good or bad, knowingly or unknowingly, all choices have consequences.

Consciously or unconsciously, we design our lives, shaping our destinies, one choice at a time.

We may not know what the eventual outcome of our decision will be. All we can do is make the best choice we can in the given moment.

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” - Nelson Mandela

What choices are you making right now?