A Choice
There are some choices that can be forgotten the second they are made. They have very little impact on our long-term health and/or well-being. Conversely, other choices may seem like the majority of decisions we make daily that impact more of our short-term (days) than it does our long-term (months and years). A third and completely separate category are those choices that may appear to be like the previous 2 categories, yet they are specific choices that don’t just impact our days but they impact our daily habits, thinking, patterns, life rhythm, and focus. This, in turn, impacts every increment of our lives, from days to years to our life’s entire composition. These 3rd category choices are not obvious in the moment they’re made. They blend in with other decisions/choices that don’t hold as much long-term significance, like what movie one sees that night, which water to drink on a road trip, what meal to eat at a foreign restaurant, what shoes you need for prom, what cologne should be purchased for Greek Week parties, what laundromat to used based on the distance from your apartment and the number of clothes that need washing, what coffee is least expensive, or what color jeans you should wear to school for your class pictures that “everyone” is going to see.
The most challenging aspect of choice is free will. Free will allows us to choose whatever we choose. Therefore, the worst thing that can ever happen to you is your choice to choose, but it can equally be the best thing with the most positive impact. Either outcome is based on the choices you make and their relevance to your unique life. For those who strive to live well for a longer amount of time as opposed to merely suffering through the trials we must all face, one must strive to make more unique choices. This can be accomplished by learning to make the distinction between what works for the individual in direct contrast to what’s accepted by the masses.
What are the most impactful choices you’ve made in your life (either consciously or not) that led you to where you reside today?
