Habit #9: Own Your Choices

Where are you?  Why are you there?

At the moment, I am sitting on the porch writing a blog.  Why?  Because I choose to be here.  Tomorrow I will train employees who work for the City of Fort Worth.  Why?  Because I choose to do that work.  In the afternoon, I will spend time with my family—by choice.  This is a simple concept.  It is a powerful concept.  Make it a habit!

Habit #9 is to Own Your choices!

We often lie to ourselves.  We convince ourselves that we do not have a choice.  This is simply not true.  There will be times when a painful option is chosen because the consequence of a different choice would be even more painful.  We go to work, even when it is hard, because we do not want the consequences associated with joblessness.  We put up with hurtful behaviors because we do not want the consequences associated with being alone.  And then we say we do not have a choice.  We lie.  And we believe it.

There is a freedom that comes when we own our choices.  It is a rough day at work.  I chose to push through and do a good job in this situation.  It is a difficult time at home.  I chose to love in response to hurtful behaviors. 

Or perhaps, I choose to find a better job or a safer home.  Either way, I choose.  And I own my choices. 

Acknowledge your options.  Make a choice.  And own it.  It is yours. 

* Remember: a habit is what you do when given a cue.  You don’t have to think about it; it just happens.   Previous habit blogs focus on the concept of habitsHabit #1: Expressing LoveHabit #2: Questions before AnswersHabit #3: Sleep to LiveHabit #4: Single-TaskingHabit #5: Double-CheckingHabit #6: Be Nice and Blame Mom and Habit #7 is the 30-Second Rule.   Habit #8 challenges us to make mental maps.

…and habit #9 is owning your choices.