Unlock, Understand, Unite, Useful, Ultimate

The starting point for a better life is discovering that we have choices. Sometimes, we use excuses to keep ourselves locked in a cell of our own making, not realizing that we have a key in our pocket. This key will set us free, but we may never use it simply because we don’t know it’s there. We have more choices than we ever dreamed possible. The key is knowing that they are there every day of your life. We live by choice, not by chance. It isn’t what happens that is most important. It’s how we deal with what happens. It’s what we choose to think and what we choose to do that are the most important.

The above paraphrases Hal Urban’s Life’s Greatest Lessons and for me, it’s one of the most important lessons I have ever learned. I understand that I make choices every moment of every day. I chose to get out of my warm, comfortable bed this morning. I chose to take the opportunity to make a difference by writing this without knowing if someone will read it or be moved by it. In a few minutes, I’m going to choose to put on walking shoes, go out the front door and walk to the park and back. I understand that I can do something else. I do not “have to do” this. Wow, how much more pleasant it seems to be doing that which I desire as opposed to that which I must!

I understand that I can alter the course of my life at any time that I want, because whatever I do, I do it by choice. You chose to take the time to read this today and you will choose whether the message has relevance or not. You will choose whether to act upon the message or you will choose to ignore it. And depending on the choice you make, you will have chosen the end result. Realizing that we do all things by choice, we begin to accept greater responsibility for our life and take more effective control over it. Game on. How will you choose to play?

Missed the beginning of our journey through the alphabet? Check out the rest of Getting Back to Basics.

Members, are you following along? If you want to create your own words to enrich your positive self-talk, download Real People … An Alphabet Adventure from the Chapter Contests and Activities in the Members Area of our website.