WISE CHOICES

Life is a choice. Make good choices. Where are you in life? Do you realize where you are in life is a sum total of the choices you have made? Your life is derived from the choices you have made, or the choices others have made for you. The choices may have been good choices, or bad ones. Choices are influenced by parents, spouses, friends and family. The people in your life may have good intentions, but at the end of the day, you must with the choices you decide to take.

For the youths leaving home, for the first time, parents are the forerunners in assisting you to make healthy choices. They have experienced more in life than you have, and they want you to make good choices, and oftentimes better choices than they made.

However, as life progresses and you become an adult, you must decide what kind of life you want and make the appropriate decisions to obtain that life.

The common myths made by people is I don’t have a choice. That is not true. There is always another choice. It may be a choice you don’t want to do. A choice made in a negative situation, a choice that causes pain, but you always have a choice. God stated choose life or death; curses or blessings. If the Almighty God gives a choice, then there is always another choice.

The problem is many people will not choose wisely until after the trouble occurs. You want to:

• Get on a budget, after you maxed out your credit card.
• Wear seat belt, after the accident occurs.
• Exercise, after arthritis sets in.
• Travel, after your sickness hits.
• Spend more time with children, after they moved out.
• Do preventive medicine, after the sickness occurs.

Why do so many choose unwisely? Maybe because choices are often made because it feels good, with that immediate gratification. Some people think they have plenty of time. While others do not think about anything past the present day. Many people believe that evil or bad ramifications made by bad choices just will not happen to them.

Choices are made from a stable or unstable way of thinking. If you have a stable mindset you will make sound choices, but if you are unstable, you will make rocky and at times risky choices.

When we don’t take care of yourself, bad choices are made. If you are bored, you may overindulge in social media or binge watch television. When you are emotionally unstable you may seek relationships with the wrong kind of people. If you are mentally unsure, you will follow wrong paths (drugs, alcohol) to obtain mental stability. When there is a spiritual void, you will do negative things to attempt to fill the void only God can fill.

 Everyone has made bad choices and will continue to make wrong choices, from time to time until the day of death, because no one is perfect. However, they are ways to prevent or cut down on wrong decision making.

Cars has a 10, 20, 30,00-mile check/tune up to ensure the car remains in good condition. Air conditioning units require service checks, before the summer. Most large items that are going to go through a season, requires some kind of checkup. It is called a maintenance/preventive check. We need to do a self-check or preventative maintenance check on ourselves.

I recommend a self-check maintenance check, for all areas of your life. Start off monthly; then every 3 months, 6 months, yearly to make sure you are making healthy choices. Yes, most people get annual physical exams and yearly checkups, at the dentist. However, what about your mental, emotional, spiritual, financial maintenance?

• Spiritual checks can include forming a relationship with God. Reading and studying your Bible. You may say: I go to church. But, ask yourself, are you getting a true message from church, about God? Or, others may say I don’t go to church, but I am spiritual. How are you feeding your spiritual appetite? Just like feeding your hunger, you must feed your spiritual appetite. 
• Mental check. Many people go to work, then home; then repeat the same routine day to day, month to month and so on. Find an activity or hobby that will stimulate your brain. Get creative. Build something! Make something! Create something. Do something! An idle mind is the devil’s playground.
• Emotional check. Stay away from gossip, and drama. Pursue peace. Separate yourself from people that keeps you emotionally unbalanced. Surround yourself with positive people who want to do something with their lives.
• Physical check.? Do you feel stiff and achy? Get into some type of exercise. There are aqua fitness classes that are easy on the joints. If you don’t want to join a gym: walk, around your neighborhood. Walking is the cheapest form of exercise. Are you gaining weight? Eat better. Fast foods may be quick and easy. And, sometimes this may be the route to go, depending on time and money. However, fast foods should the exception and not the rule. Cook! It does not need to be a gourmet meal. Just begin to eat healthier meals. Cut down on fats, carbs and sweets. Drink water.
• Soul check. Spend time with family. Call your parents. Call your children. Call your best friend. Take time to make a real phone call and communicate with loved ones you have not heard from. It can be chicken soup for your soul. Remember, associate yourself with people who are uplifting and encouraging. Avoid those who are depressing and hopeless.
• Financial Check. Do not wait until bankruptcy is the only option. Or, after all your credit cards are maxed; your checking account is overdrawn, and savings are depleted. Get on a budget and stay on it. If you don’t know how, there are many helpful solutions online. Once you are on a budget, stay on it. Stop frivolous and impulsive spending. Don’t be distracted by department store sales and restaurant advertisement urging you to spend money, that you need to save.

Motto of today, as long as things are working, no need to check. Not true. It’s called preventive maintenance. Start your maintenance check, today.

A wise man will hear and increase learning. And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. Proverbs 1:5 New King James Version (NKJV)