Let's explore the word option. I googled the definition and this is what I found:
op·tion
ˈäpSHən/
noun
- 1.a thing that is or may be chosen."choose the cheapest options for supplying energy"
synonyms: choice, alternative, recourse, course of action; More
- 2.FOOTBALLan offensive play in which the ball carrier has the option to run, pass, hand off, or lateral
According to the definition an option is a thing that is or may be chosen. But where do you get options? Options are something else that you have to choose for yourself. Choosing good options is the key to making good choices. Everything you do in life has options. What you wear, what you eat, how you spend your time and so on are all choices but each choice has options. You put all of the things in your closet and those are the options you gave yourself when you are trying to make the choice of what to wear in the morning. The options in your closet are merely a matter of taste. Those options are easy to choose and a lot of fun to choose also if you like shopping as much as I do!
The most important options are the options that we have control over that could impact our lives. These are the options that we have to choose wisely. I will give an easy example. This morning when I woke up I immediately had to choose what to do next. There are a plethora of options and if I had to contemplate them all I would never get out of bed so I limit myself to two options upon awakening every day. I give myself the option of getting up and working out (my alarm goes off at 4:45 am) or hitting the snooze button and sleeping a little longer. Clearly those are two different options and most of the time I choose to get up and work out (I have been doing the Focus T25 program if you want to check out that blog) but I do occasionally make the choice to sleep a bit longer but then working out in the evening is not an option, it is a given. If I did not make working out an option then it would never be a choice I would make every day.
Another good example about choosing good options would be when it comes to eating. When you are at the grocery store if you do not buy cookies then cookies will not be an option for a snack at your house. Buy apples or grapes instead and then making a good, healthy choice will be easy!
Of course the above options and choices I was giving were fairly easy choices. We all know that in life we are faced with much tougher choices sometimes and sometimes your options are out of your control. If you have limited options it is always best to choose what is good for you over what feels good to you. An easy example would be if you are at a party and someone pulls out a bong and offers you a hit. Obviously there are no options there is only a decision. While taking a hit off of the bong may give you instant gratification, if you get chosen for a random drug test at work on Monday you would lose your job so that is not a good decision for you.
I would define a choice as when you have multiple options and you were able to choose your options and I would define a decision as a choice you have to make when the options are beyond your control. For example at work you need to hire an assistant. You have to make a decision based on your options which would likely be the resumes that you receive. If you were going to make a choice instead of a decision, you would have control over the options so you could choose whoever you wanted (I would choose George Clooney). So there is a difference between making choices and making decisions.
I would define a choice as when you have multiple options and you were able to choose your options and I would define a decision as a choice you have to make when the options are beyond your control. For example at work you need to hire an assistant. You have to make a decision based on your options which would likely be the resumes that you receive. If you were going to make a choice instead of a decision, you would have control over the options so you could choose whoever you wanted (I would choose George Clooney). So there is a difference between making choices and making decisions.
A few years ago my son, who was 11 at the time, was faced with tough choices about his first girlfriend. I wrote him a letter about choices and making good decisions. I posted it on my blog today. If you would like to read it just click here.
Although there are so many things I could write about as far as options go, I will give one last example and be done because I am sure by now you have gotten the point. If you have read any of my other blog posts you already know that a lot of things I write about are from personal experience and this example is another one of those experiences. I am a single mother who is not getting any younger and my son is getting old enough that I am ready to find a male companion with whom to share my life. Due to my own insecurities in recent years I have succumbed to several relationships that only fed my insecurities which just snowballed out of control. I have been working on improving the most important relationship that I have which is the relationship I have with myself so that I can be the best me in all of my other important relationships (my son, my family, my friends, my coworkers etc.). In my search for true happiness I have done a lot of soul searching and have come to realize that those bad relationships were my fault. Two out of the three men that I was involved with were men that I would have never even thought twice about dating in the past. They would never have even been options. I can't remember the exact quote but my roommate in college (you know who you are and if you read this maybe you can clarify) would tell us that her grandmother used to tell her that you don't marry everyone you date but eventually whoever you marry will have been someone you dated and it is just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is a poor man. That simply means if you don't date poor guys you won't marry a poor guy but it really has a much deeper meaning. You can include any qualities that are deal breakers under your criteria into that sentence (the guy is married, unemployed, divorced five times, has eight children from previous marriages, has Peter Pan syndrome etc.) and if you know from the moment he asks you out that something isn't acceptable to you, don't let him be an option, say no, and move on. If you say yes you are running the risk of falling in love even though you know it will likely never work or at minimum there will be drama and issues that may not be worth dealing with so just say no. Not until I just typed out this paragraph did I realize that if I had went by the criteria I listed above I would have never even went on a date with the third guy either. In my defense it took me a year and a half to realize that he had Peter Pan syndrome. But I have lived and learned and I am ready to choose only good options which will in turn help me make better choices when it comes to dating and relationships.
O is for options. Choose your options wisely. Remember, choosing good options is the key to making good choices!
Thanks so much for reading my post now go have a fabulous day and if that is too much pressure, have the day that you want to have:)
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