Making Choices you can Live with

Everyday we make choices that can have life long or even eternal consequences.  To a certain degree, most of us are free to make choices for ourselves, and we tend to think we act in our own best interests, or the interests of others.  But do we really? 

We are never free from responsibility or consequences. 

Remembering this simple sentence can make all the difference in the world.  Even choosing to do something as simple such as switching on a light in your own home, has consequences and responsibilities.  The good consequence obviously, is that there is light for you to see.  But other consequences and responsibilities are a bit more involved than you may realize at first thought: 

1. There's the cost of electricity.
2. Someone has to pay the bill. 
3. Are you wasting electricity and resources?
4. Are you using an energy efficient light bulb? 
5. Does turning on the light affect anyone else?  Say, someone who might be sleeping? 

Perhaps you can even think of other consequences or responsibilities.  The idea here is not to train ourselves to look for actions that have no consequences or responsibilities.  On the contrary, the idea here is to get us to think past the first thought, the first benefit, or the immediate reward - because then we can visualize the full scope and impact of our actions; allowing us to make better choices. 

While we are not likely to practice this exercise for something as simple as flicking on a light, although it certainly wouldn't hurt us to do so; we will want to practice this exercise when we are faced with more personal decisions.  We make hundreds of decisions everyday, it would be good to consider all available options a bit more carefully before making a final decision.

We can draw upon our own natural rational abilities, and seek to educate ourselves in areas where we are short on expertise.  We are teachable!  By exerting good judgment, we put ourselves in a better position to direct our way. 

How to make choices that you can live with:

• Consider the Consequences
• Exert good Judgment
• List the Advantages and Disadvantages
• Analyze the Alternatives
• Rely not on Emotional decisions alone, they tend to be Irrational
• What is the desired Conclusion and will it occur?
• Seek Knowledge and use it
• Always take Others into Consideration
• Be Generous towards others
• Delight in the Happiness of Others
• Accept the Responsibilities

Start using these methods in the small things first to see the immediate benefits of good decision making.  Soon it will become apparent that these techniques really do provide a good foundation for making big decisions as well.   

Regardless of how much knowledge and experience we have, remember that we are not infallible, even after all these precautions; we will make bad choices and mistakes.  We are not so self-sustaining that we can think that we will always do right.  When appropriate, the old saying "two heads are better than one" still rings true - be happy to seek the advice of others. 

Our choices directly impact our lives in many ways, including our happiness and our comfort.  Our choices can also have a profound impact on the lives of others, near or far away from us.  If we can settle on a manner of making choices that generate a positive impact, then we will all be better off in the long run.