Accepting Your Decisions

Until a few years ago, I would regularly feel disappointment when the outcome of a decision I’d made didn’t turn out as planned. I felt I'd made a "wrong" decision and I would focus on how I should have chosen differently. This was until I realized every decision I made is, indeed, always the “right” decision at the time—it all depends on how you look at it. How can that be possible? Because life is a process of growing, and making choices (and mistakes) is an integral part of the growing process!

The basis for this belief is in respecting yourself. Whether you make (what you consider) a good decision or not, you need to respect and support yourself--believing that you’re making the best choice with the information you have at the moment. If, later down the line you realize that you didn’t make the “best” choice (i.e., the outcome of our decision did not turn out favorably), you have the opportunity to learn how to accept the outcome as a learning experience.

Love and accept yourself as you are—but also love and accept yourself as you were… even if who you were has caused you disappointment. You cannot know what the future holds; you can only choose what you feel is best at that precise moment. After the decision has been made you can choose to be disappointed by the results or you can accept them, love them, and treat them as life lessons and a necessary part of your journey. For without decisions with “less than desirable consequences”, how would you have the opportunity to know what not to do?

Next time you are faced with the unexpected outcome of a decision think about what you choose to believe—think about your perspective: Crisis or Catharsis? Obstacle or Opportunity? Instead of blaming yourself for your decision, think again—accept your decision and the undesired consequences as signals to learn from your choices and use the opportunity to look for the “lesson in the learning”. This is a perfect time to love and accept yourself and your decisions as necessary steps down your road of discovery. Besides, once you learn to accept all of yourself you will be able to accept others--and that equals a win-win situation!

Be Well.