Life is about choices. Good choices, bad choices, considered choices, reactive choices, conscious choices, unconscious choices . . .I'm frequently asked how it is that I'm always in a good mood, positive, and optimistic. The question is often framed in different manners, which can reveal much about the asker. For example, earlier this year a younger man asked, "What book did you read that that caused you to become so relentlessly optimistic?" A colleague asked, "Are you EVER in a bad mood?" And a woman I don't know well at all queried, "OK, what exactly are you 'on'?"
BTW, the answers I gave, each of which were/are the truth (tho' in each case only part of a much longer story), were 1. "The Power of Now" by Eckhardt Tolle; 2. Yes, but I get over it fast; and 3. "caffeine, chocolate, and air".
The great truth, for me, is that I literally make a choice each morning to get out of bed and enjoy the day to the fullest. I semi-joke occasionally that I take a vote and that being positive, having fun, or having a good day always win unanimously. I find it interesting but not surprising the number of people who tell me they do literally the same thing - they "take a vote" and life wins.
Life doesn't have to be complicated. It's really just about choices.
I think I'll leave balance largely for another post. The concept of balance is, to me, quite political. Can one play "full out and fearless " as my friend Charrise McCrorey suggests and still maintain balance? I'm not too sure. Balance is a goal, perhaps, but not a passion. Following one's passions in life (use the term "purpose" if that's more comfortable) may preclude being entirely balanced. Balance is of course relative, but I'd think the passionate pursuit of balance would be pretty boring (but that's just me).
So later on "balance".
But back to "choice". I balanced those bags of cookies in the photo, but if you click on the photo to see it full size, you'll likely notice I made a choice. I had to tape the Nutter Butter bag to hold it closed for the photo because, given the choice between the two cookies, I went for peanut butter.
