what are your options?
When looking to make a choice about something - be it animal, vegetable, mineral, or otherwise - one can always look at the vast quantities of details of the multitudes of options, and make an elaborate cost/benefit analysis with all the various permutations of all of the possible outcomes and factors, and one can always simplify the decision down to it's most clear elements by asking oneself:
- Do I have a strong feeling that I want to move towards this thing?
- Do I have a strong feeling that I want to move away from this thing?
If neither question gives you a strong yes answer then consider that what you might really be seeking is more information about this thing, in which case you can either actively seek out more information and/or wait patiently until more information presents itself.
so you want more information, eh?
If you do realize that you are looking for more information before you make a good decision, then perhaps you could look in detail at the following elements of every situation:
Physical Health
- Has this thing brought me more physical health in the past?
- Is this thing bringing me more physical health right now?
- Do I expect this thing to bring me more physical health in the future?
Emotional Health
- Has this thing made me happier in the past?
- Is this thing making me happier right now?
- Do I expect this thing to make me happier in the future?
Intellectual Health
- Has this thing given me useful information in the past?
- Is this thing giving me useful information right now?
- Do I expect this thing to give me useful information in the future?
As you answer these questions for yourself, you will find yourself getting a much stronger impression of how useful this thing is to you, and how much you want to move away from or towards it.
consider adding some flair!
When something looks reasonably good, but still isn't quite in the "YES!" category yet, consider what other, easy to find, nuggets of goodness you might be able to add to the thing to make it work better for you. Maybe all it needs is a little decoration or extra attention to bump it into awesomness.
do the best with what you've got
Sometimes, of course, you don't have all the time you need to wait for more information. If that is the case, then you can trust that you will always make the best choice that you possibly can with the resources that you already have, and you can look forward to creating a new environment that will allow you to get even more of the kind of information that you need to make even better decisions in the future.
If you have found these thoughts useful, consider making a donation. For more information on why The Wise Turtle asks for donations, and for suggested donation amounts, please see the Donations link.
Want even more? Inspired? Amused? Just want to share your thoughts? Contact The Wise Turtle and see what she has to offer you! If you are a teacher or just someone who likes to talk to kids, the Fun Spiral of Life poster and the four sets of questions listed above make a great starting point for a wonderful discussion about how to grow up to be a really healthy person.