I hate it when I’m unproductive or when I’m wasting my time.
But my sickness this week gave me no choice, and I had to rest on the couch everyday. I’m then getting annoyed by myself because I’m wasting time but on the other side I also know that my body needs time to heal.
Do you also have that feeling after you were sick, that you want to do everything now, right now? Going out, enjoying the world, working on projects again, meeting people, going grocery shopping… I like that feeling of freedom, of being able to conquer everything. After a while you will get used to the healthy life again and take it for granted again. You should never take your health for granted. We only have this body and we have to live with it and nurture it so it can serve us.
But it’s a little off topic of what I wanted to write about today. I read an interesting post from Mark Manson on Instagram and got me thinking and got me writing this post:
Decisions
“Nothing happens until you decide. Make a decision and watch your life move forward.”
– Oprah Winfrey
We make a lot of decisions throughout each day, even though you don’t actively decide it. Most them you decide unconsciously which are called habits then. Your habit is to stay in bed for a few minutes longer. Your habit is to check your Instagram next to breakfast. Your habit is to watch TV right after you come home from work. Those are all decisions you are making, but already unconsciously.
Small or big decisions are what lead to your future and your goals (or not your goals). Every one of it will open some new doors and will close some old ones. You are deciding if you want to catch that bus now or you will take your time and take the next one in 10 minutes. From that decision you will have either a full or empty bus, you will be at work before the meeting to prepare or you will be right on time, you will meet or help someone, or you don’t see anyone you know…
Even though it is a small decision it can change the whole timetable of your day, or it changes how your mood is when you arrive at work.
A lot of those decisions are unconsciously or I believe chosen from the universe or from whoever/whatever you believe in. All of that big and small events happen after a lot of decisions have been made and made you arrive exactly at that situation.
Now you are thinking: what if I don’t choose anything? What if I’m really bad at decision making and I don’t want to decide?
Well not deciding on something is also a decision you made. You can actively choose to do something, or life, the universe or someone else decides for yourself. Do you want someone else to decide where your life is heading? I don’t want to, do you?
So making a decision is your way on having control over life. There some things you cannot change or cannot decide, but you can focus on the things you can do and then make those decisions for you. Choose the path you want to take in your life and choose it based on your values and your goals.
If you want to get healthier, then you should choose actively to make or order some salad instead of burger with fries. Choose actively the healthier option instead staying in the habit of eating the food you’ve always eaten.
And don’t let others decide for you
If you don’t make your own decision, someone will decide for you. If you are going out with the group, and you do not decide to which restaurant, then maybe someone else will pick a restaurant which you don’t like.
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
– Ralph Wald Emerson
Some books that helped me with decision making and improving myself:
- Mark Manson “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***” (deutsch)
- James Clear “Atomic Habits” (deutsch)
- Greg McKeown “Essentialism” (deutsch)
- For more book recommodations take a look here (it will get updated with time)
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