Becoming an Adult, pt 3

Choosing Wisely is Your Job #1 Now

Part 3 of a 3 part series

This PSA from Iceland is the best “Choosing Wisely” ad on the internet (not my OC)

Part 3: Choosing Wisely as you move forward in life will keep you out of trouble and alive long enough to watch your grandkids graduate from college. See Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

• Remember you are the only person in your life who will be 100% affected by every single choice you make. Make good, healthy, happy choices for yourself and your future. Don’t look back on a life filled with regrets. Here’s my short list of guidelines:

~ Always choose “BEST AVAILABLE:”  Whether it’s food, friends, drinks, after work parties, the workplace, buying a car and all the other choices you have in life.

~ Keep your Word, do what you say you will do: Don’t make promises you can’t keep, or promises that will undermine or harm you later. This is unfortunately often learned through experience and failure. Do your best. That’s all you can ask of yourself.

~ Keep your eyes on the Prize. Look to the future when making choices. Always consider unintended consequences. Remember your goals and why you are here.

~ NO is a complete sentence. You have permission to not do things! You don’t need to explain anything. The less you say, the less they have to hold onto if they are trying to manipulate you into doing something you don’t want to do! If you must, try saying, “I’d love to and I can’t…” or try this, “Sure, we can do that as soon as you do this…”

Expand Your Horizons

• READ! Not just on your electronic devices. There’s something wonderful in holding a hard cover book and tucking yourself away in a secret place to go on an internal adventure. Learn about foreign places, discover thoughts of ancient people, read histories and autobiographies to discover how other people have handled adversity and challenges.

• Travel! Get out and see the world before you settle down. For that matter, learn to do things solo as well as with friends. Travel and a little independence will teach you about yourself. It will help you understand and appreciate other cultures and other people. Do it while you are young enough and have few things that tie you down.

You Will Survive Becoming an Adult

• You will get your heart broken. You will fail at some things. You will get rejected. You will not always get what you want. OH WELL! Learn to take these in stride. They are just some of the costs of being a great spirit in a human body. God always answers prayer, and sometimes the answer is “NO!” I look back across the landscape of my life and am thankful daily for unanswered prayers, unmet expectations, and failures that changed my direction and my heart.

It’s going to be OK. Trust me. Someday you will tell this to your 18 year old!

Here’s a lesson on Choosing Wisely I tell all my audiences:

Be Good To People.

You don’t know who they are

You don’t know who they know

And

You don’t know who they might become!

Take care of yourself, kiddo. The world needs you. And we need you healthy and happy.

Blessings,

© 2017 Beth Terry, CSP • All Rights Reserved