Are Your Choices Sustainable

As the New Year is underway, something each one of us should think about is, are your current choices sustainable?

It is something few of us talk about but the meaning of sustainability is powerful and very healthy.  Great question each of us should answer.  Up to this point, have your choices been sustainable to live a life filled with peace and joy?  Let’s consider a few things:

With a booming bubble in our economy, some tried to live a life filled with an abundance of things.  But even living in the greatest country on earth with the most opportunity and the largest resources, holds universal laws that must be honored.  In a capitalistic society, not every person gets to drive a new SUV, own a large home and put a large flat screen TV in every room.  This kind of living is simply not sustainable for the masses.

During the time of the bubble economy, many also lost sight of life’s most important things.  Our minds told us we needed that new truck, the boat and all the gear to go with it.  For some, there grew a distance between what was once enough and what we thought we were entitled to.  Obviously, not a healthy way to live.

2008 thru 2011 were tough times for a lot of people.  Our bubble economy popped and our false financial surroundings crashed.  This brought financial pressure to many families which, in turn, caused additional stress on marriages.  What once seemed easy turned to struggle, then hard and finally to downright miserable.

I watched friends lose jobs, cars and even their homes.  Not a pleasant thing to watch happen, let alone go through.  But all of this should have taught us some very important lessons, because in every misfortune is the opportunity to learn.  Experience is a fantastic teacher, providing our minds are open to learning.  Even the best education in the world is worthless unless we are ready to receive it.

In 2011 I adopted a mindset.  Upon making choices that will affect my future, I ask myself, is this choice sustainable.  I apply this to my relationships and finances.  Why?  Because at some point down the road, tough economic times like we experienced are likely to come again and personally, I never want to be affected the way I was, ever again!

The key here is the struggle and the fight of tough times.  They teach us and wake us up to make better choices for the future.  Through this process a healthier way of living is adopted.  For those who are not willing to accept responsibility and learn from their mistakes or better prepare for future struggles, chances are they will be given similar circumstances again to face.

2012 will be better only if you have chosen to become better.  Living a joyful life is not rocket science.  You are where you are because of the choices you have made, sustainable or not. 

Why not choose to become better and learn from your choices of the past?  Even if you did most everything right, chances are you can still learn something new and do it better next time around.  It sure beats the heck out of banging your head against the wall and hoping for different results.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.