When I was about ten years old, I loved reading those books where I could decide the fate of the character. I would read along and come upon an A, B, C, or D option, and then, depending on which scenario I chose, I would be directed to another page in the book. Choice after choice, the story unfolded.
Life is like that.
I realized this as I was hiking from Aspen to Crested Butte this week, a trek that takes all day and guarantees blisters and spaghetti legs. I thought back to eight years ago when I made a choice. I decided that I was tired of living a mediocre life, carrying extra weight, being unable to run a mile, and miserable with how my life was unfolding.
Just like in the books, my character came upon a choice. I could have chosen A, B, or C for her, but I chose D. On that day, choice D was to put my shoes on and go for a run/walk instead of sitting on the sofa watching TV and wishing that my life was different.
Was it hard? Oh, yeah. Was it worth it? Double yeah.
Each moment is a choice. Our lives have the possibilities of many different trajectories depending on one decision that will eventually lead to another and another.
Making the right choice over and over again has led to an amazing life. Had I not made that choice many years ago, I would not have been hiking in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, meeting some of the most interesting people in the valley. I would not have been able to hike to 12,500 feet and feel like I was on top of the world. Had it not been for that choice, I could not be writing this to you.
I could have chosen A, which might had led me to an extra 100 pounds and a wealth of health concerns, or perhaps B, which would have been content with walking a mile every now and then. Option C could have led me to a life of complaining and hopelessness. But, I chose D.
Choosing D opened up a world that I didn’t know existed. It’s a world where I push myself physically and mentally to limits that make me uncomfortable but where growth is inevitable. It’s a world where I still make decisions that lead me off course, but I know that in the next moment, I am presented another opportunity to choose.
You may not have control over the circumstances of your life, but you there is always a choice to be made, and your decision will depict where you end up in 1, 5, 10, and even 25 years from now. You can decide how you respond to a situation. You choose how you spend your time. You get to pick who you hang out with. Life is a choice.
In the very next moment, you will get to make a choice. What will it be?
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