Making Tough Choices

Life is interesting, isn’t it?  There are times when things go along smoothly for a while, and then there are times when nothing seems to be working.  Fear not!  Those times when things are not coming together are often the prelude to periods of incredible growth in our lives.  As Joann Barnes, a National Sales Director with Mary Kay says in one of my favorite CD’s, “Just when it feels like it’s falling apart, that’s when it’s coming together!”

The reason this is so helpful to know is it can sustain you through making tough choices in life.  The greater your awareness of the chaos that oftentimes precedes major choices for change, the more likely you are to risk those changes and raise your life to a new level.

So how do you know when one of the choices you face is one of these situations?

One very clear sign is when you can see past the change itself to the outcome which looks really good to you.  For instance, moving to a new city for a different job.  When you look at the short-term, the move itself seems daunting and the first period of time at the new job seems scary.  However, if you look at it through a longer lens, you see that the new city seems very exciting and the new job holds much opportunity for you.

Stretch your viewpoint to include a bigger picture and the difficulties that are right in front of you will pale. It is much easier to go through the darkness when you can see the light off in the distance.  You may not know how every footstep will fall, but you do trust that those footsteps will lead you to the light.

This is all about your willingness to walk through the difficult transition time itself and on into the joy of the new existence.  The ultimate expression of your belief in the goodness of life is your willingness to face tough decisions and make them, knowing that after you traverse the painful part, a better life awaits you.