CCM #13 - FREEDOM TO CHOOSE - GOOD AND BAD CHOICES; THE CONSEQUENCES

Freedom to Choose - Good and Bad Choices; Their Consequences

You know the difference between right and wrong

Most everyone, including you, understands the difference between right and wrong, good or bad. Wrong and bad decisions, common sense says, will hurt your financial well-being. Would you agree to that? You knew of the difference at a young age, because you had the ability to discern and choose between the two. You know today that consequences surely follow your decisions. In life, people know what it is like to feel a little feisty, and choose what might be called ‘bad’ decisions, to see how far they could go, while pretending not to suffer any negative consequences. But deep down, most everyone knows choices have consequences, and each is basically free to choose whatever they want.

Recognizing you have made intentional decisions

Do you like your own behavior, and do you feel responsible for it? Would those who love you think some changes might be in order? Is there a lot of pain and suffering from the consequences of your personal decisions? To be clear, if applicable, will you acknowledge that you have intentionally made bad choices and ignored how the consequences might negatively impact yourself and those you love and who love you? At the time of those decisions and behaviors, did you really give a whit about the consequences? You get the point.

Natural consequences to every choice that can’t be changed

Do you really appreciate that your choices have natural consequences? Yes, you are free to make your own choices, good or bad. But you, like anyone else, cannot change the consequences of your choices. You know this, but why are bad decisions made when we know their consequences are not good? For that matter, every choice you make will surely have either a positive or negative impact on your overall health and financial well-being. So, if your budget is a wreck, you simply need to make different choices. Let’s be very clear. Your decisions will have a direct impact on your life, those individuals in your family, and your financial well-being too. Take a real look at yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself where have your decisions landed you? Do you want or need to make any changes in order to improve your status? What new choices can you make, with their consequences, that will work in your favor?

Choose positive, not negative decisions or behaviors

For example, to change things up for the better, you can go ahead and start this minute by intentionally choosing any (+) positive behavior. You can also pause and consider whether or not you have chosen any (-) negative behaviors. Choices have guaranteed consequences that you can bank on; you will receive the rewards or penalties of your daily choices soon enough, or maybe even instantly. Many such little decisions each day quickly and constantly change your life, and overtime, for the better or for the worse. If you don’t really like your situation right now, this very hour, then start making some different decisions or behavioral choices. They all add up and will change your life regardless of your circumstances.

Take 10 minutes for you, and learn why you are where you are

Since you will be living your life anyway, and making many decisions every day, why not make a few new carefully and wisely-selected choices or positive behaviors? No one can force you to make any such choices, nor should they. So, how about you choosing to carefully ponder the positive and negative behavior lists below; check off those you’ve chosen. How about taking it a step further and doing a personal self-inventory of the behaviors you’ve chosen to live this past little while and see if there’s a pattern that needs to be changed? If you’re not interested, then it supposes that you’re satisfied with your life choices and behaviors. Are the people in your life also satisfied with the choices you’ve made, and how they have affected yours’ and everybody else’s lives?

Positive decisions or behaviors

Consider these (+) positive choices and behaviors and, if desired, commit to making a few changes:

Adoring Enthusiastic Loyalty Sharing Affection Exercise Marriage Skills Affectionate Faithful Modesty Sleep Appreciating Family Morality Sorry Aware Fidelity Peace Sympathetic Balance Forgiving Perceptive Talents Believing Freedom Pleased Teachable Caring Gentle Prepared Thankful Charity Goodness Receptive Thoughtful

Children Gracious Reliable Trustworthy Committed Grateful Repenting Understanding Compassionate Happy Responsible Virtue Concerning Helpful Responsive Willing Considerate Honesty Rest Work Content Humility Righteous

Worshiping Contributing Impressionable Sacrificing Cooperative Insightful Satisfied

Creative Integrity Self-Reliant Dependable Joyful Selfless Devotion Liking

Self-respected Diet Listening Sensitive Enjoying Loving Service

Negative decisions or behaviors

Consider these (-) negative choices and behaviors and, if desired, commit to making a few changes:

Abhor Degrade Hoarding Sinful Abusive Dependence Hostile Smoking Adultery

Despair Hurt Smugness Anger Despise Immodesty Stealing Arrogance Destroy

Immoral Strife Bad Detest Infidelity Superiority Bitterness Dishonest Injure

Swindler Boastful Dislike Insincere Theft Bragging Distort Lying Two-faced Burglary

Divorce Malicious Uncaring Cheat Double-dealing Mischief Unfair Con artist

Drinking Mislead Untruthful Conceit Drugs Nasty Vanity Conflict Egotism Obsession

War Contention Embezzlement Perversion Wicked Corrupt Evil Pornography

Covet Fighting Pride Criminal Fraud Profanity Damage Gambling Robbery Debase

Greedy Self-centered Decadent Harm Selfishness Deceitful Hate Shoplifting

Look at this through the eyes of a 12-year old child

Now, having reviewed the two lists, are you convinced that these choices and behaviors have either good or bad, right or wrong consequences? Imagine, for a moment, a 12-year old boy or girl who is actively participating in the (+) positive behaviors? Or in the (-) negative behaviors? Now what? Can you see how their lives and budgets are likely going to turn out? And what choices will he or she need to make in order to improve their situation?

Immediately improve your financial well-being

What about you, and your life? Did you really take the time to ponder about the positive or negative choices you’ve been making? How about checking off your choices, did you do it? Why is your life any different than a 12-year old? What are you going to do about it? For now, just realize that your good and bad choices really matter because they each have good or bad consequences. If and when you want to improve your financial well-being, then simply make better choices, lots of them, every day. No one can make these choices for you, and you control your own well-being, starting right now.

CANDID QUESTIONS

• Where are you on the scale of your accepting responsibility for your own decisions?

• Can you clearly see where bad decisions you’ve made have hurt your financial well-being?

• Are you very happy with the consequences of the decisions you’ve made?

• Do you understand that you can make different decisions, starting now, that will have a very positive effect on your financial well-being?

• When was the last time you pondered the choices you’ve made and those new choices that will immediately improve your situation?

• What advice would you have for a 12-year old child who was making the same choices you are making?