The Choice To Choose

With a new academic year upon us as well as the upcoming Jewish New Year, I am pausing to reflect on the choices I have made this past year and identify the choices I hope to make this coming year. As a positive psychology life coach, one of my main objectives is to remind my clients about the plethora of choices—both big and small–that we have in our lives. We have so many choices throughout the day, which can have enormous impact on us. We have small choices like whether to take a breath before sending an angry email and larger choices like whether to change careers or have a baby. However, we often forget how much control we actually have over our lives and how many choices are available to us.

Jumping into Change

When I reflect back on this past year, I realize that I wrote my first blog a year ago. Since then I have written almost two dozen more. Never could I have imagined how much joy I would get from writing and I am so glad I took the risk to write the very first one—which of course is always the hardest one. This past year I experienced a lot of positive change. My daughter left our local public school to attend an all-girl private high school. I have loved becoming involved with this community and I spent much of this last year savoring this new experience that I know is fleeting (just three years left!). My son started middle school and is gaining inches and attitude. I chose to spend as much time as I could with him, taking two road trips, just the two of us, to visit with his cousins in DC and spending lots of time watching movies, the Simpsons and WWE together—sneaking hugs whenever I could. Again, I know this time is quickly passing and I want to eek out what I can.

In addition, I have started a new business. When I wasn’t savoring moments with my kids, I have been studying, writing and meeting with clients. I love my new career and have gained so much insight from and developed many new enriching relationships within the positive psychology community. I love coaching clients who are eager to create their best life. This year was full of trying new things, taking risks and trial and error. I put aside fear, jumped in and I am so happy I did.

“Choose is to Exclude”

But, of course, as positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar reminds us “whenever we choose we must also exclude”. By making the choices to focus on certain things this past year, other things were neglected. In an effort to be productive, my time became much more scheduled and I had fewer opportunities for spontaneity and spirituality. In addition, with so much focus on the kids, my husband Gideon and I were not able to have as much couple time as we would have liked.

So I am pausing to think through my choices for this upcoming year with no regrets about last year’s choices. Those were the right ones for then and allowed me to feel professional success and personal fulfillment.

But seeking a lifetime of balance, I have some new choices I would like to make this year. I would like to prioritize meditation in my life and take some time to connect with Judaism. I would also like to make a weekly date with my husband again, like we did before our kids developed their own weekend social lives. And I would like to have more open time in my calendar for spontaneity.

We Cannot Add without Subtracting

With that said, I know that it is not possible to add without also subtracting. This is the conundrum. How am I going to add these new items to my already busy life? What am I willing to give up or curtail? How can I adjust my choices to continue to reflect who I am and what I value while making room for growth and adjustments? This is the complexity of life. How do we stay true to values and remain open to growth and change. How do we make the right choices on an ongoing basis?

I don’t have the answers to these questions. All I know is that when I am intentional and authentic, things seem to work out. When I stop, breathe and reflect, I am better able to plan and prioritize. I will not be perfect this year but I am not seeking perfection. I am just hoping to make wise choices with as much thoughtfulness and confidence that I can.

Interested in exploring your choices? Please contact me at amyalpertlifecoach@gmail.com