I was thinking yesterday, as I walked my dogs in the woods, about how we have the luxury of choice. Just being afforded that simple thing can actually bring us a wealth of joy, happiness and health – or the complete opposite. Taking responsibility for our decisions is incredibly important, as is the understanding that we have a unique opportunity every day to change our life. It may sound impossible or idealistic, but even small life choices can have a big impact. For example…

• CHOOSING not to eat each day until a certain time.   Intermittent fasting benefits health in so many ways; from brain health to improving metabolic outcomes to weight loss. This is a small choice you can make each and every day which is easy (when done properly) and can have a big impact on your health outcomes.
• CHOOSING to move your body every day. Your mobility, strength and flexibility will all improve with the decision to get more active. Even if you are tied to a desk job, you can still make the choice to move during the day; taking a walk at lunchtime, attend an exercise class after work, or if you have time constraints do some movement at home – playing with the children or a short, intense, home training plan. Use it or lose it is a phrase that really does apply to movement.
• CHOOSING to wake each morning and face the day with positivity or negativity – something that will have a major impact on how that day will progress for you. Not everyone has a naturally sunny disposition, but it is something that you can learn to adopt. And as it becomes more of a daily habit, it enables you to become a happier, more optimistic individual. Using positive affirmation techniques can help to achieve this. Stick some post-it notes on your fridge with positive phrases on and take one each morning to use throughout your day.
• CHOOSING whether you will let life’s adversities take over your life or face them head on and make a stand. You can CHOOSE to get up whenever you get knocked down, or CHOOSE to stay down and get trampled.
• CHOOSING your friends wisely. These are the people in your life that can really have a positive impact on you – and you can CHOOSE to avoid those who may bring negativity into your life. A handful of truly loyal friends is much better than a whole host of those who may not have your best interests at heart.

We are surrounded every day by choices that we have the luxury of making. Some are small, some feel gargantuan. Some may take us on a winding path before we reach the right destination.

From the simple to the more complicated, just appreciating that we affect our own lives each and every day by the choices we make can empower us to take stock and really think about what we DO want, and how to make the right choices for ourselves.

And we may not always get it right, but taking control of those choices gives us the opportunity EVERY SINGLE DAY to learn anew, and take responsibility for our own lives. Making a “wrong” choice can actually provide unforeseen benefits, a learning curve that we might not have otherwise understood.

Be confident in your life choices, knowing that each day brings another chance, different decisions that you can make, offering you a new way to learn. Ultimately, the luxury of choice means that you have brand new opportunities to make the absolute best of what you have.