The Power of One Choice

You didn’t press play by accident—today’s episode is all about choice. The small ones. The scary ones. The ones that remind us: life doesn’t just happen to us, we shape it, we create it with our choices.

Whether you’re stuck, scared, or just unsure—this episode is your gentle nudge to reclaim your power, one decision at a time. You’re only one choice away from a completely different life.

🎧Give a listen and reflect
💬 Comment onwhat you’re choosing for you
📲 Send this to someone whomight be on the fence

Transcript

Welcome and thank you for choosing to listen today. It’s actually a perfect choice because today we’re talking about making choices so if you chose to be here on your own, or someone sent this to you to help nudge you to this choice, then thank yourself for putting yourself first, for showing up and choosing you today. Today is one more day you can choose to move into the mindset, motivation, and strategies you need to build the life you want because today we’re talking about something incredibly important: the idea that life doesn’t just happen to us. We have the power to shape our lives through the choices we make every single day. 

Too often, we find ourselves trapped in a mindset of "It is what it is." We accept circumstances as unchangeable. We resign ourselves to situations, relationships, careers, and environments that may not serve us simply because we think we don’t have the power to change them. But what if it isn’t what it is? What if things don’t have to be the way they are? What if we have more control than we think? And I know what you’re thinking...if you’ve listened to many of my episodes, I’m always talking about how we don’t have as much control as we think, that we have to let go of what we can’t control and the only thing we really can control is our response, is us. But that power to change situations is tied to the choice of how we respond, how we react and that is within our control so while you can’t directly change the situation, you can indirectly change it.

We’re going to explore how every choice we make—or don’t make—is a decision that shapes our future. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a new perspective on how to reclaim your power, break free from the victim mentality because that is what makes us stuck and feel less than, and step into a life of intentionality and purpose which makes us feel worthy and motivated.

Let’s start with this fundamental truth: Life is made up of choices. Everything we do—or don’t do—is a choice. Now, I know what you’re thinking. "But some things are completely out of my control!" And yes, there are circumstances in life that we don’t choose or can’t choose. We can’t choose our upbringing. We don’t choose the unexpected hardships that come our way, not the consequences that turn into hardships, but the actual unexpected ones. We also don’t choose how other people’s hardships and their responses to those overflow to us. But we do choose how we respond to them.

When something bad happens, when life doesn’t go your way, when you feel like you’re backed into a corner, you have a choice. You can let it define you, or you can decide to grow from it. When you’re unhappy in a job, you have a choice. You can stay stuck in frustration, or you can take steps to improve your situation—whether that’s learning new skills, seeking new opportunities, or shifting your perspective.

Choosing not to act is still a choice. Staying in an unfulfilling situation is a choice. And the moment you acknowledge that, just simply acknowledging it and realizing that you have made that choice, you still reclaim your power. Even if you can’t, won’t, don’t want to choose another way, just knowing the choice is there helps. It gets you to begin to think there might be another way and it gets you thinking about how you can maybe make small changes that gets you closer to the bigger choice and decision you may need to make. Ensuring that your choices reflect your hopes, your desires, your movement forward and really identify and ensure your choices are not simply a reflection of your fears.

One of the most dangerous phrases we use in our lives is "It is what it is." Sometimes, we use this phrase as a way of accepting what we can’t change which is an incredibly powerful choice of its own. Acceptance even if you don’t like what’s going on can still bring you peace. But more often than not, we use “it is what it is” as an excuse to stay stuck because sometimes it’s too hard to do anything other than that or we don’t yet have the strength or recourses to challenge it. But what if it isn’t what it is? What if the way things are isn’t the way they have to be? What if we have more control than we realize?

Let’s take an example. Say you’re in a job you don’t love. You wake up every day feeling drained, uninspired, and unfulfilled. You might tell yourself, "It is what it is. I have bills to pay. I can’t afford to leave." But what if it isn’t what it is? What if you start looking for new opportunities? What if you start developing skills that could lead to a better job? What if, instead of staying stuck, you actively work toward a future that excites you? It won’t happen overnight and yes, you’ll still have to stay in that job you don’t love maybe longer than you want, but this simple shift in thinking is powerful. It moves us from a place of passivity to a place of action even if that action is long term. It reminds us that we are not just passengers in our own lives—we are the drivers.

Think about where you are today. Every aspect of your life—your career, your relationships, your health—is the result of past decisions. Some of those decisions were intentional, and some were simply choices by default—things you allowed to happen by not making a different choice. Now, this isn’t about blaming yourself because you think you made the wrong decision and you’re not where you want to be. It’s about empowering yourself. Because if your past choices have led you here, that means your present and future choices can lead you somewhere else.

If you’re not happy with your health, you can choose to exercise and eat better. If you’re not happy with your relationships, you can choose to communicate differently, set boundaries, or walk away from toxic connections. If you’re not happy with your financial situation, you can choose to learn about money management and create a plan. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life overnight. But one small, intentional choice at a time can completely transform where you’re headed and that’s what we’re all about here.

One thing that keeps us stuck is fear, the fear of... "But what if I make the wrong choice?" Fear of making the wrong choice keeps so many people stuck. They worry that if they take a leap, they might fail. But here’s the truth: Not making a choice is still making a choice. And often, it’s the choice to stay exactly where you are. Remember that nothing changes if nothing changes. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. Know that you have been thru hard things and you made it out. Maybe knowing that you have the support of others to catch you if you fall. Try to feel the decision in your body and figure out how you’re feeling and if you go one way or the other and why. Sometimes disaster thinking can help...I know that sounds awful but if you think about what if the worst happens, really think it thru as to what that worst would be and what you would do in that situation. Think about will I still be ok? And most likely you will be, it might be hard to bounce back but with time and space, most of us bounce right back. There’s a saying that goes instead of trying to make the right decision, try to make the decision right.

The beauty of life is that most choices are not permanent. If you take a job and it doesn’t work out, you can find another one. If you move to a new city and don’t love it, you can move again. If you learn a new skill and struggle, you can adjust. The real failure is in not trying at all. Michael Jordan once said “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Another reason we avoid making certain choices is the impact to others. We are so concerned with how our decision will impact someone else, that we freeze at the thought and just can’t see our way around it. We don’t think we have a right to choose for us and put ourselves first. Now I’m not saying that you don’t consider others in your choices but especially when it comes to other grown adults, your grown children, your friends, or whomever, they too need to be responsible for their choices and choosing to rely on you as you are, to maybe live with you when there’s no other reason than it’s easier for them, for not wanting you to change or grow because they aren’t ready to change or grow themselves, maybe that’s no longer reliance but maybe it’s taking advantage of you, maybe now that’s moved into manipulation. Now if whatever the situation is works for both of you, then that’s great. What I’m talking about here is when it no longer works for you but you feel like you’ve created something you can’t undo. But you can, with some honest discussion, maybe some deadlines, identifying and reinforcing your boundaries, and then making the choice you need to make. And then let them be responsible to choose their own response. Remember their response is on them, not you. You’re only responsible for your own choices and response. Think about what your life will look like if you make that decision, that choice. Now think about what your life will look like if you don’t make that decision or that choice. Which one is exciting to you, which one is inviting, makes you smile, makes you realize there is another path forward. As Mel Robbins has said, “you are only one decision away from a completely different life.” So what different life can you imagine, what different life do you deserve?

So, how do we start taking control of our choices and moving toward the life we truly want? Here are three steps:

1. Identify where you feel stuck. Where in your life are you telling yourself, "It is what it is"? Go deep and really think about the areas where you feel powerless because that’s probably where you can feel forward movement in those tiny increments.
2. Challenge the belief that you have no choice. Ask yourself: "What if this isn’t what it is? What if I really could change this?" Start considering new possibilities, open your mind to other ways, new ways of looking at a situation. Maybe it’s not an open door you’re supposed to be looking for but an unlocked window.
3. Take one small step. You don’t have to change everything overnight. But make one intentional choice today that moves you closer to where you want to be. Maybe it’s applying for a job, signing up for a class, having that difficult conversation with a roommate, or simply just changing your mindset to be open to better choices, intentional choices for your future you.

Life doesn’t just happen to us—we happen to life. Stop waiting for someone else to choose, it’s time for you to choose. Every moment is an opportunity to choose.

I hope today’s episode has given you something to think about. Remember, you are not stuck. You always have choices. And even choosing not to act is still a choice but if that’s the case, then realize that if nothing changes, then life continues as it is today. And are you satisfied with how your life is today and if not, then maybe today is the day you choose to move forward, to make one small change, to take that one small step. And if this episode got you thinking, maybe share it with at least one other person who you know that maybe needs that nudge to make a choice. Or if you’re open to sharing, leave a comment and let me know what you’ve chosen to do today to move your life forward and take that step.

I’m glad you chose to listen today and if you’re not ready to make any other choices than to just reflect, that’s ok. You chose to be here today, you chose to take a moment for yourself to grow and to learn and I hope you choose to keep listening and keep coming back so that we can all help each other live the lives we deserve, little by little and peace by peace.