It Boils Down To Choices

The Ones We Make

Photo by Aniket Deole on Unsplash

My daughter invited me to go to Yosemite Monday - a one-day, 400-mile round trip with her, her husband, and their two dogs. It sounded like fun; I hadn’t been there for years. Yet, I had a lot of excuses for not going. I was too old. They would hike to a place I couldn’t handle. It was a long drive to make in one day. I might hurt my knees, fall, or overdo my capabilities. My cats would be left alone. I’d be interfering with their family time. I’d get home late and not have time to work on my writing. You get the idea.

The previous article, How Excuses Get In The Way, discussed why people procrastinate or act contrary to their goals. But it boils down to choices. Would my excuses win - again? Would I miss out on doing something I wanted to do because of my worries?

Estimates are that the average adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day. I recently read the following quote.

The power of choice is one of the most profound aspects of human existence. It allows us to take control of our lives and create our own reality. But with great power comes great responsibility, and our choices can have far-reaching consequences.

In his book on longevity, Peter Attia suggests that the actions I choose now will allow me to do what I want in the final years of my life. His point made an impression.

As a widow, I’m responsible for my choices and decisions. I want to be independent and age well. But do I make daily choices that support those goals? Not always.

I went to Yosemite. It was magnificent; the river and falls were rushing; we had a picnic lunch, did a little shopping, and walked to Mirror Lake - 5 miles. I used a walking stick, and it was an easy walk. The only downside was the number of people and cars.

The day was gorgeous; the weather was perfect. The cats were OK when I got home; there was plenty of time and energy to catch up. We had fun. My knees are a little sore, but I didn’t overdo it.

Monday, I managed to choose longevity rather than fear. I’m so glad I did.

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