Right or left? Wrong or right? Up or down? Yes or no?  All of us face choices every single day.  Even not making a choice is a choice to leave the decision up to fate.  All of us have also made our fair share of poor choices along with the good ones.  Is there anything a person can do to help resist those bad choices and make better ones?  The following statements and questions will help.

*Think First.

The majority of a person’s major decisions require taking time to think about them before making a commitment to them.  If people make the choice to think about and weigh choices before making them, they will have the power to resist making bad ones more easily.  Thinking it over gives a person time to consider and weigh the pros and cons of a decision, helping them decide wisely.   

*Wise Councel.

Some decisions effect a person for the rest of his or her life. Choosing an education, a mate, a job, and more will turn a life in one direction or another.  When questions arise, seeking those who are more knowledgeable or wise to give counsel will help in making better choices.  Sometimes knowing what others think about something can help a person clarify his or her own thoughts before making a decision.  Seeking wise counsel also gives us that time we need to think about the decision.

*Choose before hand.

Suppose a person has just started a diet, and they have a party to go to.  Making a plan to either eat ahead of time or eat only certain items or a certain amount will help this person resist temptation at the party.  One might also have a plan in place if he or she might be offered drugs or some other thing he or she wants to avoid.  Many teens make a choice to remain abstinent until marriage.  Choosing before hand helps them not to give in to pressures of the moment because the decision has already been made.  Knowing temptation will come, it makes sense to prepare ahead of time to keep from making unwise choices.

*Questions to ask:   Does this choice align with your morals, values, religious beliefs and goals? Is it legal?  Will it hurt you or someone else?  Would you advise your best friend or child to make this choice?  Asking questions allows a person to clarify thoughts when making a choice.  Choices that go against who a person is, often lead to negative consequences.  By aligning choices with values and goals, a person is more likely to choose things that will add to his or her life rather than detract from it.

Yes, some bad choices are inevitable in life, but by thinking first, seeking wise counsel, choosing before hand and asking good questions, a person can minimize the liklihood of bad choices and begin making choices that bring health, hope and happiness into his or her life.  Our life is made up of the choices we make, and making wise choices will lead to a better life for all.