While my personal WORD for the year is INTENTIONAL (not real jazzy I know) it occurred to me through discussion that the WORD "CHOICE" could be good for many. Someone asked me "I wonder what he thought when she gave him a power strip for his birthday?" I thought about it and said "Well, it depends on his CHOICE of reaction. He could think 'That's a weird gift.' Or he could think 'That's cool. A Zebra striped power strip - and I needed one for my room!'" It was his CHOICE on how to view his gift. When I receive a gift the 'item' is viewed very differently based upon how I got it. If someone CHOSE to give it to me then I automatically CHOOSE to be thankful and appreciative. Now I do realize at times some gifts just seem to be, awful, shall we say? But in this case I still CHOOSE to be grateful that someone put in the effort to think of me.

We all have a CHOICE. Daily. Moment by moment. CHOOSE wisely. If someone is nasty to you (or my sweet employee recently!)... you can CHOOSE to let it change your mood or YOU CAN CHOOSE to understand that that mean person does not control your mood. It is your CHOICE on how to feel. YOU have the CHOICE on how to act and react on a daily basis. CHOOSING WISELY will not only greatly direct the path you are on but also influence so many around you whether you mean it to or not.

I CHOOSE to appreciate all thoughtful gifts. I CHOOSE to be grateful for my blessings even when I have lived through great losses. I CHOOSE to pursue a positive mind in most every situation in my life. To CHOOSE otherwise would be to live a life full of dread. TODAY I PAINTED THE WORD CHOICE.