The Choices I Make

1
The Choices I Make

• Student Counseling Services
• CHOICES Webshop Series

2
Every day we make hundreds, if not thousands, of
choices. Many of these choices are
unimportant, but some have a profound
significance on our lives. Every time you
answer your phone, youre making a choice.
Every time you go to the gym, youre choosing
health. Every time you go to class, youre
choosing academic success.
3

• The problem is that many of our choices are
  unconscious or automatic, and we fail to see the
  long term consequences of them.

4

• Recognizing the broad range of choices
  available, allows us to actively engage in making
  decisions in our lives.

5
You have an amazing ability to shape your life
because you have choice

• In your relationships
• In how you take care of yourself physically,
  emotionally, spiritually
• In your attitude
• In how you treat others

6
Every day, you make many choices that impact your
relationships.

• How much time to spend with a person
• How to handle conflict
• What kind of behavior is acceptable
• When to leave painful relationships

7
Choices in Self-Care

• Getting enough sleep
• Avoiding over scheduling
• Eating nutritionally
• Exercising moderately
• Accepting your body size and shape
• Avoiding perfectionism

8
Choices in Attitude

• Optimism
• Hope
• Mindfulness
• Peace

9
The best choices come from clearly defined
VALUES
10

• If our values are poorly defined, we can
  become caught up in minor, daily distractions.
• We fail to keep our long term goals in sight.
• We often feel dissatisfied and our lives and
  work seem empty.

11

• If you are unclear about your values, your
  decisions become haphazard, shallow, or
  meaningless.
• One way to make better choices
• in life is to clarify your values.

12
What are YOUR values?
13
Family Freedom Friendship Generosity Genuinen
ess Happiness Harmony Health Honest Humor
Integrity Kindness Knowledge Loyalty Openness
Perseverance Respect for Others Responsibility
Security Serenity Service to Others

• Authenticity
• Balance
• Commitment
• Compassion
• Concern for Others
• Courage
• Creativity
• Empathy
• Excellence
• Fairness

14

• If you could only pick 10 of these values,
• which 10 would you pick?
• If you could only pick 5 of these values, which
  5 would you pick?
• If you could only pick 1 value, which
  value would it be?

15

• How can I integrate my values into daily
  living?

16
Turn them into behavior!

• Values that we fail to reflect in our behavior
• are ultimately empty.
• To be meaningful,
• a value must influence
• the choices that
• we make in our everyday lives.
• - Jim Loehr Tony Schwartz

17
EXAMPLE 1

• If concern for others is a value for you,
• how is this reflected in your life?
• Are you making time for relationships?
• Do you set appropriate limits and boundaries
• in your relationships?

EXAMPLE 2
If health is a value for you, what are you doing
to maintain or improve your health? Scheduling
time for working out? Limiting drug and alcohol
use?
18
Growth
Family

• Use images as reminders of your values.

Curiosity
Beauty
19
extend a helping hand to someone in need
stand up against racism violence

• Practice the values that
• are important to you.

treat others with respect dignity
engage in dialogues, not arguments
See the positive, laugh with others
20
Change your thoughts you change your
world. NORMAN VINCENT PEALE
Seek not the good in external things seek it in
yourselves. EPICTETUS

• Collect quotes that inspire you.

To be brave is to love someone unconditionally,
without expecting anything in return. To just
give. That takes courage, because we don't want
to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to
hurt. MADONNA
If you cant be happy where you are, its a
cinch that you cant be happy where you aint.
CHARLES TREMENDOUS JONES
21
Be aware of peer pressure.
There are times when we are not in touch with
our values and we rely upon the reason and
choices of others to guide our lives.
22

• We may imitate, copy, or follow the behaviors,
  thoughts, and actions of others.
• We may want to go with the flow and dont want
  to rock the boat.
• We may not believe that we have the courage to
  stand up for our beliefs.

23

• When we follow others, we have forfeited our
  power of choice and sacrificed our values.

24

• We compose our lives
• Moment by moment
• Choice by choice
• The choices you make today about your
  relationships, your study habits, your self-care
  have profound implications on your life.

25
Live your dream by making deliberate choices,
not just responding to whatever life throws your
way.
- MARCIA WIEDER
26

• A moment of choice is a moment of truth.
  Its the testing point of our character and
  competence.
• - STEPHEN COVEY 

27

• Suggested Readings Resources
• Covey, S. (1989). Seven habits of highly
  effective people restoring the character ethic.
  New York Fireside (trademark of Simon
  Schuster, Inc.).
• Loeher, J., Schwartz, T. (2003). The power of
  full engagement. New York The Free Press (a
  division of Simon Schuster, Inc.).

28

• The end.
• Illinois State University
• Student Counseling Services
• 320 Student Services Building Campus Box 2420
• Normal, IL 61790-2420
• p 309.438.3655 f 309.438.3004
• www. counseling.ilstu.edu
• Music