The fact is we all make choices every second of every day. Sometimes we don’t even realize it’s a choice.

We wake up, get ready, head off to work (or whatever). We chose a route at some point and never deviate, so we forget we are making a choice. Heck, we started the day by choosing to get out of bed in the first place. That is one powerful choice, and – believe me – not everyone who is physically capable of making it, does or can.

Choices. Game theory says there are always an odd number of possibilities. Thus, you can have “yes”, “no”, “maybe”. It’s never so simple. When using “maybe”, I would recommend qualifying your response; after all, it could present further possibilities. [Yes, I’ve used game theory for personal decision making. It was fun, yet frustrating. I enjoyed my diagram.]

Sometimes we think we’ve made a bad choice, but we did not. Other times the choice we thought best, turns out worse that the one you thought worst. Sometimes you decide without thought, or you just think too much.

Yes, external (other people’s) decisions/choices can “just happen” to you. For example, the guy who decided to have Jack Daniel’s for breakfast, and then ran the red light as you were making your legal left turn. Your choices brought you to that intersection but his got you hurt.

If it weren’t so late, I’d probably go off into the “if a butterfly beats its wings in China…” bit. It did cross my mind. Everything and everyone is interconnected. My decisions affect and influence those of others, and so do yours.

Some choices/decisions you can never take back. Some are unforgettable and others unforgivable. Regardless, life goes on. You keep waking up and making choices, and one day you realize that you are the product of every choice you or someone else made, and you realize you’re grateful for where you are – or you can choose to be somewhere else.