The Paths in Life We Choose to Take

While out on an errand recently, a thought struck: My life is the way it is now because of certain choices that I made in life. Certain paths which I chose to take. And if I had chosen a different path, I would be a completely different person. My life would be different.

 

There are many times when we are at a crossroads in life. We are faced with a moment where we must choose whether to follow this path or that path. The path that we choose will lead us in a completely different direction and changes for our lives. Once on that path, and staying on it, our lives will shift and evolve according to the circumstances surrounding that path.

 

And sometimes it’s not so much about making a decision to start living a certain way or pursuing a new goal in life (a new path), but also about whether we say “yes” or “no” to a new thing or a new opportunity. If we say yes, then certain changes will take place. If we say no, then we stay in our comfort zone and life stays the same.

 

Choosing new paths and saying “yes” to new things will bring about changes in our life. These changes affect us and make us change too.

 

I was thinking about this a lot lately because I recently read a novel in which the main character was abducted. She had a choice to either live a new life as someone else or go back to her old life to live as herself. Before she was confronted with this choice, she was missing her old life and all the people in it.

 

Reading that book made me grateful for the life that I have now. It really gave me a new sense of appreciation for ALL of the new people who have come into my life, ALL of the changes that took place and ALL of the new perspectives it has brought with it.

 

For me, my crossroads was when I was fighting for my life in the hospital after my drinking problem nearly brought it to an end. I knew I had a choice: I could continue to drink (say “no” to change, stay in my comfort zone, keep everything the same) OR I could choose to be sober (say “yes” to change, explore new routes and invite new things into my life).

 

I chose to be sober. I chose to go in an entirely new direction. Take a new path.

 

And it’s because I took that new path that everything started to shift, to change. Old people left, new people entered. Old habits were replaced with new habits. Old mindsets were replaced with new mindsets.

 

And as I embraced all of those new things that I encountered on my new path, I started to encounter MORE new things. More new people and more new opportunities. I started saying “yes” instead of “no.” I invited new things into my life and more new things kept coming.

 

None of that would have happened if I had not chosen the path of sobriety. I opened up my arms and invited a completely different and new life into my world. And good things, new things, have happened ever since.

 

In other words, I got to see what life is like WITHOUT addiction. Without the chains of alcoholism.

 

My life is now so much better than it used to be. I am stronger now, and definitely wiser. I would not have grown if I had not taken a new path. And that right there is also a wonderful benefit of embarking on a new path in life. The storms we survive, the struggles we conquer and the changes we endure help us to grow and become our best self.

 

And all it takes is saying “Yes.”

 

As I thought more about this, I started to wonder if the things that are meant to be in our lives will still be there. I do believe that we create our life plan before we are born. This life plan contains certain milestones we will reach, the struggles we face, and the things, including people, that are meant to be in our lives. You know how the saying goes, that if something is meant to be (meant to happen), then it will find a way. Even if we take a different path and even if there are changes, the things that are meant to be in our lives WILL come into our lives – but only when the time is right. New paths mean a change to these aspects of our lives. In other words, taking a new path means living a new plan. The old stuff that was going to happen on the old path now will not happen. We changed things up with our futures by taking a different path.

 

I chose to take the path of sobriety and I am grateful every day that I did. I am grateful that I made the choice to get sober and live a better life. I truly feel that everything that happened after I made that choice are all things that were a part of this new journey in life. And whatever is supposed to be in my life will find a way to be in it, no matter how long it takes and no matter what happens. I just have to keep going and trust the process. Trust this new path. It can only lead me to where I am meant to go.