Schmutzie, blogger and web designer extraordinaire (she created this site’s masthead), recently wrote a post with the five best decisions she has made in her life. It was a great piece that was actually inspired by Karen Walrond, who tweeted her five best decisions.
Late last night after I read Schmutzie’s top five, I started thinking of my own list. My list didn’t come together as easily as it did for Scmutzie, but by the middle of my morning run today, I had the fifth one worked out. Thinking this out and writing it down was a wonderful exercise. It has been a frustrating week for me for several reasons so going through the process of listing good decisions I have made helped with what I have been dealing with this week.
My Five Best Decisions in Life
1- Marrying my ex-husband- Without this relationship I would not have my two children. We have run a company together for the last 11 years and continue to do so divorced. While we had our moments in divorce negotiations and in the marriage, we have settled into a nice friendship and co-parenting relationship. The life I have right now, which I am incredibly grateful for, would not have been possible without the life experiences over the past 22 years which included my ex. For all of these reasons, I know this was a great decision.
2- Divorcing my ex-husband- Maybe this seems contrary to #1, but I believe these two decisions belong on the list. This was the hardest decision I have made in my life, but it was the right decision, not just for me, but for all four of us. We are all in a better place individually as well as the relationship dynamics within our group of four. For me personally, Naked Girl in a Dress was born; I enrolled and graduated from a photography school; and I am simply a happier and more fulfilled person.
3- Starting to run- I have been an athlete my entire life, but always avoided running. It seemed boring and mindless. My ex and I each owned a business (and I was working in both of them), we had a 3 1/2 year old, and a newborn when I realized I needed a quick and efficient way to workout. Begrudgingly I started to run. It was torture at first, but I built up my fitness level and found myself running a 1/2 marathon soon after starting to run. Injury led to cross-train in other sports, which led to duathlons and triathlons. In good times and bad, running brings me peace. I enjoy the company of a running partner as well as solitude on solo runs. Having the ability to run and be at peace in nature is one the greatest gifts.
4-Deciding to be happy- I live my life believing happiness is a choice I make for myself. It is not a fleeting emotion in my life as a result. While I am not perpetually happy, I try to make this decision daily.
5- Hitting the Publish button in WordPress- I knew this was something I wanted to do, but I was terrified to start. Making the decisions regarding the site and actually beginning to write took over a year. It was procrastination at it’s best. Once I had run through the excuses of needing to research blogging, blog platforms, blog theme, design, and more, I simply had to start writing. I remember feeling nauseous each time I hit publish and editing published pieces over and over again. While Naked Girl is about redefining life at any age, this site has played a big part in me redefining my own life as well as rediscovering my love of writing.
This was a wonderful exercise for me. I encourage you to share your best decisions in a comment, write them out privately, or write your own post. If you do post on your blog, let me know so I can stop by to read.
Since today is about making good decisions, I am choosing Mat Kearney as Song of the Week. Adding Mat Kearney Radio to Pandora was a great decision I made earlier this year. I enjoy his music, but have been introduced to many artists I would not have known about had I not added his station. While it wasn’t the best decision in my life, it was still a good decision. Enjoy “Hey Mama.”
Happy Friday!
Comments
18 responses to “My Five Best Decisions in Life”
I love this one. If I could, I’d do this one. But I’ve got too much going on right now.
Write it on your blog when you have the chance. Thanks for reading Vinny!
1) making my 8 yr old w my ex wife when we were supposed to divorce. Without my little girl I made biologically, I’m nothing as a man.
2) turning down a job offer in San Diego in Nov 2007. 5 months later i met my wife.
3) asking my wife (current) to marry even after only 6 months knowing her. I fell in love with her the moment i laid eyes on her. Taking her and my 15 and 7 yr old daughters in my life was brilliant.
4) quitting that radio/tv reporting gig in Philadelphia in 1993. I would be a miserable soulless jerk if I had stayed in that business.
5) writing again in 2010 after a long break. I’m me again. It feels like a zillion bucks.
Thanks for sharing your list Lance. #3 makes me feel hopefully in second chances.
Solid list. Agreed on the “choose happiness” world view. So true.
And…thanks for turning me on to a great recording artist! Off to add him to my Pandora now…
So happy to spread Mat Kearney to more Pandora listeners. I love him!
Sounds like five very interesting things to shape who you are. Truthfully, right now, I don’t think there are five things I could write down. I think, however, I will put this in the back of my “blog notebook” as something to think about for the future and use it when I feel I have five things to fill this. Excellent post!
Thank you P.J. If you do write a post with your five, please do share.
What a great idea. You really have me thinking. I will check out those other posts too but I love how you were able to look back and see that really hard things like a marriage that ended did not end up being a worst decision but a best. Our lives are about choosing happiness and seeing what comes of our decisions and so I will now ponder what paths have led to my happiest places. Thanks for the great post!
You are welcome. Thanks for the great comment. I have been struggling these last few days over something and your comment about “choosing happiness and seeing what comes of our decisions” resonated. Thank you for that.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been on your blog. Initially your blog hit too close to home. I was pretending my divorce wasn’t coming, like somehow avoiding the topic, I could stop the train from coming. Turns out once I stood and faced it life improved – greatly! I’m starting this journey and I know you are moving through it. I hope you don’t mind if I peruse through looking for inspiration once and awhile. Thank you for your words.
Kellie
Thank you for coming back to visit when you were in a better place. You have inadvertently helped me with your comment “…stood and faced it life improved.” I have recently had to face something, but I am not to the place where life has improved yet. Thank you for the reminder that being brave and facing issues is a better plan than sticking our heads in the sand.
[…] Ta-Tas Some Love! » The 5 Decisions That I Will Never Regret I came across a post over at Naked Girl in a Dress the other day about the best five decisions she made in her life. I couldn’t stop thinking […]
Wow, we have a lot in common. Thanks for writing a blog for me that I don’t have to write or post. Just replace running with basketball.
Really cool. For someone that seems to still be figuring it out (hence the latest post), you sure have your act together.
At 5″ 3 1/2″, running is a better sport than basketball for me! I think it is my nature to always be trying to figure something out. This is worth my time and contemplation.
Such a great idea for a post!
I run too, there’s really nothing like it, is there? I’ve never been one for sport, but with running… Oh man, I just find it immensely exhilarating.
‘Deciding to be happy’ resonated strongly with me, I feel that I am going through a major change in my life right now, and I constantly remind myself that I have the power to be happy.
Keep going!
Hitting the publish button…….. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do but something or other always comes up….. One of these days…….
When the time is right, you will do it Vijay!