On a recent TV commercial a statement was made that “One decision can change everything.” I thought about that for a few minutes and decided that “one decision changing everything” is too much of a reach. But I do believe that one decision can change our lives. I thought of a couple of decisions that I made that changed my life. Perhaps you can also think of decisions that changed your life. The change that decisions make can be positive or negative. On this first day of a new month, I choose to focus on the positive.

The decision that came immediately to my mind is my decision in 2019 to stop drinking alcohol. More than six years ago, on a Wednesday night, I made the decision to stop drinking alcohol. When I made that decision, I could never have imagined how my life would improve.

The reason I decided to stop drinking alcohol was to lose weight. I had tried many other things, to no avail. I recall saying many times, “I am not going to give up my Chardonnay!” To this day I do not know why and how I was able to make that decision on that particular night, quitting immediately. But I did.

At the time, I did not plan that it would be a forever decision. But as the months turned into years, I decided that I felt better and had no good reason to return to that behavior. I did lose the weight (50 pounds,) which did not come from just not drinking alcohol. But that decision was a stimulus that made the other changes happen.

I do not know what my readers are dealing with, what changes they need to make. But I know that they know. It is a nagging thought and feeling that comes periodically, and is pushed aside. I had nagging thoughts and feelings, and pushed them aside. Until I didn’t. Until I made the decision to change. And that decision changed my life.

I have found 9 of those 50 pounds that I lost, and I am not ok with that. I plan to do something about that soon. I have been going up and down two pounds for months, and it is time to get serious again and lose those 9 pounds, or at least 5 of them.

This is a hard time of the year to lose weight, so I may decide to hold where I am through the end of the year. I may focus on losing 5-9 pounds beginning in January.

What about you? Is there a change you want to make that will change your life? Is there something nagging at you? Is it time to pay attention to it and do the work to be your best self?

I am cheering for you as you decide.