“We reap what we sow. We are the makers of our own fate. The wind is blowing; those vessels whose sails are unfurled catch it, and go forward on their way, but those which have their sails furled do not catch the wind. Is that the fault of the wind?……. We make our own destiny. ” ~ Swami Vivekananda

I believe Albert Camus was correct when he said that “life is the sum of all of our choices.”  Everything you do (and do not do) is of consequence: every thought, every word, and every action. Each day you have the power to create a future full of health and happiness or one wrought with illness and regret.  The choice is always yours.  Never forget that you reap what you sow.  Each day you scatter your thoughts, words, and actions like seeds. These seeds will take root and grow to be consequences; your life is your personal garden of consequence.  Knowing this, you see how important it is to be mindful of what you plant in that garden.

What you think will impact how you feel, how you live, and the decisions that you make.  Do you fill your head with positive or negative thoughts? Do you take chances or do you take the easy way out? Do you harness enthusiasm or defeat when tackling a project? What do you think of yourself?  Do you choose self-love or self-loathing?  Don’t be a bad influence on yourself.  Think wisely.

Are We the Makers of Our Own Fate

Your experiences will be echoes of your behavior so speak kindly or prepare to be treated unkindly. Speak truthfully or expect lies. Don’t gossip unless you want to be gossiped about. Speak with love if you desire to be loved. Speak respectfully if you want to be treated with respect. If you want to see all that is wrong with the world, speak negatively. Speak positively if you want to see all that there is to be grateful for. What do you say? Choose your words carefully.  Don’t speak just because you have a mouth–speak because you have something beautiful to share with the world.

If life was meant to be lived alone, we all would have our own planet. Do you smile at your fellow companions on this journey?  Do you seek the joy of living? Don’t let yourself isolate.  Reach out, connect. It’s not only about you. Live in the moment, not in your head. Life happens outside of you. Don’t miss it.

Small things in great numbers have great power.  Picture a leaky roof with one small drop dripping down, over and over again.  How quickly does that pot you place underneath the leak fill up?  How many times do you need to empty the pot before the leak is fixed? You can’t undo heart disease twenty years from now, but you can do something today while it’s only a potential consequence of unhealthy living. You can’t undo lung cancer thirty years from now, but you can put down that cigarette today. Do you exercise?  Do you eat right and take care of yourself? One day with no exercise, an extra dessert, or one cigarette won’t kill you, but over time these “drips” add up and fill your pot with disease; your actions today will affect your future health.

Take a moment to consider your current health and identify what issues you have that were created by decisions you made, things that you did and didn’t do. Work to change those things, and any other unhealthy behaviors you’ve adopted. You only get one life; don’t do things that jeopardize it.  Life is to be treasured, not squandered.

“Confront the difficult while it is still easy; accomplish the great task by a series of small acts.” ~ Lao Tzu

If you’re having difficulty with any area of your life—work, relationships, etc.– look at how you got where you are.  Did any of your decisions contribute to your current problem? Why did you make those decisions?  Did you put someone else’s happiness first? Were you afraid? Is someone else making decisions for you? Do you need to seek help for emotional issues or an addiction? Have your motives been genuine?   If you don’t like the garden you’re standing in, get some new seeds and plant something different.  Seasons change and so can you.

The good news is if you take the time to learn who you truly are and what you want out of life, you will be able to make choices that will help you create and achieve goals, and keep you true to yourself.  Always keep in mind how much impact one little decision can have on your life; don’t make them lightly, especially the big ones.

Live consciously and be excited to know that you have the power to shape your life and the lives of those around you with your thoughts, words, and actions.  And don’t be discouraged of where you are today.  The consequences of poor decisions can be wonderful learning tools. Pull the weeds and till the soil in your garden—choosing to learn from your mistakes can be one of the greatest decisions you’ll ever make!

Learn to “love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.” ~ Maya Angelou

It is said that almost everything is a consequence of something. Do you think this is true? Are we really the makers of our own fate? I really want to know what are your thoughts on this. You can share your insights by joining the conversation in the comment section below 

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