Turning Points
Occasionally in life, we encounter a turning point. Sometimes we realize we are facing a turning point (i.e., marriage), but other times we don’t realize it (i.e., meeting someone for the first time).
Turning points can be either positive or negative. Taking the first hit of drugs is probably a turning point for a drug addict. Committing a crime could be another obvious example of a negative turning point. A positive turning point could be the alcoholic’s first step to recovery. It could be a spiritual awakening for another person. So, turning points can either be good or bad.
Like I mentioned above, sometimes we don’t realize we are facing a turning point. The druggie may not few his first experience with drugs as a turning point at the time. I think everyone’s life has turning points, but sometimes the person doesn’t realize the importance of the choice at the time.
One important point I would like to make is this: No one faces a turning point with the intent on making themselves worse off. When the alcoholic takes his/her first drink, they don’t do it with the intent on becoming an alcoholic! No one intentionally seeks negative turning points. Everyone tries to make themselves better off, but obviously we all make mistakes.
How do we know if we are making a good or bad decision at a turning point? Well, sometimes it’s tough to tell. Laws, morals, religion, values, etc. are put in place to help guide us through the turning points of life. We may not know or accept we made a bad decision until a significant period down the road. It may take the drug addict years to realize the first hit was a turning point.
I try to apply these thoughts to my personal life. We all make mistakes in life, but I think the key to success in anything is to not make the BIG mistakes. I try to make sure that if I make a mistake, that error won’t lead to something worse and become a negative turning point. I want to avoid negative turning points, and I use my values, morals, beliefs, etc. to help me out.
This concept can apply to all areas of life: School, career, being gay, family, marriage, friendships, etc. I hope to make good decisions which will ultimately lead to good turning points.
posted by Chris W. @ 8:46 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
One of the most important things a person can do in order to recognize a crossroads when it comes is to strive to become more aware.
Awareness is a high form of honesty where we are able to be true to ourselves and understand where our motivations and desires stem from. When we can accomplish acute awareness of ourselves, inside and out, choices we make that may become a turning point get filtered through a clear perspective, and, seeing the probable consequences, the decision becomes clearer.
If, for example, you want to start drinking because you are having a terrible life - you lost your job, you just had an argument with your significant other, you went through some trauma - you may not be able to see that the choice to take your first drink could, in fact, be disastrous. If you have awareness of your desires, you begin to see that the motivation for you want to take your first drink is to escape through some self desctructive means. When you can realize that you feel self destructive, you can instead decide if it is truly beneficial to engage in self destructive behavior, or if it wouldn't be better to find some other, healthier form for escape.
I don't have a formula to achieve awareness; however, it has everything to do with how willing you are to face your true, core self.
I agree with foxx, in that being aware and present in life is the key to making good decision.
I think part of being aware, is realizing that even though you have made a decision with sound mind and judgment, that things might not always turn out the way that you expected them to.
Being present and in the moment, is also being willing to take chances. Sometime we make bad decisions because we decide not do anything. And as I have learned, imobility is a choice. To choose to not can also be a bad choice.
My advice along with that of the foxx, is to take that awareness and challenge yourself to live in the moment without fear, as to go out of your way to learn new things and have new experiences that will help you to progress instead of stay in the same place.
You make a good point, and I agree that awareness is vital. I also think that not being able to know if we are at a turning point make it that much more crucial that we make positive choices rather than pushing the limits of what we can get away with.
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