Right or Wrong, Own Your Choice

Take Pen to Paper: Edition 138

May 15, 2025

Hello Friends,

Once a month, I get together with friends at a local restaurant for eating, fun, and crafts.

Last week, I had my order all planned out. I would get the same menu item I had last month. When it came, it wasn’t the same.

In this newsletter:

Wrong choices happen.
The choice is ours.
If it’s under your control, own it.

Mistakes Happen

Actually, I ordered what was brought to me. I was my fault it was wrong.

I ordered a grilled chicken taco. However, the last time I ordered it, we had a seasoned server (pun intended) who asked me how many tacos, ala carte, or entrée. This past week, I told a new server “a grilled chicken taco” and left it at that. So I was brought the entrée.

I sat there listening to my friends specify this and that for their order, one even said “ala carte” taco. I immediately recognized my mistake. I could have corrected my order at that moment, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, I didn’t. The mistake was on me.

I could have easily blamed the server. But it wasn’t her fault. She even repeated my order back to me.

I could also have used it as an excuse to eat more; there were two tacos on the plate, plus beans and rice, but I didn’t. One taco was enough.

I owned my choice and learned a lesson.

The Choices We Make

We make choices constantly. It certainly helps to be mindful when we are making them.

Some choices come easily because they are routine. Others require thought and consideration.

Both easy and difficult choices can end up wrong. When that happens, it’s better for us to be grateful that we have choices.

We must understand that we are in control of our choices. Therefore, we have a responsibility to ourselves (and possibly others) to do our best to choose mindfully and wisely.

Own Your Choice

Last week, after spending the day at school volunteering, I came home and had about 90 minutes before meeting my friends for food and crafts. How should I spend that time?

Normally, I would choose to do one of my routine daily tasks, like taking a walk or journaling. Why not cram as much in the day as possible? However, I made the mindful choice to spend some time talking with my husband and petting my dog. I had been gone from the house all day. They deserved some of my time.

Even though it was hard for me to choose straying from my routine activities, I made my choice and owned it.

I didn’t meet my step count for the day, and my journal entry was minimal. Those are two priorities in my daily routine. But my choice prevented that. No blaming. No using it as an excuse. I made the right choice.

If your choice is a mistake, own it. You are more likely to learn from your mistake by taking ownership.

If your choice puts you on an unexpected path for better or worse (or somewhere in between), own it. Tomorrow is another day. Your routine will be there, or maybe you will discover a new path to follow.

Whether your choice is wrong or right, choose it, own it, accept the consequences.

No one is making your choices for you, unless you let them. So make your choices and own them.

7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:

I am grateful for conversations with my husband and the wagging tail of my happy Arlo. 👨‍🦳🐕
It’s a good thing to understand that every choice you make is a path that leads to some kind of consequences, which is why in the elementary school environment, you often hear the phrase “make good choices”.
Sometimes, your best choice and possibly your only choice is to change your perspective.
A quote: "Everybody has the choice of being a hero or not being a hero every day of their lives." - George Lucas 🤺
It’s OK not to choose if you really don’t care. I am often this way when eating out with friends. I’m just glad for the company.
Here are some tips on making a decision. 🤷‍♀️
This article is about how one couple chose their surname. I wonder if they can own the choice of others?

Thank you for reading. Do you find choosing easy or difficult?

Until next time,

💚

Susan

What choice do you always leave up to others? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear about it.

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