The Power of Choice, Part 1

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The power of choice

Knowing that you have a choice is a powerful feel­ing. You may not like one of the alternatives, or in some situations, any of the alternatives, but remem­bering that you can choose is very liberating.

When you forget that there are choices, it’s all too easy to feel like a victim of your circumstances. When you’re forced into something, you may feel that something is being done to you. Being part of a personal safety net, especially when the team is called into action, will pose many choices. A critical aspect of being able to choose is becoming adept at and saying “no” in various ways and thereby shap­ing how your “no” may be received. Equally impor­tant is being comfortable saying “yes” and able to tailor what your “yes” means to fi t your intention.

Many people like to be involved with and helpful to others but fi nd navigating the complexities of in­terpersonal communication overwhelming—so they remain uninvolved. If this applies to you, we hope you’ll take on the challenge of learning how to be comfortable with being connected and involved in expressing choice through your “yes” and “no.” We hope you’ll be willing to try something new.