As we traverse our path on this journey called life, there are many forks in the road, many choices, some small, some large. 

 

But have you ever thought about how even the smallest choice can affect our overall goals?

 
Have you ever said to yourself, "Self, how the heck did I get to this place?"  Do you look back at the many things that you shoulda, coulda, woulda, but you just wimped out?
 
All these small little choices we make along the way absolutely do affect us in the long run.
 
Each and every day, we are presented with choices, choices, choices, small or large, chocolate or butterscotch, frappucino or chai tea, couch vs. treadmill.
 
Since the simple little choices affect much bigger things, we need to look at every single one of them as sums of the whole. 
 
Say we have a large goal to meet Prince Charming Dude, and one of the ways we've decided to meet that goal is to get out of the house, get busy, become more interesting, and take some classes.
 
But you decide to have a couple glasses of wine in the evening, which makes you tired in the morning, you sleep in, miss class registration, don't take the class, don't have a new interest or hobby, and perhaps, miss an opportunity to meet a Prince Dudling -- I mean Charming.
 
It's kinda like the old Mother Goose fairytale, The House That Jack Built.
 
This is the girl
that drank the wine
which gave her dreams so divine
so she couldn't awake
and made a mistake
and missed the class
because of that extra glass
didn't meet the guy
which made her cry
and now she's a mess
who would have guessed?
 
Of course you all know I was going to use the example of the choice between a piece of cake or a celery stalk, but the way I figure, if Prince Charming can't handle a few cake crumbs, who wants him anyway.
 
Another example I'll use is Dude doesn't call you last night when he said he would.  You have this uncontrollable urge to leave him a voicemail asking him if he broke his little itty bitty fingers rendering him unable to call.
 
Of course you two may need to talk, but is leaving him a voicemail dripping in sarcasm going to help you in the long run?  Probably not.  It's not going to do anything but make you feel momentary triumph, and may just be the straw that broke the camel's back with him (camel abuse!).
 
The point is, by throwing away a small goal for just a moment, it can affect our larger goal.
 
So what's the answer?  Keep your eye on the ball. 
 
It's best to look at things and ask yourself along the way if it will help you in the long run.  If the answer is no, move on down the line.
 
Are we talking relationships here?  Perhaps ask yourself, am I better off with Dude or without Dude?  Do I know that this relationship is a loser in the long run and my existing with him is merely preventing the inevitable hurt of break up?  If so, also know that what it's doing in the long run is preventing you from meeting More Appropriate Dude.  
 
Choices, choices, choices.
 
The choice this poor still-under-the-weather advisor is now going to make is to have a nice cup of tea.