"It's always good to have options"... or Is It?

Options are everywhere. Decisions are everywhere. And it seems, Stress..looms closely behind..

Why does it seem "it's always good to have options".  If you think about it, it can actually be the cause of a lot of headache.  There have been studies done claiming the chances of a relationship to last, have a lot to do with how many "choices" each mate has. For example, look at Hollywood.  These "celebrities" constantly have their pick of the litter, options that many of us may not have just simply because of their superstar status.  Something goes wrong in their current relationship, they have struggles.. "the grass is greener", certainly isn't hard to find.  A pretty, freshly-watered and manicured pasture of green, constantly sparkling in their direction.  It's something that can be a constant "option" for the "desirable" relationshipees. 

Further, the theory of dieting.. studies claim more options can actually breed overeating.  A little bit of this, a little bit of that, can really end up to be, well A LOT.  Take a buffet for example, it can be fun, but even the continual choice of picking can be unnecessary decision-making that can lead us to be unhealthy, and not decide at all, instead choose all of the above - (or maybe just a lot of the above).

Choice mixed with a world of accessible information and fierce competition is a huge stress-factor..  For example, in a world of information, it is so easy to find hundreds of gardeners in our area.  Decades ago, we could just let the little boy next door mow our loan for $20.  He'd do a fine job, we'd have a mowed lawn, and we could move on the next, and most likely, more important issue at hand, like spending time with our loved ones, instead of searching and researching the best option.  Best price, best service, timeliness, best product! So many variables, which variable is most important? Another choice!, UH.

It also seems not only do we feel the stress of making the decision, but there's an aftermath. Did we make the right decision? "That other gardener would have done a much better job, I could have probably saved money if I went with this gardener I just saw an ad for," ... it continues!! Our choices seem to follow us even after we make them.  We question, was this the right choice?  The right career? The right car?  "If I bought the Toyota, I bet I wouldn't have had  to paid all of this money for maintenance issues already!"  No worries, you can easily just trade it in for the Toyota, and then experience perfection with your motor vehicle: DOUBTFUL. Not to fear, again though, there are hundreds of other brands that are good options... Still searching, and deciding!  Constantly scanning for the better "choice" keeps us from too-often enjoying what we have. 

The best: that brings us to the next enemy of "choosing".  What is the "best" choice?  I know that this is certainly a personal matter that I struggled with for years, and sometimes still do.  What is the best choice.  The best choice for... career, apartment, dress, exercise, shoes, haircut, significant other (eh :/).... hmmmm the list goes on.. so much so, that we often struggle (so frivolously) to choose what to do even that night.  How lucky we are.  That we stress ourselves out because we have too many things in our closet, so we can't pick out the "best outfit:"  Sheesh. What a spoiled little generation we are.  We are lucky for the things that aren't choices.  If you think about it, the easiest decisions are the ones that are most important, most meaningful, most beneficial to our human body, mind and spirit. 

....Do I want to hug my mother because I have not seen her in a year, Yes.
....I am starving, do I want to eat? Yes
....Do I want to sleep after being up for 20 hours? Yes.
....I'm severely, critically injured, do I need medical attention? Yes.

These are easy...and possibly too simplistic.  But, it gets the point across.  Our less-important decisions are generally harder to make because they just aren't, well important in the grand scheme of things.  There are of course exceptions, but it's interesting to think about.  Sometimes I wish I lived in a more simplistic time, when we didn't have dozens of different options for socializing: facebook, twitter, myspace, pinterest, blogging, texting, emailing..... distractions everywhere, choices everywhere, tenfold. 

I'm not complaining, I just find it helpful to take a step back from the constant decision-making we do from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed.

Appreciate simplicity.
Remember, the now.
Cherish what we have.

"Choice" is a blessing but also a responsibility and can seem at times, a burden.  One that sometimes, I just simply don't want.   Maybe it's just good to remember that every time I have "choices" and start to get slightly stressed about deciding which outfit to choose for that special occasion, I should just feel lucky for having the frivolous little "choice" to make in the first place.