My Best Decisions

I wrote down my best decisions at least 20 years ago and they really have not changed in all these years.

I think it is helpful to the understanding of yourself to try to determine some of your best decisions.

In hindsight, you will look back at these decisions and see how they have affected your life in a positive way.

Of course, sometimes what seems to be a good decision now, may eventually turn into a bad decision.

I find it funny that my best decisions were made when I was a high school junior and senior. These decisions have so far been what I consider the my best decisions of my life. These 5 decisions improved my life then and continue to be my guiding principles now.

My Best Decisions

Decision Number 1 - I started wearing contact lenses.

I decided, with the help of my parents money, to start wearing contact lenses in the spring of my junior year in high school. I had worn glasses since the 5th grade. I was always self conscious of my looks because of the glasses. They were big, black, bulky and heavy. They were always breaking and falling off my face with any sweating at all.

It was very difficult to find affordable glasses for me that looked good at that time. Now there are a lot of good looking glasses, but I still look better without glasses. The best looking glasses are very expensive now.

Decision Number 2 - I started lifting weights.

I started lifting weights in the spring of my junior year. My high school bought some weights at that time and the football coach strongly encouraged all the players to start lifting. I took to it right away. It was fun and it helped. I continued to lift for another 10 years until I got married and had children. After I left my wife I decided to get back into lifting because it was such a positive influence on my life when I was younger. I wanted to get that back. I wanted to look and feel better. I wanted the strength and power. I wanted the leaner, more muscular look of my youth.

Decision Number 3 - I started drinking.

I started drinking alcohol in the spring of my junior year. I went with some friends to a drive in movie. They had some beer and I had a few. It tasted great immediately and I was able to loosen up. In fact I met a girl at the drive in and we made out. This was the first time I had ever even kissed a girl.

I didn't drink again until after football season ended that fall. But I went out drinking quite a bit in the rest of my senior year.

I was a very sheltered, uptight type of person. I was not very good at having fun. I would say at that time that I was terrible at having fun. I was shy, self conscious and serious. I was not a fun person to be around.

Drinking helped to change that. I started to be able to have fun once in awhile. Not always, because being serious is difficult to get over, but sometimes. I became a fun loving person at times. I even consider myself a guy who likes to party once in awhile. I do not have any hangups about drinking.

Obviously, I avoid drinking very much when I drive and I minimize it so that I can take care of my responsibilities. But going out and drinking is just such a great part of my life. It is the fun part, the wild part, the part I look forward to the most.

Decision Number 4 - I quit basketball.

I decided to not play basketball in my senior year. I had started playing in 7th grade. In spite of playing organized basketball for 5 year, going to camps, pick up games and practicing at home, I was not very good. I never got in very good shape even with all the running we did in practice. I consider it a sport I was not cut out for. I was good at football, so it wasn't that I was a bad athlete. Just bad at basketball. I never enjoyed the practices. I was always extremely nervous all day at school because of the practice or game later that day. I hated the tiny uniforms that we wore. The uniforms are so much better now with the big shorts and loose fitting shirts. When I played the shirts were skin tight and the shorts were almost as small as a pair of underwear. My feet were covered in blisters from the first day of practice and never healed all season. I sprained my ankles all the time and had to hobble along most of the time. I never started, I was a bench warmer. When I got into a game, I was not able to contribute. Telling my coach that I was not going to play was very difficult. He was in total shock. The rest of my senior year was fantastic. I actually enjoyed it. By quitting basketball I was able to salvage my high school experience. If I would not have quit I probably would be very bitter about high school, because up to that point school really sucked.

Decision Number 5 - I decided to go to UW-Platteville.

I decided to go to UW-Platteville for college. I got a degree in Civil Engineering which is how I make my living to this day. I had some good friends during college that I had a lot of fun with. I enjoyed my lifting at that time. It was a great experience being away from home. I also met one of my best friends there and we still are great friends after all these years.

I recommend that everyone put together a list like mine. It helps me to remember what I've overcome. It helps me to see that my life has been good. When you go through the effort of writing down my best decisions it adds to your self awareness and your appreciation for your life. It helps you to remember what is important to you.

Listing out my best decisions helped to guide me all these years. The same things I am thankful then, I am still thankful now. This list can be your guide for the future.

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