Summary: Do you ever say, “If only I hadn’t messed up,” or “If only life were easier?” “If only I had made a different choice?” “If only I were more like so-and-so?”<br> <br> So often we live in the land of “if only” and “I should have.” This is not a pleasant place to live.<br> Not only does this sap our energy and make us constantly discontent with life, it also keeps us from looking at our real-life options.<br> We spend so much energy thinking about what we should have done or what we wish life were like, that we have no energy left over to stop and think, “Okay, I can’t change reality, but what can I do?” And is what I’m currently doing, working?<br> If you struggle with regret and if only, an option chart will help you renew your mind. Since this is kind of a hard tool to describe, I’m going to try to be a real techy person and explain it in a recording.<br> Since this is the first time I’ve ever tried to put a recording on my blog and I’m not a techy person by any stretch of the imagination, let’s use my own trial today for example. First I’ll <a href="https://barbraveling.com/2014/03/09/how-to-truth-journal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">truth journal </a>and then I’ll make an option chart.<br> Truth Journaling Example<br> Beliefs: 1. I can’t believe this is so hard. 2. If only I were more of a techy person. 3. Maybe I should do this later. 4. Or use a different example. This isn’t a very good example. 5. Maybe I should skip it altogether since it will be so hard to figure out. 6. Besides, I probably won’t be able to figure it out anyway.<br> Truths: 1. This is not surprising! Most techy things are hard in the beginning for me. Why should this be any different? 2. But I’m not, so I might as well accept it. God can use this struggle for good in my life. 3. I have been saying that for almost two years now. I could say that ’til the day I die. Let’s just get it over with. 4. Oh well. If I go for perfection, I’ll never get it done. Let’s just do this. 5. No, Barb. You want to do it. Get it done! 6. I bet I will!<br> Option Chart Example<br> Truthfully, just <a href="https://barbraveling.com/2014/03/09/how-to-truth-journal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">truth journaling</a> would probably have been enough to make myself do this, but since this is supposed to be a post about option charts, I better continue on! Here are the steps to making an option chart:<br> <br> * Put in the column headings. List what you want in the column headings. In this case I want a recording on my blog, but I also want an easy life. I also want a close relationship with God, so when I’m making my own option charts, I always include a “Relationship with God” column. But because I can’t fit three columns in the blog format and my main purpose of this post is to show you how to make an option chart, I’ll leave the “Relationship with God” column out of it.<br> * List what you really want: In this case, what I really want is for it to be EASY to put a recording on my blog.<br> * Cross out that option if it’s not a real-world option and write “NOT AN OPTION!!!” in huge bold letters to drill it into your head that this is not a real-life option so you might as well stop thinking about it!<br> * List some real world options. Try to include the ones you’ve been using.<br> * Evaluate each option by placing up and down arrows. Up if they’ll get you what you want. Down if it won’t.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> A recording on my blog<br> <br> <br> The Fun & Easy Life<br> <br> <br> <br> Get this recording on the blog (and write this post) in 15 minutes with little effort!!!<br> <br> NOT AN<br> <br> OPTION!!!!!!!!!!!<br> <br> <br> Give up: Just say,
