About the Book
Through your choices, you are, in effect, telling your life what you want it to do and where you want it to go. Some of these "places" might include living an honest life, being respectful of others, and apologizing when such is required. These and other "choice places" are addressed in more detail in this book.
Living by Choice addresses eighty-two (82) choices organized into fourteen (14) sections, including the following:
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Managing Your Life
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Being an Honest Person
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Creating a Caring You
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Discovering Your Intended Purpose
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Helping Others
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Gaining Knowledge and Understanding
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Conducting Yourself Properly
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Improving Your Country
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Respecting Others as Individuals
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Getting through Difficult Times
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Thinking Wisely
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Developing a Meaningful Life
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Making Your Life More Enjoyable
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Looking to the Future
Living by Choice addresses choices that most of us face in life including The Choice to Be an Independent Thinker, The Choice to Let Love Guide Your Life, and The Choice to Respect Our Differences. For those who want to make personal notes for later reference, space is provided at the end of each section.
What Others Say about Living by Choice
“As a young adult, I found Michael Nelson’s Living by Choice a breath of fresh air. Pulling from a number of disciplines, he makes the case that we can make conscious choices and find our purpose in life. He is sincere and encouraging. The lessons have immediate impact. They are thought provoking and compelling. The topics are weighty and require self-reflection. They will help young and old as they helped me. Further, his appeal to stronger values is an undeniable force in the book. Improving our communities, understanding American history, proper personal conduct, and the effective use of technology . . . are all presented in the form of a lesson. The tone in Living by Choice is remarkable in its encouragement and warmth. He comes across as a grandfather, father, or mentor—happy to share his wisdom, but expecting it to be put to use.” Chris Tepedino, Memphis, TN
“Helpful for youth and adults alike, Living by Choice offers concise, informative, and encouraging insights into how to make better choices for an ultimately better life. Youth will love the clear direction as to how to make better choices. Parents will love being armed with the tools to better communicate this crucial and timely information to their children. The information is relevant and beneficial in whatever stage of life one may be in. There is something for everyone in this book, and I highly recommend it.”
Kara Pendleton, Brigham City, UT
“Michael Nelson’s Living by Choice is a richly-developed, unique contribution to self-help literature. Nelson’s overarching message is that by bringing cultivated mindfulness to the choices we make, we can live fuller, more purposeful lives, and in turn, help make the world a better place. Each chapter examines informed choice-making from a different angle, such as that of “Discovering Your Intended Purpose” and “Getting Through Difficult Times. The author’s emphasis on the importance of helping others and of acting with a loving heart makes the book glow with a splendid humanity. I thought I had previously given adequate consideration to how I make choices in my life, but Nelson has gifted me with a newfound awareness of the importance of being mindful in my choice-making. I am excited for the better life that surely lies ahead for me as a result of reading this fine book.”
Scott Rose, New York, NY
“Reading Living by Choice has made me much better at focusing on goals and assessing the choices I should make. As a recent college graduate, much of my life was a bit of a mess before reading this book . . . which I read two times. Through a series of better choices and goals, I have bettered myself and my life. My friend was telling me just the other day how I’ve gotten so much nicer in the past couple of months. I think this book did it to me.” Joe Humphries, Jackson, MS