The Three C’s
“The Three C’s of Life: Choices, Chances, Changes. You must make the choice, to take a chance, if you want anything in life to change.”
Image Credit @shotbywoliul
The Big C.
I bet most people know what “The Big C” means. For many over the years, “Cancer” was so feared and dreaded that even the word itself couldn’t be spoken. Some may still feel that way today.
When thinking or talking about “The Big C,” people certainly didn’t think about the little c’s like “choices,” “chances,” or “changes.” But they’re relevant to life-impacting events like a cancer diagnosis, relationship or employment struggles, or any stressor in life.
It’s difficult to make choices in trying times when facing uncertainty and the unknown. It’s especially challenging to make choices when you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and scared. While some choices are nonconsequential, others have lifelong implications.
Choices often involve “taking a chance” that things will work out, and you hope and pray for the best. Choices usually involve a change, but not always. Harvey Cox, a Divinity Professor at Harvard University, said, “Not to decide is to decide,” because not making a choice is a choice. Regarding taking chances, my best friend used to say, “I take ‘calculated’ risks.” And not everyone wants to take even a calculated risk. But sometimes we have limited choices, or no choice at all. So, the choice is to do nothing, take a calculated risk with the best information available, or control how we respond in a situation beyond our control.
Taking a chance (or a calculated risk) typically leads to change, but not everyone likes change. For some, it’s distressing—the status quo feels comfortable and safer. Change, though, is part of our life journey. We can go kicking and screaming, lamenting that life is not what it was—and sometimes that might be therapeutic for a while, but not in the long run.
We have choices to make (or not) in how we respond and what we focus on. I want to focus on three other little c’s: courage, commitment, and compassion. It takes so much courage to face life events. Isn’t it interesting that we don’t see ourselves as courageous? We only see others that way. I want to be fully committed to my loved ones and what I value. I want to live with passion and compassion because that’s where I’ll find meaning and purpose.
I’ll no longer let “The Big C,” or memories thereof, dominate my life. I will focus on the three C’s of Choices, Chances, and Changes, and add three more: Courage, Commitment, and Compassion, as that’s how I plan to live.
Leave feedback for the author here. (Comments are not posted online.)