You have two choices today. This is your daily message from Chad number 629 and this message is dedicated to Jonah.

Jonah is the kind of guy who always has a smile on his face. His energy is contagious. When asked about his positive attitude, he playfully replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins!”

A natural motivator, he adeptly navigates the mental game. On his college team, he consistently encouraged teammates. Seeing his positive attitude, the coach asked the source of his consistent outlook. Jonah explained that he makes a conscious choice to be in a good mood each morning. With losses he chooses to learn, and when he is around negativity, he chooses to look for the positive. 

The coach knew it wasn’t as easy as Jonah made it sound, but Jonah was consistent. He would say, “You have two choices!” Every situation presents a choice, and individuals can choose their reactions and moods.

Jonah graduated and the coach lost touch. But the coach often thought about him when making life choices. Years later, Jonah was in a serious accident, falling 60 feet during a hike. After surgery and intensive care, he was released with rods in his back. The coach saw Jonah at an alumni event six months after the accident and six years since college. When asked how he was, Jonah replied, “If I were better, I’d be twins. Want to see my scars?”

The coach declined to see his wounds but wanted to know what went through his mind during the accident. Jonah said, “I thought of my family and how they’d react. Then, I realized I had two choices: live or die. I chose to live.”

“Were you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” the coach asked. Jonah said, “The paramedics reassured me, but I got scared when I saw the doctors and nurses’ expressions. They thought I was a deadman.”

“What did you do?” the coach asked. Jonah said, “A big nurse asked if I was allergic to anything. I yelled, ‘Gravity!’ That got a good laugh. Over their laughter, I told them that I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Jonah survived thanks to his doctors and attitude. His message: every day we have two choices. Attitude is everything. Don’t worry about tomorrow; it’ll take care of itself. Today has its own history. After all, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Choose the better attitude today!