Posts Tagged With: Choices

Day 4586: Every yes is a thousand nos

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Ann Koplow

“Every yes is a thousand nos” is a great quote from John Mark Comer.

Whatever I say “yes” to these days — whether it’s writing, composing, promoting, protesting, working, singing, socializing, or relaxing — I am inevitably saying “no” to everything else for a time. And, yes, that sometimes bothers me.

Now I shall say “yes” to some images (and “no” to thousands of other possibilities).

Thanks to my husband Michael saying “yes” to housework, I can say “no” to that and “yes” to many other things.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “every yes is a thousand nos.”

Thanks to you for saying “yes” to this post and “no” (temporarily) to a thousand other things!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “9 No’s and 1 Yes” Gumption Creque TED Talk, being kind to yourself, cats, Choices, fish dish, housework, John Mark Comer, MAGA, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 6 Comments

Day 2722: What you choose to see

Posted on June 14, 2020 by Ann Koplow

There is so much, too much to see within ourselves and all around us. Therefore, we make choices about what we choose to see.

What you choose to see depends upon your experience, your current state, important relationships, and many other factors.

What do you choose to see in my photos from yesterday?

Here‘s “I Am As You Choose to See Me” — a TED Talk by Farah Yasmine Shakir.

I choose to see all the comments you choose to leave, below.

I hope you choose to see the gratitude here, for YOU.

Categories: life during the pandemic, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I Am as You Choose to See Me", Choices, Farah Yasmine Shakir, identities, listening, multicultural experiences, seeing, Ted Talk, The Kindness Rock Project, the South Shore of Boston | 27 Comments

Day 2244: Are we having fun yet?

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Ann Koplow

“Are we having fun yet?” was something I expressed several times yesterday, as I

started packing for my trip to L.A.,
grappled with money issues,
added a new verse to a song,
dealt with hurt feelings,
talked to people about hope and hopelessness,
had the self control to have the soup instead of the very fun-looking and highly caloric pasta dish in the hospital cafeteria,
couldn’t find my folder filled with group therapy worksheets and exercises,
glanced at the news, and
facilitated two groups, one of which focused on fun.

Are we having fun yet in today’s blog post?

Are we having fun yet as we try to read my handwriting in today’s photos?

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Are we having fun yet as I share this story about when I decided to have fun earlier this week?

Wednesday morning, after my second night in a row of insomnia, I looked at the weather app on my iPhone to decide how to dress for the day. I saw that the day was going to start out cold but become considerably warmer, so I decided to wear a very light coat. When I was driving to work, I looked at the app again and noticed that I had been looking at the weather for Cupertino, California, instead of the weather for Boston, Massachusetts, which was going to start cold and stay that way. I decided to have fun with it, so I laughed instead of complaining whenever I felt the cold.

Are we having fun yet trying to guess what music I’m going to share in today’s post?

YouTube suggests that I share this one:

Are you having fun yet? If not, how might you have more fun today? Would it help to leave a fun comment?

Have I expressed my gratitude yet for all those who helped me create this are-we-having-fun-yet post and — of course — for YOU?

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "How You Remind Me" sung by Avril Lavigne, attitude, Choices, cognitive behavioral therapy, hope, hopelessness, reframes, self-care, spaghetti and meatballs, what gets in the way of fun | 15 Comments

Day 2202: If you have to choose between being kind and being right

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, at Walt Disney World, to be kind to ourselves, we had to choose to stay in our hotel rooms, recovering from food poisoning or some sort of virus. If I have to choose which we were all suffering from, I’m not sure which is right, because I’m a therapist, not a doctor.

If I have to choose a featured image for today’s post, it would be this:

If I have to choose great people to travel with, I would always include my kind niece Laura, who had to choose a t-shirt on Wednesday that says

If you have to choose between being kind and being right,

Choose being kind and you will always be right

If I have to choose new photos to share today, here they are:

If I have to choose, these days, whether the television is on or off, it’s kinder to myself to leave it off.

Right?

If you have to choose between being kind and being right in a comment below, choose being kind and you will always be right.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, travel | Tags: Choices, keeping the TV off, Walt Disney World, when you get sick on vacation | 15 Comments

Day 2046: You choose

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Ann Koplow

We choose so many times on any chosen day, whether or not we’re aware of those choices.

I choose “You choose” as today’s title because I saw this, yesterday:

You choose while so many people are trying to influence how you choose. You choose, but how do you know if you choose well?

I choose

to write a daily blog,
to share photos,

to dream,

to travel to new places like Iceland, and
to search YouTube for relevant videos.

“Who is the most stupid here?” was one of the top two choices in my YouTube search for “You choose” and has 5.8 million views. Do you choose to believe that “Who is the most stupid here?” explains your personality?

Would you choose “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles?

I chose that. What song would you choose for today’s post?

You choose what comment you want to leave.

I choose to end this blog post with gratitude to all, including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: "I Choose You", "Who is the most stupid here?", advertising, Boston, Choices, Did You Know?, gratitude, Iceland, lonely planet, personality tests, Sara Bareilles | 16 Comments

Day 1957: Choices

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Ann Koplow

In every therapy group I facilitate, people have choices about how they participate and about what topic we choose to focus on. Yesterday, the group members had many choices and decided on the topic “choices.”

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My choices of photos, above, include only what I chose to reveal in group. My handwriting is not choice, so I choose to type my choices of what I shared.

What is your personal experience of choices?

I like having choices.

What helps with choices?

Self-care.

Realizing what the choices are.

Checking out choices with others.

Self-confidence.

Realizing I’ve made good choices before.

Recognizing that most choices are not irrevocable.

Before the group, I made these photographic choices:

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Are my photographic choices good enough?

Many people I know feel guilt, shame, and regret about choices they’ve made in the past. I invite them to make these choices, moving forward:

Recognize that they were doing the best they could at the time and
Forgive themselves.

As always, there are many choices of songs to share.

You have the choice to make any comment you choose.

As always, my choices for ending a blog post include thanks to all who helped me create it and — of course! — to YOU, for making the choice to visit here, today.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: A place for everything and everything in its place, Anne Elder, Beyond Boundaries, Choices, Cthonic Radiata, Faux Fleurs, George Jones, Joe Wright, Linda Hoffman and Gabrielle White, Louise Farrell, Studios Without Walls, The Teapot Traveler | 12 Comments

Day 1805: Questionable Choices

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Ann Koplow

As I look around, I see many people making questionable choices.

Is it a questionable choice for me to share my first photo from yesterday?

I made some questionable choices yesterday, including using Gorilla Glue to reattach my lost-and-found necklace piece. However, after questioning the internet, I made choices to effectively remove the excess glue from my fingers and from the repaired necklace.

Are any of my other photos from yesterday questionable choices?

Last night, one of my unquestionable choices, Michael, showed me a short film from the NY Cat Film Festival about a man who has made choices some might find questionable. I hope you make the choice to watch this:

It’s not a questionable choice to thank Michael, Ian Christopher Goodman, Akamatsu the Cat, Harley the cat, Hallmark Cards, seaside locations, the internet, and — of course! — you, for choosing to visit here, now.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Akamatsu the Cat, Cat Film Festival, Chanukah Memory Game, Choices, coping with the news, December 2017, Frederique Berube, Gorilla Glue, Hallmark Cards, Ian Christopher Goodman, pasta dish | 25 Comments

Day 1747: Supplies you need

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Ann Koplow

In order for me to generate a daily supply of blog posts, I need inspiration from what I see around me.

Apparently, nobody needs supplies there. However, I need supplies of

kindness,
consideration,
respect,
safety,
honesty,
love,
awareness,
humor,
nourishment,
friendship,
engagement,
rest,
acceptance,
choice,
connection,
self esteem,
confidence,
support,
sunshine,
nature,
music, and
macaroni & cheese on Fridays.

What supplies do you need?

Here’s a supply of more photos, which I need to share:

I also need a yearly supply of “So You Think You Can Dance,” which I choose to attend in Boston this evening. Lex, the winner of this year’s competition, has an amazing supply of incredible moves (seen here and here on YouTube):

I also need a daily supply of comments from my readers.

Finally, I have an endless supply of gratitude for the supplies I’ve been given and — of course! — for you.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Choices, Koine, Koine Iwasaki, Lex, Lex Ishimoto, needs, Personal Bill of Rights, shoulds, So You Think You Can Dance, So You Think You Can Dance 2017 tour, supplies | 18 Comments

Day 1395: The Choice is Clear

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, the choice was clear that I needed to take this picture:

It’s clear that nobody should choose to try to clear that barbed wire fence. Also, the choice is clear in the upcoming vote of the next U.S. president. But is the choice ALWAYS clear?

As I chose to write yesterday, when the choice is NOT clear, that can be painful. This morning, I choose to believe that unclear choices, over time, will become clear enough for me to choose well enough.

The choice is clear! I clearly need to trust my ability to choose, even if it takes me some time to clear my way to the better choice.

If I asked you to choose a favorite from the 30-something other photos I chose to take yesterday, would the choice be clear? And if the choice isn’t clear, what will you do?

Yesterday, the choice was clear for me to post that last photo on Facebook with this caption: “Scarred for life and happy about it.”

Because I’m going to see An American in Paris in a Boston theater tonight with my friend Barbara, my musical choice is clear today:

If you’ve chosen to read my blog before, it’s clear that I choose to end each post with thanks to all who help me create it and to you — of course! — for choosing to join me, here and now.