It is not always easy to know the right thing to do in a given situation. In any given situation, there are more wrong things than right things you could do. It takes time and careful consideration. You can’t always take a shortcut and ask someone else. Even if they have been through something similar, they are not going through the exact same thing as you are. Besides, you are a different person with many other variables. The right thing for someone else might not be the right thing for you. Important decisions are not just important; they’re hard.
In some cases, knowing the right thing to do is not the end of the challenge. Actually doing those things is even tougher than determining what the right thing was in the first place. At times, you find yourself facing two equally bad decisions. Your challenge becomes choosing the lesser of two evils. Even if you flip a coin to help you decide, you still have to carry it out. Here are a few of those life moments where the choice is hard, and the follow through is harder, and how you get past it:
Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
By this point in your life, you are familiar with the problem of conflict minerals. You know something about the human cost of mining things like diamonds. Many people get upset when a company like Apple sources a conflict mineral for their products while that same person is wearing a rock that is equally responsible for wrecking human lives.
The obvious solution is to go with lab-created diamonds for your engagement ring or other jewelry setting. They shine with just as much luster, but without the guilt. If it helps, you can also feel good about the money you save on top of the benefit to the planet. When one stops to think about it, there really aren’t any negatives to using lab-grown diamonds. It is all up-side.
The difficult part is explaining your decision to other people. You might have to persuade others that your decision was sound and that you didn’t have to sacrifice anything to make the right decision. You might have to answer some uncomfortable questions. You might find that some members of your social group are not people who share your social values. But even if it costs you some social capital, it is worth it to put your money where your mouth is and live out the values you say you have.
Parenting Your Parents
You already know many reasons why a senior independent living facility might be right for your elderly parent. The tougher thing to figure out is what to do about it. This situation is especially difficult when the parent does not agree. Despite not having the physical capacity to handle the task as they once did, they have the means to desire to continue in the family house that has meant so much to them. However, they can get interested if they learn that there will be seniors or retirees at the facility who are similar to them in terms of conversations and issues. You can learn more about the retirement community by visiting websites like preserveatmarshcreek.mckeebuilders.com.
There is no easy way to have this conversation. Unless you have power of attorney, you can’t make your elderly parents do anything they don’t want to do. You have to be persistent and persuasive. Sometimes showing them websites for services similar to Senior Companion Care Services in Naples, FL, along with other care services that may be good for them, can be a good idea in terms of trying the persuade them why you believe they need a certain level of care. But above all, they have to understand that you are coming at it from a position of love and concern. They had to make difficult decisions for you when you were incapable of making them for yourself. It is your turn to return the favor with all the diplomacy and delicacy you can muster.
Uprooting Your Children
One of the worst things you can do to your child is move the family out of state during their senior year. The internet has helped teens stay social. But it is no substitute for the real world. If you have an awkward teen who has a hard time making friends, the loss of the friends she has made can be devastating. You should do everything you can to keep from moving house until graduation. But when that is not possible, you have no choice but to move your family. You just need to do so with the sensitivity that this is a much bigger event for them than it is for you. You understand why you have to do it. Make sure they do as well.
Whether it is practising what you preach, parenting your parents, or uprooting your children, you are going to end up being the bad guy. Unfortunately, that is sometimes the price of love.