When facing an unplanned pregnancy, the decision is
one that no one else can or should make for you. You can
consider others' thoughts and ideas, but ultimately they
don't live with the final decision; you do. Most of the
time, we make decisions based on what is important to us.
The following exercises are designed so that you can
discover and define your values, beliefs, and circumstances
that will hopefully help you to make the best choice for you
and your child. This is a pivotal point in your life, and
may be the biggest decision you ever have to make, so take
your time to think things through. Remember, this is your
choice; it is your child and in the end, you are the one who
will live with the decision you make. (See
My Three Choices for more information on your options.)
Here are a few things to try:
-
Find a quiet place alone. Take a pen and a notebook
or journal with you.
-
Record your thoughts and feelings after finding
out you were pregnant.
-
Make a chart for each option with two columns,
one to list your losses and one to list your gains.
-
Briefly describe what you imagine your life, and
your child's life would look like after each
decision you are considering.
-
Write down your first responses to the following
questions:
-
What are my top 5 goals for my life?
-
What do I want my life to look like in 5
yrs?
-
What kind of person do I want to be?
-
How would others describe me?
-
How do I want others to describe me?
-
What do I need to do now to make the above
happen?
-
Think Good. . . Better. . . Best. . .: Usually, we
can see the difference between a bad decision and a good
decision. Try to take it a step further to what would be
better and then what would be the best for you and your
child.
-
Seek counsel from someone you respect and trust.
-
Consider who would be supportive of each option? How
would the most important people in my life feel?
-
If you want to talk more about your options with a
trained counselor or medical professional, call
LifeChoices at 1-800-638-1023 or 417-624-8030.
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