I Choose

"Here am I now looking at 30 and I got so much to say
I gotta get this off of my chest, I gotta let it go today
I was always too concerned about what everybody would think
But I can't live for everybody, I gotta live my life for me
I pitched a fork in the road of my life and ain't nothing gonna happen unless I decide

And I choose to be the best that I can be
I choose to be authentic in everything I do
My past don't dictate who I am
I choose

I done been through some painful things I thought that I would never make it through
Filled up with shame from the top of my head to the soles of my shoes
I put myself in so many chaotic circumstances, but by the grace of God I've been given so many second chances
But today I decided to let it all go
I'm dropping these bags, I'm making room for my joy

Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been
But today, I have the opportunity to choose
I used to have guilt about why things happen the way they did cuz life is gone do what I do
And everyday, I have the opportunity to choose

From this day forward I'm going to be exactly who I am
I don't need to change the way that I live just to get a man
I even had a talk with my mama and I told her the day I'm grown,
"from this day forward, every decision I make will be my own."

And I choose to be the best that I can be
I choose to be courageous in everything I do
My past don't dictate who I am
I choose

Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can't change where you've been
But today, I have the opportunity to choose
I used to have guilt about why things happen the way they did cuz life is gone do what I do
And everyday, I have the opportunity to choose."

(I Choose - India Arie)