--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Its a choice. You just have to decide…" description: "\"Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. I'm going to decide to let this go. It's your choice. You can embrace ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/dr-phil-31151_anger_its-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-tha_298224.jpg" --- # Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going… ![“Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. I'm going to decide to let this go. It's your choice. You can embrace it, you can become a prisoner of bitterness and resentment anger and victim city, or you can just say 'I'm going to live my life and be happy'.” quote by Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/dr-phil-31151_anger_its-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-tha_298224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/dr-phil-31151_anger_its-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-tha_298224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/dr-phil-31151_anger_its-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-tha_298224.jpg) > “Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. I'm going to decide to let this go. It's your choice. You can embrace it, you can become a prisoner of bitterness and resentment anger and victim city, or you can just say 'I'm going to live my life and be happy'.” [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deciding to release negative emotions frees you to pursue happiness and avoid bitterness. **In simple terms:** Let go of resentment to be happy. Key Takeaway Choose happiness over bitterness. Themes self‑care emotional health choice happiness Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - relationship conflicts - personal setbacks - stressful work environments - family disputes Key Concepts mindfulness resilience personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you holding onto? - How can you actively choose happiness today? A Different Perspective Letting go may be difficult if underlying issues remain unresolved. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Being happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-happy/) [Being positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-positive/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) ## Related quotes > [It's a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. It's your choice. You can embrace it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/it-s-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-that-i-m-not-going-to-put-my/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Sometimes I think you just have to decide if you're going to stand up and get on with it or if you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-poots/sometimes-i-think-you-just-have-to-decide-if-you-re-going-to-stand-up/) [Imogen Poots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-poots/) > [“We have a choice. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/we-have-a-choice-we-can-embrace-our-humanness-which-means-embracing/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [“That is your choice so embrace the damnation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-fletcher/that-is-your-choice-so-embrace-the-damnation/) [Penelope Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-fletcher/) > [“Your greatest self is never caused by a product; it is revealed by a choice to embrace your truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/your-greatest-self-is-never-caused-by-a-product-it-is-revealed-by-a/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [There comes a time when every life goes off course. In this desperate moment you must choose your direction. Will you fight to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-scott/there-comes-a-time-when-every-life-goes-off-course-in-this-desperate/) [Lucas Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-scott/) > [I am in charge of how I feel, and today I choose happiness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-in-charge-of-how-i-feel-and-today-i-choose-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be that person that smiles no matter what they are going through. Do not let your circumstances determine your emotion. Be the decider of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/be-that-person-that-smiles-no-matter-what-they-are-going-through-do/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [Be happy. Smile even on your darkest days and worst times even though your broken up inside. If you can't seem to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-happy-smile-even-on-your-darkest-days-and-worst-times-even-though/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be negative on a positive day they don't go together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-dickson/don-t-be-negative-on-a-positive-day-they-don-t-go-together/) Brandon Dickson > [Isolating yourself and thinking about your problem will only lead to stress and solve nothing. Rather, focus your attention to things that makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rizzi-vicci/isolating-yourself-and-thinking-about-your-problem-will-only-lead-to/) [Rizzi Vicci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rizzi-vicci/) > [Sometimes we have to get up and be happy instead of waiting for someone or a moment to come and do it for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/sometimes-we-have-to-get-up-and-be-happy-instead-of-waiting-for/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Faith keeps you strong. Love keeps you whole. And Happiness keeps you alive. So don't be a downer! Be happy, be strong, be free,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/faith-keeps-you-strong-love-keeps-you-whole-and-happiness-keeps-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [It's not that life has been perfect or easy or exactly how I expected it to be. It's just that I choose to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-s-not-that-life-has-been-perfect-or-easy-or-exactly-how-i-expected/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Face Everything in your life, it will make you discover many things and you will realize the true meaning of life. Life never seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-sharma/face-everything-in-your-life-it-will-make-you-discover-many-things/) [Sushan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-sharma/) ## More by Dr Phil > [Coaching your wife is like trying to baptize a cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/coaching-your-wife-is-like-trying-to-baptize-a-cat/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond through those negative emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitterness-towards-her-then-you-are/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [You have to know that you cannot reason with a drug addict. A drug addict is sick in the mind. Why would Dr Phil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/you-have-to-know-that-you-cannot-reason-with-a-drug-addict-a-drug/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Never put more in a relationship than you can afford to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/never-put-more-in-a-relationship-than-you-can-afford-to-lose/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Sometimes you have to make the right decision, and sometimes you have to make the decision right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/sometimes-you-have-to-make-the-right-decision-and-sometimes-you-have/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Indulgence doesn't prepare, indulgence can cripple a child because the world won't indulge her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/indulgence-doesn-t-prepare-indulgence-can-cripple-a-child-because-the/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [You generate the results in your life that you believe you deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/you-generate-the-results-in-your-life-that-you-believe-you-deserve/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Common sense just isn't common enough anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/common-sense-just-isn-t-common-enough-anymore/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [I'm a shithead douche with no credentials. I just say I do so people watch my show and believe the shit I spew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/i-m-a-shithead-douche-with-no-credentials-i-just-say-i-do-so-people/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [The best predictor of future behavior is past behaviorso you have got to create a new history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/the-best-predictor-of-future-behavior-is-past-behaviorso-you-have-got/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [It's better to be happy and alone , than being miserable and alone with someone else!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/it-s-better-to-be-happy-and-alone-than-being-miserable-and-alone-with/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Don't base relationship on sex. You need love, compassion and caring. The sex can be a reflection of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/don-t-base-relationship-on-sex-you-need-love-compassion-and-caring/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [If she doesn't acknowledge what happened, then how can we trust that she is going to be different in the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-she-doesn-t-acknowledge-what-happened-then-how-can-we-trust-that/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [When you do something that you really think is stupid, bad decision, irresponsibleand it just happens and you suffer it then that's penalty. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/when-you-do-something-that-you-really-think-is-stupid-bad-decision/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [One side of unhealthy relating is if you are always pursuing or always retreating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/one-side-of-unhealthy-relating-is-if-you-are-always-pursuing-or/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) [Explore all 16 Dr Phil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. I'm going to decide to let this go. It's your choice. 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