“Life is a sum of all your
choices.” –Albert Camus
Have you ever really wanted
to move forward but felt completely stuck? Maybe you've wanted to change
something in your life for quite some time but you’re just not sure where to
start. And even if you do begin, you may be unsure of how to overcome the obstacles that will present themselves on your
path to getting there. Does this sound familiar?
Almost all of us have had times where we felt stuck and
powerless in our own lives. Whether it be a financial problem, a relationship
issue or a health concern, at times, life throws us some pretty big curveballs
and we aren’t always sure how to handle them. In the midst of a personal
crisis, it’s easy to forget the power and strength that lies within us.
This is where the awesome power of choice comes in. The choices
we make each day are sacred reminders that we do have power. A lot of power
actually, and yes, we choose in every moment how to use this power.
Most things in your life are based on a choice that you made,
either consciously or unconsciously. Your job is a choice, and you choose
whether or not you show up every day. Where you live is a choice, so is what
you wear and what you eat. Each of your relationships and how you
act in those relationships are also choices. Even the thoughts you ruminate
upon, the words you use and the emotions you feel are choices that you make.
Realizing that our lives are really just a series of choices means that if we are not happy with what we have in the present, we always have the power to choose
again. Even if we cannot change our present circumstances, we can choose
to change our perception of events. When you use the simple phrase “I choose”, it
shifts the energy inside of us to a more positive place. Watch what happens
when you say, “I have to go to work” vs. “I choose to go to work.” The latter
reminds you of your personal power, whereas the former takes it away. Although
one may argue that work is a necessary obligation, the truth is, you never have
to do anything you don’t want to. You choose to do certain things, because
you want to do them or you’d rather not face the consequences of not doing
them.
Sometimes realizing how many choices we actually have in each
moment can be overwhelming. By staying in the moment and making one choice,
one small step at a time, you can get passed the overwhelming feeling and into
a feeling of power. Once you realize how many choices you have, you may
begin to feel some anxiety about making the “right” ones. In reality, there are
no “right” or “wrong” decisions, but some choices will serve you better than
others. Stay positive and centered, use your power and make choices,
confidently and carefully, but know that if it was not the right choice, you
have the power to choose again, no matter what.
