Be What You Want To Be

We can actually choose our thoughts. The power of the choice is the greatest gift of life.

 

I believe that one of the most powerful moments in my life was the moment I realized that I had a choice! Not only do I have the power to choose my actions, but I also have the power to choose my thoughts and my moods. Nobody can make me angry. I'm the one who choose to have the experience of anger. When an upsetting event occurs, I select my response. Will it be anger and irritation, or will it be acceptance or forgiveness?

 

Have you felt at times that others have hurt your feelings? Actually, they have not done anything to you. They are simply acting in the way they choose to act. You are the one who chooses to react with hurt, anger or whatever other e-motion (energy in motion) you choose.

 

When I find myself feeling down, I know this is also my choice. I know I can make the conscious decision to change my feelings and then I will experience joy and well – being. I can simply accept what is in my environment (things are what they are) and change my attitude. If I prefer blue skies to grey, I can choose to feel grumpy about the weather; or I can choose to enjoy the day whatever the weather is. If a close friend or relative lives the body, I can choose to feel sorrow for myself, or to feel happiness for them as they go on to another realm of experience.

 

We can choose our thoughts - in the same way as we choose what we eat. We are conscious of choosing the food we eat, yet sometimes it seems like they choose us. The detectable aroma draws us and we feel we can't resist it. Yet, we do choose to indulge or to pass. If you are overweight/ underweight, it is good to acknowledge that you are so through your own decisions of what and when to eat. If you are without employment, that also is your creation (conscious or not). If you are a smoker/drinker that too is your choice.

 

Ah…..I hear cries of 'but wait a minute, smoking is an addiction", yes, this is true, but many have chosen to 'beat' addictions….. and some of us do not. We might say we can't, yet the truth is that we choose not to.

 

I have a weakness for ice cream. I have been heard to say that I won't buy ice cream, because if I do, then I can't resist eating it. Now, of course that's a lie. Of course can resist…..I just choose not to. For some reason the appeal of the ice cream is stronger than my desire to not eat it…so I eat it.

 

And I believe that is the case with many of our weaknesses, addictions, choices…..We do have the strength to choose otherwise, but, for whatever reason, the pay - off of doing the thing is greater than the pay – off for not doing it.

 

If ice cream gives me personal satisfaction (I have fond memories of my grandmother always having my favorite flavor whenever we visited), then the pay – off or satisfaction I get from eating ice cream is greater than the desire to not eat dairy products. If we look honestly at our 'addictions', we see that the pay – off is greater than the reason to not indulge.

 

Does this make us wrong? Does this mean we make a wrong choice? No, it simply means that we make a choice…….for whatever reason. Perhaps, we would be well served to examine our motivations for doing something, and then get clear as to why we really choose to smoke, or overeat, or not be good to ourselves.

 

Once we get clear on "what we get out of it" then we may find more healthy and supportive ways to get that result without the addictive behavior. If, where I eat ice cream, I am subliminally telling myself I love myself (since I associate ice cream with my grandmother's love), then perhaps I could find other ways to be loving to myself…..Since eating dairy products is not on my preferred diet choice, there are other things I could choose to do to attain the same result (feeling loved).

 

We are the creators of our own experience. We can alter our own experiences by making different choices. Sometimes, we might choose to be overwhelmed, because we get something out of it….Do we get to feel sorry for ourselves? Or perhaps we get to complain to our friends and co-workers and have them give us love and support. Perhaps, getting ourselves in a situation of overwhelm (or illness) gives us the opportunity to take a day (or week) off from the hustle and bustle of our daily life.

 

Whenever you are experiencing something that you feel is not a 'positive' situation for you, ask yourself how and why you are choosing this. Now, please, this is not a suggestion to be clear on what you "really" want, and find how to get it.

 

Sounds easy? Not always. We all have experienced those times when our emotions get the better of us. It is definitely an ongoing process to watch our feelings, our thoughts and make the choice of what we want to feel. All I can suggest is for you to remember that you always have a choice. You are never a victim unless you choose to be!

 

A friend with whom I shared this information felt so happy, that he called up to say: it worked! He had been feeling depressed when he remembered that it was his choice in other words, he somehow wanted to feel depressed.

 

So, he made the choice to feel thankful for being alive, and instantly, his mood changed. He had chosen happiness and thankfulness for life. So can you………………