| |
| Athena on Choice |
|
Everyone
has the power of choice – everyone. Yet most people do not realize that the
power of choice is a life defining, life changing, and life
empowering tool available to them. It is a tool that you should be using
every day to move toward getting the life you want.
The power of choice is the power you have to
decide what to think, do, or say in any given situation. It is your power
to control what you do and how you react to the world around you..
Even when it appears that you do not have the power of choice (your car
breaks down, you miss a flight, there is a flood, you get laid off, etc.)
you really do have a choice. Why? Because you can ALWAYS choose how
you react to an event, even when you have no way to control the event.
Thus, if your flight is delayed, you can choose to get angry at the airline,
complain
to your fellow passengers, and perhaps start cursing at the gate agent.
Or you can choose to say to say to your self "I now have time to read a book
or work on my presentation."
No
one can ever take the power of choice away but you can give the power of
choice away. The biggest choice you will ever make is choosing to live
your life the way you want it instead of letting OTHER PEOPLE decide for
you.
People who say that they do NOT have a
choice are ignorant or looking for an excuse, a “cop out”. Refusing to
exercise your power of choice is the lazy person’s way to hide in a hole and
blame others for their predicament. And as long as we blame others for our
problems, we will never achieve the highest forms of self-actualization. Unfortunately, many people feel that they do
not have a choice in various life situations. This causes tremendous
problems, for two reasons.
 |
First, and most importantly, it limits
your ability to do what you want, to be happy, to enjoy freedom, to find
the beauty in each day. It limits you to a life of tedium and
repetition. It “de-powers” you because you have given up all
control. |
|
It prevents you from achieving your goals,
because you will be directed into following the choices of others which
generally will lead to their goals, not yours |
Your ability to choose allows you to follow
your path to success and toward happiness in all aspects of your life.
Do not underestimate the power of choice.
Your power of choice has already affected your life more than any single
other factor. This is because everything you are today – your job, your
friends, your marital status, where you live, the kind of dwelling you have,
the kind of car you drive, the way you dress – everything is the result of
your choices.
When you think about it, your life is a
really a series of decisions that you have made (or have not made).
Everything about you today is a result of choices. If you are single, it is
a result of choices you have made. If you drive a new automobile, it is the
result of choices you have made. If you live with you parents, it is a
result of choices you have made. If you are wealthy, it is a result of
choices that you have made. If you are a teacher, or a doctor, or a
delivery truck driver, it is all a result of choices you have made.
|
| How Do I Know
If I Am Using Choices Well? |
|
Interestingly
enough, always making the right choice does not mean you are using your
power to choose well. Why? If you are not making mistakes now
and again, it is unlikely that you are making enough choices to ensure
that you are doing what is best for you, or you are not stretching to see
just how exciting and bold you can make
your life!
How do you know
if you are making good choices? Here are some clues:
|
I make choices
only after I consider their effects on my goals. |
|
Although I
consider the opinions of others, I make choices based on my own
decisions |
|
I find that I
have made choices in a timely manner; I have not delayed making choices
unnecessarily and have not found that I consistently make choices "too
late" to accomplish what I needed to get done. |
|
I occasionally
make the wrong choice |
|
I consider the
impact on others before I make a choice |
|
| How Can I Use
My Power of Choice? |
|
The most
important thing that you can do is recognize that you have the power of
choice, and practice making choices.
|
Make a change
in your routine - take a different route to work, eat lunch at a new
place or at a different time, sit at a new spot at your dinner table,
start with a different task. Anything to remind you that you have
the power to choose. |
|
Next time, you
are not sure what to do, pull out your goals or objectives, and decide
what course of action to take - your choice is made. |
|
Tonight before
you go to bed, write a note that says "I can choose my mood" and put it
by your alarm clock. When you get up tomorrow, decide what kind of
mood you want to have for the day - and carry the note with you to
remind you. Refer to the note as frequently as necessary to
maintain the mood. |
|
When someone
does something to you that you do not like, count to ten before you
allow ANY reaction. If you still feel that getting angry is the
best idea, then go ahead and get angry. |
Remember that
you ALWAYS have a choice.
|
| Questions About
Choice? |
| Please feel free to
contact us for further information.
|
|
