The Power of Choice!
Whatever the situations we are in, we always have choices to make. Each choice we make directs us to the path of success or the road of failure and dictates the reality we experience. It has been said that between the events or things that happen to us and the way we react to them, there is a space where we can choose our response. It is our choice of response that shapes our lives and not the event itself or what happened to us. While we are free to choose our response, we are not free to choose the results and the consequences.
In difficult situations, we can choose to whine and complain, and ultimately give up or we can choose to take the upside and patiently keep going. We can choose to spend our time looking for excuses and justifications or choose to use this time to explore other alternatives and look for possible solutions. We can look at the situation as a problem and dwell on it or see it as an opportunity and take advantage of it. Each choice helps us to steer our life in a certain direction and shaping it positively or negatively.
But how many times, we hear things like, “I have no choice.” “I have to do this.” “I have to act that way.” When we feel we have no choice and say “I have to” we are playing a victim role; we have given away our power of shaping our life to our circumstances, the society and the people around us. When we feel victimized, we usually get upset and feel like to take revenge from whomever we deem the cause of our misfortune such as our boss or the society and even the traffic. This resentment can be an enormous and unnecessary burden which holds us back.
When we are aware that we have choices regardless the circumstances, we feel empowered; we feel that we are in control; we can make things happen and change our situations to the better.
What are you saying to yourself?
Whatever you have achieved to date is what you have allowed yourself to achieve. Why limit your possibilities by talking negatively to yourself?
Just notice how many times you tell yourself, “I can’t do that,” or “I can’t handle this.” or “No body will listen to me.” These statements directly instruct your brain to stop thinking or finding solutions and accept the status quo. This mental complaining limits your possibilities and generally leads to a limiting belief that goes on to become self-fulfilling prophecy.
The next time you catch yourself saying something that limits your possibilities, turn it into a positive question, such as: “How can I handle this situation?” or “What (else) can I do to achieve the desired results?” “From whom I can seek help?” These types of questions put your brain back to work, searching for answers and opening up your imagination to new possibilities.
It has been said. “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”
Call to Action: Write down what are you telling yourself right now? is it positive or negative self talk?
