“Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
― Roy T. Bennett
In pondering the subject for this week's post, I considered the power I have to choose, hopefully for the best, the actions I take or the direction I move toward. Relating to Post03 in this photography project, a reasoned response allows me to make better decisions and choices in my best interest instead of unthinkingly reacting to a situation or encounter, heck, not even realizing I had a choice to make. Seems as if mindful awareness and consideration of available options ought to be a skill that can be improved with practice, leading to making the "right" choices for me.
Thinking on this a bit more, I realized that my perspective, my receptivity to "choice points" has too often been limited to a filter of "can't vs can". By this, I mean that I look at things first with a negative perspective. I often realize in retrospect that when presented with an opportunity or a possibility, that I too often start with the excuses why I can't do something or why things won't work out instead of asking myself "why not" questions. "Why not try?" or "Why can't I succeed?" or "How can I make this work?"
This perspective of negativity definitely limits the choices I can make, and even leads me to believing that I don't have a choice at all. This leaves me with feelings of powerlessness and lack of control over my life. I know that I can get caught up in a mix of ruminations and worries, and then adding in this sense of powerlessness I get caught up in a state of anxiety, even fear, that has narrowed my choice to not wanting to choose, not wanting to do the hard work of choosing .... to escape, to forget, to distract myself ... but not to resolve. Welcome the solace of alcohol!
I am done with that! Now and moving forward, I must be mindful to be open-minded as choices, opportunities and possibilities are presented to me. And to accept that changing perspective and making good choices is real work, but worth the effort in living the life I want!
"When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice."
- William James