January 15, 2016 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   How many choices have you made thus far today?

   How many of those choices were actually your own?

  From the time we are born, others make choices for us.  And, when we are too young, it is necessary for them to do so for our safety and survival.

   Then, we enter school and people still make choices for us.  They do so with the best of intentions as they strive to guide and teach us, leading us to choose the best career path by graduation.

   After school, we enter the workforce and others continue to make choices for us as they tell us what is required of us to provide the best returns to our bosses or customers.

   We participate in volunteer activities and join clubs, where others make choices for us based on the nature of the activities we are involved in.

   As we age, others make choices for us based on our medical needs or care requirements.

    My question is...when do we do we give ourselves permission to start making our own choices?

    When we are young, we don't know enough to make the best choices for ourselves so we let others choose.  It isn’t wrong, however, no matter how well-meaning, others don’t live in our bodies, or see the world through our eyes, or react to experiences the way we do.  Even identical twins don’t experience life exactly the same.   

   At some point, the only way we can live our lives, being totally true to ourselves, is to make our own choices.  Choices based on how WE feel about what is going on around us, not how others have told us we should choose or based on others’ fears.

   That doesn’t automatically mean that all our choices will be perfect, yet, they will be healthier than trying to follow someone else’s path.

   You know you have made the right decision when there is peace in your heart...and your gut. - Shaa Wasmund 

Beth

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