“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
-Victor Frankl
So many of us are hungry to finally start living the lives that we imagine for ourselves – yet we often find ourselves too busy dealing with the most pressing problem of the moment. This type of “putting out fires” mentality keeps us perpetually caught up in a reactionary space. In essence, we are allowing life and the world around us to choose our direction instead of fully taking control of own paths.
The problem with this type of situation is that we are often pushed to make decisions on someone else’s timetable.
Let’s face it, we live in a fast paced world. Everyone is running from one thing to the next and if we let them, they’ll happily drag us along too. But living an empowered life means giving yourself permission to make your own decisions. Give yourself the luxury of taking a moment to decide if that road will take you where you want to go. It’s easy to forget that we have this right – to be mindful and committed to our own agendas – when distractions are noisily and eagerly beating at the door.
In truth, there is always that magical moment where we are in the driver’s seat. Instead of feeling pushed or coerced into following someone else’s directions, simply learning to recognize that power moment can help to get our lives back on track.
You are the CEO of your life. You get to decide what will take place in it. And it’s not selfish to do so – in fact, it’s foolish not to. I’m not saying that you should never take what others say into consideration, but the end choice is yours, and yours alone. Giving away that power too freely can make our lives feel out of control and unsatisfying.
But at any moment we can change the behavior and embrace the space by clearly seeing and honoring those decision making moments.
Reaching our goals requires closely following our own treasure map – and not allowing others to place detours in our way. In fact, our loved ones will share in our successes so being deliberate actually benefits everyone. Today, give yourself permission to take a moment to think about what you truly want to do – and then hold firm to the compass that guides you to that destination. While others will have to deal with whatever pops up before them, you will unearth the riches of being exactly where you always dreamed you would be.
Wise Counseling, Inc. provides counseling services to individuals and couples in Fort Myers, Naples and across the state of Florida through telehealth. Looking for a partner in wellness? Schedule your appointment today!