Freedom and Choice

Over the past several years I have been on a heightened journey of discovery. During this time I have studied a large variety of teachers, questioned myself, reevaluated many ideas I once held as true and found that I have come out in all shades of gray with very little black and white anymore. I have examined my list of personal rules and beliefs and held some dear but have been happy to let most of them go after finding many were not serving me well, holding me back or frankly, just silly.

What I have learned is everything I could ever learn will always be vastly less then there is to know.

That is both comforting and powerful; there will always be new information, new perspectives and opinions. That also means there are multiple solutions, choices and possibilities.

I have learned that everything is multifaceted. All situations, circumstances and people are complex and richly layered with nearly endless ways to be perceived, approached, handled and appreciated.

It is the the freedom of the power of choice I suppose: To choose ones own way, ones own rules in life as well as the attitude given to it.

As Frankl says this is our last freedom, one that cannot be taken from us.

Knowing that one thing changes everything.

Having the power to choose and the knowledge that there are endless good choices, confident that if you make a seemingly not so good choice, in the end one way or another, it all serves to get us where we are to go and to become who we are to be.

I think this is an amazing gift of freedom and I am enjoying it.

There are of course many times we do not see the options but if you look hard enough they are there; if not in the circumstance then in our response to it and how we allow it to impact and define us. Sometimes this may only become clear with much thought or in hindsight but it is there. Oftentimes we need the help of a friend or coach to shift through it. But we can start by asking ourselves questions.

• What beliefs do you hold about the world or about yourself that may hold you back from doing or being what you would really like to be or do?


• What rules of conduct do you keep for yourself and do they serve to make your life better or worse? More free or limited?


• Are the rules and beliefs you have yours? Where did they come from? Are they true and valuable to you?


• What circumstances in your life might be completely different if you chose to look at it from a slightly different or even opposite but valid perspective?


• How could a shift in attitude about how you approach a situation, your day , relationship or career impact your life and that of those around you?

Sometimes you barely have to change anything to change everything....a few shifts in thinking can open up a whole new world.




"The last of human freedoms - the ability to chose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances. "

Viktor E. Frankl

 

Back On Target

Wow!

I have been gone for quite a while!

It surprised even me to see that I have not written a post since the beginning of June.

That was when my daughter told me she was getting married to her long time boyfriend...In July... Of this year.

It has been a wonderful whirlwind of activity since then. I chose to take a vacation from all I could to make time for her  in my role as her Mother and co-Wedding Planner. We had a tremendous amount of fun and it was a lovely wedding ...now it is time to get back to work.

Do you ever do that? Just get everything turned upside down to deal with an immediate pressing issue?

In some regards dropping things that can be dropped helps to maintain balance, even though at first glance it appears quite the opposite. It seems you are putting all your energy into one major endeavor and maybe just coasting or neglecting other areas. That may not seem very balanced.

But if you think of balance as it truly is; always fluctuating and dynamic, not stagnant...then it is easier to see that when something heavy is added to one side some other things must be removed to have some stability. Picture a scale, a popular symbol for balance.

I think sometimes we unrealistically assume having balance means having it all;  some of everything going, all the balls in the air at the same time if you will. But when we do that it requires extreme effort and focus and is franky exhausting, if even possible.  When is there time to take the eyes of the balls and just relax or enjoy life? Think of when we use the term juggling; usually when overwhelmed, stressed, negative.

The real balance is attained when we have a good mix of things in our lives. Not in the quantity or even variety so much but a mix that combines work, challenge and growth with fun, recreation and enjoyment. This formula is ideal in that it appeals to both aspects of ourselves helping us feel good and remain at our best.

This becomes easier when work and play are blurred , such as with the Wedding planning. Six weeks to plan a wedding entails a lot of work but it was filled with equal if not more enjoyment and fun as I had the pleasure to plan the event with my daughter and her fiance.

Now I am back to work and in my role as a coach. I am fortunate to write speak and work with people, all things I love doing so work and play are blurred making balance easier to attain.

• Where in your life might you need to balance the weight of work and responsibility with play and pleasure?


• How can you incorporate more fun into activities that are usually just work or drudgery?


• Where can you blur the lines between work and fun in your life?


• Are there areas that you may need to lessen the load to stabilize while something pressing is occurring?


• After a long hot summer is it time for you to get back into a routine or start a new project?

Coaching can help you to create balance and be a springboard to start or restart working toward your goals.

Give me a call for a free consult

I am ready to get back to work!