Remember, You Get To Choose

In my day-to-day life, there is a fact that I find myself forgetting, time and time again. This fact is not an ordinary or mundane fact — such as the capital of Kentucky — but, rather, a fact that is integral to the very essence of both my life, and your life.

The fact that I find myself forgetting time and time again is the fact that, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I have the ability to choose.

To choose how I see the situation that stands before me; to choose how I am feeling in that present moment; to choose what I say to those around me; to choose how I position my body; to choose how I breathe; to choose what I nurture with my thoughts and feelings; to choose what I create and experience.

Time and time again, I find myself forgetting this. Time and time again, I consign myself to the supposed appearance of what’s around me, operating from the assumption that what I see is all there is and that I have no genuine autonomy within the circumstances I find myself in.

To Illustrate This Truth, A Story

Earlier tonight, I was making brownies. Brownies are one of my favorite desserts, but the only kind of brownies that I’ve ever made are the kind that come from a box. Tonight, I was making my own brownies.

While I was making these brownies, I found myself becoming somewhat agitated with what was taking place.

While cracking the eggs, bits of egg shell fell into the chocolate mixture. As I was stirring the chocolate mixture, I splashed chocolate on the cutting board. When I was laying parchment paper in the cooking tin, I ripped some of the paper up.

In truth, I’ve never thought of myself as being particularly good at baking desserts. Most of the time, the desserts I bake tend to taste as if there’s an ingredient or two missing. Because of that, I rarely bake desserts, even though I certainly enjoy eating them and I do find satisfaction in baking a dessert that tastes just right.

As I was making brownies, I realized both the truth of my situation, and what I had been choosing — unconsciously, that is — throughout the entire process.

While baking, I kept imagining — and assuming — that something would go wrong. In brief spurts, various images and feelings would flash over me. These were images and feelings that pertained to the brownies turning out poorly. And, as those feelings and images came over me, I realized that I was thinking from the assumption that I was, fundamentally, bad at baking desserts.

When I realized that, I then realized that not only did I not have to think from that assumption, but I certainly didn’t have to act from it. That’s when I noticed that my posture was stiff and that my breathing was somewhat heavy.

With that realization, I made a choice to not only change my physique — I slowed my breathing down and stood up nice and straight — but to change my thinking. Instead of thinking from the assumption that I was bad at baking desserts, I began thinking about how I enjoy baking desserts and how I am good at making desserts that I enjoy eating and that others enjoy eating, as well.

The new thoughts went something like this:

I Love Baking Desserts. I Love Baking Desserts That Taste Great. I Love Sharing My Baked Desserts With Others. I Am An Excellent Baker That Bakes Sweet And Tasty Desserts That I Love, And That My Friends And Family Love, Too.

To make that change in thought even more effective, I imagined that I had finished baking the brownies and that not only did I love them, but that my family loved them, too. It was a simple scene that took about six-seconds to conjure, but when I finished experiencing the scene, I felt confident and excited.

Soon enough, I had finished baking the brownies. While certain aspects of the process were slightly tricky — mixing the chocolate mixture until it was completely smooth, for example — I found those aspects fun and enjoyable, since I knew they were leading to some very tasty brownies.

When the brownies were completely finished, I tasted them, and they tasted great! Not too sugary, not to plain; just right!

In fact, right now, I’m actually eating one. They go really well with a nice glass of milk!

Remember, You Can Choose

No matter what we are faced with, we always have the ability to choose. We are all beings of extraordinary creative abilities, and we each have the ability to choose how we direct and invest our endless creative abilities.

To make use of these abilities, it’s important that we remind ourselves of them as often as we can.

Whenever we are faced with difficult circumstances, that’s a perfect opportunity to remind ourselves of the creative abilities that we possess.

What I believe is important to mention, though, is that it’s okay if we have trouble immediately changing our thoughts or our feelings. Instead of trying to fight against our current state, we should accept that state for what it is — merely a part of ourself that requires love and acceptance — and, in accepting our current state, we are free to enter a new one.

Remember that you always have the ability to choose. Remember that you are a being of endless creativity. Remember that you possess infinite creative abilities. Remember that you are a being of autonomy and agency. Remember that you go beyond your own self-image and beyond the things others say about you. Remember, that you are a creator.

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading this essay! I hope that you found it interesting and inspiring!

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or would just like to chat, you can reach me at “maxwellcakin@gmail.com”.

Best Wishes & Peace Be With You