Making the "right" (empowered) choice
Photo: Clay Banks
Over the years, I've learned one foundational belief that is critical to the process of reinvention, and that is this: You are always making a choice.
Often, though, we postpone (or half-make) changes that we crave to make because we believe that we don’t have a choice. Or we can't necessarily see the ones we have.
I was just having this conversation with a client last week when she realized that she knew what she wanted (needed!) to do in an important situation. Really, she'd known for a long time.
It was one of those moments where you see the choice you've been making and then you can't un-see it.
And then the new options start to open up.
The stories that we are capable of spinning around decision-making is awe-inspiring. Our brains can be masters at keeping us safe.
Sometimes “safe” looks like "stuck".
Sometimes "safe" looks like "it's fine".
Sometimes "safe" looks like not fully committing to your dream, your idea, your way, your knowing.
Sometimes it looks like micromanaging your life (or others!).
It always feels less than fulfilling. That's for sure.
One of the most profound lessons for me to learn in my own life and career(s) has been that I am always making a choice about my experience. We all are. It did not occur to me for a long time that there are always other choices available to me, that other rules may be far more suited to me and the end result I'm truly after.
Truth be told, this was a pretty big (healthful) shock to the system -- and one I'm grateful for, even if, as the owner of a human brain, I need to be reminded once in a while.
That's because we’re hardwired to stay safe and comfortable. Safe and comfortable definitely has its place. But it can also get in the way. For many of us, the path to building lives that sustain us and fulfill us for the long term, the paths we yearn to take require different choices.
There will be times when that's really not comfortable.
So most of the time, we're focused on the choices we know best, the ones we’ve already tried, and the ones that have gotten us here.
It’s how our brains work-- scanning our environment, predicting events based on past experience and assessing our results according to what happens.
Empowering yourself to make a new choice creates ripple effects. When you create those small openings of new awareness and new perspective, you start to see other options and give your brain new experiences to predict from. (New evidence!)
Remember this: There are always options for creating more of what matters to you in your daily life, even when you can’t see them clearly.
Your explorer mission is to get better at finding them, testing them and uncovering new options for what’s possible for you.
If you'd like help with this, book a Clarity Call and let's start reinventing your reality together.
