Freedom of Choice

“Between stimulus and response, there’s a space, and in that space is our power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and freedom.” Viktor Frankl

And so it begins, another year filled with promise and possibilities and for many of us, very high expectations about what we will accomplish in the coming year. Often these expectations are centered around changes we want to make in deeply deep-rooted habits and behaviors. One of the reasons these behaviors are so ingrained is because we do them automatically.

I’ve found one of the most helpful ways to chip away at entrenched behaviors is to pay attention and notice the “space” between stimulus and response. By doing so, we have the opportunity to recognize that we are at choice and therefore, have the chance to make a better one.

So if you feel the pull of an old behavior, for example, going through the fast food drive-thru when you’ve promised yourself you’re going to eat healthier, rather than going from automatic thought in head to cheeseburger in hand, not quite sure how you got there: stop, notice and ask yourself, “Is this the choice I really want to make?” You may be surprised by how often you’ll decide to go for a different, healthier option.

And if you ask yourself the above question and the answer is “yes”, acknowledge yourself for making a conscious decision rather than one from “auto pilot.” That’s key, because conscious decisions are the building blocks of an authentic life and the path to freedom from the old habits that are weighing you down.

Happy New Year! Let’s make it a great one!

Labels: choices, life lessons, lifestyle