On a day to day basis I get to choose my life. Everyone does but unfortunately »»]]>

I am grateful for my life. I love my life.

On a day to day basis I get to choose my life. Everyone does but unfortunately most of us fall into the trap of thinking we have no choice. For example think of the movie, Life is Beautiful, about the father, Guido, and son, Joshua, in the Nazi concentration camp where they choose to live a different reality.

We may have to go through mundane day to day activities where we must endure and at times suffer however we can choose to see life’s blessings rather than be bitter for what we do not have.

We have all heard that there a silver lining in every cloud. However sometimes the bad is so bad that we fail to see the silver lining. One only has to think of the looting following the terrific natural disasters such as the Boxing Day Tsunami or the floods in New Orleans. However there are many inspirational stories that have also come out of these horrific times including many people who have been mobilized to help others even years later. We can choose to focus on the good or the bad. The one we focus on will grow in our lives. Choose to do good to others today.

It is written “I set before you life and death, blessings and curses..” I for one choose life. This has not always been so – so much of my life I drifted. I have always worked especially when I was on holidays where I would do trips to build my business, undertake further studies or write more. Perhaps it even needs to balance out to relax more to stop and smell the roses. But the longer I live the more I realise that life really is not a dress rehearsal – every day matters.

I really love impacting others. I totally support impact trips to places such as Rwanda, Cambodia and Thailand.

However the biggest impact can come in the everyday – choose today to listen to that inner voice who says to ring that person, smile at the stranger, or perhaps buy that meal for the homeless person. We never know when either we or someone we love will be in need of someone to help them.

Unfortunately when this happens, for whatever reason we tend to go within rather than reaching out for help.  Going within can be seen »»]]>

Life can be overwhelming.

Unfortunately when this happens, for whatever reason we tend to go within rather than reaching out for help.  Going within can be seen as a good thing if it means spending time with God in prayer, speaking to your higher consciousness or whichever strategy you choose. The process is similar within each belief system.  However for many when the black cloud or heavy burdens weigh us down we tend to withdraw into ourselves and hide, thus making the feelings even more exaggerated.

Rather than doing this, there is another choice , we can keep on keeping on when we least feel like it.  We can be brave and be flexible.  Of course this must also be in moderation.  Nobody wants to be near a martyr.  Mothers, teachers, nurses and really anyone in a caring profession can tend to overdo the caring until they are forced to stop at absolute exhaustion or burn out point.

Life needs to be in balance.  Buddhism, Taoism and even Christianity have all been referred to at different times as the way or the middle way.  However in today’s world, this insatiable striving and rushing seems to get more prolific as time goes on, especially with new technology.  We may have these pressures around us but we also need to learn the word “no”.  Yes, with the changes in technology we can do much more, but I would argue “should we?”

As with everything, in every moment – we always have a choice and even not choosing is a choice.

I suggest we choose…

1. … to be brave.
2. … to cope.
3. … to thrive, and not just survive.
4. … to commit.
5. … to plan a strategy.
6. … to implement.
7. … to review – this could be via journaling.

“I set before you life and death, … therefore choose life!!!”

Deuteronomy 30:19