by Michael Ray

Created on: February 02, 2010

There are many directions we may go in life. There are many things we may do. There are many thoughts we may have. And finally, there are many feelings we can have.

We can go to therapy, but the most effective therapy to use on ourselves is the therapy of choice. Everything we think, do, say, and feel is all a matter of choice. Blaming others or circumstances just doesn’t work in reality, because in the end, everything boils down to choice.

 Those who act out, participate in crime, speak cruelly to others or behind their backs, think unhealthy or inappropriate thoughts, or even depress are doing so out of choice. Choice therapy is a learned skill, and requires a bit of time and effort on your part. However, once we get used to realizing we are making choices every moment of the day, we begin to self-examine. We can choose to be happy today no matter the circumstances. There is always something to be grateful for. How many people rise in the morning and give thanks that they can see, hear, touch, feel, walk, talk, and many other important things? Do we examine the things in our lives that we take for granted? The very trees around us? The car that starts every morning? Our ability to reason? What about the road we drive on, the radio we turn on without thinking, libraries, books, magazines, light, the moon, stars. How many times during a day do we look at the clouds or the night sky? These are all things we can choose to be happy about.

 And yes you can choose not to depress. You can choose to walk away from a situation you can do nothing about. People choose to argue, to carry around resentments, to envy, to want more, to punish, to use bad manners, to not learn and grow. Remember, you must be a willing participant in your own growth. Choice is a part of all this, and we don’t need a therapist to tell us this, nor to teach it to us. It’s a very simple concept and one that will help you to grow mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.

 Remember that choice applies on the other side of the board as well. There are things we choose “not” to do as well, such as serving and helping the less fortunate, not shoveling the snow for the elderly person next door, not exercising, and so on.

 Choose choice and begin a new life, a happy life, an exciting life. Live life one day at a time, even one moment at a time, and realize you are making choices all the time.

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