You are free to experience life negatively or positively, and the choice you make determines whether you are at cause, or at effect, of the life you are living.” – Marianne Williamson
Choice. We all have choice. We make a million choices a day, whether we realize it or not. From the moment we open our eyes, we choose to get out of bed, we choose to make coffee or tea or breakfast, we choose to get dressed, to leave the house, to go to work. Sometimes these things don't feel like choice "i have to pay rent, i have to keep this promise, i have to take care of my kids," yet, when we look at reality, we could choose to find another job (yes, even in this market, there's ALWAYS another option), we could bow out of our obligation gracefully, we could hire/ask/beg someone else to watch the kids. Every morning, I know I stumble and find my coffee maker and turn it on before my eyes are fully open. But I'm choosing coffee, I'm choosing to start my day that way versus washing my face, doing crunches, making my bed. Though, it's so ingrained that if you asked me 'why' i do this, I would just say "it's what I do." This, is not an answer in the least. It's an excuse. An excuse to not be mindful, an excuse to continue living these moments on auto-pilot.
We can re-write the way we choose to approach things. Take traffic for example. No one in their right mind enjoys traffic. Of course, it's the worst when you're late, cranky, tired, overwhelmed. And in this situation, you can choose to react in a variety of ways. ")#$@ why can't driver in front of me learn to drive. he/she's making me late," "OMGGGG I hate everything, I need more coffee, why did I get out of bed," or, you can choose to say "This is not in my control. I can call my destination, tell them the situation and then relax and enjoy the cd/radio that's on" and maybe, even you'd choose to leave a bit earlier in the future to avoid said hassle.
How many times, have you said "I can't work out/eat well because of x?" I have. I can guarantee we ALL have. Exhaustion, needing to take the dog out, not having time in the morning, the night. What have you. In those moments, declining wellness may not feel like a choice, and the subsequent thought may be "when x is different, I'll do this."
The question is why? why CHOOSE later?
Society has taught us to live in the black and white- start a fad diet on New Year's day, do something different on Monday. Workout at 6am, seven days a week. All of these things are well intended, but often fizzle out, when our other 'choices' get in the way.
Change, especially in regards to wellness, does not have to be all or nothing. We can choose, in any moment to make a small change. We can choose to start the day with cereal instead of a doughnut, we can choose to walk the stairs on a day we know a meeting will keep us in work until the late hours of the night, we can choose to roll our shoulders back and down in traffic, breathe, and take the extra car minutes to dance around, re-center, think about five things we're grateful for- like the ability to be physically able to drive a vehicle, or having the means to own one. All of these small choices can allow you to experience life differently- maybe even more healthily or positively.
Try it out, comment back. let me know what small change you made today.
Emily Lebowitz
Choice. We all have choice. We make a million choices a day, whether we realize it or not. From the moment we open our eyes, we choose to get out of bed, we choose to make coffee or tea or breakfast, we choose to get dressed, to leave the house, to go to work. Sometimes these things don't feel like choice "i have to pay rent, i have to keep this promise, i have to take care of my kids," yet, when we look at reality, we could choose to find another job (yes, even in this market, there's ALWAYS another option), we could bow out of our obligation gracefully, we could hire/ask/beg someone else to watch the kids. Every morning, I know I stumble and find my coffee maker and turn it on before my eyes are fully open. But I'm choosing coffee, I'm choosing to start my day that way versus washing my face, doing crunches, making my bed. Though, it's so ingrained that if you asked me 'why' i do this, I would just say "it's what I do." This, is not an answer in the least. It's an excuse. An excuse to not be mindful, an excuse to continue living these moments on auto-pilot.
We can re-write the way we choose to approach things. Take traffic for example. No one in their right mind enjoys traffic. Of course, it's the worst when you're late, cranky, tired, overwhelmed. And in this situation, you can choose to react in a variety of ways. ")#$@ why can't driver in front of me learn to drive. he/she's making me late," "OMGGGG I hate everything, I need more coffee, why did I get out of bed," or, you can choose to say "This is not in my control. I can call my destination, tell them the situation and then relax and enjoy the cd/radio that's on" and maybe, even you'd choose to leave a bit earlier in the future to avoid said hassle.
How many times, have you said "I can't work out/eat well because of x?" I have. I can guarantee we ALL have. Exhaustion, needing to take the dog out, not having time in the morning, the night. What have you. In those moments, declining wellness may not feel like a choice, and the subsequent thought may be "when x is different, I'll do this."
The question is why? why CHOOSE later?
Society has taught us to live in the black and white- start a fad diet on New Year's day, do something different on Monday. Workout at 6am, seven days a week. All of these things are well intended, but often fizzle out, when our other 'choices' get in the way.
Change, especially in regards to wellness, does not have to be all or nothing. We can choose, in any moment to make a small change. We can choose to start the day with cereal instead of a doughnut, we can choose to walk the stairs on a day we know a meeting will keep us in work until the late hours of the night, we can choose to roll our shoulders back and down in traffic, breathe, and take the extra car minutes to dance around, re-center, think about five things we're grateful for- like the ability to be physically able to drive a vehicle, or having the means to own one. All of these small choices can allow you to experience life differently- maybe even more healthily or positively.
Try it out, comment back. let me know what small change you made today.
Emily Lebowitz
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