Over the years of my life, I have changed many things about myself. I have changed my hair color and style, changed my body size, changed my style of clothing, careers, and changed the partners that I was in relationship with. Most, if not all, aspects of my life have undergone some type of change at one time or another.
When I reflect back on many of the changes that I have made, I think about my ability to make such changes, and what brought about that desire to change something. In all cases, it was that at the time, to put it into Choice Theory language, the picture in my head, in my Ideal World, did not match up with what existed in my Real World. My scales were out of balance. I felt inside that I was out of balance, not aligned, not happy. I chose to frustrate, depress, or to have a variety of physical symptoms.
Now, even though I may have felt miserable, and I may have even blamed my environment or the people around me for my misery, I still had a choice to change. I still had the freedom to choose something different for myself and my life. And, in all of the cases listed above, I did make a choice. A choice to think, feel, and do something different.
Even though I chose to do something differently, I could have as easily, chosen to do nothing different. That, indeed, is still a choice of sorts. Choosing to not do is as powerful in our lives as doing. Yet, it seems that many humans believe that they either don't have any power or ability to choose, or to change their lives, and in not making a change, they are powerless to having a life that is one of misery and heartache.
I see it much differently than that. I do believe that there are persons in this world, even persons that I know in my own life, that do not believe that they are able to change themselves, or their life circumstances. They view themselves as a victim of their physical illness, relationship, economic status or physical or mental health challenges. However, I firmly believe that we ALL have the capacity and ability to change. And, I believe that we ALL have a choice to do something different in our lives if they feel out of balance or not need fulfilling.
There are many that disagree with me about this; that believe that their lives are unmanageable and unhappy due to what others have done to them. However, I know how capable that we all are; that we are not victims of circumstance; and that only when we realize our full potential in making a choice to create need fulfilling lives can we truly be happy humans.
