Luckily I recently discovered meditation. This practice of quieting the mind focused breathing and learning to exist in the present moment has helped me uncover some inner truths about myself and what I really want from my life.
Many people go through life living accidentally, reacting on impulse to events and circumstances around them. They feel trapped and a victim of their reality.
Control
As I begun my search within for answers, I have come to realize an undeniable truth which I first read in Steven Coveys book 7 Habits - between stimulus and response lies the freedom to choose.
We may not be able to control what other people do or say just like we cannot control the weather. However we do have the power to choose what we think and how we respond.
Therefore, we ourselves are in control of our own reality. The challenge however, is in recognizing we have a choice and acting upon that with clear intent and awareness.
Intent
By starting with the end in mind, we can paint a clear picture of what it is that we want to achieve in terms of legacy and the kind of life we want to have lived. This helps put things into perspective. By asking the right questions, we can begin to see more clearly and deepen our understanding.
- What impact do you want to create?
- How do you wish to be remembered?
- What will you leave behind at the end of your life?
Answering these questions have been an integral part for me in creating intent for how I want to live, feel and experience life.
Responsibility
With all great power comes great responsibility.
Once you are clear on what you want and where you want to go, you need simply to remind yourself - you have a choice in all that you do. We all possess this power to create our own reality. To choose what we think and how we act. In fact I believe this is our responsibility. To take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. After all, whatever we think about we bring about.
By being mindful of this power and practicing it, we can go from being the victim to being the creators. Shouldn't life be about creating something beautiful and memorable? Isn't that what living is all about? To feel and be free to dream, to create and to choose.
We can all take control of our own lives and learn to be our own creators of our happiness. Can you imagine if everyone did?
