“Most people think we have free will and the power to choose. If you listen to researchers, however, it is estimated that more than 95% of what we do is automated. We run on automatic, past prior conditioning, habits, well worn neural pathways, like robots. We don’t choose, not really. Not much. We react instead of respond.

We choose relatively little each day. We think mostly the same thoughts, do mostly the same things in mostly the same way. We are creatures of habit. We run on and on. How on earth could we ever hope to break free? Awareness! Awareness is ‘the how’ we become disengaged enough to begin to make deliberate choices.

Though conditioned, or programmed, from birth on to think, believe, value and behave in certain ways routinely we can begin to become conscious of our programming. We can begin to watch or witness ourselves in action. We need to bring awareness to our lack of choices so that we can discover how to actually choose.

You Are Where Your Thoughts Brought You

We can task ourself to watch our fears, our beliefs, our attitudes, our habits and our behaviors. We can watch what we do as well as what we don’t do. Becoming conscious is like shining a flashlight in a dark room. That which was once hidden is now spotlighted and revealed. Once revealed it can be examined, then kept or discarded.

Once we turn the flashlight on our thoughts, beliefs, habits and behaviors we can decide whether they are worth keeping. Does what we think and do further us, contribute to us, bring us closer to our goals and dreams or move us farther away? Those are the only two possibilities, other than, we can remain stuck where we are.

So become aware of your thoughts. How? Make it a point to focus on being positive. Think positively! Whenever you notice you are not thinking positive, change it. Awareness, is when you notice you aren’t doing what you intend to do, and choice is when you switch it to do what you want. Awareness is paying attention. Spotlighting!

You Will Be Where Your Thoughts Take You

Awareness, is not judgmental. When you notice you are not thinking positive but are distracted or thinking negative you do not criticize. If you criticize you are only thinking more negative thoughts. Instead, you notice AND you determine to steer your thoughts toward the positive bit by bit. You take control of your thoughts.

You can notice and validate when you do what you want, as well. You can pat yourself on the back for maintaining your positive thinking. Congratulate and praise yourself for carrying out your intention. By tasking yourself to think positive you can become aware of when you are and when you aren’t.

This is the first step in gaining control and developing choice. As time goes on, situations may arise and you find yourself steering away from the negativity many times. You may be delighted to find at some point, that how you would have reacted to a situation, you now behave differently. Now, you decide how you want to respond.

You Cannot Escape Your Thoughts

In doing this, by becoming aware, you are reclaiming your power. You are deciding that you do not have to think and act as you were programmed to always, but that you have choice in the matter. Through observing you discover that you can decide, you can chose in the present moment, rather than reacting automatically.

You can begin to live who you are instead of from your conditioning. You will discover the real, present you, and live from the now, instead of from the past. Who you are today will not be who you were yesterday. You will discover your talents, and resources and opportunities instead of living from fears and worry and old rules.

Once you become free you can see that the conditioned you was never who you are, was never the real you, but the you, you had learned to be. You are more than your learning and programs, you are the programmer. You are the observer! The witness! You are the one who decides.

Exploration Is The Doorway To Adventure – Awareness The Key

Your beliefs either serve you and get you closer to where you want to be or they move you further away. Each thought will either be positive or negative. Each thought will either nourish you and benefit you or consume and destroy you. Now, you can choose what to think and believe. Make wise choices!

Awareness opens the doorway to discovery and adventure. You can move beyond anything that was a limitation into new ways of being now and in your future. You can delight and surprise yourself by finding new opportunities to succeed and to enjoy life, as never before. So explore! Become aware. Choose how you think! AND celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

It is another glorious day no matter what you think of it!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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