Sometimes we are manipulated by agencies outside of ourselves, people, places, and initiatives that influence our behavior for their own gain rather than what's best for us.
I was keenly aware of that last night when I decided not to participate in a number of activities that I typically participate in on New Year's Eve. It was amazing to find out how much I was "owned" by some traditions, expectations, and events that had more to do with what others deem valuable than what's really right and good for me.
How do we continually assess our activities, choices, and mindsets to figure out what's really right for us rather than what's solely right for other's goals and focus?
I believe this starts with what you want to do and why you want to do it. When we mindlessly choose without reflection we tend to follow other's patterns and choices rather than our own.
It also begins with what our desired destinations are--what's most important to you? Are you focused mostly on a loving, supportive family, adventure, good work, health, or something else? What do you hope to achieve in this relatively short life we all live.
And, of course, ridding our lives of the actions, choices, and mindsets that bring us down, defeat our directions, and worry us endlessly. It's likely that many of those actions, mindsets, and choices have roots in the desires and destinations of outside agencies rather than what's really right and good for us.
In the end, we need to own our own journeys, and we need to be mindful of the incredible influences others have other those journeys via the media, our work places, government, community, and more. Sometimes, it is good to hitch your life wagon to others, but more often it's better to take the time to reflect deeply about who you are and where you want to go. In other words, it's best to own yourself, your own journey.
I was keenly aware of that last night when I decided not to participate in a number of activities that I typically participate in on New Year's Eve. It was amazing to find out how much I was "owned" by some traditions, expectations, and events that had more to do with what others deem valuable than what's really right and good for me.
How do we continually assess our activities, choices, and mindsets to figure out what's really right for us rather than what's solely right for other's goals and focus?
I believe this starts with what you want to do and why you want to do it. When we mindlessly choose without reflection we tend to follow other's patterns and choices rather than our own.
It also begins with what our desired destinations are--what's most important to you? Are you focused mostly on a loving, supportive family, adventure, good work, health, or something else? What do you hope to achieve in this relatively short life we all live.
And, of course, ridding our lives of the actions, choices, and mindsets that bring us down, defeat our directions, and worry us endlessly. It's likely that many of those actions, mindsets, and choices have roots in the desires and destinations of outside agencies rather than what's really right and good for us.
In the end, we need to own our own journeys, and we need to be mindful of the incredible influences others have other those journeys via the media, our work places, government, community, and more. Sometimes, it is good to hitch your life wagon to others, but more often it's better to take the time to reflect deeply about who you are and where you want to go. In other words, it's best to own yourself, your own journey.