Saturday, September 25, 2010

The Power of Choice

Everyday we are face with and make hundreds of choices. We may not be aware of them all, but they are there nonetheless. William Glasser, author of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory, states that individuals have the power to decided to change things for the better in their own lives. Yet, one must not be naive, there are circumstances quite beyond our control that affect us. Abuse, job loss, and our work environments are some of these. Nonetheless, within each of us is the power to choose something different for ourselves.

Glasser's Choice Theory can be boiled down to this nugget: If you do not like the results you are getting, then change your expectations, change your behavior, or change both. Simple, right? Truthfully, this is much harder to put into practice.

Changing expectations may mean letting go of unrealistic goals, of other people's behavior, or of high standards. We may have to simply let some things be, such as the house being unorganized or accepting that our boss is unrealistic in his expectations. Changing expectations can also be positive. For instance, a person may decide that she has had enough of her weight gain and expect a higher standard for herself that motivates her to change her behavior.

Changing behavior may be more difficult for some people. Behavior is often habitual. We have become comfortable with the manner in which we handle things. It is when our behavior causes so much pain that we begin to seek to change. Changing our behavior often means that we must form new habits that are better for us. Healthy habits can include anything that we enjoy doing but does not harm us physically nor destroy our relationships with others.

Lasting change is hard to come by as it involves commitment to a choice to want something better out of life and believing that it is obtainable. Many alcoholics have chosen to be sober and have believed that they could obtain sobriety. People who loose weight and engage in a healthy lifestyle choose these things and believe that they can become healthy.

What about you? What can you do to change things in your life? The short answer maybe "nothing". That may be where you at today. But you can choose something better. You can choose to engage your marriage, your children, your career, your schoolwork. What do you need to let go of in order to be closer to those around you?

Change is hard work. People may oppose your efforts. Find support in friends, family, and support groups if needed. Change is possible, but it starts with a choice.

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