Quotes and Wisdom
from the Top of the Mind™
from the Top of the Mind™
Choice #2
"Everything that happens in our lives is "good information" about the degree to which our choices are working for us. We can, however, choose to believe that we are a victim of the world we see, and have no choices. And, of course, we will receive "good information" about this belief as well."
The value in this quote lies in our ability to interpret our experience of life (how we feel, what happens to us, what we do, etc.) as valuable information about the quality of our choices and/or beliefs versus what is being "done to us" by a cruel or generous world. For example, when we see ourselves as powerless pawns being moved around the great cosmic chessboard by people and situations over which we have little to no control, we will feel the pain of this powerlessness, and this pain will be good information. When we hold onto the belief that we are "not enough" in some way (as a parent, lover, son, daughter, employer, employee, friend, etc.), then the universe will very lovingly let us feel the pain of this "less than/unworthy" perspective, and this pain will also be good information. Further, if we fail to see the pain as valuable, and instead see it as more evidence of our failure, then the pain will deepen and intensify . . . and, it will be good information still.
Why? Because some people require that their lives become very painful before they will make changes. The job must become life-threatening before we are willing to consider changing companies or careers. The relationship must become abusive to us or our children before we say "No more". The addiction to a substance or behavior must threaten all we love and care for (and all who love and care for us) before we will take the steps necessary for change. And sadly, for some, it doesn't get bad enough in time, and they live their life (or end their life) never knowing that they have been receiving "good information" all along. Sound familiar?
The good news is that we don't have to follow this "is it bad enough yet?" philosophy. We can choose, instead, to see our experiences, reactions, emotions, etc., as "good information" from the beginning (or at least from the moment that we first become aware). For example, when we meet someone and begin to think of a future with this person but notice that they are rude to waiters, and inconsistent in their ability to make and keep agreements, we can see this as good information and allow them to either change or leave. When we notice we are spending the majority of our days doing what we think we "have to" versus what we love, we can see this as good information, and begin to take steps necessary to change jobs or even careers.
We can even take this "good information" philosophy to its most subtle level, and allow it to inform our choices on a moment -to-moment basis. If we are doing something or interpreting a situation in such a way that it is creating a sense of uncomfortableness, we can stop, see this as good information and change. There is a quote from Richard Bach that speaks to living life from this present-moment awareness that says: Ask yourself every moment, is this what I want to be doing, and only continue if the answer is "Yes." I love this quote because it not only reinforces the value of paying attention and making choices based upon this attentiveness, it also allows the good information to come in the form of good feelings versus just what causes us pain.
The bottom line is that if we are willing to live life from awareness and choice versus fear and resentment, then we can choose to see every experience as good information about the degree to which our beliefs, interpretations, and choices are serving us. When they help us create the experience of life that we want, then we can choose to make them part of who we are, and how we see the world. By the same token, when they don't, we can just say the magic words "good information," and use this more purposeful awareness to make another choice. Here's to your life being filled with good information, and to your ability to make quality choices from this heightened state of awareness.
Why? Because some people require that their lives become very painful before they will make changes. The job must become life-threatening before we are willing to consider changing companies or careers. The relationship must become abusive to us or our children before we say "No more". The addiction to a substance or behavior must threaten all we love and care for (and all who love and care for us) before we will take the steps necessary for change. And sadly, for some, it doesn't get bad enough in time, and they live their life (or end their life) never knowing that they have been receiving "good information" all along. Sound familiar?
The good news is that we don't have to follow this "is it bad enough yet?" philosophy. We can choose, instead, to see our experiences, reactions, emotions, etc., as "good information" from the beginning (or at least from the moment that we first become aware). For example, when we meet someone and begin to think of a future with this person but notice that they are rude to waiters, and inconsistent in their ability to make and keep agreements, we can see this as good information and allow them to either change or leave. When we notice we are spending the majority of our days doing what we think we "have to" versus what we love, we can see this as good information, and begin to take steps necessary to change jobs or even careers.
We can even take this "good information" philosophy to its most subtle level, and allow it to inform our choices on a moment -to-moment basis. If we are doing something or interpreting a situation in such a way that it is creating a sense of uncomfortableness, we can stop, see this as good information and change. There is a quote from Richard Bach that speaks to living life from this present-moment awareness that says: Ask yourself every moment, is this what I want to be doing, and only continue if the answer is "Yes." I love this quote because it not only reinforces the value of paying attention and making choices based upon this attentiveness, it also allows the good information to come in the form of good feelings versus just what causes us pain.
The bottom line is that if we are willing to live life from awareness and choice versus fear and resentment, then we can choose to see every experience as good information about the degree to which our beliefs, interpretations, and choices are serving us. When they help us create the experience of life that we want, then we can choose to make them part of who we are, and how we see the world. By the same token, when they don't, we can just say the magic words "good information," and use this more purposeful awareness to make another choice. Here's to your life being filled with good information, and to your ability to make quality choices from this heightened state of awareness.
Take care and God bless, Dr. Bill