Love and Philosophy
My Dad and I used to sit at the kitchen table when I was younger and have philosophical discussions. I cherished these moments because he not only took the time to hear my opinion, but he was sharing honestly who he was with me.
He was of the opinion (as a prior Catholic) that Heaven and Hell likely did not exist for real, but were instead a product of the perception of our current existence. He believed that we had a choice to either focus on the bad in the world, turning our lives into our own personal Hell, or to focus on the good and find joy in everything around us, thus creating a sense of Heaven in our daily lives.
Now that I am doing the work I do as a coach, I realize that all I have learned (theology aside) points directly towards this being the truth.
Choice is at the root of our freedom, and how we choose to think about our existence is the key to unlocking what is possible. This concept is exceptionally difficult to grasp or believe until you start to become consciously aware of the choices that you already have within your current reality.
When we are in “Hell”, it seems as though we have “no choice” but to do what we are doing. We live our days filled with our obligations, consistently frustrated, and we can become resentful of everyone around us who we think is having a better life than we are in the moment. It is painful to think that all of that is chosen, and the mere idea of it can piss us off so much that we defend our current unhappiness as “the only way”.
What if it wasn’t the only way?
What if you could take one tiny step towards doing something that is just for you?
How would it feel to honor what YOU want?
Give yourself a small taste of what it means to have freedom of choice, and consciously choose YOU for one minute today. Tomorrow make it two, then three, and so on. If you can slowly increase the way you engage in life, then you might begin to see more and more choices.
The idea of “Heaven on Earth” for me has always been the moments when I feel connected to everyone and everything. I consciously make time for the little things that bring me joy, such as taking photographs of life happening all around me. Going for a walk, hike, or a paddle and steeping myself in the beauty of nature. Everyone has their own way of finding that feeling of joy and connection, because we are all different.
Becoming more consciously aware of our choices is something that’s always available to us, but it is difficult to see things from all perspectives when we are at the center of our world. A coach can help hold a mirror for you, allowing you to go deeper into what blocks you from choosing your path to joy.
I would be honored to be the person you trust enough to have hold that mirror. If you are interested in discovering what joys are possible, email me at jennifer@dailychoices.life and we’ll set up a free consultation.
Dad at the Ajax Cafe for his Birthday
