Choosing To Live From Our Values
Do you notice that sometimes you are hijacked by your emotions and head off on a track that leads to pain for you and your loved ones? This process can feel like a tornado just touched down, reeking havoc on your relationships and destroying your inner peace.
In each moment, we have the choice to live from our values and integrity (a place of loving intention) or from our insecurity and defensiveness (the anger, fear, and shame that arises). There is no in-between.
Either we are kidnapped by our emotions and operating from our automatic, habitual, conditioned reactions, or we are practicing mindfulness, and therefore grounded and centered in our values and integrity.
Our reactions are no one else’s responsibility. We are accountable for the decisions we make. It's called being a mature adult.
In each moment, we have the choice to pause,
take a deep breath,
and consciously connect to our values and integrity.
This is the path to becoming the highest version of ourselves and creating the life that we want, one choice at a time.
Five processes kidnap us from our values and integrity:
· Identifying the impermanent as permanent — believing that we are defined by our past thoughts, emotions, and behavior. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame and inauthentic behavior.
· Pride — believing that our way is the right way and that we must “save face” at all costs. This can lead to righteous indignation and a sense of entitlement.
· Attachment — believing that if things turn out a certain way or that if we obtain a certain thing or person, we will be happy; holding on to our opinions. This can lead to pessimism and despair.
· Aversion — believing that we must avoid someone or something in order to be happy. This can lead to anxiety.
· Fear — believing that if the worst-case scenario takes place, we will be lost. This can lead to being figuratively paralyzed, unable to make a decision or act.
What will you do when hijacked by emotions?
Connect to your values & integrity?
OR be driven by your emotional reactions?
THE CHOICE IS YOURS.