The Art of Being

"Every day, each of us makes a multitude of choices that will impact our lives . . . the quality of our choices will dictate whether we will struggle in frustration or live an extraordinary life—the life of our dreams."

—Debbie Ford

It's time to take life

off autopilot

In her book "The Right Questions," author Debbie Ford titles the second chapter, "Waking Up from Autopilot."

This is exactly the challenge you and I face if we want to live an extraordinary life based on healthy, life-affirming choices.

As we look at the world today, it may seem that the majority of humankind is living a life that is stuck on autopilot, actually unaware that the choices we make every moment of every day, individually and collectively, determine our experience on the planet.

When we exist on autopilot, the tendency is to live unconsciously, self-servingly and reactively rather than proactively.

As a species, one could say we have made more than a few mindless choices. I find this interesting given the fact that the ability to make conscious choices is one of the primary things that separate us from every other species on Earth.

The good news is it's not too late to learn that we can choose again. Point being: Conscious choice begins with being conscious.

We have all heard the saying "Think globally, act locally." What this means to me is that in order to affect positive change in our world we must first begin with ourselves.

To personalize this idea I would like to ask you these questions: Do you remember everything that you put into your body yesterday? Conversely, do you remember everything that came out of your mouth, how you chose to speak to and treat every person with whom you have had contact?

Do you remember the moment you thought about—or avoided thinking about—doing your exercise program and the action you took—or didn't take—to follow through? Do you recall the day you made the choice to go to college or not to, to buy or sell a home or not to, to have children or not to, to take or leave a job or not to, or enter or exit a relationship or not to?

All choices, no matter how big or how small, have one thing in common: They define who we believe ourselves to be.

Another way to look at it might be to say that irrespective of the degree, every choice we make leads us closer to, or farther away from, being the person we desire to be. The more conscious we are in the choices we make, the clearer we are on who we are. That's how powerful our freedom to choose is.

Like it or not, our lives are always at an intersection. My question for you today is profoundly simple, but also intensely meaningful: How conscious will you be of the choices you make today?

Will you turn right or left or continue on the same road you have been traveling? This question is imperative to ponder for your own sake, as well as for the sake of the people and the earth around you.

It's time to take our lives off autopilot.Commit to making conscious choices for the next 24 hours. Begin with the next thought that necessitates a choice of any kind. Whatever it is, challenge it.

In your mind, fast forward and review the consequences of that choice. Will you be truly at peace, or will you resent yourself later for the choice you made? Regardless of the scope or scale of the choices you make today, ask yourself if the choices are ones thataffirm a whole and fulfilling life for you and harm no one in any way, shape or form.

Most importantly, work diligently at creating space for the loving presence of God within to be revealed, and then listen. You will know what choice to make.

Dennis Merritt Jones is a spiritual mentor, keynote speaker and author of the book "The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life." Contact him through www.DennisMerrittJones.com.