What story do you tell yourself about the choice you have available?

Choice is a funny thing. What’s the story you take to heart around the choices you have?

An “I can’t” or “I have to” response is often almost automatic: “I can’t today, I have to finish this thing I’m working on.” I do it all the time, telling myself that I “have to” finish A before I can do B, or even “have to” go to the shop. I tell myself these things until I catch myself.

These phrases alone are suggesting that “I” have no agency. That’s not true.

In fact, I’m choosing not to go out because I decide I’d like to finish this thing I’m working on instead. It matters to me that I do a good job, or that I get that bit of income. Someone might be depending on me, and I choose to honour that commitment.

The point is, I do have agency over all of this. Letting myself feel that I don’t doesn’t serve me. I’m very well aware that in many cases, it can feel like you have no choice. You 'have to' pick kids up at school or walk the dog or finish some work.

But what happens if you stop and ask yourself: Is that really true? And instead consider: what's the reason why I'm choosing to do this? You might discover what's important to you. You might discover that you have more power than you thought. You might also decide there are things you can choose not to do, or do differently. Importantly, you might feel very differently simply by realising the choice is yours.