The most powerful tool we have at our disposal

Mastin Kipp's wisdom is profound. This email really touched me- 

"I've come to believe that our journey is to first become aware of how we react and not make it wrong. To understand that we and everyone we know are doing the best that they can from their point of view. And we can investigate where these reactions come from. And slowly over time we begin to see that when things trigger us "out there" - there is a precious space in between something happening and our reaction. And in this space we now have a choice - a choice of how we want to respond."

Here's the full post-


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The most powerful tool we have at our disposal is the power of choice. 

Almost everything that happens in our lives is the result of a choice that we have made. And for the things that happen in our lives that we didn't choose to have happen - how we CHOOSE to respond to these events is still our choice. 

Choice is everything. And what I've come to see after doing TDL for so many years and working with thousands of people is that a lot of folks don't think they have a choice in their life.

It is not until we investigate where their actions come from that we discover they actually DO have the power to choose.

We don't always get to choose what happens in life, but we do get to choose how we respond to what happens. There is a BIG difference between reaction and response. Reaction is when something happens and we just react - without thinking. It's like the animal in us takes over and wants to either fight or run. We react with defensiveness, judgment or shock. We react with anger or even hate. We react with disgust. We react with all kinds of emotions that don't represent our highest nature.

I've come to believe that our journey is to first become aware of how we react and not make it wrong. To understand that we and everyone we know are doing the best that they can from their point of view. And we can investigate where these reactions come from. And slowly over time we begin to see that when things trigger us "out there" - there is a precious space in between something happening and our reaction. And in this space we now have a choice - a choice of how we want to respond.

To me, the ability to respond is far more powerful than unconscious reaction. This is respons-ibility - the ability to respond. And in this space, where we can choose, lay our power.

What are we going to make this mean? And why? What's the root of the trigger I'm having? What do I have to believe about life to have this reaction? And then what do I want to believe about life, what empowering perspective can I take that will allow me to see the lesson in this moment and then let it go?

This is like spiritual fitness training. Emotional muscle building. To be able to choose a response instead of be at the whims of our unconscious reactions.

So, where in your life are you triggered and are you willing to take a moment beyond your trigger to go in and investigate where it came from?

As always, the action happens over on the BLOG; head on over there and leave a comment on my blog "How to take your power of choice back!" and join in the conversation! The TDL Community thrives in the comments and it's a GREAT place to get support! 

Mastin