When We Need Exertion of Will

Sometimes it takes the greatest exertion of will to make a higher choice. We know that our attitude is entirely up to us. We know that bearing feelings of resentment, regret, and judgment hurt us and bring us down. Yet, the programming in our unconscious mind toward such reactions is powerful. It may be difficult to overcome.

That's why life gives us plenty of opportunities to make those choices. Every time a situation comes up in which our first response is one of judgment or resentment, we get the chance to choose whether we'll live by our unconscious programming, or make a higher choice. These don't feel like gifts, but they are.

I can tell myself all day long that I choose to come from love in all things, but how I actually feel and react doesn't change until I have to make a conscious choice about my responses to life. Some days, I'm just not in the best place emotionally, or my energy level is down, and I don't make the higher choice. At least, not right away. But I know that if I want to live all the time in a higher vibrational frequency, with greater consistency of peace and happiness, I can't afford the luxury of wallowing in resentments or blame.

If the emotion runs deep, it may take all the spiritual strength I can muster to refuse the negative feelings and redirect my thoughts and emotions. These are the times that I need to force myself to use my spiritual practices. Everything I've learned about letting go, forgiveness, acceptance, and where I focus my attention is there to help me through these moments.

Have you ever tried to forgive someone that you hold a lot of resentment toward? It's not easy, is it? We can easily get caught up in justifying ourselves and blaming another, which only leads to swimming in a soup of negative emotions. Get out of the pot! Find something you feel good about, that makes you feel happy or grateful. Focus on that for a while. Go outside and spend some time in nature. Whatever it takes to elevate your spirits. When you feel good inside, you can revisit the issue you were struggling with. You'll be in a higher vibrational frequency, and seeing things more clearly. From this point of being, you'll find it easier to make the higher choice.

If that doesn't work, it may be time to use the greatest exertion of will to decide, and act from, who you want to be.