Stand Firm...

I was talking to a friend today and we were discussing choices. And she said that it was frustrating because many people don't think that they have choices.

She is right. And if we let traditions, peoples opinions, threats, views and other things get in our way we lessen our choices. The rule should be that all our choices be good, wholesome and loving

Any bad choices will bring bad result, and that is a choice as well. Ever make a bad (bad as in drugs, drunken behaviour, uncontrolled loose living, debts etc) choice and pay for it?

We do have choices. We have less choices if we let fears control us. So we need courage and with courage we have more choices. But we do have choices. If we have imagination we have more choices because we are willing to look for additional ways around our problems. Maybe write them down. Have a For and Against columns and the add items to those lists so that we can see what our options are and weigh them in our minds with thoughts, common sense, imagination and internal discussion.

I read of a man who weighed up the chances of him taking a trip in a ship in the 1800's. Everything was against the trip, there were rough seas, pirates etc. But after all showed him that the trip was unsafe, he let his dreams and imagination take hold, and off he went. He had a wonderful trip and had no regrets, he saw no pirates and he saw nothing worth fearing. Gut instinct helps too.

Consider your options of life and don't shoot them down before you even started.

A very, very important rule is "Don't let other people make your choices for you!"

Discuss things with people and then even if it means hurting their feelings or facing their anger, do what you have to do and not what the crowd pushes you into. You know your heart, what drives your mind and body, your emotions, and feelings, follow your instincts.

Many try to tell us that they know what we want and need, and they are often so very very wrong.

I have been physically threatened on more than a few occasions for not doing what others tried to force me into. Once a man, much bigger than I tried to force me to take drugs, (I never liked the thought of drug abuse) I sad a firm No! and he got very angry and threatened me, but I am so stubborn and refused to budge and I did end up bopping him on the chin, he just wouldn't listen.

I remember another guy doing the same thing, he took great offense at me refusing to take drugs. I was brought up in an environment where my family were drug users so I was going to have to stand my ground and force others to just accept my opinion and respect my views on this issue.

When I believe in something I will not stand back and let people push me around. I stand firm and strong. Nothing will stop me unless it is a caring conversation on the subject by someone worth listening to. I can name a few events as a child and teenager when I had adults trying to force me to do things that I didn't and so I didn't, even though all the other children did as they were told to, and I didn't agree with what we were told to do.

We do have choices and we don't have to allow people to make unfruitful choices for us. Stand up for yourself and stand firm, then do what is right.

You are stronger, more courageous and more powerful than you think.

The inner courage and power to stand up for yourself, against those who try to overrule your life, is the very thing that they are terrified of.

Stand up for yourself, say No when you need to, and if they refuse to love, respect and listen to you, Just Walk Away, and don't go back!

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.

January 13, 2012 .