Finding Your True North: The Secret Power of Conscious Choices
Each decision you make shapes your journey toward personal growth and fulfillment
I cannot control what happens,
but I can make the best choices for me.
Everybody knows that life can hand us a bag of rotten lemons. Yup. Sometimes, they are all rotten. What do you do with a bag of rotten lemons?
You get to choose. You have the freedom to choose your thoughts and decisions.
You cannot control what life hands you, but you get to choose what happens next.
Each choice you make acts like a compass guiding you towards or away from your True North. These choices become the foundation of your personal growth, spirituality, and self-development.
They can shape your reality and influence every iota of your existence. The question is: how do you make decisions that align with your values and aspirations?
Understanding the secret power of choices
Once you understand that choices are like ripples in a pond, it might help you in the discernment process because those ripples extend further than yourself. They can affect those closest to you. They can shape how things develop beyond this one choice or decision you make and possibly create very long ripples into the next generation of your family.
Each day, you and I make so many choices — approximately 35,000 decisions. Whew! That’s a lot.
Those decisions can be simple or grand. The point is that each decision contributes to a mosaic in your life.
How do we make wise choices for ourselves?
One of the best ways is to understand the superpower of mindfulness because it plays an important role when you and I make choices.
When mindful, we become aware of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. This heightened awareness helps us align with our True North. For example, meditating daily or practicing affirmations can shift our mindset to a more positive state, paving the way for personal growth and spiritual development.
Here is an example: Natalie felt like she was in a rut with her career. She was not feeling fulfilled, so she began practicing mindfulness to help her make better and more intentional choices. Through the process, she began to explore her passions. Eventually, she started a side hustle business, which brought her incredible joy and purpose.
This wasn’t about getting rich quickly. This was about following her True North and making small choices to get her to a place where she felt more content.
Self-reflection is key. One of the best ways to practice self-reflection is by journaling your thoughts, whether happy, sad, or anywhere in between. That space is for you and you only. Be free and open when you journal.
One of the best techniques I have learned throughout my many years of journaling is from The Artist’s Way morning pages. Each morning, you begin by journaling a stream of consciousness.
Whatever comes to mind, write it down. Just write.
Julia Cameron suggests at least three letter-size pages—no computers, just good old handwriting.
I can attest that by page three, something shifts and unlocks, and suddenly, your journaling shifts to a deeper place, pulling things out of you that you never thought would come to the surface. Granted, there are some mornings when all you write is mush, but if you keep at it, something happens during those three blank pages.
Seek guidance from your village of supporters — mentors, trusted friends, and/or spiritual advisors. They can offer such rich wisdom.
Past choices can also be a light to help you see what worked in the past and what didn’t. What choices did you make in the past that caused more chaos? What did you learn from that? The same is true for the opposite. What choices brought joy, security, and stability? How are those lessons for your current situation?
Don’t be afraid to make decisions.
After all, you know yourself better than anyone else. Lean into your Inner Voice and listen for the sweet whispers of wisdom that can guide you.
JOURNAL PROMPT
As you reflect on a situation that pushed you out of control, how did you respond? What choices did you make? What was the outcome? How can you use the affirmation of “I cannot control what happens, but I can make the best choices for me” to guide you in the future?
PHRASE FOR THE WEEK
Today and every day this week, I choose to make decisions that align with my values and well-being.
May you know that you are loved because you matter.
May your soul be refreshed.
sdg © Nancy Blackman