Reclaim the power of personal choice. A simpler life begins with awareness of my power to choose. Do I acknowledge that my life today is my creation? Am I willing to be accountable for past choices and their affect on my life? By answering yes, I am set free! I am empowered to make a new choice, to make any choice. I come to know that my current choice will affect all things from this point forward. I get to choose the direction I wish to go. Simple, yet huge. It helps me understand why I distract myself or play the victim and want to make someone or something else responsible for my choices. Taking responsibility for my choices takes courage.

Years ago, I attended a weekend retreat, led by a modern-day warrior, Otis Woodard. Otis cuts through the layers of self deception to help others reclaim the power of choice. The retreat was entitled Clearing the Past and I went there with a specific intent. Within hours I created the perfect excuse to run or to face my old way. I was paralyzed knowing that I didn’t want to run, yet feeling the strong pull of my past pattern (my old choices) tugging at me. I chose to stay. I am grateful for this gift to myself. By being accountable for my choice I got to learn and change my direction. I learned I am not my emotions or my mind talk. I let them come up and move through me. I then chose to let them go and settle into my heart. My heart is wise. My heart is my center and can always guide me. I heard stay, listen and open. This one choice changed the direction of my life.

What choice lies in front of you today that you have been procrastinating or avoiding? Are you willing to look at the message the universe is offering you? All choices in your life become simpler when you take accountability for making them.