Choice or obligation?

Are we choosing our course of action in life, or are we falling victim to the great imposters of choice - duty, obligation, loyalty and sacrifice? We learn pretty early on that we don't always get what we want and we also know that there are things we have to do that we'd rather not do. Right? Yup, we all endure endless must and should activities in life and we probably survive such moments by thinking of something else or looking forward to the things we'd rather be doing. For the more mundane stuff in life, probably no real big, but what about the monumental and important decisions - like marriage, caring for others, family, career, money? Are we considering ourselves deeply enough?

Joel Brass, relationship therapist, would say we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to be true to "Self". When we are true to ourselves, we should be more joyful and able to give back. How do we know if we're choosing for our personal well-being or out of some other driving force (duty, obligation etc)? Apparently, the truth will be on our faces, in our attitude and overall mood:

Choosing from our authentic self - or heart/body/mind/soul-
* We will feel more present and able to live in the moment
* We will have more and more energy
* We will feel more alive
* We will somehow attract greater abundance and overall resources
* We will have access to greater joy
* We will give freely and be less concerned with what comes back
* We will feel a greater sense of freedom

Doing out of obligation, duty, sacrifice or loyalty-
* We will feel less and less alive
* We will have less energy
* We will likely feel resentful
* We will be in a bad mood more often
* We will feel tired and potentially sick more often
* It will feel like everyone needs something from us
* We will feel less joy.
Note: exception - if we consciously choose to be obligated, dutiful, sacrificial or loyal for the right reasons, we may avoid the above consequences.... but ideally we are better off when choosing without external "should" pressures.

Easier said than done I'm sure.... but don't we owe it to ourselves to be truly happy in life.... if we choose to live for ourselves and we manage to be truly joyful and full of life and energy, that's gotta be a good thing for those around us, doesn't it? .. and it's probably better for our health and overall well-being... and then maybe we'll need to eat less, drink less, avoid people less etc. etc. Lol;) Just sayin'. Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl