Last year this time, I made a vow to myself . I was going to stop choosing everyone and everything else over myself. I was going to stop pouring everything into the world and depleting myself. I was going to pour into myself a little and let the world pour a little back into me too. I was going to choose me. And this year, I did just that.
In a world where so many things are out of our control, it can be hard to remember how many things actually are in our control. We may not be able to choose what happens to us and what happens around us, but what we do have control over is ourselves and our own happiness. It reminds me of something my 11th grade English teacher Mr. Buckley said one day in class: “Don’t be a slave to your emotions and feelings. You can change them.” At the time, I realized his words were profound, but I did not realize it was that simple. And it is. It just goes back to the idea of choice.
So what does choice look like when it comes to ourselves and our emotions? What do I mean when I say, ‘I started choosing me.’ I mean choosing to value my own time by not doing things I don’t want to do just to please other people. I mean choosing peace by removing people and things from my life that take that away from me. I mean choosing to protect my space by only letting things that will bring positivity into it. I mean choosing God and His will rather than trying to control what I have no control over. I give it all to Him and I walk by faith. I chose to dwell on what I have instead of what I don’t. I chose to be happy. I know these all seem like simple things but they are things that I did not always do and they are things I see people around me struggling with. But these are all things we can choose. These are the things I chose, and by choosing them, I chose me.
By no means am I saying I have it all figured out. I don’t. But realizing the power of choice, of choosing me, has changed my life. I am no longer a slave to my own emotions. I have actively made choices to contribute to my happiness. I am no longer a slave to the feelings of others because I’ve realized the value of prioritizing my own as well. Choosing me has uncovered so much joy and peace in my life. It has caused me to fall in love with myself and care for myself in a way that makes me more equipped to serve the world. I wish the same for everyone reading this. Be just the right amount of selfish to make sure you are always a priority in your own life. In 2019, choose you.
Breana Ross 