Self in Determining What it

¶ … Self

In determining what it means to me to be my best self, I had to examine my values and beliefs and extract the few elements that can explain my entire best self view with one or two ideas. While I value many things, including loving and being loved, success at what I do and other things that can be measured, the sum total of them all do not really equal what can provide me with the ability to be my best self. In the examination process of what I believe makes me my best self, I narrowed everything down to two basic areas, religious faith and making ethical and moral choices instead of leaving everything in life to chance. I came to believe that if I adhered to the underlying message received in both of these areas in all that I do in life; I will at that point be presenting my best self and living my best self possible.

Choice

The concept of choice as one of the elements needed in the quest to live my best self came about in my study of philosophers such as Socrates and modern day speakers including Chris Widener.

Widener often quotes Dwight D. Eisenhower, with the saying, "The history of free men is never written by chance, but by choice - their choice (Choice: Privilege, Opportunity and Responsibility by Chris Widener (http://www.topachievement.com/chriswidener.html)." believe in this truth and I believe that man writes his or her own history by his or her choices in life. In the search for my best self it becomes important that I make choices that not only better my life but also better the overall concept of society.

The ability to choose is something that animals do not have. It is a privilege reserved for humans and one that should be respected and used with the utmost care and compassion. The ability to choose is what sets us apart from animals and plant life and allows us to strive to be our best selves.

The ability to choose is an Opportunity. Every one of us has the opportunity to improve ourselves. There are too many stories of people who have lost 200 pounds, left behind fortunes while only earning $20,000 a year and multitudes of other success stories for me to believe otherwise (Choice: Privilege, Opportunity and Responsibility by Chris Widener (http://www.topachievement.com/chriswidener.html)."

Because we are gifted by higher powers with the ability to choose, we are provided with a vehicle by which we can make choices that help us live to be our best selves.

One example of this in action in my own life is my decision to further my education. Being my best self includes becoming more educated so that I can use that education to help my community and society as a whole. I believe that through education we will be able to improve the path we are currently on and avoid many pitfalls in the future.

Choosing education is one place where I am exercising my ability to make choices so that I can work to help others who may not be as fortunate as I am.

This ability to choose is important for me to live my best because it will help me gain access to the programs and people I need to work with me on future ideas that I have to help society's less fortunate.

The only obstacles I see in this objective to live out my best are that some of the choices I make may not be easy to carry out. Education is time consuming and expensive for example, however, if I maintain my determination I believe I can overcome these obstacles and complete my education.

The ability to choose what I do with my life and how I conduct myself is a large responsibility. It is one that I look forward to but also find that I am a little nervous because the choices that I make are important toward the end goal of being my best self. Do I choose things that are primarily in my best interest or do I choose based in what is best for society and then trust that the end result will be in my best interest?

There are so many choices in life and I do at times become nervous about making the right choices, however, I think with the right education and spiritual guidance I will find the path that allows me to be my best self while at the same time making the world a better place for others as well as me.

Like Rosa Parks, and countless others who daily make choices that produce change, it is those who will dare to dream of a better life, those who will risk failure, those who will make the right choices who will change themselves, their families, their businesses and organizations and yes, even their world! The ability to choose is an incredible privilege, an outstanding opportunity, and an awesome responsibility (Choice: Privilege, Opportunity and Responsibility by Chris Widener (http://www.topachievement.com/chriswidener.html)."

Religion

For many people religion is something they do on Sunday, or on holidays, if they do it at all, but for me and my personal beliefs there is no way that I can be my best self without including a spiritual foundation.

Whether one is Christian, Catholic, Wiccan, Pagan or some other faith, I believe that for a person to become the best person that they are capable of being they must have a spiritual base and must believe that there is a greater good and a higher power guiding that faith.

Throughout the world there are many millions of people right now going through spiritual changes (March 3, 2000 Bush Is Catching the Spiritual Wave by Larry Kudlow (http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OGE5NTM5YjAxMTAxYjFkMDZmNTM0NzA0NzEzNjg5MDQ=).As the scientific community becomes more aware of the past the present and future are more easily explained by a higher power. Whether or not evolution exists has no bearing on whether or not there is a higher power. The two can co-exist. In my world, with my goals and desires and ambition a good life must include a spiritual element in it.