“Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right”- Albus Dumbledore
Making Decisions
You learn when you are kid to choose between right and wrong, but nothing in life is that simple. When you are working on your mental health, there isn’t always a clear right and wrong. Sometimes what is right for you is also the most difficult. For example, lets say you are having an argument with a friend who says something hurtful. The easy decision could be to shut down or get angry. However, is that really the right decision for your relationship? Did it really accomplish anything? It is hard to be assertive and tell your friend that they hurt you, so you just avoid it by shutting down. This happens all the time in relationships with other people but it also happens inside your own head.
What is Right vs. What is Easy
When your brain tells you that you are not good enough, do you challenge the thought or accept it? It would be easy to accept it and let if affect your self-esteem. Doing what is right for yourself is more work. That is, challenging that negative thought and replacing it with a more positive counter-statement.
Much of what we work on in therapy is choosing what is right for you instead of what is easy. Many of our behaviors are just patterns that we fall into because we have always done them or they are easy to maintain. Veering off course and removing ourselves from the rut is a challenge but ultimately worth it. By definition, changing your path means that you will be changing as a person. This change will come with new experiences both good and bad, but if it is what is right for you and you are ready for the change to happen then it is well worth the risk.
In Harry Potter, Harry has to make some serious decisions and sacrifices to do what he thinks is right. He takes Dumbledore’s advice and looks between what is easy and what is right to make the decision that is right for him.
If you are ready to make a change and take a path that is right for you, please feel free to contact Amy Wine Counseling Center at 832-421-8714 and I will be there to walk the path with you.
Comments