Perhaps the only thing worse than the feeling of not having something is the lack of awareness that you’ve had it all along. If you ever take time to delve deeply into human psychology, you’ll realise quite profoundly that what we’re capable of is so much more than we’re told we are or think we are. Far too often, we simply settle for what society teaches/tells us and succumb our minds to the conditioning that comes as a result. Far too often we’re being told or sold the idea that “this is the way its done” and we seldom question these ideologies.

When we continuously surrender ourselves to societal mores without questioning, querying or critiquing them and how they fit into your own personal journey, it robs us of our superpower called “Choice”.

Choice is a part of our birthright and indeed a superpower we all possess. However, society teaches us a repressive and compulsive language which makes us believe we “have to” do certain things a certain way. Truth is, you don’t “have to”….you “choose” to. Therefore, the awareness, realisation and acknowledgment that we’re constantly making choices throughout our journey in life does not only rid us of self-oppression but also liberates us from our self-subjugation to ideologies that were created by a certain group of people to serve a particular purpose over a specific period of time.

For as much of us that struggle to navigate the intricate intersections of life and its myriad of complexities rooted in culture, tradition, education, religion et al, I think a brilliant piece of literature that may perhaps help clear these muddy waters can be found in a 1962 novel called “Golden Notebook” by Doris Lessing. It reads and I quote;

“Ideally what should be said to every child repeatedly throughout their educational life is something like this - You are in the process of being indoctrinated. We have not yet evolved a system of education that is not a system of indoctrination. We are sorry but that’s the best we can do. What you’re being taught here is an amalgam of current prejudice and the choices of this particular culture. The slightest look at history will show how impermanent these must be. You are being taught by people who have been able to accommodate themselves to a regime of thought laid down by their predecessors, its a self-perpetuating system. Those of you more robust and individual than others will be encouraged to leave and find ways of educating yourselves, educating your own judgements. Those of you that stay must remember always that they’re being moulded and patterned to fit into the narrow and particular needs of this particular society”.

To contextualise this extract from Lesssing’s work, she explains that from when we develop cognitive abilities, we are being taught how to fit into society by people who themselves have chosen to be subjected to conformity as laid out by their predecessors. Some of us who are more individualistic will seek other ways of educating ourselves and our own judgement against the norm, while others will simply conform. However, “choice” is the one power we have and will always have. Meaning - You and only You hold the standards for judging your own views of everything in your external environment and the veracity of those things.

So my charge to you is to consciously begin to reclaim your superpower. The aim isn’t to make you believe it’s as easy as it sounds, but to remind you that you indeed have the power and sovereignty called Choice.

Remember - “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” - John Maxwell 

Peace, Love and Light,