Freedom from our preferences

My preference is not to walk the dog in icy wind and rain in the dark. But on winter mornings when it's dark at 7am and the wind is blowing from the north, that's what I do. And, in the main, I do it uncomplainingly, and sometimes, I even have fun.

Because, our preferences are there as shortcuts to help us create an environment that supports our wellbeing. But when we don't have our preferences it doesn't mean we are not ok.

Our preferences are thought habits or sub-conscious decisions we have made about how life works best, often based on experience and understanding. They are formed through our intelligent system to help us navigate life without re-inventing the wheel. But sometimes we get attached to them and think we need them in order to be ok. And at that moment we can feel trapped by our circumstances, feeling as if the only way for us to be ok is if the outside world changes to meet our preferences.

We forget, that the intelligence that created the shortcut (our preference) can offer up a different option to serve us in the circumstances we find ourselves in, and maybe, even enjoy them! When we remember that they are thought, and not us, our relationship with them becomes less attached. 

By letting go of our habitual thinking; insight, clarity and possibility arise. This offers us the freedom of mind to dip into the eternal flow of thoughts available to us and not be bound by our limited thinking. 

In the words of Henry Ford, “If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.”, well this is true for our preferences as well.