What Do You Choose?
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. - Viktor Frankl
The other day, my friend Anna told me she was inspired by… wait for it… a natural disaster insurance commercial. I thought: Insurance? Inspiration? Really?
Turns out, yes. After a minor accident (and some classic bureaucratic chaos), she felt completely out of control. The ad’s message hit her right in the heart: “Take back control over your life.”
And honestly? Who hasn’t felt like that … at the mercy of others, powerless, or stuck?
That conversation made me reflect: where do I give my own power away? Where could I reclaim it? And how would life feel if I leaned into that space Frankl talks about - the pause, the observer seat - and chose differently?
Where Do We Feel Powerless?
It shows up everywhere:
Relationships
Money
Health
Work
Family (hello, lifelong triggers …)
The big picture: society, politics, the planet
And then there’s the sneaky stuff: the stories we tell ourselves. “I can’t.” “I’m not enough.” “It’s too late.” I’ve been a master storyteller in this department. (Still working on my plot twists!)
But here’s the shift: pause, breathe, lean back. Cheesy? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. It interrupts the loop and opens that space where choice becomes possible.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Viktor Frankl
Questions to Ask Yourself
In what areas of your life do you feel powerless and why?
What small action could help you feel more in control?
What fears or doubts are holding you back?
What stories are you telling yourself? Are they even true? Hint: Most of the time they aren’t.
How can you rewrite them into something empowering?
Pro tip: Don’t over-analyze. Action beats endless rumination every time. Wayne Dyer once said: “Non-action is one of the main reasons for depression.” I’ve lived that truth and I’ve also felt how even one small step lifts the fog.
Health as an Example
Let’s get practical. Say you’re feeling drained, sluggish, out of shape, or stuck in a sugar loop. Overwhelming? Yes. But you do have choices.
A few starting points:
Take responsibility for how you feel (radical, I know).
Commit to one small step → then another.
Get accountability: a friend, coach, or community.
Meditate to calm the noise (I love Insight Timer).
Rewrite the “not-enough” story into one that fuels you.
Daily Micro-Choices
Choice isn’t just about big life decisions. It shows up in the tiny moments, too:
Do you choose the sugary cake for instant gratification, or a nourishing snack that supports your energy?
Do you take the 20-minute walk, or flop onto the couch because it’s easier right now?
Do you react in anger, or breathe and choose not to hand your energy away?
It’s not about perfection. It’s about practicing the art of pausing and choosing.
the hwell takeaway
The better we observe our thoughts, the less they control us. Powerlessness turns into possibility the moment we pause and choose differently.
Observe.
Choose.
Act.
It’s your choice. My choice. Our choice. And every conscious choice is a step toward taking our power back.
So… what will you choose today?
With love 💚,
Gaby