“The world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” – Sirius Black
Choice
In my training as a counselor, there have been countless theories about why humans behave the way they do. I relate to some to and not so much to others. However, the overarching theme in the theories I relate to is choice.
Humans may have a variety of things that influence and mold them throughout their lives. I do believe that humans have the choice to make their own happiness. This quote speaks to me deeply because it highlights the fact that humans are flawed. Every single one of us is. Knowing and accepting these flaws is paramount to understanding that we are not perfect and make mistakes. However, those mistakes do not define us. Humans like to internalize things and love to think in black and white. As a result, someone may think they’re bad when they do something they personally think is bad. They internalize that behavior. This just is not the case. There is both black and white, good and bad, shadow and light.
Multiple Perspectives
There is a concept called dialectical thinking, which is the ability to view something from multiple perspectives. The easiest way to think of it is how you love your sibling, but you hate what she just did. The Harry Potter quote highlights this dialectical thought that we are all both good and bad, and that is okay. It is important to remember that there is always a choice no matter how bad you feel or how many mistakes you have made. You can choose to work, change, hope and love. On the other hand, you can choose to wallow in the darkness of depression, guilt, sadness, and despair.
I know the idea of waking up one morning and saying, “I am going to make the choice to feel better today,” sounds a bit daunting. It is not that simple. It takes hard work to make change, but it is possible. Sometimes, things are easier when you have someone to support you. Harry could not have defeated Voldemort without the help of his colleagues and friends. The choice to a better life is yours. I can help support you on your path to making a better life for yourself.
If you are ready to make the change or just want to talk about where you are in your life, contact Amy Wine Counseling Center. We would love to speak with you.