Let’s get curious and explore what is practically useful in this very moment.

Ask yourself: What actually makes a difference for me right now? Is it more useful for me to believe I am conscious and possess the free will to choose my own thoughts and actions? Or is it healthier for me to believe I’m a mindless puppet with no real control over myself?

Which belief produces a helpful result for me when I think it? Which thoughts help me feel more at ease, free, and happy? Which ones cause me to feel more restricted, uneasy, uncomfortable?

Try this experiment for yourself and see what happens:

Pause for a moment. First try thinking: I have no control over my thoughts, and no free will. I am not free. If you don’t instantly feel a negative shift, wait for a moment and think it again a few times. Pay attention to what happens within you. What do you notice?

How does your body respond? What about your mood?

Now try out this one: “I am free to choose my own thoughts. I am free to be myself right now. I am free.” Take your time; think it through.

What happens? How does your body respond? Did your mood shift at all?

Go back and forth between the two thoughts slowly a few times to get a better sense of the difference between: “I’m not free. I’m not free to be myself”; and “I’m free. I am free to be myself right now.”

Try this experiment with each of the 3 Magic Phrases and find out how your whole system responds. Where does your mind go? How does your body feel? What emotions come up?

For example, put this book down for a moment and slowly think this phrase to yourself: “I don’t have to do anything . . . right now . . . to be myself.” Think it again. Three times.

What happens to you to your body? What thoughts come up? Is there a new mood or emotion?

If you find yourself breathing a little easier, relaxing a wee bit, or you smile in relief, that’s an indicator this “Magic Phrase” is a helpful and constructive thought for you. It would be wise for you to think it often, and catch yourself when you try to convince yourself that you aren’t free by telling yourself how much you have to do!

When I do the above experiment and consider how my system responds to each of these ideas, it’s clear that I feel better when I believe in my own self-agency. Then, when I take action on this belief by choosing the thoughts that help me feel better and take me in a direction of more ease and happiness, the result “makes the meat it feeds on” (in Alexander’s own words).

This odd expression means to say: if I think a certain way and get a positive result, that experience motivates me to think that way more often, which again gives me a positive result, which again motivates me to think more positive thoughts.

This experiment reinforces my belief in free will and the power to choose my own thoughts and create my own experience: I feel good, assuming this responsibility for myself, knowing that I have the power to improve my life by exercising my belief in free will!

This is why “I am free to be myself right now” is a practically useful thought for me to believe in.

With Love & Light,
Jennifer

P.S. If you’re curious about how to strengthen your belief in freedom and practice choosing thoughts that truly support you, I’d love to help you explore this shift through MindFlow Practice. Sanctuary for Musicians: The Whole Artist’s Mastery Experience is designed for those who are ready to experience the freedom of their whole self. If you’d like details, just send me a private message.