Positive effects of belief in free will
The more people believe in free will, the more they associate their choices with free will, the more they perceive their actions as choices and the more satisfied they are with making decisions and choices. However, the motivation behind the belief in free will is very important.
People often differ in how they perceive their lives as choices. People who believe in freedom and free will see their choices as a positive aspect of their lives.
People who like to make decisions may be satisfied with having the capacity to choose freely and support this belief. Conversely, people who dislike making decisions and choices may find denying their own free will an attractive way of distancing themselves from their choices and the expected (or even feared) consequences of those choices. Thus, with a fatalistic belief in determinism, they do not worry about choosing the wrong thing, thinking that all actions are inevitable and caused by previous events.
We must avoid turning the belief in choice, selection, free will into a godlike grandiose attitude and behavior. Although a sense of control gives us self-confidence and power, it is valuable to realize that there are things we cannot control, to stay in touch with life and to remember that we are human.
We need to avoid consuming our desires, our passions, our spotlight, trying to make the best choices all the time. In my opinion, free will is an awareness of the "moment" that needs to be carried with human humility. It is the power to blend the memory of the past with the reality of today and the hopes of tomorrow.
In this way, one can perceive and position oneself in a humane place within external reality. Without minimizing the impact of one's own existence on the environment, without denying oneself, one can find the motivation to act.
This increases the likelihood of seeing one's life as something one controls and chooses from a range of alternatives. The exercise and activation of choice sensitizes the individual to his or her own power and agency.
On the other hand, when people think of life as a predetermined sequence of events and experiences, it can lead to a reduced sense of control over one's own life, resulting in a reduced sense of agency and drive, and this loss of control can result in increased anxiety and stress.
In addition, research shows that differences in beliefs related to free will can lead to changes in people's interpersonal relationships and moral behavior.
Instead of being angry, judgmental and resentful of the unknown force of the predetermined external reality, we can see the unknown as a mischievous gift of life. In fact, knowing all that will happen, seeing the whole picture at once, could also strike unrelenting fear into one's heart.
In this whole picture that we cannot see, it is our belief in being able to make choices that gives us the motivation to walk on the path, that enables us to move forward in a prudent way. As the children of those who carried this belief and opened new paths for us, it is our duty not to make ourselves slaves to our beliefs, but to believe in the power of the belief in choice and to pass on this knowledge to open new paths for ourselves and others.
Don't panic when you get out of your routine!
Of course, our personal needs are one of the most important priorities in our lives. Meeting the needs of both our body and mind and taking care of ourselves is of course very important. But, as with everything else, when we overdo it, there is more harm than good.
If you are severely restricting your life in order to do everything you believe to be healthy, again, the danger bells are ringing. For example, if an unplanned gathering of friends or a group meal plan that doesn't include a menu that doesn't fit into your eating plan for the day puts you in a bind, and you'd rather walk away than make changes, you may realize that this is not a good way to live.
As important as taking good care of your body, it is also important to spend time with people who make you feel good, with whom you can socialize, communicate and enjoy. To maintain lifelong healthy habits, you need to realize that you cannot live a happy life by hiding or running away.
People who have a more relaxed attitude to health and well-being are not too affected by occasional changes to their routine. For them, for example, eating cake at a celebration or missing a daily exercise session is acceptable and normal. However, for individuals who are obsessed with healthy living, these and similar situations are almost a crime.
If your meal plan or gym time is off, if you skip any of your good habits during the day, or if you accidentally drink your coffee with sugar, if you burst into tears, throw tantrums, start blaming yourself or have strong emotional reactions, these are all signs that something is wrong.
We can talk about many things with our family, friends, neighbors or loved ones. Our daily habits and lifestyle actions can also be the subject of these conversations. For example, how many meals do you eat, do you follow a particular diet, how many hours a week do you exercise and similar questions can often find their way into intimate conversations. It is usually expected that such questions will be answered calmly.
However, if you perceive it as a very harsh criticism when someone, be it your mother or a dear friend, asks you such a question or makes a comment such as 'don't you think this is too much' or 'don't you overdo it a bit', if you take it as a very harsh criticism and get seriously defensive and at that moment you don't see anything else, you may be obsessed with healthy living.
Under normal circumstances, exercise does not cause excessive pain or discomfort. First-time exercisers may experience mild to moderate muscle soreness for a few days or weeks due to the lack of exercise, but this will subside and disappear as long as you exercise regularly.
On the other hand, when exercising at an intense pace and more frequently than necessary, various injuries and injuries can occur due to overstraining of the muscles. If, despite these injuries, you stick to your exercise routine and continue to push your body even harder, then there is a big problem.
Or, if your immunity is weakened, you have a cold, flu, infection, or any other health problem, but instead of lying down and resting, recovering your energy and body, you are making yourself even more exhausted by crawling to the gym in the name of 'being healthy', you may be ignoring your body's cries for help.
Obsession with being healthy can manifest itself in different forms of paranoia. If you have developed a destructive attitude towards food as well as excessive and body-damaging exercise, you are not being healthy; you are forcing yourself into an unhealthy attitude. There is nothing wrong with paying attention to all the foods you eat and drink to protect your health and strengthen your body and mind, but if you get too caught up in healthy eating and avoid eating any food that contains sugar, fat, gluten, etc. out of fear, as if you were 'running away from poison', then this could be a problem.
@caiatherton
