How to draw the line between right and wrong

What is morally and ethically right or wrong can be determined by a healthy conscience, the little voice in your head that keeps you on track with making wise choices.

The factors surrounding your holistic growth and development from childhood to now have influenced the boundaries of your conscience and the experiences you believe are OK or NOT OK to follow through with.

Because of these external circumstances, genetics, and your own internal beliefs, your conscience may struggle with a particular event while someone else's (your partner, best friend, parent, or child) conscience may be clear.

Though you may disagree with others who are close to you when handling different situations, remember the only person and conscience you have control of is your own. You have to be comfortable with what you feel serves a higher purpose and comes from a place of integrity and love.

Your conscience can serve as a guide to healthy decision-making only if it is internally set to realize in your heart, mind, body, and soul what is the highest and best path to choose.

If you think it's not a problem to litter, cheat on your spouse, pump drugs into your body, or lie to your boss, then the inner voice of reason is clearly not loud enough.

Consider yourself ten years ago or even during your high school years. Do you feel like you have evolved consciously and have a better conscience than you did back then? If so, you are making progress and should continue a path of self-growth.

However, if your thoughts, feelings, and actions remain stagnant, polluted, or self-destructive, then you're probably ignoring your conscience and deliberately doing what you know deep down is not right or healthy.

Self-awareness, confidence, and a good sense of personal and global worth, respect, and love can be your guides in choosing the healthier path. Knowing what's the best option doesn't always cut it. Most people know what they shouldn't do but often do it anyway because of a skewed conscience, temptation, or lack of willpower.

Learning more about yourself (like what motivates you to make good or bad choices), being trustworthy, and seeing the unity within all of life can also help you connect with your inherent wisdom and maintain a clear, healthy conscience.

Consider your actions before you take them, and extrapolate what you would think mentally, how you would feel emotionally, if your body would be stressed physically, and if you would lose a sense of spirituality after you choose a certain course.

In addition to examining internal struggles of what's right and wrong, you should also be aware of how your decisions affect other people, animals, environments, or situations in general.

Weigh your options and decide which path will lead to holistic wellness, resolution, healthy interpersonal relationships, and peace for all involved. 

Photo: Morguefile/mensatic

Affirmations: I realize in my heart, mind, body, and soul what is the right thing to do. If I am struggling with a decision, I find a place of solitude, pray or meditate for guidance, and use my senses to discern the best answer. People trust me and I have a good heart. My conscience is clear!

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