Elul 22

We have free choice.  What does that look like for you?

Rambam 7:1 (https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Repentance.7.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en)

הוֹאִיל וּרְשׁוּת כָּל אָדָם נְתוּנָה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ יִשְׁתַּדֵּל אָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּפִיו מֵחֲטָאָיו וְלִנְעֹר כַּפָּיו מֵחֲטָאָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּמוּת וְהוּא בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה וְיִזְכֶּה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:

Since free choice is granted to all men as explained, a person should always strive to do Teshuvah and to confess verbally for his sins, striving to cleanse his hands from sin in order that he may die as a Baal-Teshuvah and merit the life of the world to come.

Teshuvah is not a one day process.  We have to always remember that there is work to do.

At the same time, this does not have to be miserable.  This can actually be joyful.  We can find blessing in this process.  As we work on ourselves, we can find hope and possibility.  Our capacity for growth is endless.