1. There is no freedom of the will; there is only freedom of attention.

What we call “will” is just an experience-arising. And the latter just arises out of awareness. 

Here’s Zen master Bankei addressing laypersons and monks in a Dharma talk:

This Buddha Mind you have from your parents innately is truly unborn and marvelously illuminating. That which is unborn is the Buddha Mind; the Buddha Mind is unborn and marvelously illuminating, and, what’s more, with this Unborn, everything is perfectly managed. The actual proof of this Unborn which perfectly manages [everything] is that, as you’re all turned this way listening to me talk, if out back there’s the cawing of crows, the chirping of sparrows or the rustling of the wind, even though you’re not deliberately trying to hear each of these sounds, you recognize and distinguish each one. The voices of the crows and sparrows, the rustling of the wind—you hear them without making any mistake about them, and that’s what’s called hearing with the Unborn. In this way, all things are perfectly managed with the Unborn. This is the actual proof of the Unborn.

His example illustrates the natural, spontaneous activity of the Unborn Buddha Mind. There’s no separate will willing X or choosing Y.

2. There is, however, freedom of attention.

Notice how when awareness, in the mode of attention, “points outward,” it directs attention at an object/experience: hearing, seeing, feeling, thinking, etc. I called this “earthy” or “pointed” or “chunky.” 

Experiment with “drawing” attention back so that it is “on” (i.e., is none other than) awareness. Now awareness is like the sun unto itself, is like a background, is like no-thing-ness.

So: awareness, as attention, is directed outward and it’s pointy; awareness turned back inward is non-pointy, all-encompassing, relaxed, whole, i.e., itself.

Experiment with this “outward” and “inward” flow.

3. When you knowingly remain as awareness, then mind-arising is not a problem. It will–generally speaking–arise less often, but this too won’t be “an issue” or a desire since you’ll be remaining as awareness.

4. In short, there’s nothing to do. There’s only the need to remember awareness. Each time. The rest will take care of itself in due course.