Site Source: Mental Health Resources, Inc. via LinkedIn : Art by Mellow Doodles
I came across this amazing cartoon representation depicting examples of what we can and can not control. And I just LOVE it! (I’m such a big kid at heart!)
When life spins out of control as in some of these examples:
- The tragic loss of a loved one.
- A dire medical diagnosis.
- Sudden job loss.
- End of a relationship or divorce.
- A global pandemic.
We can feel powerless.
In addition, lesser stresses piled up or even positive life changes can create a spiral effect as well.
So often we talk about coping skills and this is important. However, on the other hand, we fail to address the surrender of personal power.
For example, surrendering personal power can become an automatic response to circumstances beyond our control. Furthermore, it commonly goes without notice.
If I were the Fairy Godmother in the Cinderella story of life, I would wave my wand and give everyone a dose of personal power.
Personal power rises up within our spirit when we say:
- “Enough is enough. I want my life back.”
- “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. This battle of… (fill in the blank… cancer, alcoholism, addiction, abuse, toxic work environment, etc) is not the end of my story! I am fighting mad and fighting back!”
- “Pandemic or not, I have given up enough… I am going to adjust. I’ll keep what is working but ditch the rest! This is MY LIFE and I am the author.”
- “So and so said I will never amount to anything, well you know what? I’ll show them! I’ll show myself.”
Do you sense a fighting spirit in these kinds of statements? Our inner narratives are our compass. Most importantly, it points is in the direction our life will go.
We can fan the flames of our spirited, spunky inner narratives of strength. And we do this, by doing the things we have control over. As a result, our spunky statements of strength grow in authority.
Consequently, the more this happens, the less room we rent in our minds for:
- doubts, fears, insecurities, what if this, what if that…
These things suck the life out of us.
I am convinced that too often we give up entirely too much of our personal power. And the result? A “settled for” life.
But that does NOT have to be the case.
HOW?
By Daily Doing
Every single day when we wake up with the very gift of life we can CHOOSE to claim and own our personal power. Our current circumstances do not define us.
Most importantly, what does define us is what we choose to do with the set of circumstances we are given.
To fan the flames of your personal power, repeat aloud after me:
- “I know my truth.”
- “I own my choices and today I only choose to focus on what I can control.”
- “Every time I do what is in my control and leave behind what I can’t, I reclaim my personal power.”
- “This IS MY LIFE. No one else is the author of my story.”
I understand what it is like to feel hopeless, powerless, helpless, and lost. There was a time I would have said, “Phfff… This is nonsense.”
However, that was until I began to put these very things into action.
It takes hard work and dedication to engage in the healing process. The smallest bricks placed one next to the other, begin to build a strong foundation.
And this foundation of personal power? It is the very foundation from which a new life can be rebuilt.
Oh, what can rise up within us when this is the place that we function from!
How does this look in practice?
Here are some examples from my life:
1. I start every day with quiet time (prayer and devotions help me fix my eyes Above and unleashes Spiritfilled Power)
2. I drink my two glasses of Lemon water before I drink any Diet Dew (this helps me build a new habit of drinking water while cutting back on soda)
3. I always make my bed and make sure my house is tidy when I leave for the office (this fills me with comfort to know that when I return I will do so to my “nesting place”, my home).
4. I set my mind for the day; I choose faith and gratitude (this builds inner resilience as the years go by).
5. I tickle my funny bone by looking for ways to laugh, often at myself (this helps me take myself and my life less seriously)
There is ALWAYS something to chuckle about. The more we look, the more we find it.
In conclusion, when we keep doing over and over, the sense of personal power returns.
The more we continue with this, the stronger the flames of personal power grow. This is the sweet spot dear ones.
What are you willing to do to reclaim your power today? Choose “that thing” and do it. Then hit the “repeat button”.
Blessings dear ones 🍁
Christine
I’d love to hear from you! What things are you doing to regain personal power in your life? Let me know and I will share your thoughts in upcoming posts!