Power Up

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will"...(Mahatma Gandhi). I really love the word empowerment because within the word is the true key...which is power. The word power means different things for each individual, but it's often misused and misunderstood. Some people often strive for the type of power to dominate or control people or situations. Some believe that power is in money or beauty. Others fear their personal power because they assume it's only the selfish that seek to attain power. Nothing can be further from the truth. Personal power is a god given right. Even the story of Jesus is about a man who dared to challenge the people in power and to follow his heart instead of following the pack. I believe that personal power is our choice to dare to challenge self made prisons, built from fear. Everyone has people around them imposing their beliefs and expectations. Some have tougher prisons to break out of when those bars are made from money or from extreme cultural or religious beliefs. Women in some countries have no rights and if they dare to break out of their prisons, they could be disowned or even killed. I've come across individuals who grew up in wealthy households and even as adults, if they dared to break out of the expectations placed on them from their families, they would lose the money they came to depend on. I've also counseled wives who felt imprisoned in terrible marriages but feared breaking out because they would not have the financial means to support themselves. In some cases, the person's journey is to find empowerment in very tough situations. Sometimes, breaking out is an option and other times, the person can find personal strength within while enduring conflict all around them. Some people have been dealt very difficult lessons and find empowerment through perseverance. I am thinking about people in war torn countries. They cannot escape their fate but they must find strength in survival. Empowerment comes in many forms. I just loved the movie "Soul Surfer." It reinforces the idea that through pain comes great strength and an opportunity to shine. The movie is based on the true story of a teen girl who lost her arm from a shark attack. She was a competitive surfer and thought that her days of surfing were over. The journey takes her from recovery to hope, to giving up, to renewed hope and faith. The message is inspiring because she had every reason to give up on herself and wallow in self pity and anger. She cycled through her pain but stayed aware of each and every lesson that was being offered to her. She didn't let fear win and she has become a shining example of empowerment. So today's message is to power up....by believing in yourself no matter what. If others are criticizing you or attempting to take away your power, let them motivate you more to stay true to yourself. Those who are harshest on us just may be our greatest teachers. The strength within is there waiting for you to become empowered, simply by nurturing thoughts and feelings and taking the steps to honor yourself. "Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life. Within each of us is a hidden store of courage, courage to give us the strength to face any challenge. Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost"...(Roger Dawson).