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Since my mid 20’s, people would say “You need to step into your power.” or “You just have not found your power yet.” It really bothered me because I was putting so much effort into understanding what my power was or what that ‘power’ meant. It took me a long time to grasp what my power actually was and then even longer to embrace it.
As a child through my early 20’s, I did what society told me or expected me to do. I behaved with the shared notion that many women are expected to behave like “the good girl”. In fact, research indicates that this gender bias starts early in childhood. With my dress, my make-up, my hair, getting married, and totally doing everything to ensure I took great care of everyone in my world – no matter how it impacted me.
As a Native American female, I graduated high school and graduated college in 3 years. I took the expedited route because I did not have enough resources to cover my basic need such as food. So, I worked 2 part time jobs, attended college, graduated with a 3.79 and completed the degree that was expected of me. It felt powerful for me to go to college and graduate. Now, I have Ph.D. while recognizing the value of that doctorate degree as a Native American female who was just meant to behave like a good girl and become a wife.
While in college, I married and continued to do ‘things a good wife does.’ ; whatever my spouse wanted while I neglected my needs. Truthfully with “the good girl story” I was not meant to even know my own needs.
What does all of that have to do with the journey to finding my power?
The day I finally said “No” to this way of living I felt as if my world would end. It has taken many more years for me to realize that was the day my life BEGAN and I stepped into my power.
I had a voice. It literally was just the word ‘No’, the complete sentence of “No”. No explanation, No defensiveness. Not yelled or screamed…. just NO.
This was the day I owned my power. There was no turning back. There were many scary days, weeks, months, and years ahead. The road to your power begins when you acknowledge and accept that you have feelings, beliefs, needs, wants, desires, and ways of being and ALL of them are JUST PERFECT.
Sometimes you may feel it is not enough, or you are not enough. But each time you ACKNOWLEDGE that THIS IS ME. I believe this. I want this. I am enough to be valued for being me, you move closer to standing in your power.
YOU are enough just the way you are…and your power is found when you experience in majestic joy, infinite love, and you forgive yourself…and you recognize that the power was within you all the time.
You just had to find the words to speak it, or the music to sing it, or the movement to feel it. The belief inside of you that you have the courage to do it, you are in your purpose and the world is a better place.
I believe in you. It’s time to take your power back.
