Personal Power: Dealing with Challenges
Claiming and using your personal power is a crucial step in personal growth and development. And while it can be easy to practice owning your personal power in everyday situations, when it comes to dealing with challenges in your life, how well are you able to hold on to your personal power? In times of crisis, are you able to stand firm in your beliefs are do you find yourself returning to habits that give your power away to others?
Giving power to others over how you think and feel means relinquishes control over your outcome and happiness. Learning to keep control in your life, even in difficult situations, means you must recognize the ways you may be giving away your power to others when you feel the most vulnerable.
Stop Complaining
Complaining does not solve problems. Complaining focuses on how the problem is making you feel rather than finding ways to overcome it. When your energy is focused on moaning and griping, you do not have enough left over to create a positive solution. Complaining implies you have no power to change the situation, and you do! So, get out there and use it!
Only You Control How You Feel
Allowing other people to influence or dictate your emotions is giving them power over your challenging situation. No one can make you feel bad or mad unless you allow them to. Accept that your emotional responses and how you allow them to influence your decisions are entirely up to you. When you accept responsibility in this way, you will be better equipped to handle your challenges rationally and thoughtfully.
Check Your Boundaries
When you are facing a challenge, it can become easy to allow others to tear down your carefully crafted boundaries. Do not let it happen. You create physical and emotional boundaries to give you control over with who and how you spend your time. Just because things are tough right now does not mean you should start giving in to guilt trips or allowing others to speak for you.
Make Sure You are Clear on Your Values
During challenging times is exactly when you need to stick to your guns. Knowing your values and living by them are an essential part of embracing your personal power, and it is doubly important that you do so when facing obstacles. Living true to yourself isn’t just something you need to do when everything is good.
Be Present
When you are facing a challenge, it is critical that you are paying attention and aware of how you are facing these setbacks. When you are actively present and focused on what is happening in your life., you will find that most things are not as difficult as you thought and that you are much better prepared to handle what lies ahead.
Rely on Yourself
It is okay to ask for advice or guidance from others, but you must realize that only you can solve your problems. You can decide how you will process the problem; you will act in ways that allow you to feel comfortable with the solution, and you must be an active participant in any solution. Only when this occurs will you feel you have true control over your life.
Stop Worrying About What Others Think
No matter who well you handle a challenge or overcome a setback, there will be others who disagree or want to judge you. But, guess what? It does not matter what they think. It only matters that you are comfortable with your decisions and actions because only you must live with the consequences.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with challenges is something we all must face in our lives. And when you do, it is more important than ever that you embrace your personal power and use it to create the best solutions for yourself and your life.