The Superpower We All Possess
I remember having a philosophical conversation about happiness with my son Alex when he was seven years old. When I asked him why some people believe it is things or people that make them happy, he said, “Some people have a hard time not giving their power away.” So true. I’ve been there, many times; have you? And yet how simple it is to reclaim that power.
How? With the simple act of making a decision.
When we face something difficult, we can decide to handle it with grace and poise. We can decide to handle it rather than hiding from it. We can decide to say no, to seek help, to endure or to leave a difficult situation, or even, when we are feeling overwhelmed, we can resolve to decide tomorrow.
When we recognize our power to make a decision, we are reminded that we are the ones in charge of our lives. We are Clark Kents slipping into phone booths and emerging as our true, empowered selves. Choosing to make a decision is how we access our power.
Surprise!
Recently I finished earning my Master of Organizational Management degree. There was a decades-long gap between the day I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree and the start of my Master’s program in September of 2017. When I went back to school at this stage of my life, I didn’t just think I was in over my head – I knew I was in over my head.
But I successfully completed the program because of a decision I made – and remade frequently – over the next nineteen months. Every time I was overwhelmed by the scope of the work, feeling unsure about my ability to successfully handle it, I acknowledged the feeling, saying to myself, “I don’t know if I can do this but I’m going to do it anyway!”
And I did. Such is the power of making a decision.
At times, life can be difficult. We all face challenges, losses; things that scare us. Yet each of us has the ability to unleash our power by making a decision to see it through to the end, to overcome; to survive and to thrive. Nobody can make those decisions for us. It’s up to us.
Have you unleashed the power of making a decision? How has it served you in your life?
Photo by Ameer Basheer on Unsplash