Every week I write from inspiration that happens in my day-to-day life.  This week I was inspired by two separate conversations: one with a girlfriend I have known since we were newly minted teenagers and the other from a coaching session.  It is my hope that you will read this, forward it to your girlfriends, and make a decision to go beyond the life you are currently living and step into your own power in your relationships, health and finances.  I write with love and a heart of service.  Enjoy.

Once upon a time we were all powerful beyond measure.  We were born with infinite potential utilizing our resources to let the world know precisely what we wanted.  Our cries, in most cases, brought us nourishment, a clean diaper and a snuggle.  Our happy cooing most likely yielding a mirrored response.  In most likelihood we were the masters of our small universe with our caregivers bending to our will.

As we began to grow the shift of power occurred.  We began to learn the difference between right and wrong.  We were reprimanded for bad behaviour and sometimes acknowledged for good.  It was at this point in time that we realized that we were not in control and that ultimately we could have a tantrum, scream at the top of our lungs and even stomp our feet and not have others bend to our will.  It was then that we decided that we were not powerful and we decided that the pursuit of goals meant allowing others to determine the importance of those goals.

As we grew into later childhood and other children 'trained' us on our worth we learned to self judge.  Questions such as, 'do I fit in,' and 'why doesn't she like me' plagued our existence.  We discovered that there were certain societal standards, that if met, would result in acceptance and at this point we decided to either alter our true self and yield to pressure or completely rebel telling ourselves that it didn't matter.  Even if we managed to 'fit in' at times we felt different and secretly kept that to ourselves.

As teenagers we often felt frightened and alone; uncertain the people really understood us at all.  We questioned ourselves.  We wondered if anyone else experienced the same thoughts and emotions; we were afraid to find out.  We thought about rebelling and sometimes we acted on it.  We tested our limits, sometimes openly and other times in secret.  Our hurts were deep and our elation magnificent.

As we grew into young women we took on responsibility.  There were greater expectations.  We realized that most of the things we worried about in our adolescence were not as relevant  now and that some of the challenges remained.  Did we fit in?  Do people like us?  Do I matter?  When should I settle down? 

We knew we had time to make the big decisions.  Sometimes there was pressure from family and friends.  Sometimes we felt as though there was pressure to do certain things.  We still continued to secretly rebel, suppressing our urges to take another path.  We felt the weight of adulthood and also the gift of time.  People still considered us 'young,' they gave only a modicum of consideration to our youthful opinions.

And then one day, we woke up to find ourselves as full fledged adults.  Our lives were full of responsibilities; there were bills to pay, people to please, perhaps children to care for, perhaps parents to tend to.  It happened almost overnight with a gush of speed and we wondered about the glimmer of our youth.  We began to regret decisions, re-think our choices and once again question if we were the only one's who felt like this.

At times we felt as though we were playing house; standing in the kitchen making dinner, doing homework and cleaning up.  One part of our brain, the child, couldn't understand why this was happening.  When our own children were having tantrums, we wanted to join them.  When our children were rebelling, we wanted to rebel alongside them.

Looking in the mirror, at the face once youthful and full of promise, we somehow decided to put ourselves last.  We stopped caring for ourselves.  We were sometimes angry and frustrated.  We allowed people to disappoint us and at some point decided that we were not important.  We stopped asking for what we wanted, we stopped going for our goals with passion, we enabled people who were negative and critical and ultimately gave away our power.

The child who was repeatedly told 'no' succumbed and suppressed her desires with food, or wine, or exercise and perhaps lack thereof, sex or the withholding of sex, with self-loathing, and going out of her way to make people like her.  We pushed down our belief that we were powerful.  We, instead, conformed and secretly resented women who dared to pursue their goals telling ourselves that they were the selfish one's when in reality, we were selfish for suppressing our gifts.

Our reality is that we are all powerful, extraordinary, brilliant and beautiful beyond what we have even tested regardless of what we have achieved in this life.  God only creates magnificence, what we do with it is entirely up to us.  Isn't it time that we re-claim our power so we can express, instead of repress, our gifts? 

When we come to the end of our lives, we will not look back and say, 'I wish I would have spent more time punishing myself for my perceived flaws.'  We will not wish we had been more critical of the women who dared to push the envelope.  We will not wish we had been more judgemental of those who challenged us to be better.  Instead, we will wish that we had used our time more wisely and impacted more people.

You are magnificent.  You are a gift.  You are incredible.  Decide right now that this is your time to step into your own power and dare to be that woman that others secretly wish they could be.  Know that I believe in you.  The road may not be easy, however the destination is infinitely magnificent.  Go for it.

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