Inner Strength: The Foundation of Choices

Have you ever been so excited about pursuing a dream, that you could not wait to share with others, only to be told why you should not endeavor to do so? I am sure we all have. Trusting the advice of those around us can sometimes disable our motivation, and hinder our willingness to even try. 

Life is full of choices and one way or another we have all had to make choices. Whether it was deciding between a burger or a salad for dinner, choosing a life partner, a career, friends,  or even where to live. Despite how small or how big you felt the choice was, you still had to make a choice. Every decision we are faced with has pros and cons, but the most important thing to remember is that although those around you may be affected by your choices, you are the one who ultimately has to live with the consequences of your actions, whether good or bad. A choice is rarely hard to make when we expect positive results. A choice only becomes a burden  when we anticipate negative consequences. These negative feelings could potentially result from family, friends and even acquaintances. They could also stem from our fear of  failure and lead to a projection of negative vibes. Thus we regress into a life where we settle for less than what we deserve, where we live to please other people, and only succumb to that which is trendy or acceptable by society.

Life in the "settlement zone" is not very pleasant because you constantly live in the shadow of others. You then develop resentment toward the very people whom you tried to please, and envy them for doing their own thing while you lack the courage to be yourself. So, basically they instill fear within you, crippling your natural abilities, and forcing you to become someone you are not. You essentially allow others to determine your fate, while you silently  wish that maybe one day you will finally step out and choose what "YOU" want.  Instead of waiting for  someone else to tell you what to do, you have to learn to fight the negative emotions that evolve within you and take  a bold step. Fear holds you captive and makes you a prisoner to others. As you lose control over your life, you become like a feather, easily swayed. 

To conquer fear and make your own choices, one needs inner strength. My source of strength is my faith in God, recognizing that there is a higher power beyond myself. I want to encourage you to step out and not let fear hold you back and impede your growth and progress.  Know that there is nothing you cannot do if you are walking within your purpose. We will talk more about some of the choices that have impacted my personal life in the next post. Feel free to share how to attain your inner strength.