Want Power Back In Your Life?

How important for you is it to take ownership or responsibility for things that are happening in your life? Often times we go about our daily activities and when something doesn’t turn out the way we want it we get frustrated or angry. We all experience situations that upset us, however, when feeling “extra” stressed we know we react quicker and perhaps stronger. The expression “short fuse” would apply to our patience or tolerance levels at this time. If we have been living in high stress situations or in a consistent state of anxiety, it is going to affect our response. Instead of looking for a way to problem solve and think creatively, things that are only accessible in a calm state, our brains go into survival mode. Yes, even for something small. Our focus dictates to our brain the level of importance, not the actual issue. Then in this triggered state we respond with a defensive reaction or we may sit in the pocket of our hurt feelings and begin a downward spiral of negative emotions.

A client was telling me about something that happened and they did not respond in the best way. Their actions and words took on a negative tone and they were left with a less than desirable outcome. When they were telling me about it they were quick to justify their actions by saying, “Oh, but this happened to me. So it allowed me to do this and it gave me the right to then respond with that.” In this situation, high stress impacted them and they did not take ownership of their response. They justified what they did based on the actions of someone else. Once out of the situation and objectively reflecting on their experience they realized there were various points leading up to this experience that they could have responded differently. And if they had responded differently, that would have given a different outcome. By observing this in an honest and open way and once they got over their bruised ego and were able to see the part they played in the situation, they realized that their actions allowed them the power to affect a different result.

So in order to really change a situation, the first thing you have to do is you have to accept responsibility and take ownership for the things that are going on with you, like them or not. We are all in the driver’s seat of our lives and if you’re unhappy with what you’re experiencing, by taking back ownership it allows you to have the power back in your life. It allows you to get off “auto pilot” and resume driving. It gives you the power back to change and make things better.

We all have a voice, we all have the ability to change and affect change in our life. If you need help turning up the volume on your voice or finding out where the gas pedal is, please call or email me and we can get your on the road you want to be on.