People often ask me what the turning point in my life was...the piece of knowledge that made the biggest difference to me. There have been so many pivotal moments but the one that I use over and over, is learning to take back my power.
The key to this is realizing that no one "took" it in the first place. As a collective society, we chronically give our power away. Whether it's to the TV, radio, our boss or even our families.

When I work with students or clients to help them empower themselves and I tell them they are giving their power away, the first thing they do is start to assign blame. Yes, I allow my husband to make decisions for me. I allow my boss to control my life. I allow the media to decide how I spend my budget. What surprises them is when I tell them that those statements are the epitome of how they are dis-empowering themselves.

Accepting responsibility for the reality you are creating is the true way to empower yourself. If your husband is "making decisions for you", what lesson are you creating through this action. What do you have to learn from this? What can you gain? What can he gain through this interaction? Besides learning the lesson, is it serving you? If not, learn the lesson...thank yourself for the courage to experience the situation, forgive yourself and the other party for any negative polarity that was necessary and replace the behavior with something that serves you better or brings you joy.

So often, people want to play the victim role. What they don't understand is the definition of victim revolves around having no control and being in a situation where "things are happening to you." In order to take your power back, you must let go of the victim role and accept that you create your own reality.

I tell them...don't trust my word for it...ask yourself how you know what the "true" way is. Truth is always measured by effectiveness. I invite all of us to try this and see if it works.