Day 25 — 30 Days — 30 Ways — Be Your Own Advocate
Being an advocate for yourself means more than standing up for yourself when others take advantage of you or undermine your worth. Being your own advocate means believing in your worth in this world and knowing that your presence in this world has a greater purpose than what you may be able to see right now.
Opening your mind up to the idea that there is more in store for you that you might even believe possible is essential. Find out what your strengths are and how you can use your strengths to serve the world. The world is full of opportunity, risks, hope, scarcity, bounty, etc… There are always two sides, and you want to find yourself on the side that will uplift you and bring joy to your life. To really be joyful, there is only one thing you need, the belief that you can. People often overthink about things that they can’t change (myself included). When we get stuck in our past, and think that we’d be happy only if we did or didn’t…, we are telling ourselves a lie. We don’t know how a different decision in the past would affect us now.
If we stay in the present using some of the ideas that I talked about in Day 24 of this program, then we can also think about how, in the present moment, we can advocate for ourselves based on where we are right now. There are many actions that we can take on a daily basis that will reinforce and build our capability to self-advocate. One of those things is staying aware of our surroundings and how others are treating you, compensating you for your time, and affecting your energy. The third part of this is the trickiest. It is usually easy to determine how others treat you, and it is clear how much you are compensated for your time at work. The way that others affect your energy is a different story all together.
Energy is its own separate entity in so many ways. We often blame our lack of energy on ourselves thinking it is because we are getting older, we don’t sleep enough, or we are working too much. Often though, this is not the case. Our energy is frequently affected by the environments and people that surround us. Some environments and or people can be a drain on the overall energy that you are able to give to the world. The way we let others affect our energy is also something that can be controlled. People and environments only have the power over us that we allow them to have. If you feel like your energy is low, then examine where you spend most of your time and who is around you. If some of the environments you inhabit or people you acquaint yourself have more negative aspects than positive ones, then it is time to reevaluate where and with whom you are spending your time. Our time and energy are precious, irreplaceable sparks that need tending to, much like a campfire needs kindling.
If you promise yourself now that from this moment forward, you will speak up when you feel it is necessary, your life will become better. I am not saying that you will make more money, hit the lottery, find your perfect partner, or advance in your job. I have no idea if that will happen. I do know one thing that will happen, the respect you have for yourself will increase. With this newfound self-respect, good things are almost sure to occur in other areas of your life. Once you have the courage inside to share your thoughts, speak your mind, and stand up for what you believe in, the path that you are meant to follow will start to find you. I have not achieved enlightenment or found my final path. I have been on many paths, and the best parts of my journey have been the episodes of life that have inspired positive growth. Even the paths that I followed that led me nowhere helped me to learn where I did not want to go. There is value in each step and breath that we take as long as we are aware enough to learn what life is attempting to reveal.
Be brave, forge on, and take on the world!
