5 ways to hold on to your power

Vanessa Seymour - I believe anger is me giving away my power. I am giving away my energy. I am giving away my time. Me being angry was not going to affect another person, they were still going about doing their own thing. I, on the other hand, had the choice to let my disappointment consume me, or move on and do what was best for me. So, I chose to let go of my anger. I chose to take back my power and say that I was not going to waste time and energy on someone else. I know who I am. I know what is right and wrong for me. That is all that matters. 5 ways to hold on to your power: 1. Realise that you are in charge of your own feelings. People cannot make you feel a certain way. They can do and say things, but you choose what affects you. So, take charge. Say no and turn away from people who are not positive forces in your life. Realise that their words say more about themselves than they do about you. 2. Stop looking for outside validation No one knows you as you know yourself. This is as true as can be. I wonder then why we do not trust ourselves more. You know how far you have come. You know when you are doing well, do not let someone else tear you down. I think it is unfortunate but also important to realise that sometimes when you are soaring, is when people might be envious. This could be family, friends, or strangers, but either way, it is up to you to be your own cheerleader. It is up to you to shut off the noise and trust. Trust yourself. 3. Be your authentic self Remember to keep being your authentic self. Sometimes this can mean disagreeing with popular opinion, sometimes it can mean standing up for yourself. Remember you can do this while still being kind, conscious, and confident. Maybe you being authentically yourself will help others find the confidence to be who they are meant to be. 4. Do not hide your light I have recently had a lot of people comment on my body, and it’s mostly been positive, but it still made me feel uncomfortable. I have the body that I have because I work out consistently, but I don’t work out to have the body that I have. Sometimes I’m very self-conscious about this fact. I work hard, and I am so happy right now with who I am inside and out. I’ve realised that me being self-conscious about my body is just another way I am hiding. I work hard and I am done hiding. I want to own who I am. I want to shine. I want to appreciate my hard work. 5. Speak up if you think it is the right thing for you. I find this to be a tricky one. Most of us, I think especially women these days, are told that we need to stand up and speak up for ourselves. I truly believe that is important. I think sometimes though, it is okay not to, if you think it is not going to benefit you. Sometimes we just need to let go of something internally and not do anything externally. For a long time, I was afraid that by doing this I might seem like I am not strong, or I am not speaking my mind, or I am hiding. Then one day I realised this narrative was wrong because it was still focused on what other people thought of me. My power is my own, and to hold on to it I only need to do what brings me peace. People are going to disappoint you in life. Every time that happens you have a choice. You can focus on them, or yourself. I hope you choose you. I hope you hold on to your power. I hope you realise how amazing and worthy you are. I hope you know that it is up to you to make yourself feel better. That is your greatest power. The writer is a Muscat-based student, certified yoga instructor, empowerment coach and host of the podcast ‘LIVE INSPIRED’. email@vanessaseymour.com