A simple search gives a fairly innocuous and neutral definition for power – “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.”
And I ask myself, what has power over me?
What directs or influences my behavior and the course of my daily life?
First and foremost is my family. A close second are my purpose and values.
Having kids certainly had me release a lot of control over my life and re-prioritize my decisions.
In our very “independence” focused society, control and autonomy are very much equivalent to personal power and it can feel crippling to lose control of our lives and be tied to a living being(s) that rely on us 24/7/365 to survive.
That lost of control can debilitate us or it can strengthen us.
There is a huge power that comes from letting go. Like nothing else, having kids caused me to release my sense of obligation and responsibility to others’ expectations, feelings and dreams if they came at the cost of my time and relationship with my family.
When it feels like power has been lost, all we’ve got to do is shift our perspective and we are able to see how that lost can actually be a huge gain.
