Answering the Call From Your Inner Agent

At sixteen, while sitting on the floor of my highschool hallway, I was visited by a thought. A thought so crystal clear, that there was no room or need to debate. It wasn’t emotional or flighty. It just WAS. It presented itself from out of nowhere. Unaccompanied by hubris or bravado, it declared itself to me, as a matter-of-fact knowing; an indisputable truth that was mine to behold should I choose to believe it. And I did.

Rather than understanding what the broader message was as I do now; like any other self-centered teenager, I assigned its meaning to something that was specific and relevant to me at that point in time. I took it to mean that I was going to pursue dance. And pursue dance I did, fueled by an inner knowing that I could do it.

In my lifelong career as a performing arts professional, I have never had an agent. But in that seminal moment when I was visited by this undeniable thought, my own agency was born. What I was given that day was a glimpse of what was possible if I set my mind to it.

It felt different than being driven by passion or ambition- although I had plenty of that too – but in that moment it was the simple realization that if I wanted to do something I could do it. At the time it aligned with my desire to dance and so I attached my agency to the pursuit of that dream but now I realize that agency is not attached to what I’m doing, only who I am being in whatever I do.

People have often remarked on my confidence, some even attributing it to knowing how to hold myself because I was a dancer, others ascribing my inner strength to being influenced by the hardness of NYC. To me it never felt cold or calculating, but always warm and nurturing, sometimes bubbling with possibility other times simmering with resolve.

Agency is defined as the sense of control that you feel in your life, your capacity to influence your own thoughts and behavior, and have faith in your ability to handle a wide range of tasks and situations. Your sense of agency helps you to be psychologically stable, yet flexible in the face of conflict or change.

Like all of us, my attention can be hijacked sometimes by all the noise and negative energy that exists in our world. But I have vowed to listen instead to the louder, clearer voice of my inner agent.

I don’t- let me rephrase that – I won’t take for granted that I have had an ally inside me all this time championing and supporting me in everything I do no matter how big or small. Even in the toughest of times, I hear its voice loud and clear, reminding me that I am capable because it is I that influences and creates my own thoughts. I am eternally grateful to have listened to the message from my agent all those years ago.

I truly believe that we all have an agent inside us that is waiting to be heard, ready to cocreate the life we envision. So if you haven’t heard from your agent lately, be sure to check your messages…

I’m Lisa Hopkins, thanks for listening. Stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment.

Listen to Audio Version here!

Published in Collaboration with:

Also by Lisa Hopkins:

Releasing Your Limited Beliefs

Discovering Our “WHO”

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