What Lights You Up? Igniting Our Personal Power

We lose power every now and then at the lake, usually due to high winds or snow. I never really mind it, especially in the winter, because we crank up our wood stove and cook our meals fireside. It’s always a great reminder of what’s truly important in life, to what we actually need to live, and the darkness that accompanies a power outage shines light on how very grateful we can be that we have heat at all, let alone a roof over our heads, bottled water and food to put on the wood stove.

It’s also worth noticing that by taking away what we are privileged enough to have on the outside, in this case power, we clear the way to slow down and connect more deeply with our values, with what’s on the inside. But it’s not electrical power I want to talk about today. Electrical power I want to talk about today, it’s personal power.

So I have a question for you what does it look like when you are in your power, when you are feeling empowered? Go ahead and paint a picture in your head. I’m curious to know if you conjured an image of yourself overcoming adversity, standing up against some injustice, battling the naysayers or the establishment. I’m guessing if you are like many folks I’ve encountered lately. You might be defining your personal power based on winning some kind of oppositional force or uphill life battle, but have you ever considered what strength looks like when you aren’t fighting for, with or against something, how being in your power does not only exist when you are leading the charge or proving your worth? Have you ever considered that? What’s coming up for you? Consider that, what’s coming up for you. How has your definition of power or empowerment actually been holding you back from tapping into how truly powerful you really are?

There is massive power in silence. There is massive power in listening. There is unlimited power in being able to listen without judgment. Limited power in being able to listen without judgment, and when you listen without judgment, that does not mean that you agree, and that’s where the power is. Unlike the power outages at my cottage, personal power is not either off or on. What nuances are we missing by expecting ourselves to be on all the time? Let’s be real. Even if you could, why would you want to?

Sometimes, a bright, full intensity bulb is just what you need to shine light on something to make it more clear. Other times, though, bright light can dampen the mood, can be too much. Have you ever noticed how much more relaxing a bath can be with the lights dimmed. No, seriously, guys, what lights you up? At the end of the day, that’s what’s important. What lights you up? Think about it. Think about it now. How does that make you feel? Can you feel how you feel when you think about what lights you up? And if you can’t figure it out, then go find out what lights you up, because that, that, my friends, is where your power lies.

Listen to Audio Version here!

Published in Collaboration with:

Also by Lisa Hopkins:

Embracing Individuality through the Mosaic of Life

Embracing Darkness, Finding Light: A Journey Through Grief and Healing

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