Day 17_Real Power

Hola!

We're doing a little gut check today. You know that all of the steps you've done have been about letting go of baggage and moving forward, right?

Well, the only way to do that is to know what's blocking you.

If you haven't been able to let go and move on, then what's in the way? Why won't you drop the baggage?

Could it be that you're furious you didn't receive justice? OR that you didn't stop injustice because you think you should have?

If this is the case, then what's the source of your fury or pain?

Head up to the video icon and watch the TV interview of Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted at 14 and held captive for nine months.

She got her justice...9 years later. She figured out how to reclaim her power over her life long before that.

Tell us what you thought about her message when you're finished.

Elizabeth said she figured out how to move past the horrific pain years before her tormenter was caught.

She said that she didn't care if her tormentor heard that she released the power he held over her or not. She did it for herself.

To hang onto the pain and anger is like drinking poison and expecting that it will kill the other person. Somebody else said that. We're not certain who it was, but we borrowed it to share with you.

Real power comes when you decide to let go of the emotional poison and start living life again.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how far have you come on the journey toward reclaiming the power you have to live your life with 1) not at all and 10) forgave and moving on?

Hear us on this: It is NOT okay for someone to do something awful to someone and get away with it. Not at all.

We have a life to live. We can live that life in freedom or we can continue to live it in a form of captivity to the one who hurt us deeply.

If we do the latter, the ensuing rage and bitterness can lead us to hurt people we say we love, as well as, to hurt other innocent people.

OR we can give up, go passive, live in fear, and allow other people to treat us badly. We pay a very high price to do so.

Our suggestion is to discover freedom. It may take time, as we've said before. That's okay. Go your speed. Take it one day at a time until you realize you've found release from the pain and anger.

You'll know you've finally regained your power and found freedom when you can think of the person or event, and it has little effect on you.

What one act are you going to do today to make sure 'future self' is empowered?

You can regain control over your life like Ms. Smart did.

When you decide to forgive, you're simply saying, "Enough is enough. You can't have any more power over my life. I'm moving on. I'm free now."

How much have you reclaimed so far?

That's enough for today.

Take a long walk around the block or sit quietly in a park to shake off any negative emotions this may have brought up. If you need to, call a trusted friend to go with you.

Will you take some time today and chill?

Tomorrow will feel a lot brighter. See you then.