How strongly do you believe in your ability to turn your dreams into reality?

It may come down to your beliefs about whether we have free will, or if you think life is predestined. Whether you are an active participant in your life, or just a passive bystander, taking on everything that falls before you.

Life offers up multiple opportunities and a plethora of choices. I believe it is up to us to make use of what is at our disposal. Though, there seems to be an element of ‘luck’ involved too. Being at the right place at the right time, coming into contact with the right individuals, having the raw talent, skills, good-looks or charm…

If you really think about it, you were probably lucky to have been granted access to opportunities way before you realised you had choices. Many of us are fortunate to have had an education, to have been born into a comfortable social class, to have been nourished with enough love and care, to have had the opportunity to build a set of skills, or be born with genetically-attained talents.

The awakening of the level of power over my circumstances began, I’d say, around the age of 15. I questioned very little before then. The knowlege I had about food choices, what to wear/ not, and so on, were very limited by my influences and experiences up till that point. It was then that I took better control over my health and well-being; starting to excercise and read up about healthy eating and other various topics that pertained to me at the time.

Most of what I had been doing before was just going with the flow. My school was chosen for me by my parents. I never really went after what I wanted. I kind of just allowed people and experiences into my path because I didn’t really know who I was, what I liked/ didn’t, what I was willing to tolerate / accept… I hadn’t formed strong oppinions or revolted against anything. I ate what I was fed, listened to what was playing on the radio, tolerated crappy treatment from others…

until I knew better.

I think this is a very powerful point to take in – especially for those of us who are working on forgiving ourselves. We really just do what we can, with what we know at the time, until we know better. Until we become conscious, we are not much different to mindless zombies chasing their next meal .

So, how do we become more conscious, aware human beings who stand for something greater than ourselves? Education. Read up on as many topics on as many platforms as you can. Ask yourself:

To what degree do I live my life to consciously bring me joy?

Do I wake up excited for my day?

How do I want to feel each day?

What are 3 things you will do to make that feeling a reality?

For me, my self-care routines are super important. Taking a shower, finishing a workout at the gym, attending a yoga class (or just doing this at home using a workout video on Youtube), eating well, listening to my favourite kind of music, dancing, talking to someone I trust and enjoy talking to, going for a walk in nature. This can be anything for you. Go give your pet a cuddle – whatever works for you! Whatever fills your cup! We cannot pour from an empty one. 

Your days shouldn’t feel like a mundane routine you’re getting through. You shouldn’t feel like you’re waiting for the day things fall into place. You want to wake up feeling excited, joyful, hopeful… You want to have a sense of purpose – that you’re in synch and in the flow of something profound and meaningful to you. You want to have plans and goals to look forward to!

Before you can have all these elements in your life, you have to be more mindful from moment-to-moment. You have to challenge your fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs. Get to the root of your insecurities and depression. Be kinder to yourself.

Stephen Covey once said:

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”