~~Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy--the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.~~ Brene Brown
Be brave enough to explore the darkness. Often we stop short of exploring our feelings by simply identifying them. "I'm afraid". "I'm depressed". "I'm stressed". When we go deeper into discovering why we are afraid, depressed, or stressed, we begin to own our stories because we can find solutions to help ease those feelings. Afraid of failure? You have a choice...you don't have to fail. Depressed by the thought of losing your best friend? Find a true best friend. Stressed due to family issues, finances, or work? Breathe through it, find support, and know that the feeling won't last forever.
That is the infinite power of light. Finding that we own our stories. That we make things happen for us. That we live without excuses, without fear, and without flinching. What we can control, we will. What we can't control, we allow to simply happen without fear, frustration, or stress. It cannot control us in the same way we can't control it.
When we quit smoking, we own our quit. No exuses. We honor ourselves by maintaining recovery. Only then can we step into freedom....releasing that need to have nicotine control our lives. This freedom brings all good things to our lives. A sense of delightful joy that we did something remarkable. A sense of our own power because if we can quit smoking, we can also do other things in our lives that we have been avoiding. A sense of contented self-love because quitting smoking is a journey that can lead to a path of better health and well-being.
So explore the darkness. Discover yourself...the fears that keep you stuck, the emotions that keep you frozen, the dreams that seem so far out of reach. And you will most likely find that the only thing stopping you from stepping into your infinite light is....you. Get out of your own way, own your story, and embrace the life you've only dreamed of. It's your story.
