Take Charge of Your Life

Your life belongs to you, and you can avoid letting others control it with careful planning and the courage of your convictions.  Doing what others want you to do with your life can rob you of success, fulfillment and the happiness you deserve. Stand by what you really want to do and go for it with all your heart. That’s the only way to realize your own dreams.

I have four sisters and one brother.  As each one of us came along, my Dad decided what each of us would be when we grew up.  My brother would follow my Dad into law and each of the girls, me included, would marry well.  By the time I was 30, I felt tremendous pressure to “tie the knot” and married a man that I thought was the right fit.  That choice led me to a painful and costly divorce.

Are you following someone else’s prescribed path for you or are you focusing on your own hopes and dreams?  Often it is difficult to separate what we want for ourselves and what a relative or cherished friend wants for us. It’s easy to get caught in a whirlwind of activity surrounding someone else’s goals. 

Finding balance is important but it is within your reach. You can begin taking charge of your life right now, by remembering some simple rules and making a few choices about the direction you want to take.

Life is Full of Challenges You Can Turn Into Opportunities

Do you hide when you see a challenge coming up? Instead, you can take that challenge and make it into a great opportunity to do something important. Challenges help to shape who you are and what you do with your life, so face them and get through them to experience a truly fulfilling life.

You’ll be a stronger person for taking charge of your life. 

Prove to yourself that all you really need is your abilities, as they’re sufficient for the task. You can face and conquer anything, provided you refuse to give up. Even when things don’t go your way, you can learn from the experience and still press forward toward your victory.

Try these techniques to help you become truly in charge of your life.

• Take time to focus on your goals. If you’re unclear about what you’re doing or where you’re going, how can you have control over your life? Decide on a direction and take it.  Spend a few minutes every day to review and prioritize the actions you will take to stay on track. You can change directions later if you find that you’re not following the path of your heart.
• Learn how to say ‘no’ to people. This can take some practice, but it’s important that you realize it’s okay to say no when someone wants you to take on too much or do something that you aren’t comfortable with. When a request feels uncomfortable or out of character for you, follow your intuition. If the request will take you off course, respectfully decline.
• Enlist help. Taking control of your life means drawing strength from the support of those you love. Advice from a neutral party can be very helpful. Just remember to take it only as advice. Trust your heart and give yourself permission to go against the advice you receive. However, seeking wise counsel will speed you toward your goals.

  Tony Robbins, author and world renowned speaker, said “If you surround yourself with people who will never let you settle for less than you can be, you have the greatest gift that anyone can hope for.”

When you begin taking charge of your life, people may disagree with you and challenge your direction. Remind yourself that you have the right to your own life, without interference from others, even if they mean well.

Show those who challenge your new direction your happiness and love. When they see the smile on your face and the spring in your step, they’ll know that you’re following your heart and chasing after the dreams that matter to you.

If you follow your heart and take steps toward what you want, taking charge of where you’re going will be easier than you think. Acquiring this control may take time, but you can start working on it now and you will achieve your dreams before you know it.