Do you believe that you have the ability, right and power to be, do or have what you want in your life? Think about it!

I was speaking with a friend a few weeks ago. She shared that she had prayed for a certain opportunity to present it self because her business was not doing well. Out of the blue, it did! The opportunity was way beyond what she could have imagined. The bizarre part of the story was what she said she did. PANICKED!

She said, instead of embracing the opportunity and giving thanks she started to think why she could not take on the contract. Things like – “you don’t have the resources, experience, etc. kept on going through her mind.” She said that she was really depressed for a few days. I have known Jane (not her real name) over 10 years and she is a confident woman who is a go-getter but despite this, she fell prey to self-doubt.

The above question is easy to answer under normal circumstances. What we REALLY believe is reflected by how we deal with challenges that forces us to step outside of our comfort zone.

Let’s dissect the above question to get to the core of what it is being ask because it is 3 powerful questions that is rolled into one.

• What does it mean to have the ABILITY to do something? The dictionary defines ability as ones natural or acquired skill or talent to accomplish something. Ability also means having the capability to access needed skills, talents and resources. In my friend’s situation, this was what sent her into a panic. She was focusing on her own abilities. Some of what was required to realize this opportunity required skills outside what she had but she knew people or could hire people who had them. Until someone pointed this out to her, she had not taken that into consideration. Sometimes our limited thinking can shut us off from reaching our full potential.

• What does it mean to have the RIGHT to be, do and have what you want in your life? Another way to ask this question is, “Do you believe that you are worthy or deserve to have good things in your life?” This is a major challenge for many people, especially individuals who have experience trauma such as abuse. We may say we are worthy but our self sabotaging behaviors tell the true story.

• What does it mean to have the POWER to accomplish what we desire? I was speaking with a family member and she was sharing about another family member who had done her wrong. Her solution to the person was not to go anywhere that she knew that person was going to be. I asked her, “Why are you giving this person so much power?” In this context, she was giving away her power by avoiding the other person. We give away our power in many ways. For instance, we don’t do or say what we feel based upon what other people are going to think or say about us. Or we do or say things that we don’t believe so we can fit in. In both cases, we are trying to please others instead of our self.

Let’s go back to where we started. Do you believe that you have the ability, right and power to be, do and have what you want in your life?

In other words:

1. Do you believe that you have the natural or acquired skills/talent and/or access to the resources needed to be, do and have what you want in your life?

1. Do you believe that you deserve what you want in your life?

1. Do you believe that you have the right to express yourself?

1. REMEMBER: “Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” (Poem: Our Greatest Fears by Marilyn Williamson)

Challenge – Ponder these questions separately and see if your answers align.

Faith Saunders, Personal Growth Coach/Trainer is founder of Discover a New Future, LLC. Our mission is to empower women to be the best version of themselves by challenging them to think differently and take action so they can live the live they deserve. Visit us at http://www.discoveranewfuture.com to learn more about what we do!