Too many people don’t believe. We don’t believe we’re smart enough, attractive enough, strong enough, fun enough or…simply…enough. We doubt our strength, we doubt our abilities and we doubt ourselves. When others make fun of us, treat us poorly or take advantage, we assume it’s because somewhere inside we’re defective and so we don’t challenge the integrity and character of the other person.
It’s time to start challenging.
Too many of us have no idea what we’re truly capable of. Too many of us sell ourselves short. Teenagers allow bullies to decide their fate, women allow men to determine their worth and employees allow bosses to take advantage. As long as this continues, bullies will continue to bully, men will decide which women are worthy and bosses will continue to take advantage. This doesn’t happen because they’re stronger, brighter or more worthy. It happens because too many of us think we are not. This lack of faith in one’s self is killing far too many men, women and children. It’s harming our communities and it’s sucking the life out of too many amazing human beings.
It’s time to find the courage.
There will forever be people in our world who thrive on bringing others down and making fun of the meek. Those people only know how to pull themselves up by pulling others down. These people may be popular, rich, famous, good-looking and seem as if they have it all together. Don’t be fooled into thinking that what they have, look like or do makes them better, wiser or more worthy than you.
Instead…find the courage.
Find the courage to:
• Believe in yourself even when it seems the world doesn’t.
• Love yourself even when others say you’re unlovable.
• Stand up, share your thoughts, ideas and opinions…and to let your voice be heard.
• Do the right thing even when others may make fun of you as a result.
• Stand up for those who can’t or won’t stand up for themselves.
• Make the change that you know you have to make even as you keep telling yourself you can’t. YES YOU CAN.
• Approach the unapproachable, speak to the untouchables and hold accountable the entitled and unaccountable.
• Stop shrinking in response to someone else’s insults, bullying and down-right inexcusable behavior. Stand tall, stand proud and stand strong.
Make today the start of a new way of being. Stop allowing the rudeness of others to become the downfall of you. Fight for yourself like never before. Fight for yourself with conviction, courage and calm, not hesitancy, aggression and fear. Know you have it in you and refuse to give the unhealthy, hurtful people of this world any of your power.
Find the courage.
Challenge: Refuse to allow others to define you, deflate you or lead you to think less of yourself. Know you are worthy, act worthy and step into the world as though you are worthy. No excuses, no playing small. Step up and step into your life and our world in the way you were meant to—powerfully, relationally and confidently. Find the courage…