The Keys to Keeping Your Power: Key 4

Option: a thing that may be chosen

Key number 4 is one that many people take for granted, but that is very important. Truth number 4 is that you always have options. In my opinion, this is the most powerful truth of the four. If you don't remember any of the other three truths, this is the one to remember. Regardless of your situation or circumstance, you always have options. You get to choose the way you move forward in every situation you find yourself in. Once you realize that you have options, you (re)claim the power to choose how you move in the world. When you allow yourself to believe the lie that you don't have options, you give your power away.

So what do I mean when I say you always have options. I mean this in two ways. One, you always have options in the moment and two, you always have options long-term. No matter the situation, in the moment, you get to choose your behavior. Here's an example. If you and a colleague at work are working on a team project but they aren't pulling their weight, you have options. You may feel like, well, there's nothing I can do except pull my weight and there's. But here's the thing, you actually do have options. You can do their work and yours, you can have a calm conversation with the person about their lack of input, you can talk with your boss to see if there can be rearrangement of the teams, you can choose to not do your part until your colleague's part is done, and probably a host of other options. Now, perhaps none of these seem like favorable options, but they are options. You get to choose what will work the best for you. You are empowered to make a choice from the options you have instead of letting someone else choose for you.

In the long-term, you have the option to decide on how to show up in that relationship. Your options may include continuing to work in this environment even if you know you will have to at times pull the weight of others or to decide that this work environment is not for you and to begin looking for a new position. Again, when you remember that you have the option to stay or leave the situation long-term, you are empowered to take control of how you show up and move forward.

Remembering the truth that you always have options, will empower you to always make the choice that best suits you based on the options you have.

With Gratitude,