Crystal Andrus | Author | International Motivational Speaker | Women’s Health Advocate | Fitness Expert | Nutritionist

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting”?

What is it that causes some of us to stay on that dreaded treadmill of life—wishing, hoping, and praying that something will suddenly get better? Are we suckers for punishment? Do we enjoy running ourselves ragged? Or do we truly believe that this is our destiny so we must live it, sacrifice, and simply allow it to take its course? Is it a deep need to be in control—to think we can change what “is” and make it be what we want it to be? Perhaps, it is merely the natural fear of the unknown. Maybe, not enough belief in ourselves or faith that God will take care of us?

Could it be that we’ve been victims of circumstance for so long that we’ve forgotten that we are still the captains of our own ship … and that although we cannot change the way the wind blows or the size of the ocean waves, we can choose how we set our sails?

It reminds me of a conversation I had quite a few years ago with a very successful friend of mine about a situation in which I was stressed over, and although I coach and counsel people every day it was amazing how I’d forgotten how to take my own advice.
I was complaining, feeling frustrated and unsure of what road to take, almost forgetting that I even had roads, when my friend boldly yet lovingly told me, “Crystal, don’t be a victim. Be in charge! Even against overwhelming odds, CHARGE!! Better to die in charge than die the thousand deaths of a victim. You are still the boss of your own life!!”

His words woke me up that day.

Funny, I hadn’t even realized how asleep I’d been until I’d gotten that huge bucket of cold water tossed in my face!
I hadn’t realized that I’d even stepped back on that treadmill—running on the same spot yet feeling frustrated that I wasn’t getting anywhere (at least not where I’d wanted to go). I felt like my life … my future … my choices … were resting in someone else’s hands and I was merely a puppet hoping they’d come through for me.

Each day, I’d hope for answer … a sign … a vote of encouragement … a reason to keep on fighting, but in doing that I’d become a by-stander in my own life. Like I was waiting for some coach to give me a chance to join back in the game and score the winning goal.

How many of us do that though?

We wait patiently, hoping that if we work hard enough, do our best, make a difference, give it our all, do more, give more, sleep less, and try harder, that someone will notice and reward us?
But when it doesn’t happen we feel sad or maybe even angry and resentful. We cry. Pray. And then cry some more. We bitch, complain, blame, and vent, hoping that, somehow, someone will take notice of all the drama we’re creating. We’re in pain, doesn’t anyone see that!!!

Boy, it takes a lot of work to put on a full-blown self-pity party, doesn’t it?

It takes a lot of work to be a victim!

Yet when we give away our power to whatever or whomever that we’re waiting on to come and save us we diminish our own light. We fade. We stop shining bright. We stop attracting abundance, and within no time we feel defeated. Frustrated. Helpless. Stuck. Unsure. Tired. Alone. Fed up. Afraid. You name it, we feel it.

Sound familiar?

***

So, where do we go from here?

Well, if you are ready to step off the treadmill … to stop being tossed around in the storm and become the master of your own ship again, you must accept that no one is coming to save you.

I know it’s a hard one to face but once you wake up, accept what is, face your fears, look them square in the eye, grieve your so-called losses (which may, in fact, really be a brilliant gift), and then get fired up enough to decide that you matter … that your needs matter … and that your life matters … then YOUR REALITY WILL CHANGE!

It’s once you make the most important decision you’ll ever make—to have the courage to honor your spirit, courage to listen to your heart, courage to do whatever it takes to tell the Universe that you are back in the game again—that you’ll feel your power coming back, your energy shifting, your sense of self growing, and your fearlessness taking over!

As you step off your self-defined treadmill be willing to look at your life through different lenses and ask yourself, “What would courage have me do, change, or say, even if it scares me, in order to move me out of feeling helpless and disempowered to feeling free, hopeful, and inspired? What would courage ask me to hang onto while I ride out the storm? And what would it ask me to throw overboard?”

It takes courage to honor you—your life, dreams, needs, body, faith, health, vision and desires—but in the end it is only courage that can turn your boat around and put you back in the flow!

As my dear friend told me, “You go with the current, Crystal, but not because of it!”

P.S.:- If you are trapped and feel like a victim of circumstances, but don’t have the courage to overcome it – I’m here to help you, to motivate you and guide you to the path of personal transformation and success. You’ll get all the positive vibes that you really need when you join my 4-Week Business Mentoring Course and receive the empowerment coaching that you need! You will notice the rise in your personal success!

Tags: empowerment coaching, personal success, personal transformation

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 3:50 am and is filed under Motivation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.