Realize the Power of You

Article from the 27th Transformational Agenda Magazine:
‘Realize the Power of You‘

Can you imagine what you would be in life, what you would accomplish, if you only recognized and consistently utilized the true power of you?

I sincerely ask that you pause in reading this article and first carefully examine the most famous quotes of Oprah, Will, Tina and Dr. Nikki. Then, hit play again. Really. Please. Jump ahead and absorb:

• The Wisdom of OPRAH Page 50
• The Truth of Tina Turner Page 54
• The Insight of Will Smith Page 56
• The Reflections of Dr. Nikki Page 59

You will be astounded by what each has placed in the public arena, what they are saying to everyone who will listen-to what they have found most meaningful in life. Read carefully, and you will find each utilizing their personal star power to convince you that you (and everyone else) possesses enormous untapped power and potential. They want you to know so that you do not become one (of the many) who leaves planet Earth having manifested only a tiny fraction of what you were capable of.

They are trying to expand your personal vision and expectations of what it is possible for you to achieve with your life-so that you will firmly decide to actualize that POWER IN YOU-that already exists.

Wherever you perceive yourself to be on the scale of accomplishment – or to not be – they know that they know, that your additional capacity for greatness is enormous. As you read their pleas, could you not feel them desperately searching for the words, to convince you of what they know to be absolutely true-that you have the power to choose, and then to compose and to create (or recreate) your life with dignity-if you would simply act to do so. So, I trust that you have read and then meditated upon the most famous quotes of Oprah, Tina, and Will, and the reflections of Dr. Nikki. Deep down, you know that you are barely scratching the surface of that of which you are capable. And you have loved ones who are also barely scratching.

So, why? So often, it is-because someone is stuck on something that isn’t even happening now – FOR IT HAPPENED in the PAST!

Here is a great quote from Rever and Donna Gatewood:

“So much of our human suffering is the result of our attitudes toward what has taken place in the past … We are consumed with sorrow and regret about the mistakes and missed opportunities of the past … What a waste of time and energy it is to dwell on the PAST..”

So often we define ourselves, our worth, our potential, our worthiness by the things we most regret. Or the worst thing that ever happened to us. Or the worst thing we ever did to someone else. As if that/those horrors must define our being forever. You failed out of college, didn’t complete high school, were raped or raped, went to jail or should have, lost that good job by being bad, or you were discriminated against or otherwise treated unfairly or abused.

Don’t let what you perceive as personal failures, nor horrors endured, to define you and your future. Those experiences constrain the life potential of far too many, it destroys their belief in themselves and even of their capacity for goodness. That stuff happened in the past. That stuff could be great learning experiences, that could provide plenty of fuel to achieve grand accomplishments during your life, and to motivate grand contributions to life. Yet, unresolved grief and quilt often destroys one’s life potential. As long as we allow our worst life experiences to define our being as negative, powerless, victims (of ourself and/or of others) then our power is sapped-as is our joy, our enthusiasm, and our belief in ourself and ourselves. And thus, the enormous power of love that resides within everyone and anyone, can not possibly be released into your life. It can not even be released to heal your own life, so that you could confidently move forward-without all that negative weight.

Life does not happen in the past. It happens only in the present. You can learn from the past, yet you can’t change it-so, don’t let it change your future for the worst. Only grant it the power it deserves-something to be learned from, to provide you fuel for a far better future. Please don’t allow it to be something that makes you impotent in the present-and thus, destroys the joy and value and accomplishment that your present could create in your future. Don’t let what you perceive as personal failures, nor horrors endured, to define you and your future.

Oprah, Will, Tina & Dr. Nikki, both individually and collectively, share the same empowering life lesson, which is—you can only shape the future by WHAT YOU DO TODAY.

Once again, quoting Reverend Donna Gatewood:

“Everything that is happening in your household, community, world, universe, and the cosmos—is happening right now, in this very moment. Happenings don’t occur in future moments or in the past. They occur only in the present.”

“Your life is this way. Although you plan on a future and entertain memories of the past, you are only alive in this moment. And what you do, in and with this moment, determines what life is to you. Each new moment is a new beginning and an opportunity for new growth and limitless possibilities.”

Have you truly internalized this incredibly empowering truth?

Just be your best self in each moment—and both your future and your past shall be magnificent. And living in the present is easy! It’s dragging around that past and worrying about that future which is draining and constraining.

Now, as African Americans, too many of us view boundless strength, power, love, endurance, and accomplishment—as if it is some badge of shame and proof of powerlessness. Our enslaved ancestors were not chumps who failed to valiantly fight to the death against the American system of chattel property and racial enslavement. For those who could only chose death, well, they also killed any opportunity of their descendants to live. Thank God, that your ancestors were strong enough to choose life ‘in the days when hope unborn had died and death would have been a sweet relief’.

Your ancestors endured horror each day, so that you might exist today. They chose life, because they believed that a future generation would no longer know such oppression; and, thus, be able to recreate our culture of love, with love, and shape our own destiny. You are that generation. For your personal blood-line of ancestors, you are that person for which they endured slavery—believing, trusting, that when you could, that you would self-empower. That when we could empower ourselves—that we most definitely would empower ourselves.

Your ancestors deserve to see your empowered best, rather than see you shaming their sacrifice. They deserve better than to be forced to watch you allowing negative forces to keep you from displaying the initiative required to realize your own positive personal destiny—know that you are better than that. You just never realized what grand stock you come from. After all, they loved humanity deeply enough to ‘not kill all dem darn folk in the night’—and their sacrifice convinced the entire world that chattel slavery must end. What strength, what love, what sacrifice—solely for you! Now, what you gonna do?

Another thought on your power. Slavers tried to beat all kinds of dumb stuff into our minds, yet our slave ancestors endured. Yet post slavery, we just didn’t want to tell our children of the trauma. We thought if they didn’t know then it wouldn’t harm them. Yet you cannot heal from centuries of trauma by locking it in a closet and throwing away the key. We did that and it left our children afloat in a sea of whiteness that they couldn’t understand and who couldn’t understand them.

Today, a significant slice of white American is enraged that the concept of ‘critical race theory’ exists, they are enraged and have mobilized to ensure that truth will not begin to be taught in their children’s schools (which by the way, are also our children’s schools).

They say that they are enraged and are proud of their resistance, “Because our children shouldn’t be made to fell guilty about their white race, nor to believe that American has ever had deep flaws or been a bad county”. After all, they say, “Race shouldn’t and doesn’t matter.”

So, know this. It is grand that they are in the open spewing their fear, guilt, and racism. They are helping us to acquire white allies, and to be able to have open conversations about while privilege and systemic racism, and even occasionally putting an evil and racist person or killer cop on trial and/or in jail.

But know this: Only African Americans can heal the African American community, and healing is exactly what we need.

Both individually and collectively, let’s become laser focused upon healing ourselves. Let’s not let historical victimization, or rage, or an absolutely false feeling of powerlessness—to make us impotent, paralyzed, blind to our best interests, nor allow frustration and trauma to continue our traumatization of one another.

We’re made from strong stuff, our ancestors were total rock stars! After all, if given a choice, ‘Would you have chosen to be the slave, rather than the slave holder’? I know I would. I know who showed real love, and honor, and power worthy of all praise. And I know that the truth will set us free. And, that truth is good, and wonderful, and appropriate—at all times and in all places. And I know that it is time that we heal ourselves—so we can then use truth to heal this nation—before its ‘truth denied’ destroys America and makes our ‘democracy’ a permanent ward of China.

There is a beloved short story entitled, Listen to the Ancestors: They Deserve to be Heard. Near the end ‘grandfather’ wants us to remember this, his final message. He said:

“Love; love deeply; and know that love is an action word. What good does it do to love if you can’t act out love selflessly, nor speak it one to another? Love is the weapon and dignity is the prize. For the sake of every ancestor who ever lived, and each whoever will be, create a culture of love! “Your time is now! Live lives of joy, and love, and positive accomplishment, of high character, the highest virtue, and exceptional values. It’s in your genes; it’s the essence of who you are. Empower yourselves with love. Create a healing community of love and you will thrive beyond your wildest dreams.”

Regardless of your positive accomplishments-to-date, nor your shame-to-date—you have the potential for immeasurable greatness. There is no difference between you and those who you most admire, both living and those who have passed. The Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Malcolm, Martin, Oprah, Tina, Will, and Dr. Nikki’s of the world simply knew their power and chose to act upon it with conviction and surety. They knew their power and put it onto action; as did/does that respected relative that always delivered his/her best—to you, and all their loved ones. They put their concern into concerted action—and changed the world for the better—and, you can too. Simply live life bravely, grandly, and boldly each day, and you will create a glorious past and future—for, they are created in the NOW!

So, now, in each moment of each day, realize and mobilize—THE POWER—THAT RESIDES IN YOU!