I am the power

To be precise, I am the energy. Power is energy applied. Power can be positive or negative. Energy just is. And that's what I have. We all have it.

But most times, it doesn't feel like it, especially if things are not working out the way we want.

Instead, we go to (SFD) Shitty First Draft* mode. It's that story my internal voice sells as the absolute narrative. In my SFD, it typically a record along the lines of, "You're not good enough", "it's unfair", "you were never going to succeed", "Everyone hates you"..blah blah blah. You probably have your unique version of SFD that's been carefully crafted over the years.

It's taken me experience, reading Brene Brown and a few life lessons to see and understand Shitty First Drafts for what they are. It's my brain's immediate reaction to an incident. And importantly, it's not necessarily true. Ignoring these stories is hard because they're so ingrained. They're almost like a comfort blanket. Weirdly, SFD confirms that I and the world are the awful places I need them to be. This act of protection is not the badass move my brain seems to think it is.

Acknowledging this narrative is the first step to working from a different perspective. Once you identify and acknowledge your SFD, you can reframe the narrative into something more positive and healthier.

Reframing is the power converter for your energy. If your SFD is your AC (alternating current), Reframing takes that SFD with all its drama, stormy weather and absolutes and converts it into the DC (Direct Current) of logic and reasoning. This story is way more balanced and suitable for personal growth. This new story is practical, healthy, and far more beneficial to where I want to be.

We decide how to convert our energy into power. We can convert energy into a constructive or destructive force. And while we tend to lean toward destructive power. It doesn't have to be that way. We can reframe our narrative and convert that energy into a positive force.

It's our choice.

*Brenee Brown calls it Stormy First Draft now. The term SFD comes from her book Rising Strong. I prefer Shitty First Draft.