Breaking Free from Victimization: You Are The Master of Your Life
Welcome, Lean Green Bean readers! Thanks so much for clicking over here. I hope you are finding some strength-inspiring tips and motivation, and we look forward to you being a part of our community!A while back when we had just begun this movement of hope and strength, I wrote a post entitled, Stop Playing The Victim: Choose To Be The Hero of Your Own Life. In it, I talk about my moment when I realized I was choosing to play a victim, and my conscious choice to become the heroine of my own life.
I began acting from a place of love.
I put my health first, emotional and physical.
I began pushing outside of my comfort zone by going out with friends when all I wanted to do was sit at home being the introvert that I am.
And it worked! I got stronger, inside and out, and started attracting people and events into my life that mirrored my new outlook.My life has never been the same since I made that conscious decision to act boldly. I knew that I wanted to create a different life for myself, and I knew I had to get uncomfortable to do it.Here's the good news: what was uncomfortable then are my baseline habits now. Moving my body regularly throughout the week is not a chore; it's my therapy. Eating mindfully isn't a struggle every day; it's my way to nourish my mind and body so that I can be fully present in this life I've created.The reason I'm telling you all this is because I want you to see that if I can do it, there's no reason you can't, too.For those of you who need a little help becoming the heroes of your own lives, I'm talking to you today.When you're stuck in the vicious cycle of playing the victim, it's hard to see any other way to live. You may not know you're doing it at all because you may have just been this way your entire life.Well, let me tell you something:You are the master of your life.Whether that means that your pessimistic attitude is keeping you from achieving those aching dreams of yours, or whether it's that you just don't know where to start, breaking free from stuck just takes the choice to do it.You will not allow old, ingrained habits to determine where your life goes from here. You are strong enough to break free from victimization. You are strong enough to act boldly and live boldly.I want to talk today about making the bold choices you need to make in order to kickstart your life into what you want it to be. You can direct your journey into a heroic tale, or you can sit and wait for someone to write it for you. You just may be waiting a while.If you're ready to take the first steps into creating a life that makes you proud, let's move forward into the essentials of breaking free from victimization.
1. Awareness
Are you playing the victim?If you're not sure whether or not you're at the whim of old negative habits, ask yourself these questions:
- When you consider trying something new, do you often think, "What's the point? I'm gonna fail anyway."
- When something bad happens, do you say to yourself, "Well, it figures. Who was I to think that this time would have been different?"
- Do you think there's no way you can achieve physical/mental change?
- Do you find yourself eating/drinking/abusing substances to escape stress or discomfort?
If you answered, "Yes," to any of the above, chances are you're playing the victim. Now that you're aware of this fact, let's take steps to move forward from this.
2. Stop Accepting The Role
Like I said in the hero post, I realized that if I wanted to stop playing the victim, I'd have to stop accepting the role.Make the choice to commit to challenging your baseline of victimhood. You will no longer accept that role as "just the way it is."
It's only after you have made this commitment to yourself and to stick by it when your inner victim voice pipes up, that you can move on to the next step. Take your time. Just not too much of it. ;)
3. Choose Your 1st Act of Boldness
Many people get stuck figuring out how to begin acting boldly, so let me just clear this up with a few suggestions:Are you an introvert? Make your bold act one of these:
- Talk to someone in line at the coffee shop.
- Invite a friend from work out for lunch.
- Wear a flashy piece of clothing that you've been dying to wear, but been too scared of the extra attention it may garner.
Are you feeling stuck in a rut? Make your bold act one of these:
- Book a day trip somewhere you've never been (even if it's just an hour away) and EXPLORE.
- Sign up for a class that will teach you how to do something you've always wanted to learn.
- Call up a new friend or old friend who you haven't talked to in a while and hang out with them and their friends one night this week.
Are you feeling hopeless to change your level of health or mindset? Make your bold act one of these:
- Shake up your movement regimen with something new and let your body be all confused for a bit (Psst! This is where mega change happens!).
- Adopt Intentional Eating to get in touch with your hunger (and your emotions). Check out my program that helps you with exactly that!
- Explore different programs or options that could guide you through this change (ideally someone who has also been through it).
There are so many more options and it's very personal as to which you will want to go with as you begin this habit of acting boldly.Want me to make it super easy for you?Just do it. Whatever it is that scares, but excites you at the same time; do it.We have such a limited amount of time on this earth, and your beautiful life deserves to be lived, fully and heroically.You are the master of your life. Play a role, or be the director. [click to tweet]Stay strong, guys!Amy