The Power Within You
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment.
How would it affect your day if, as soon as you woke up, you reminded yourself of the power you hold within you?
“An inferiority complex thinks: "Everyone else is better than me." A superiority complex thinks: "I'm better than everyone else." A healthy self-concept is based on the belief: "I'm just as good as anyone else and everyone has great potential.”
- Cheryl Benadie
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
- Uncle Ben, Spiderman
2 Tim 1:7
For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.
Food for Thought
I’m a pretty routine-oriented person. My morning routine, especially, is particularly precious to me. After I wake up, I try to start my day with activities that warm up my spiritual, physical, and creative self – readying my whole being for whatever the day might bring. My routine helps me feel rooted.
Recently, I’ve added positive affirmations to my morning routine. Yes, it might seem a little strange, but I’ve found that there is priceless value in – as soon as I wake up – reminding myself of who I am, how God made me, and who God is calling me to be. I am reminding myself of the power within me.
When I say “power”, I’m not talking about arrogance or entitlement, nor am I implying that by acknowledging my own power I’m diminishing someone else’s, for I believe that everyone is born with this power within them. I’m talking about the power of knowing that, from birth, God has given me everything I need to be enough; no one else’s approval is needed; I can give myself permission to wholly be in every room I walk into.
This is a difficult mindset to maintain – I find it disturbingly easy to give my power away. But that’s why daily reminders are so important.
I couldn’t have picked a better time to incorporate affirmations into my routine because this past year has been especially transitional for me. In May, I made the difficult decision to move to Atlanta, GA to more fully pursue my passion-profession of being an actor, leaving behind many people I dearly love.
Though I deeply feel this move is something I need to do – for my career and for me as a person – this time has been wrought with uncertainty and intimidation. Am I good enough to make it in this market? Am I too old for this? Am I stupid for leaving my loved ones for the sake of a dream? Is this even what I want?
So, it’s been necessary – while some days, extremely hard – to wake up every day and remind myself of who I am and why I’m doing this. To check in with myself and my God, and to remember my power.
I imagine, for the past few months, thousands of my fellow creatives have been experiencing a similar struggle – waking up every day and having to remind themselves of their power – remind themselves of their resolve, their ability to change the status quo, and their reason for continuing the much-needed fight for fairness and dignity – completely uncertain about what the outcome of all this will be, but knowing that it is necessary, nonetheless.
We all have great power within us – it is how we use our power that matters most. Sometimes we give away our power as a way of keeping ourselves small. Sometimes we use it to put others down so we can build ourselves up. But there is a healthier way to both embrace and use our power. We can use our power as a point of rootedness, a grounding toward self-love, humility, and worthiness – encouraging respect, compassion, and love to spring forth both for ourselves and for others.
At this moment in my life, I choose to use my power to follow the path to which I believe God is calling me. I have no idea where this journey might take me; and who knows – the reason I started it might end up not being the point of it at all. But every day, I will continue to remind myself that God has instilled in me the power to pursue the aspirations that were placed in my heart, as well as the power to take on the challenges those aspirations may bring. And though I might suffer losses along the way, I also have the power to take those on and keep going.
No matter your daily routine, may you take some time to acknowledge your power, to know your worth and the worth of those around you, and to continue faithfully along the journey God is calling you to, knowing that you are a blessed child of God.
Try incorporating positive affirmations into your daily routine! Write down five affirmations – reminders of the amazing qualities you possess, or the amazing qualities you want to possess. Then, begin each day this week by repeating them out loud to yourself. Make note of how this practice affects how you move through your life.
For a printable version of today's reflection Click Here!
Blessing
God of Generosity and Love,
Help us to remember the power you have given each and every one of us –
the power to take risks and get back up when we fall;
the power to change our lives and the world around us.
Help us also to recognize the power that lies in all of your children,
and to remember that we have a responsibility to honor and
not diminish it.
A little Table Talk for your table...
Discuss with a friend the idea of having power within you. How does this make you feel? Empowered, silly, self-righteous?
What is one affirmation you desperately need to remind yourself of every day? Share this with someone you trust. Perhaps they can be an accountability buddy or help remind you of this affirmation, too!
How do you think the world might change if everyone made a daily habit of reminding themselves of their own power and the power of those around them?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Help your child think about one positive thing that’s a part of their daily routine. Brushing their teeth, saying their prayers, doing chores?
They can practice saying positive affirmations, too! Help them think of one positive thing that they might want to say to themself every day (i.e. “I am amazing!”, “I am helpful and kind!”, “I matter!”, “I am loved unconditionally!”). Encourage them to say this phrase out loud to themself every day for a week. Ask them how this changes the way they feel about themself or changes the way they act.
Your kiddo can also practice saying positive affirmations about other people! (i.e. “I am grateful for ____!”, “____ is funny and smart!”, “____ is important!”) How might saying these affirmations, reminding them of the awesome qualities that other people possess, affect how they feel about or act toward others?
Meet Our Welcoming Voice!
June Dare Bunce is a native North Carolinian and one of the founders of The Welcome Table. Outside of TWT, she’s been a professional actor for the past fifteen years and has had the honor and pleasure of working as a drama instructor for various organizations and non-profits. When she’s not working on a script or at the office, you can either find her at the gym or on the yoga mat, walking around whatever town she’s living in, or working on the art of relaxing at home (it really is a skill).
To hear more from June throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!
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