Power is something that we all use on a fairly constant basis. It comes in many forms and we need and use it in various ways throughout our daily lives.
Last night, we had just got into bed and I’d started reading an article when the lights went out. Oh well it must be time to actually sleep!
I woke during the night and still no power, and I started thinking about how reliant we are on our electricity. Thinking about all the ways I personally use the electricity I pay for. Charging my phone and iPad; running the refrigerator; my computer; the Thermie to make my smoothies and of course the internet. I can live without the television for quite some time, but most of the other items are very important in my life. I have solar power but that doesn’t operate without electricity at the moment.
I can’t imagine living off the grid, like many people do. I remember as a child living on the farm we only had the diesel generator to provide our power and often heard “Turn off that light!” being shouted. We could only run two lights at a time or they would all go very dim. There was much excitement when the electricity came through and we were connected at last — we even had a community social event to celebrate.
But aside from these sources, we all have our own personal power without which our lives would also be very ordinary. We have the power to make choices; the power to say no amongst many other things. If we violate societal laws, then our power of choice can be removed.
Some people see themselves as being powerless, and taking control of your personal power can be a daunting task. Or maybe it is seen as not being an option. Teenagers rebel against the perceived power of their parents, teachers and so on until they learn to make wiser choices within their own personal realm.
So how do you use your power? What areas of your life do you feel powerful or powerless in? There is a very fine line between assertiveness and bullying, but we all have it within us to make those choices — wrong or right.
Power
