This is who I am!

By Dr. Dina Evan

We are in a new era of change and challenge and the stakes are high. Who we support, elect and what we believe is incredibly important. After years of complacency and a “let them deal with it,” we are waking up to the realty that our hands off attitude didn’t work and still doesn’t. This wake-up call is such a surprise we stand stunned, with our hands over our mouth in utter disbelief about what is going on. We realize we should have given the given the power to ourselves. We can’t stand on the sidelines any longer. The good guys are now in the minority.

What do we do?

We do the same things we do when faced with impossible challenges in our private lives. Step up and find a place to begin. The first step is in asking ourselves who have we become, who are we, because most of us are not living our best self. Don’t beat yourself up, because life, advertising and society, is offering ways to “make it easier” and more often than not, that includes letting the responsibility fall on someone else so they will do it, whatever the ‘it’ may be. But when the responsibility is given to someone else that person receives the joy of accomplishment, empowerment and safety.

Let’s begin with knowing and being who YOU are, while fulfilling your purpose here and doing what you came here to do. Answer the following questions and stay with those answers until you can say with a whole heart, Yes, this is who I am.

This is who I am emotionally. (Do I share my feelings openly, can I hold a space for others to share theirs, am I able to or working on healing the feelings that no longer serve me?)

This is who I am intellectually. (Not about I.Q.  Am I curious, open to new thoughts, taking time to learn new things?)

This is who I am spiritually. It’s not about dogma, doctrine or religion, do I care about the earth, able to love without prejudice, do I have a sense of oneness with all living things? Am I committed to my sobriety?

This is who I am physically. (It’s not about being size 2 or buff, rather, do you take care of your body, do you love it and understand this is where your spirit resides?)

Make a list of all the awards, commendations, certificates, sobriety chips and honors you have received in. (Not for boasting but for giving yourself some credit)

Make a list of all the compliments and good things your family, friends or co-workers have told you about yourself as long as you believe them to be true.

Identify and list the areas you want to focus on improving.

List the areas you wish to work on, such as moving the thoughts of you and/or me to we. Identify the fear you still hold, examining your spiritual beliefs and unique skills to manifest, heal or add positivity to society at large. Unless we really know who we are, we will hesitate to step forward into our purpose. Until you are at a place of owning that you already have everything you need inside to do what you came here to do, you will hold back. Sit with this a while and when you feel you can embrace it, get still and ask your own spirit what you came here to do. The Universe will show you by presenting new opportunities to show up and contribute to; some issue or effort that reflects your purpose. You may decide to start our own project and it will be something that fills your heart, spirit and purpose, just a Barbara did with this paper, and I did by choosing careers that filled my spirit. Start with the smallest step forward if you need to. We need you! We need us all to be on purpose. And if that isn’t something you want or need…you would not be reading this column.

Dr. Evan is a marriage, family, child therapist and consciousness counselor. www.drdinaevan.com    602-571-8228