Take control Of your Life

I have a Question… Who are you?

I am not asking for your name, I am not asking where you are from, or what you do, far from that. What I’m asking is, who are you? Who are you without your name? Who are you without your job title? Who are you without the approval of those who approve of you? Because most people only approval of those who are like themselves.

Most of us are like a flower, we come in to the world full of glory, full of beauty and full purpose. We spread our petals at the early hours of dawn, excited and expectant to shine. Excited and expectant to be looked upon with awe, excited and expectant to share ourselves with the world.

But things do not stay that way, because life always finds a way, to pluck. Our. Petals… break. Us. In half. And throw. Us. Away.

We can’t blame anyone or anything for this, it’s just a part of life…

I remember speaking with one friend of mine, we were speaking about purpose and Identity, what he said to me was fascinating, he said,” Do you think you would be who you are today, if life was easy on you, I don’t think so.”

I always tell people: life is the “great teacher”, it has no problem making you go through the same test until you pass. I pray that I pass all my tests before I die!

You don’t have to let life, your circumstances, your environment or people dictate to you who you should be, you don’t have to become who you are not in order to deal with your hardships, but rather, it is who you are that will change your misfortune raise you from the ashes and make you great.

The problem we face is that we allow our circumstances and misfortunes to change us, we allow our challengers to stop us from being who we were born to be.

Abraham Lincoln was man, defeated eight times in elections before he became the greatest American president of his time.

Einstein a man who was denied a teaching post, made the syllabus being taught, even today.

Michael Jackson, a man born of a poor African American couple, became the super star of the millennium.

There are many more, people like Pele, greatest footballer to have ever live, was born in the slums of brazil, Muhammad Ali, greatest boxer and nation leader, live in a time of white dominance, Oprah Winfery, a neglected and abused child who became an icon.

There are all people, no different to you and me, all faced with impossible circumstances, but they came through… How did they do it?

They never allowed there circumstances to stop them from being who they were, they continued fighting, they continued improving themselves, they saw their circumstances as opportunity for growth, they never allowed someone to define them.

God has placed greatness with in all of us, but we can see the proof of this only and only if we live according to who we are, to who God created us to be.

And when we are finally living in our identity, or when we are finally living life as who we truly are, then and then only will we rise from the dirt life put us, and shine.

-          Salem Etaka