I cannot think of anything that feels better than to know that I have met a challenge and handled it with superb wisdom, rather than letting someone or something make me feel inadequate or incapable of whatever it is I am trying to accomplish.  We have to tap into our inward resources, sometimes deep in our character to gather The Power Within us to take a step back and let the obstacle (whatever or whomever it is) know that we have power to know what we believe in or what we are doing is the right thing.

People can say and do the most hurtful things not realizing the impact it can have on someone else and gaining power from within is not something that is easy or that can be done overnight. Speaking of needing personal development some people need a major course, don't you think?  Do I know anyone who can accomplish this in every situation?  Absoluty not!  I have a quick temper if it is something I am passionate about or something that I have a problem with. I really have to work on me because the tongue can be an unruly evil.  Jumping to my defense accomplishes nothing with the other person because they are trying to make themselves look good and turn the situation into a "I was only trying to help". I can't believe I have admitted to that!!! 

I have to work at it and it is something that is hard for me.  I am learning that we give ourselves empowerment every time we are able to withstand criticizm or distaste from someone else, whether it is our boss, our spouse, a friend or foe. I can't stand for someone to accuse me of something that is not true.  I do not see the benefit of someone trying to make someone else look less knowledgeable than they are to make themselves look good, but in our not so perfect world it happens all the time.  They are giving themselves "power" they think but in all actuality they are only making themselves look weak.  When I have let someone or something get to me the worst is usually when I had been in a state of overcoming another challenge in my life that caused me discomfort.  Believe me I know it is hard to bite the tongue and not express how you feel.  I work on myself everyday and I am not where I want or need to be but I am striving to gain The Power Within Me so that I do not appear defensive and most of all gain the respect of the defensive situation or person.  If we can keep our mouth shut and just act like nothing has been said or done in a negative way, instead of flying off the handle and getting all riled up, we are illuminating our character in a positive way.

Letting others get the best of us is being cruel to ourselves.  I don't hate me; do you hate yourself? I don't think so but some of us are more in control than others and life is too short and each day is too important to let anything rule over us. When we look deep within and work at it daily (for those of us who are in less control of certain emotions) we can look things in the eye and know we have The Power Within to do anything we want.