Have you ever made an unpopular decision for yourself?

Maybe it was a choice to not smoke when everyone else did, or to call it a night when everyone was heading to yet another club, or to decide a career in music when you were expected to be in medical school. How did everyone react to you standing your ground?

I remember when my son was growing up, we had so many friends who were seasoned parents with oodles of advice. His dad would ask me, “Why don’t you listen to anyone?” I would respond, “I listen to everyone, then I do what I believe is best.”

You see by the time my son was born I had already been a step-parent for 15 years, studied the mind and behaviour extensively, taught figure skating, power skating, and hockey at all levels which required coaching and early-childhood classes, and I read whatever the masters offered on everything from nutrition to purpose. I felt I was a pretty ready parent and while I was surely open to the advice of others, I also trusted myself. One day I made an unpopular decision to take my son to our doctor’s because my little one seemed quite distraught with his ears (I say “unpopular” because seasoned parents often criticize new parents for running to the doctors too quickly). Our doctor confirmed that indeed my baby had an ear infection. When I shared my hesitance to visit, his advice to me was to always follow my instincts, that when I did, I would always find the truth.

Aha! ~ Never be afraid of the opinions of the crowd.

There is a difference between going against the grain out of ignorance or obstinance and going against the grain because it doesn’t align with who you are or what you know to be the truth. From the time you pop out of the womb you are labelled and conditioned in thousands of ways and it takes great effort to go beyond the senses, beyond the mind, to change your perception, dissolve the programming, and manifest your great life.

“For most, their greatest fear is the opinions of the crowd. Once you become unafraid, you become a lion with a great roar, coming from your heart, to be YOU, not someone else’s impression of you.” ~ David Icke.

To do that you must know yourself. You must know that in order to live fully in your gifted uniqueness, you do not require anyone’s permission except your own.

Icke says, “Be willing to piss people off if it means standing up for your truth of who you are.” Why the backlash? According to Icke, “People are afraid of people who know themselves because they have special powers, a special aura, vibrationally energy and cannot be imprisoned or made afraid.”

Have I always trusted my intuition? No. Did I sometimes buckle to family or social pressure to do what was expected of me? Many times, but I am learning to adopt the essence of a higher vibration and know the difference between thinking and feeling; that in the expression of self, your power comes when you realize you don’t need to be anyone else.

Rise up. Abundance awaits.

Calling all lions! This week’s convo in our Trailblazer group will be life-changing. Join the conversation here tomorrow at noon Eastern.

And if you missed the exclusive Insiders Club Q&A with Mr. Podcaster himself, Ben Baker, it’s archived for Aha! Insiders Club members. Join here.

Succeed Deliberately!

Jae M. Rang, MAS           

Strategist, Speaker, Author, Mom