Power is not about exerting our will over others, it is about being in complete truth with yourself

​Many of us don’t really understand what personal power means. We’ve been given the false notion that power is bad — that it’s something we use to exert our will upon others. In fact, when our personal power is intact, we are neither overbearing nor meek. We have a clear sense of our strength and the impact we can have on others. This actually enables us to be more sensitive.

Personal power is what permits us to work on behalf of our dreams and desires. It allows us to realise that we are worthy and deserve to be heard. In addition, our personal power lets us extend the respect we know that we deserve to the people around us. There is no reason to be afraid or ashamed of fully owning your power.

In the body's energy system, the solar plexus is the seat of personal power. One way to evaluate your sense of power is to breathe into this part of the body. If it feels tight or nervous, it is an indication that you may not be fully expressing your power. You can heal this imbalance by expanding the area of the solar plexus with your breath. You can also visualise a bright yellow sun in this part of your body. Allow its heat to melt any tension, and let its light dissolve any darkness or heaviness. Repeating this exercise on a regular basis can restore and rejuvenate your sense of power.

Another way to nurture your personal power is to honor your dreams and desires by making concrete plans to manifest them in the world. Start by making a list of things you want, and let yourself think big. Choose one goal from the list and commit to bringing it to fruition. In addition, break the goal into tasks that you can work on each day. Know that you deserve to have your dreams come true and that you have the power to bring them into being.


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Do you ever feel like you're "running on empty" at work?

Maybe you skipped breakfast before working on a big presentation, or you struggled to speak up in a meeting after only a couple of hours' sleep. Perhaps you're emotionally exhausted because you feel like you just don't "fit in."

If so, you've probably encountered the HALT risk states.

HALT stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

​The model was first developed to help addicts in recovery see when they were most vulnerable to relapse. Since then, it's been useful for other people, too – both in the workplace, and in their personal lives. This article examines when you need to "call a HALT," and how to act quickly on the warning signs.

What Are the HALT Risk States?
​If you keep trying to work when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, your performance will almost certainly suffer. You may harm your physical and mental health, and you're at risk of damaging your relationships. You'll also be more susceptible to burnout.

The word "HALT" is significant. It's a wake-up call to stop what you're doing and think about some key aspects of your well-being – and to change harmful habits.

The four risk states are interrelated. For example, you may have heard the word "hangry" to describe someone who's irritable (or worse) through lack of food. "Slangry" is also starting to appear – describing a person who's grumpy after a bad night's sleep. But each of the four HALT states can be a serious problem on its own.

How to Spot the HALT Signs
To respond to the HALT risk states, the first step is to recognise them. This means becoming more aware of emotions and behaviors – your own, and those of the people you work with.

Developing your emotional intelligence can help you to notice when you're feeling isolated within your team, for example, or the times when you've lost your "get up and go." It also lets you spot these feelings in others.

Journaling your experiences, thoughts and feelings is a good way to keep track of any potential problems. You can monitor the amount of sleep and exercise you're getting, as well as whether you're eating regularly and healthily. Use your journal to help you spot patterns of negative feelings or behaviors – and clues about what's causing them!

You can also practice mindfulness, to help you become more self-aware. Mindfulness has been shown to develop emotional intelligence. It's a way of observing your thoughts and feelings without getting "carried away" by them.
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If you think a colleague is struggling because of one or more of the HALT states, talk to them, sensitively and in confidence. This might require a difficult conversation, but getting the issue out into the open is the first step toward resolving it.

With love from - mindtools.com www.mindtools.com/acd2ov1/what-are-the-halt-risk-states

When we walk through our fear, we often discover that the strength of our fright was out of sync with reality

The situations, activities, and individuals that frighten us remain static. Their relative intensity does not change. Fear, on the other hand, self magnifies. When you are afraid and envisioning all that might go wrong, the energy underlying your fear grows. A tiny flicker of anxiety can easily develop into a terror that manifests itself physically and eventually paralyses you into inaction.

When we walk through that fear, we often discover that the strength of our fright was out of sync with reality. And we learn that doing what frightens us can lead to great blessings. Confronting your trepidation head-on will help you accept that few frightening scenarios will ever live up to the negative disasters that we sometimes play out in our minds.
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Though fear is literally an evolutionary gift meant to sharpen your senses and energise you during times of great stress, it can become a barrier that prevents you from fulfilling your potential by causing you to miss out on rewarding, life-changing experiences. During the period before you face your fear, you may have to deal with a barrage of negative thoughts and emotions.

Whether your fear is public speaking, taking part in an activity that makes you nervous, or asserting yourself when the odds are against you, walking through it may be equally as difficult. But once you emerge unscathed on the other side, you will likely wonder why you assumed the worst in the first place.

While you spend time worrying about what might happen, it’s good to know that your fear probably won’t happen at all. It may feel like a great weight has been lifted from your shoulders, and you will likely feel a sense of passionate pride. Walking through your fear can mean taking risks and can require both practice and patience. Since it is challenging to act when you are gripped with fear, start small.
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Each step you take into fear will strengthen you and help you confront future fears with poise, courage, and confidence. You also will find that when you are willing to stare your fear in the face, the universe will always offer you some form of aid or support. When you see the heights of accomplishment and personal evolution you can attain when you walk through your fears, your faith in yourself will grow, allowing your next step to be easier.

Shared wisdom from the Daily OM with gratitude.