How to self-advocate when you feel out of control

Self-advocacy and empowerment are crucial for standing up for oneself and others. In this episode, Jacqui emphasises the need to let go of preconceived notions and prioritise one's own needs and goals. She shares personal struggles with advocating for others' rights while neglecting her own, and she offers small insights for self-help.

Practical advice she offers listeners includes: 

·       Writing down all key priorities without ordering them.

·       Sitting with written priorities, taking time to breathe and reflect.

·       Staying focused on what matters most to give energy to move forward.

·       Keep the momentum going and celebrate intentions as well as actions.

Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

License code: U6EWJCDDX8XNCHJ7

Transcript

Intro to CMM Podcast Channel text:

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Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

License code: U6EWJCDDX8XNCHJ7

Episode Transcript:

How to self-advocate when you feel out of control            

Hello, hello. Happy Wednesday. Welcome to another episode of Community Creatives. Today we're going to talk about how to self-advocate, especially when you feel like you're not even in control.

Okay, so let's assess. We all feel like it's important to learn how to stick up for ourselves. And I know that if we see someone we care about, we would want to stand up for them as well and help them to understand their rights and empower them to make informed decisions. That's what happens when we care. 

Why do we have double standards for ourselves? This is a somewhat rhetorical question. I feel like I am a hypocrite for this as well. Anyone who knows me well, they would know that I am a fierce advocate for social justice and for other people's rights. And I feel like it is my moral obligation to stick up for my fellow person and empower them in their decision-making. 

But sometimes that can just be a distraction from what's really going on for me. I'm hoping some of you out there who are listening can relate. I hope I'm not the only one. But I kind of guess that that's not the case. Especially if you tuned in today.

We become experts at giving out amazing, encouraging and inspirational advice, that is life changing, and exhilarating. Because it's so easy to empower other people when we're not doing ‘the thing’. We're not putting in the hard yards. We're not setting goals for ourselves long-term short-term. And it doesn't feel real or tangible to us. 

All these things sound wonderful in theory, but how do we begin to implement them, especially when we don't quite feel in control. So, this is where we're at. We're feeling out of control, spinning around and not quite sure where to start. 

You know, I'd like to really unpack this further in future episodes, because I think it would be so beneficial for us to go on this exploratory journey together. But for now, I am going to offer you a couple of small insights that have supported me and hopefully they might end up helping you as well. 

Let's take a breath. The best way to clear our head. Okay, ready? Next step. Let go of all the preconceived ideas and notions. Don't assume that you should be doing certain things better, if your life was different; you'd be achieving these outcomes. Stop it! Stop self-sabotaging and understand that it's okay to be where you're at. Even if you're clawing out of some kind of horrible black hole. Hey, you're climbing out. You can see the sun. Feel encouraged by your intentions. 

Take a pen and write down all of your key priorities. Don't put them in order. Write them down, get it out of your head. What do we really need? What really matters to us? Where are our points of struggle? And where does our greatest distress lie? Let's sit with that and really unpack it. 

I think by looking at it on paper can be quite confronting and you may need moments to breathe. But when you feel ready to come back and look at it with a fresh set of eyes, I know it will make more sense to you. 

We take one thing at a time, one moment at a time. Sometimes when life is so overwhelming, it can be minutes or seconds. Don't get too overwhelmed. Stay the course, and remember to hang on to what you want, and what matters most in your life, because that will empower you, and give you energy and capacity to move forward.

All my love, Jacqui

Outro to CMM Podcast Channel text:

“This was an original Community Matters Media Production. Thank you for connecting with us. Please continue to follow us as part of our connected, authentic community where you show up just as you are.”

Music by Bensound.com/royalty-free-music

License code: U6EWJCDDX8XNCHJ7