Building Autonomy: My Journey to Personal Power

In my last post, I mentioned that I would talk about building autonomy to support personal power. To become more confident, we must do some inner work to find clarity about who we are.

Many people talk about finding balance in their lives, often referring to work-life balance. When I think of balance, I picture someone trying to make everything in life even out. However, I believe that balance is a fallacy. Instead, I like the idea of harmony. I believe that everything in life is synchronized, where highs and lows, safety and danger, good and bad, co-exist. It's like the play of life and death and their union with the universe.

Think of music: there are moments when one part is more focused than another, like in an orchestra. When I was in primary school, I loved learning about instruments—the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion families, and singers and voice types. The power of each instrument when it finds its place in the music, the melodies that harmonize, the blending of different sounds—all create a beautiful harmony.

I think of life and autonomy in the same way. Our community is like an orchestra filled with instruments. At first, you may not know which family of instruments you belong to, or you might be thrown into a group, like wind instruments (saxophone, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba). You may struggle to make the sounds you want from your instrument. Over time, you might choose something different or practice repeatedly. You learn finger placement, breathing techniques, and how to hold your instrument. It’s hard at first, and you might want to give up, but with practice, you become attuned to your position.

One day, you build resilience and feel ready to move from the larger orchestra to a smaller group, maybe even compete for first chair or a solo. Your power is in your ability to control yourself. Look at how your experiences have helped you develop. There may be no balance, but position yourself to be supported in times of growth and show up bold and ready to stand alone. Sometimes, this means doing things we don’t like, to find where we thrive. By building a talent or nurturing a gift, we can enjoy the rhythm of life, creating a tuneful melody that may one day inspire others.

Whatever you choose, be sure to subscribe to The Ideology of Me for more insights. Let's build this community together.