To those who live in doubt, to the unsure, to those who feel powerless and overwhelmed:
“Show them who you are!” - Ramonda, Queen Mother of Wakanda
I’m sure many of you know the movie. There’s a scene in Black Panther where M’Baku, the Jabari tribe’s leader publicly challenges the recently crowned King T’Challa in ritual combat. The winner of the contest would be the nation’s Black Panther and the reigning King of Wakanda. T’Challa, the people’s favorite, accepts, and the battle commences. At first, T’Challa fights confidently, but the balance shifts; and T’Challa finds himself struggling to keep his footing in the competition. M’Baku renders T’Challa powerless with a tight grip around his waist, nearly crushing his opponent as the royal family and the people of Wakanda looked on. Growing weak from the pressure of M’Baku’s grip and on the verge of giving in, T’Challa catches a glimpse of his mother’s terror-stricken face. Feeling helpless, she gives her son the only weapon she has - a reminder. In desperation she screams, “Show them who you are!” It is enough. He is empowered and finds the will and strength to overcome M’Baku, going from the edge of defeat to becoming the victor. In the same manner, in those seasons when you feel crushed by the blows of life, when you become overwhelmed by situations that have you gasping for air in its tight grip, be reminded of who you are.
But first, you need to know who you are. Self-discovery and self-evaluation is so important for personal growth. Begin with asking yourself key questions. What words best describe you? What are your core values and beliefs? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What is your life’s ambition or mission? How would you like others to describe you? Many of us avoid learning who we are, fearing what will be exposed. It takes courage to pick ourselves apart piece by piece; especially when it feels as if the world is doing a pretty good job of dissecting and judging us daily. But in order to grow into better versions of ourselves, we should conduct a self-assessment, making sure to do so in a loving, kind, nonjudgmental, and forgiving way. The objective here is to nurture what is a strength, fortify what is a weakness, and build what is desired but lacking.
Once you have the answers to these questions, it’s important to make sure to align who you are with the way you live. The essence of who you are should govern the way you act, the way you think, and what you say (to yourself and to others). This, my friends, is intentional living. When we intentionally and consistently work to align our lives in this manner, we ignite our artillery of inner power. We will discover that when in an “M’Baku” grip, we will be able to endure the weight of the pressure because of what lies within us.
May we show up in the strength and power of who we are. May we work to live full wattage, glowing brightly and operating wholly from the inside out, motivated by what makes us who we are. May our new and intentional way of living forge our path to victorious living. And when we find ourselves in tight grips, may our true selves rise and meet the challenge in confidence, using what makes us strong and capable.
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