Thought Full Thursdays

So, I was thinking that I'm going to start a new kind of post every week. On Thursdays I will post some of my random, disorganized thoughts. I know you may be wondering if I really have enough deep thoughts to post every week. I am too. I guess we'll see. But here is today's day full of thought (I would love any additional insight or thoughts you may have as well)......
As some of you may know, this last year has been a rough year. I'd venture to say, the hardest year of my life up until this point. But it has been such a good year in so many ways. I have learned and been reminded of things that I hope I will never forget again.
One of the most important things that I was reminded of through the course of this last year is the power each of us has to be the deciders of our own destinies. It is incredibly empowering to know that we choose who we will become. We decide if we will be happy. This in no way means we will always be happy. This means that when we are not happy, we have the power to make decisions to change our situation. I learned this a long time ago. I remember coming to a point in my life when I realized that I had been victim to different circumstances. I was wronged. I was angry. And I had every right to be angry. And then I realized that I had the power to choose whether I would continue to be a victim to the injustices dealt to me or if I would choose to allow those wrongs to mold me into an even better person than I was before I was victimized. That realization was incredibly empowering.
When life wasn't going my way last year, I forgot this incredibly important piece of information. I felt depressed at the thought that I was yet again a victim and there was nothing that I could do about it. Being a victim is hard. Feeling powerless is even harder, it's incredibly depressing. And then I remembered. I remembered that I was the one with the power to change what I did not like. That no one had enough power over me to take that away from me. And I felt a sense of hope and newness once again. I took action. Action is so empowering. And I felt myself come to life again.
Sometimes it's incredibly hard to have to acknowledge that no matter our circumstance, we ALWAYS have a choice. Once we admit to ourselves we have a choice, we can no longer blame anyone else for our circumstances because we then realize that we have the opportunity to better our situation. And sometimes it's easier to continue to be the victim than to make that hard choice. But that choice is the most empowering experience and realization. And it fills my life with hope. Knowing that no matter what may come in my life, I can ALWAYS choose to do something about it. To better my life. To create my own happiness.
And I will do this.
And, for the record, I never imagined how happy I would be today in comparison to how I felt a year ago. My life is in no way perfect, but I never thought that my life would be where it is today. I wouldn't trade this last year for anything. Action is empowering.