April Flaten
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5MoA Ep:26 Give Yourself Permission

5MoA Ep:26 Give Yourself Permission

Mar 29, 2023

If YOU aren’t going to give yourself permission, who is?  First of all let me say… for many things, you don’t need anyone's permission including your own.  You can simply go do the thing.  In fact go listen to that episode if you need a boost taking action.

And I want to emphasize that the context for this episode is about YOU giving permission to YOURSELF for YOURSELF and YOUR own personal goals and desires.  When it comes to interacting with other people, please remember that permission, respect and consent of other people’s autonomy and agency is essential. 

Giving yourself permission is about allowing yourself to take control of your own actions. It has nothing to do with the result or the outcome of what you choose to do. It does mean that you can get out there and give it a try and see what happens. It’s about remembering the things that you have always wanted to do and allowing yourself to do them for any reason.

I remember always having to ask permission to do things when I was younger. And yes, it was all in the name of keeping me safe and knowing where I was, thanks mom and dad.  AND yet as I grew up, I continued to look for someone to ask permission to do simple things. Or rather, I wouldn’t do things because I didn’t have permission from anyone.  I also remember thinking that I needed to have a reason for why I wanted to do things. And if I didn’t have a “good” reason to do something, I wouldn’t be allowed to do it, or I shouldn’t do it.   It took me a while to understand how limiting this was for me.

Looking for someone to ask permission to do something and thinking that I needed to have a good reason to do it were huge barriers in my personal and professional life.  I held myself back from doing things that brought me joy for a long time because I thought I needed permission or a good reason to do them.  It took self awareness and reflection about my goals and desires to understand that I didn’t need permission or a reason to want the things that I wanted.  I didn’t have to put restrictions on the things that I wanted or the goals that I had just because I didn’t have permission to do them or a reason for wanting them.  

If you are looking for someone else to give you permission to get started on your goals or do something that you love, look to yourself.  A simple way to get started is to write down this sentence and fill it in.  “I give myself permission to _______.”  Then take a deep breath and go do it!

For more about allowing yourself to do the things you have always wanted to do, enjoy this video episode!

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