Jamia Wilson - Step Into Your Power: 23 lessons on how to live your best life

Do you remember a time when you felt powerful? Illustrator Andrea Pippins remembers stepping into her power when she ran for the role of sixth-grade class president and won. She felt like her ideas and voice mattered when she heard her classmates interests for the school year and wove them, along with her vision, into a campaign and community events.

Similarly, I felt powerful when I had opportunities to speak my truth during my youth. Ill never forget the sense of purpose I felt when I was first asked to recite my poetry at a church conference. I reflect on this moment when I need a reminder that my voice is, and always has been, a megaphone that I use to change hearts and minds, and advocate for justice.

Both Andrea and I know first-hand that learning how to own and use our power as girls and young women helped us realize our dreams. We understand that the world can be tough to navigate at every level, from handling conflicts with friends, family members, and bullies, to dealing with politics, inequality, sickness, hardships, and having to obey rules you inherited or arent old enough to vote for or against.

Thats why well be exploring what it means to know and trust our insights and capabilities with stories, images, activities, resources, and action prompts that you can interact with on your own time and, most importantly, on your terms. No matter where you are, Step into Your Power is here for you with caring advice and actions you can take and make your very own. Its an invitation to take steps, big leaps, or small tip-toes towards your goals. This book is a celebration of the fact that you are entirely enough as you are, but might need encouragement while reaching for your goals. Its here to be your unconditionally loving friend or even an imaginary sibling if youre an only child like we are.

You are not alone, even if it feels that way sometimes. Think of this book as a paper-bound GPS that can help you navigate your thoughts and feelings. Whether times are joyful, rough, or somewhere in-between, Step into Your Power will always have your back. Although you already possess all you need inside of you, we are here to reassure you every day, every week, and every month that you are enough, and you have what it takes to turn your vision for your life into action.

Jamia Wilson & Andrea Pippins

POWER

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOURE NOT SURE WHAT YOURE GOOD AT, OR THAT THE THINGS YOU DO WELL DONT MATTER AS MUCH AS THE WAYS OTHER PEOPLE SHINE?

When I was younger, I used to feel that way. I wasnt an expert ballerina or award-winning swimmer, like some of my friends, and I was in a school that valued physical achievement.

I didnt see my unique gifts as assets when I was growing up. Teachers and parents made me feel bad about things they prioritized, such as being a whiz at Algebra, and playing tennis (which flared up my asthma and ignited my anxiety). I sulked about not fitting into the mold people in charge expected of an otherwise good student.

Instead of embracing my talents, I quietly beat myself up for not being a perfect child who was skilled at everything I tried. Whenever my father, or a teacher would say, But youre so smart, you are not working up to your potential in math, or Arabic class, or fill-in-the-blank with something Im not a genius about, my breath became shallow. I knew deep inside that I learned differently when it came to numbers, and although I wasnt as quick at math, my talent for word problems in the same math class would later help me achieve my dreams as a writer when I grew up.

I share this story because I walked around with a secret for many years. I hid behind my sunny smile and felt ashamed that I had to have a tutor to help me with Mathematics, due to my visual disability and the challenges that came with it.

INSTEAD OF FORCING MYSELF TO BE SOMEONE ELSES BEST SELF, ID WRITE MY YOUNGER SELF THIS LETTER ON MY FAVORITE STATIONERY:

Mia,

The world would be boring if we were all good at the same things. Dont beat yourself up for not being perfect. Take time to listen and hear what people ask you for help on, and compliment you about. What aspects of who you are, are you most proud of? What do folks appreciate about what you share with them, and most of all what stirs your soul so much that you never look at your watch when youre doing itbecause therein lies your answerand follow it.

Love,

Your Older Self

P. S. Oh, and Keep reading and writing. It will help you find your purpose.

STEP INTO YOUR POWER

Imagine you are older; write a love letter to yourself right now
Speak to yourself with the same gentle and generous spirit you would use to address a very small child. Pay attention to the courageous whispers from your heart, and less to the roar of critique from the world around you. You are impacting the world in your own special way. Recognize your natural abilities and passions and urge yourself to keep going with themeven if not everyone values them with the same weight you do.

Although Id love to meet the small percentage of humans who have never experienced dread or angst at some point in their life, the reality is that most of us areor have beenafraid of something.

As someone whose family once nicknamed her worry wart, it can be challenging to confess my fears to people who might judge the things that stir me uplike the stage fright I still experience every time I speak in public (even though I do it often, and for a living). But Im facing my fears and calling on you to join me. Lets get to know your concerns, understand their roots, and end our shame so we can share our unique gifts with the world.

Once I learned that our amygdala (the fear center of my brain), is triggered whenever we feel something is threatening, it helped me make sense of whether this small, two-centimeter region of our brain is telling me the truth, or making a mountain out of a molehill.

This fight or flight response can be useful when theres a hungry tiger chasing us down the streetit makes us panic and run! But things like performing in a school talent show can set off similar spinning thoughts, restless legs, sweaty palms, feelings of doom, or however it personally shows up for you. These physical responses can make the two feel eerily similar.

THATS WHY IM SHARING SOME OF THE TIPS IVE USED ALONG THE WAY THAT HELP ME SLAY THE FEAR-TIGER THAT TRIES TO CHASE ME DOWN EVERY TIME I MOVE TOWARDS BEING BRAVE.