When I was younger, I remember hearing the word “sacrifice”. And it was after watching the scene from Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom that the images of that word were burned in my mind. But today we aren’t talking about ripping hearts out of chests and chanting “Kali Ma”—today we are focusing on why sacrifice is your power.
And how to use the power of sacrifice in your life.
Here are the 7 reasons why you need to exhibit this power every day:
1. Sacrifice Is Your Power: Because Everyday We Sacrifice Something
When you wake up each day, unbeknownst to you, a sacrifice is made—both large and small. We do so with our choices. And we do so with our thoughts that we put action behind.
Sacrifices are part of your everyday life.
Whether that be getting out of bed and determined to make your day. Or deciding to stay in bed and being lazy all day: something is always sacrificed in place of.
2. You Sacrifice In Both Large & Small Ways
Sacrifice will always go hand-in-hand with achieving your goals. You can’t achieve a goal without sacrificing the blockages—mindsets, habits, people, etc.—preventing you from obtaining that goal.
For example, those who attempt to lose weight. It requires tremendous sacrifice to adopt a new habit, combined with a new diet and motivation, to achieve a goal of weight loss.
We sometimes sacrifice a previous version of ourselves, because a different version of us needs to be the receiver of that new goal. And that in itself may actually be the grander prize.
3. Sacrifice Is Your Power: Because That’s What Evolution Is
Evolving as an individual relies on understanding your growth, realizing and respecting the person you need to become, and your ever-growing relationship to your development.
We can only explore a new avenue of self, by sacrificing old perspectives that limit us from experiencing our true potential.
Evolution was always dependent on sacrifice: the things which would be left behind and not brought into the future.
4. Sacrifice Is Your Power When You Need It The Most
When we are confronted with a painful and earth-shattering experience, we often forget how powerful and resourceful we can actually be. What I find most interesting working with clients, is how many struggle with giving themselves enough compassion to outweigh the burgeoning effect of hard emotions.
Compassion for ourselves during challenging times is when we sacrifice the version of us who only knows how to judge, belittle, blame, shame, and fear.
When we operate from that place, we are unable to make wise and optimal choices. Choices—and the result from those choices—are the key of life.
5. Sacrifice Is Your Power: Because It Tells You Which Habits You Want To Adopt
Human beings and the brain operate on habits. Habits can be either constructive or destructive. And often, we adopt habits out of coping mechanisms usually out of ease; because it feels good; or seems good.
But not all habits are obvious about their intent and long-term effect on an individual.
Notably things like chain-smoking or eating a poor quality diet. We can even go further into things like horrific addictions. Moreover, as much as we can learn a habit…so is the potential to unlearn a habit.
6. Sacrifice Is Your Power Because It Places Yourself Where You Need To Be
Right in front and center. Sometimes we can easily forget who should be in front and center of our lives, but sacrifice helps remind us.
This isn’t an invitation to be an ego-driven narcissist. Actually, it’s an invitation to remind you who is fully accountable for the actions you choose, and who you represent yourself to be.
Because when you make an error, you can’t hide “behind the scenes”. Not possible when you’re front and center. You are held accountable for everything in your life, and the degree in which you participate with everything you decide to keep around in it.
We can’t control everything that happens to us. But we can control the degree to which we suffer from it.
7. Sacrifice Respects Your Equilibrium
I’ve written in many articles about how you are a whole being. And how everything in the Universe operates on homeostasis/equilibrium. Essentially, two polar opposites at odds with each other, trying to achieve balance.
Everything in the Universe attempts to find its equilibrium. And so does the weight of your actions and choices.
Because everything we do—to ourselves and others—has a ripple effect. Ranging from our inner-most close circle to others we may never meet or know about.
Conclusion
Sacrifice is something we perform whether we are aware of it or not. It’s a version of choice that plays a major role in succeeding towards goals and a variation of life we haven’t yet accessed.
Ultimately, sacrifice isn’t always this major event in our lives: we sacrifice for relationships every day when we commit and prevent them from harm; stay the course in value investing and growth; when we choose to say a snide or demeaning comment to someone we love; etc.
When we sacrifice and respect its requirement of time and patience…that’s when we reap the best parts of the results.
If I could go back to my childhood and tell the younger version of me—the one who just watched the Indiana Jones movie and was enthralled by the sacrifice scene—I would explain I would be making many sacrifices in life. Furthermore, sacrifice is part of life, and not to be afraid of it. Stepping into that power IS part of the journey.
Be Resilient & Vibe Well,
-Liana
