Personal Agency

Do you know what “personal agency” means?

Perhaps you know what each word means when used separately.

But do you know what it means when used together?

When I first heard the term, I did not know what it meant.

According to Google, “personal agency refers to one’s capability to originate and direct actions for given purposes. It is influenced by the belief in one’s effectiveness in performing specific tasks, which is termed self-efficacy, as well as by one’s actual skill.”

I was not taught about “personal agency” growing up.

In fact, if I tried to take agency from my mother when I was a child, I would be told that I was trying to be a woman, trying to be too BIG, and that my mouth was going to get me in trouble.

I was taught to push everything down that wanted to blossom.

When I think of traveling the world and meeting people of importance and feeling “less than”, I remind myself of personal agency.

It is only when you know what you want and what you do NOT want, that personal agency can exist.

A question for you, who are the three most important people in your life?

Think about it. Write those names down.

Did you include yourself on that list?

It is imperative that we prioritize ourselves as important.

YOU are important and you need to put as much care into loving yourself as you do others.

Nurture yourself.

Forgive yourself.

Love yourself.

You are enough.

Always on your side,

Indrani