Last week I made a decision to bid farewell to my flip phone. I am the proud (?) new owner of an iPhone 11 Pro. (I got the fanciest phone because it has the nicest camera, people.) But why now? While flippy and my iPad were keeping me afloat, not having certain smartphone capabilities was creating unneeded chaos in my days. And, because I subscribe to a, What am I going to do about it? lifestyle, I had to truly look at any and all areas of my life that were causing me more stress than needed.

I’m fully aware that I’ve traded in old chaos for a brand new kind of chaos with this tiny little pocket computer. But, what continues to amaze me is that at 44 years old, I still forget about my power of choice. I often convince myself that I’m stuck in a situation, or that I’m powerless over my circumstances. Fear can paralyze me. Exhaustion can hinder my ability to see a way out. And judgement, from myself and others, can trick me into believing I lack the courage necessary to modify my course. Challenging these feelings of desperation requires me to question my rules, my beliefs, and my strength to genuinely commit to changing something in my life that’s causing me to lose my serenity.

While I don’t think we’re talking about cell phone choice anymore, it can be those small ways in which I confront myself that lead me to much bigger transformations. Like not allowing other people’s opinions of me dictate how I live my life—stuff like that.

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