The Tribune

True freedom is having the audacity to rule your destiny. Such a freedom doesn’t just land in your lap. Personal liberation is not given – it must be taken. This means that you only become free by breaking free.

Your life is your most adventurous flight, and you my friend are the pilot. You must set your life flight plan accordingly.

Ruling your destiny takes courage and commitment. It means being brutally honest with yourself and cutting ties with all those lies that holds you hostage.

Now this is where this flight gets turbulent for most. In this climate of “face-booking” this and “tweeting” most are still unwilling to face the truth. Or better said – they are unwilling to face their personal truth. They avoid facing and addressing their feelings of fear, hurt, pain and uncertainty.

It is sad, but despite the endless outlets for texting and talking, people still don’t know how to speak their truth. Instead, they learn to live a life of masquerades.

Of course, honestly facing your truth is difficult and not an easy feat. I guess this is why so many surrender to living the status quo. Yet is this really living?

Living is truly ruling your destiny. Truly ruling your destiny requires some degree of honesty. Try to see your destiny not as some place you must find, but more so as the person you are born to become.

Imagine that you are born to be a phenomenal person living an empowered life. To do so requires that you be mentally and emotionally free. This enriching, honest freedom is the golden ticket for truly ruling your destiny.

The other key point to consider is this: you cannot rule your destiny if you do not master your mind. Mastering your mind means paying attention to who and what you are giving your attention to.

Too often, we squander the precious currency of our attention on people and places that offer us no real value. Ruling your destiny means holding yourself more accountable for how you dispense your attention.

Start to reevaluate how you distribute your time and attention. Recognise that you are the pilot of this flight known as ‘your life’. You are responsible for your flight plan and for choosing your flight crew.

More importantly, you must understand that whether or not you choose to be the pilot of your life, you are all ways in charge of your destiny. This is simply because your life follows you – your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. This article merely serves to help you decide if you want to rule your destiny intentionally or let it continue accidentally.

Leader to leader, your life is all ways in your hands. Jamaican reggae artist Buju Banton says it well in his song “Destiny”: “Though forces try to hold I down, breaking chains has become the norm, I know I must get through no matter what a gwaan.”

I hope you agree with Mr Baton. Ruling your destiny is the precursor to living an empowered life. Yes, you can do it.

What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or call 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.