each of us is born with inherent power. our lives are ours to decide. problem is, as we age we relinquish some of that power to social norms, status, possessions, even time. we eventually begin to feel as if we have no control over our lives and powerless to effect any lasting impact in the world. that’s about as enjoyable as eating a crap-sandwich.
clearly, it’s no way to live a life of meaning. so, here are 7 ways to reclaim your inherent power…
money
the fact that the US dollar is fiat currency (not backed by anything of value and only worth something because the government says it is) is a clear indicator of how our relationship should be with it. namely, not much.
refuse to allow something of such little value to have power over you. get out from under money’s control by clearing your debts and living within your means.
the next time you make a purchase, support the merchant by paying with cash instead of debit/credit. with every card swipe the banks take a cut of the transaction from the merchant.
food
our food supply is controlled by multi-national corporations and they sure as hell don’t have your best interests in mind (Monsanto rated the #1 most unethical company in the world).
know where your food comes from, support your community and your health by buying from local growers. look for organically grown foods and stay away from trans fats, refined grains (white flour), and the evil high-fructose corn syrup. not only will this help you reclaim your food but also your health. double win. suck it, Monsanto!
things
George Carlin puts possessions into perspective in this classic clip. basically, the more things you have the more stress they cause and the more they drain your finances all without you even realizing it. folks tend to wrap their identity around their things, too. that’s a lot of power we give to things. instead, declutter your life and adopt a more minimalist approach to living.
download Leo Babauta’s Simple Guide to Minimalist Living for free or support the creator and buy it directly from him.
connections
for the good and/or bad, internet media is rewiring how we interact with the world. websites such as facebook, twitter, and youtube are demanding so much more of our attention their draw is now being considered an addiction or disorder.
i’m as much a geek as the next WoW gamer (for the Horde, Alli scum) but the time and attention folks choose to devote to these web-driven connections has to come from somewhere. namely, the world and the people that currently surround you. the right now, the present you currently occupy.
the world won’t change because you miss the next staus update, but you can change the life of the person next to you. (there’s a Hallmark card in there somewhere)
goals
we live in a culture where if you’re not being “productive” (which is subjective, anyway) you’re not a good human being. i used to work for FranklicCovey and can appreciate the excitement and power of goal-setting. however, as i pointed in how productivity ruins your life folks tend to set goals for things other than their most important. add the stress, guilt, and negative associations of failing to meet a made-up metric of where you think you should be and we see that goals don’t exactly make people happy.
don’t allow “productivity” to cloud your being present in the moment. instead of holding yourself to a goal, when you want something do go after it but recognize it’s okay if you alter your plan or postpone it as you see fit. and your goal is not your identity, you are much more than that.
thinking
this list couldn’t be complete without telling you to kill your television. or, at the very least, cut back to just watching Sons of Anarchy 
seriously, reduce your consumption of television and other corporate mass-market media. the more you consume the same talking points as others the more your thinking and views resemble that of the masses (and the creators of said news).
instead, replace these with alternative and independent sources to get different perspectives. you’ll be surprised at what isn’t covered by the major outlets.
and a lo-tech way to reclaim your mind… get physical with a book. be aware, there will be thinking invovled.
time
for most folks morning usually starts with an alarm followed by a rush to reach work by a certain time. time plays a huge role in people’s lives, constantly measuring success based on their ability to perform against the clock. obviusly we still need to be accountable to our obligations and agreements but we don’t need to allow the clock to preside over our actions as much as we do.
i believe i learned this from minimalist blogger Everett Bogue and it has quickly become a favorite ritual of mine. when i wake in the morning, instead of jumping up and racing the clock, i lie in bed in silence. i listen to the quiet and meditate for about 15 minutes. it’s a practice that’s allowed me to break free from viewing my life in minute or hourly chunks and instead approach it as if walking towards the horizon.
there are more, but everything here are things you can start doing today without much effort.