Jessica Soroky continues her series Leadership is a Choice.

Sitting nice and straight at the desk I ran my fingers over the keys and pushed down on a few just to hear the sound it made. I turned the knob on the side just like my grandma had shown me and grabbed a piece of paper. I sat in awe, for just a second, taking in how clean the paper was; it held endless possibilities. With the paper secure in the typewriter I put my hands back on the keys and let my imagination take over as I began to type.

There was something about the mixture of seeing my thoughts appear one word at a time and the sound of the old typewriter that made my heart race. To this day, one of the main factors when I am selecting a computer is the sound and feel of the keyboard.

I didn’t know it then but writing would become a source of freedom, clearing and releasing.

When I was 7, I didn’t want to write about fictional worlds (even though I loved reading about them). I wanted to write about my life, what I was experiencing and how I felt. I began to write these little stories that I am pretty sure my grandma still has stored somewhere.

As I grew I learned and saw the power words can have. It became more than just a hobby, it became a passion. A passion I have talked about a few times in my blogs. I decided that I wanted to be a journalist, but not just any journalist: a political reporter for the New York Times. I wanted to bring authenticity and truth to people. I won’t say I was delusional, what I will say is that writing didn’t end up being my big “thing”.

Even as my passion shifted I never forgot or gave up on the power of words. When first introduced to The Responsibility Process™ I instantly saw the power those words held. In the midst of my personal responsibility journey I came across a single word that changed me on a level as nothing has ever changed me before.

Let me correct that statement, the word didn’t change me, nothing can change me. I chose to change me, the word is my inspiration.

So what’s my word?

Choice.

I have spent the last 8 months committed, entirely, to the concept of choice. For me it means that I have choice in all things. It eliminates the need to blame because I chose my reality. There is no one to blame but me. Since I know that blaming myself or beating myself up over a choice I had the freedom to make is just shame. I don’t go there either. Doing all of that is such a waste of beautiful power and energy.

So instead I own my choices, every last one.

What I have begun to realize is just how much power I used to give away. Every time I chose to not own my reality and instead blamed someone else, I instantly gave them all my power. Why would I want to do that? It’s my power!

I love how I feel when I am free, powerful, and at choice. My commitment to choice has become my superhero cape. I wear it everywhere I go with pride. I live committed to my ability to choose, create, and attract my reality!

Just like superhero capes, mine can protect me. It shields my mental state from seeing blame, shame, and all the below the line mental states as options. It keeps my power safely in me.

Never before had one word meant so much to me.

Never before has a single word opened my eyes to the vast potential my life has. More importantly that single word opened my eyes to the fact that I alone am capable of reaching my greatest me possible.

I was talking with a fellow Accredited Coach in The Leadership Gift Program recently when he told me his word is clarity and what that means to him. My mind began to wander back to being 7, sitting at my grandparent’s house, using their typewriter, and getting lost in words.

I started to wonder if anyone else in or beyond our community has a word or phrase they live by. I even began to wonder if they wear their word as a cape, proudly portraying it anywhere and everywhere.

Do you have a word?

Leave a comment or share this post adding to it your word and what it means to you! I challenge this community to all wear your words like capes for today, proclaim them loud and proud!

Jessica Soroky, CSM

Jessica is a Certified Scrum Master with over three years of practice in agile delivery and seven years of team leadership. She is also the youngest participant in The Leadership Gift™ Program and its growing worldwide community of leaders and coaches. After five years of non-profit development through Nellie’s Catwalk for Kids, Jessica continues her leadership journey in state government, not-for-profit, and private sector leadership studies.

For Businesses Partnerwerks provides a unique, proven model that ignites cultures of self-direction and ownership.