A simple question that came at me from different angles the last couple of days: Are you owning or renting your identity?

Can you depend on you? Are you consistent in your identity?

What do I mean by that? When hard times show up, are you still going all out? When good times are there, are you still going all out? It is easy to be strong and confident when things are going your way. Are you still the same person regardless of your circumstances? Sometimes it is harder to be that person.

I want you to think about this: Who are you when life is not going your way? When life starts to hand out those big L’s, i.e. Losses, Lessons? When you feel like everything is falling apart. Do you still stand firm in who you are, or do you crumble?

I run into a lot of people who do not know who they are. They just rent. They rent from social media. They rent from certain people. They have a perception of who they want people to believe who they are. And they are so in the business of convincing everybody that they are like that.

The reality is, when you are renting your identity and when life becomes tough, you can give it back. Like renting a house. You have a contract to rent it for a year or two, but you can get out of the contract. When you do not own something, you can give it back. Or if other people control your life, they can take it back from you anytime they want. They can kick you out of yourself anytime they want, because they control you.

If you are allowing other people to dictate how you move, how you look, how you show up, they are the landlord of your life. So, why let them? Why live powerless? And blame your situation. Who cares if you are like that or not?

An identity rented in comfort will be abandoned in chaos. When life becomes chaotic, you will abandon that identity.

Renting means your identity is conditional. That is the cost, the problem.

Is your identity conditional or non-negotiable? That is the whole different approach to life, because if it is conditional, conditions will dictate who you are. You will be disciplined when convenient, confident when things are running smoothly. And you show up when life hands you an easy path.

It all starts with you. You have to become one with who you are. Most of your success is a spiritual journey. You do not waver. You do not negotiate. Take your power back. When you OWN your identity, nobody can take it from you.

When you own it, and people try to change you, you can say with confidence: You do not define me. I am not renting your idea of me. You remain who you are, no matter what L Life throws at you. You remain who you are against all the odds. Regardless.

And you know what? Nobody can beat you at being you! Ownership builds equity in your greatness. When you do things for external reasons, you rent your identity and it leaves you with nothing.

People will love you when it is convenient. They will hate you when it is convenient. When they need you, they will use you. When you allow these things to be the landlord of your life, you end up with nothing.

When you own your purpose, you have a type of energy that makes some people uncomfortable, because they cannot control you. You have something that is yours. Be comfortable in owning yourself. Be comfortable in your own greatness. Build your empire on something that you own and who you truly are. And when pressure and hard times hit, nobody can tell you your lease is up.

Commit to who you say you are, no matter what. Make that contract with yourself. Choose who you are. There is no job that defines us, no success that defines us.

What you focus on is what you feel. What you feel will influence the actions you take. The actions you take will create the life that you live.

With love, Christina