Taking Back Control

Taking back control can mean a plethora of different things depending on who we are, where we were raised and the situation surrounding the control.

At the moment with the fear that grips so many people around the world, there are a lot of people doing their absolute best to take back control in various different areas of their lives.

Whether they are in Afghanistan with the withdrawal of US troops, in Melbourne Australia with the government lockdown, and the police brutality and corruption coming to light, or whether it is the local family in parts of Latin America who are doing their best to provide for their families, the loss of control is heightened like never before.

For those of us who do not engage in fear and are on purpose to be of service to others, we have a responsibility to make sure our vibrational frequency is stronger than ever, not just for ourselves but for others. 

These are unprecedented times, and whether you believe that the events happening around the world are all connected in a game of political distraction and the breakdown of society for even greater control, or everything has simply happened coincidentally, is not really the issue here.

I, for one, do not believe in coincidences, and having studied political and social sciences for over twenty years, and written several books on the subjects of government and police corruption, I can tell you that I am finding this moment in time fascinating.

There has been a shift in power over the last decade since the internet brought us all together from all parts of the world, and one that many have underestimated.

Whilst I was living out in Egypt during the Arab Spring and Uprising, I saw the power of the internet on a whole new level when those who operate in the dark web brought Egypt back online after Hosni Mubarak tried to silence the country with an internet blackout.

The great minds who saw the potential of the internet warned of the dangers and were silenced, considered conspiracy theorists and deemed paranoid.

Great authors like Orsen Welles and Aldous Huxley even wrote about the times we now find ourselves in, and in the bible, these times were described as the rapture.

But what about taking back control on a micro level?

In a simple situation such as experiencing feelings of inadequacy in the presence of someone more intelligent or with more freedom than we have been allowed to have or allowed ourselves to have?

Recently I found myself in a situation here in Colombia where a female hotel owner and a female member of her team felt threatened by me, simply because I challenged their way of thinking simply by being me.

I understand not a lot of women travel the world alone, and nor do many people speak multiple languages.

After nine months of speaking Portuguese, Arabic and English, returning to Spanish has made conversations interesting. All four languages are currently coming out in the same sentence and whereas everyone else I have met has laughed along with me, these two ladies chose to mock me and laugh in my face when I got confused.

It was very unsettling, especially when a misunderstanding occurred over the price per night in the hotel and once the mistake was cleared up and I offered to pay the remaining amount without question, the female owner chose to threaten me with the police if I did not pay and leave.

It was a very strange reaction, one that caused a lot of confusion for me, not to mention fear.

Why would someone threaten to call the police when the guest had agreed to pay what was due and was checking out the next morning, especially given the fact that the hospitality industry is on its knees at the moment?

Having run hotels in the past, and having spent the last four years living in hotels, changing them every 7-10 days, when a situation like this has cropped up due to a misunderstanding due to language, both hotel owners and I have met halfway.

I spent the night tossing and turning.

Were the police about to storm the hotel room at any given moment? Why had this woman reacted in this way? Why had me simply being me, had such an impact on this woman and her female team member?

Over the last few weeks of being in Colombia, and spending the last couple of years in Latin America, not to mention understanding the lack of female empowerment in this part of the world, the answers were clear to me.

I represented freedom. My understanding of languages and business, as well as my ability to be able to pay the difference without question, intimidated them both.

They had to take back their power and confidence, and they had to control me in some way. The threat of calling the police gave them the opportunity of regaining the upper hand they felt they had lost.

Our human instinct to feel in control is powerful. When we feel threatened in any way we seek survival at any and all costs, sometimes behaving in ways that are more destructive in the long run.

This woman relies on reviews for her business. I could not give her a good review having been on the receiving end of intimidation and arrogance. Why would I put others at risk of being treated in the same way?

In my last article, you’ll see I spoke of how powerful and misleading reviews can be.

After this experience, I went horse riding, breathed in the fresh Andean Mountain air and relaxed. Nature has a way of rebalancing you regardless of what has gone on before.

Looking at the way the Tall Palms in the Corcora Valley rose high in the sky reminded me of how to rise above any and all negative situations.

Watching the water weave and flow through obstacles in its path, and the bushes, plants and trees all working in harmony with each other to nourish the soil, the birds and the mammals present in the depths of the forests, gave me the presence and peace of mind I was looking for.

The tension in my body left me, and I sent love and forgiveness to these two women who are simply a product of an environment they have chosen to remain in; because they have chosen it, consciously or subconsciously.

What we do not change, we accept or tolerate. 

We as humans can choose to work together with our differences such as the plant life in the forests, rising tall like the palm trees in this photo when presented with intimidating situations, or we can try and squash each other like weeds smothering the undergrowth.

Either way, the choices we make will always determine our altitude.

Many may think having your head in the clouds is a negative thing, but the oxygen up there is healing, cleansing and gives you clarity like no other.

I invite you to be like the Tall Palms in the Corcora Valley, rising above all that threatens you.

Keeping your head in the clouds may be deemed a place for the dreamers, but combined with taking positive action regardless of what is going on around us, it is a much better place to be than feeling like we have lost control and need to take it back.

Until the next time folks, enjoy the journey!

Dawn

Thought-provoking content is what Dawn is known for, as well as her non-stop travel around the world by sailboat and her trademark giggle. To learn more about Dawn, visit www.geni.us/dawnbates.

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