The Power of Agency and Why It Matters

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately, and it’s not easy to say but it needs to be said....

Too many people have lost touch with their agency.

Agency is the belief that you can.
That your actions matter.
That your voice can make change.
That your presence makes a difference.
Agency is the root of confidence, the seed of change, the foundation of self-respect.

But when agency is absent, something dangerous takes its place: passivity.

We stop trying.
We stop doing.
We stop showing up for ourselves, for our people, for our country.

And it's because we’ve learned. generation after generation... that even if we do something, it might not work.
It might not make a difference. It might even backfire.
So we do nothing.

And that “nothing” starts to feel normal.

Where Does This Passivity Come From?

It’s not by accident. Our history shaped us this way.

We in the new world come from many people who were colonized, enslaved, and taught.. through violence and systems.. that their lives were not their own to take charge of.

For hundreds of years, we were told what to do, how to act, when to speak.
And even after chains were broken, systems remained.

They are:
Psychological systems.
Social systems.
Economic systems.

All whispering the same lie:

"You are small. Your voice doesn’t matter. You can’t change anything."

That lie sank deep into our bones.

It shows in the ways we give our power over to authority even when they’re not serving us. (D politician dem)
It’s in the way we joke about being “just the little man.”
It’s in the way we complain but take no action.

The tough truth is...

Agency is not something anyone gives you. It’s something you have to build.


And once you do, it will change everything.

So What Is Agency, Really?

Agency is:

• Choosing to do something, even when you’re scared.

• Speaking up, even when you feel small.

• Taking one step forward, even when the road is long.

• Believing that you have the right to create, to build, to lead.
  
  

Without agency, life feels like it’s happening to you.

With agency, you start to live like life is happening through you.

Why Agency Matters Now More Than Ever

We are at a turning point as a people.
The cost of passivity is too high.

Every time we say, “Ah so it go,” we are letting someone else decide our future.

Every time we stay silent, we strengthen the systems that keep us stuck.

Every time we believe we don’t have a choice, we are making one. A passive one. A dangerous one. (Read about the cost of passivity )

Because here’s the thing: not choosing is still a choice.

Gentle Alignment

You don’t have to lead a protest or run for office to build your agency.
It can begin in small ways:

• Buying from a local vendor instead of a foreign brand.

• Reading up on a local policy that affects your community.

• Teaching your child to question, to think, to lead.

• Refusing to sit quietly in the face of injustice.
  

These small acts?
They add up.
And these acts begin to rewrite the story of who we are and what we’re capable of.

Parting Words

If you’ve been feeling hopeless, passive, or numb, know this:

It’s because you were grown in a system that was never built to empower you.

But now, you have a choice.

Will you keep living like you don’t matter?
Or will you start moving like you do?

Ready to Reclaim Your Power?

If you're ready to stop playing small and start leading your own life.
I'm inviting you to take the next step.

📞 Book a free clarity call with me. Let’s talk about what’s keeping you stuck, and how you can start building radical self-trust and agency, from the inside out.

📓 Or start gently with my Self-Trust Journal.