It takes a great deal of courage to take control of yourself in a world where power is abused or where you have been abused by power. The abuse of power is designed to create cowards, but every now and then an aberration or anomaly occurs and instead of producing cowardice it spawns courage in the one who has been abused. Nagging wives, overbearing bosses, controlling husbands, overprotective parents, opinionated friends, and anyone trying to control another person may do so because they themselves have been abused by power. However, the greatest freedom from control and the abuse of power comes not in taking power from another person but in giving power to them.
Parents really would like to see their children make wise independent decisions. They really would like to see their children take control and manage their own lives well. The problem is that parents often tend to take control from them, rather than giving it to them. Charitable programs and government assistance may be given with good intentions but often their implementation makes the recipient more controlled, and less able to become independent and self-managed.
If we can be abused by power, even with good intentions, it is even more imperative that we find ways to set ourselves, and the rest of captive humanity, free to become the boss over our own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Our wise use of power will then enable us to use our resources, talents, and money for the shared benefit of our world. The more I discipline myself, the more I discover that managing myself means releasing control of others. The more control I release, the more control over myself and my life I gain.