Empowerment may not mean what you think it means. For example, you’re mistaken if you think it means having power over others. What it means is to feel confident and assured of who you are and what you contribute to the world around you.
Consider this. How do you respond to problems in your life? Do you see yourself as a victim or as a victor? If you see yourself as a victim, you will always feel controlled by life’s events. If you see yourself as a victor, a winner, then you see yourself as having reasonable control of your life.
The secret to living an empowered life is to have power over your actions and to exercise restraint over your mind and its destructive habits. To be empowered is to not be at the mercy of your choices and actions, your thoughts and feelings, but to be in control of them.
Make decisions, not out of societal pressure or coercion, but because your decisions align with your values and desires.
These elements are necessary for living an empowered life:
Check your spiritual life. Oftentimes, we feel defeated because our spiritual life goes lacking. Assess (or reassess) the time you spend in prayer and meditation, seeking a deeper relationship with God.
Set and accomplish a challenging task. Set a realistic but ambitious goal. Make a plan. Follow through with the plan. Succeed. Repeat. You can start small. Clear out the clutter in your house; finish a book you've been struggling to get through for months; and work hard at your job, or reconcile your finances.
Take control of your health and consciously decide to get fit. Looking great inspires confidence. Don’t be afraid to start small. Minor changes lead to significant results. Eat healthy food, keep physically active, and quit any destructive habits. Add a pop of color or a touch of lipstick, if you want to:
Become financially independent. When you’re too preoccupied with worry over your financial situation, you can never feel empowered about anything. You’re in a constant state of instability.
Help others. Developing meaningful relationships with others is also empowering. You will feel empowered when you feel worthwhile, like you are contributing to someone else’s happiness. There are many ways to do this.
Seek out help for yourself. When you are uncertain and feel that you lack empowerment in your own life, seek out the help of those you trust who can encourage and support you
Remain grateful for how far you've come. Appreciate yourself for who you are. Realize that we all have parts of our lives that need additional work, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve love. When you appreciate and respect yourself, change comes, and confidence follows.
Avoid waiting for others to acknowledge and validate you. Look back at the changes you’ve made in your life and all your progress. Draw lessons from your experiences. Taking control of your life has a significant impact on you.
Once you start on that empowerment journey, it will only get easier for you to keep setting and reaching your goals.
If you need help on your journey to empowerment, let’s have a chat. Perhaps I can help you move forward to where you want to be. Schedule a time for a complimentary, confidential 30-minute virtual chat.
Carletha Ward, PCLC
Legacy Life Coaching & Consulting, LLC
P. S. Need help trying to figure out the direction you should take with your career or your life? Schedule a complimentary, confidential 30-minute virtual chat. What do you have to lose?