Do you feel empowered in your life?
I do in some ways and not in others. I feel empowered in my work but less so when faced with a bag of chocolate candy I have on hand for trick or treaters this Halloween.
Yup – I am powerless over chocolate! There, I’ve said it. Sigh!
But enough about me and my addiction to chocolate. Let’s get back to empowerment.
My definition of empowerment is the ability to make choices in life that support the goals I have for myself plus the ability to marshal the resources I need (inner and outer) to get them done.
Empowerment is different than Power
Power can come solely from outside factors such as tremendous wealth, social position or career title. But empowerment comes from within.
Anyone can create a program to empower others but such programs only succeed if the individuals affected choose to take advantage of them. And that is why empowerment is an inside-out job.
Your personal empowerment is necessary if you want to live a fulfilling life – one where you realize your own potential.
So I have come up with three keys to empowerment that I want to share with you:
1. Empowerment is a function of choice
The first key is to remember that all empowerment is a function of choice. Choice is the magical gift given to you every minute of every day. What is it that you are choosing? Take a moment and think of the choices you are making in your life and whether or not they support your goals.
If not, then take a step back and mentally say “I choose to ————” Fill in the blank with whatever it is you are thinking about and see how that choice feels in the pit of your stomach. That will tell you whether or not you are fully in alignment with the choices you are making. Empower yourself everyday by being aware of at least three small conscious choices you make.
Most likely you walk around saying “I have to ————-“ (pick up the kids, walk the dog, stay late to get that report finished). You get the idea. Try changing the words “I have to ————–“ to “I choose to—————–“ and feel the difference in energy. Only one of those expressions is empowering.
Choice – the first key and one of the big secrets to getting the life you want. Choose consciously as much as you can and you will become more empowered in every way.
2. Self-knowledge
The second key to empowerment is self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is that ability to know what it is about you that makes you the original, unrepeatable gift that you are to the world.
What is it that you bring to the greater table of our collective community? If you can’t immediately name a few things then it’s time to get to know yourself better. Explore who you are – your strengths, your limitations, your preferences, your creative talents . . . and more.
Start to draw a mental picture of yourself as a true original deserving of a special place in the world. Really knowing the self is incredibly empowering because to stand embodied in your wholeness in the presence of others means you know who you are and know the value of your own being.
3. Self-Love
The third key to empowerment is self-love. Self-love is what gives you permission to be your original self in the world. It is the ability to take all that self-knowledge and accept yourself for where you are in your life right now and know, even with goals still to accomplish and changes you might still want to bring into being, you are whole, complete, lovable, valuable, deserving and magnificent just as you are.
Self-love thrives on accepting imperfection. When you love yourself you radiate out that love to everyone your meet. It is an incredibly powerful, sexy, magnetic, irresistible quality. Love yourself wholly and send your light out into the world.
The keys of choice, self-knowledge and self-love are the essence to living a balanced life and a balanced life is also an empowered life.
Play with each one of these magic keys every day – life is a process of trial and error – so jump in and connect with your own unlimited source of energy.
Choose and choose again!
