Empowerment doesn’t come from wishing your circumstances will change, or that someone else will miraculously see things your way. As long as it’s easier to be disempowered, and it’s comfortable being in that space, empowerment will only be an idea that you might entertain from time to time. So if you’re really seeking empowerment, where do you start?
Start by taking responsibility for yourself. YOU are responsible for your life, your choices, your responses, your thoughts, your feelings. When you shift from a victim mindset to an empowered (hero) mindset, you KNOW that you are in control and that you have options.
Always be honest with yourself. It’s easy to sit in our bubble of denial where we don’t have to take responsibility for anything, we can play safe, stay small, stay hidden. We can lie to ourselves that we’ll get our life together when we have all our ducks in a row, or when the conditions are right, or when xxx happens. Be honest with yourself – see where you are and where you want to be. Be honest with yourself about what you WILL do and what you won’t do.
Stop wishing, waiting and hoping for things to change. Instead, MAKE things happen for yourself. Keep promises you made to yourself. Every promise to yourself that you keep is a deposit into your empowerment bank.
Empowerment comes when you don’t wait to figure out what’s wrong with you or to feel more confident before you live your life. You live life fully while figuring yourself out. Live consciously aware of how you’re growing and changing, how you’re getting better. What you’re willing to do today is what you’ll be willing to do tomorrow.
Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Be kind to yourself when you make a mistake. It’s ok to make mistakes as long as we learn from them. Learn, improve and move on.
Empowerment comes when you don’t feel a need to control or manipulate others or to be controlled or manipulated. No one has to change for you to live your life, and no one has to rescue you. You recognise that you are responsible for yourself, and you have EVERYTHING you need to take care of yourself. Recognising this in yourself, you also allow others to be themselves.
The most important element in becoming empowered is giving yourself permission to be you. You deserve to be authentically you, and the world deserves to know the authentic, empowered you.
