Ways to Empower Yourself
As we are making our way through the new year, one goal we should all have should not only be working to empower others, but also ourselves! See below for 10 ways you can empower yourself and start NOW!
1. FIND YOUR PASSION
Whether it’s art, academia, writing, tech, fashion, charity, animals, food, reading, etc find something that you love and care about. It may not happen overnight but vision boards and Pinterest are great tools to help you. When you find something you love you will be more committed and focused to giving your time to it accordingly.
2. DON’T WAIT AROUND…TAKE ACTION
The surefire way to tell the difference between a regular team member and an empowered one is to see how they handle work. Empowered people don’t wait around for someone else to walk them through a challenge, they come up with an action plan to accomplish the task at hand. Own your job!
3. KINDNESS
Be consciously kinder to you. The more you do for you, the better you’ll feel. Each kindness will make you want more. It helps you focus on you and believe that you deserve good. Give yourself a break when you’re tired. Take a bath. Buy the lotion or coffee that costs a few dollars more than the cheap brand. Self-kindness can blossom into self-love from which self-empowerment can grow.
4. TIDY UP
“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” - Benjamin Franklin Steve Jobs began leading Apple in 1997 and then began one of the largest -scale cleanups in history. Within a year, Jobs had cancelled 70 percent of Apple’s products and turned a $1 billion loss into a $700 million profit. What soon followed was a series of ground-breaking and now-ubiquitous products: the iPod, iMac, iPhone, and iPad. You don’t have to re-make a multimillion-dollar company to start making improvements in your professional life. Begin with your office or home work space. Remember, there would be no iPhone without a clear space for its development. So clear out the clutter to make room for new ideas and innovations.
5. SET THE RIGHT KIND OF GOALS
The mother of one of my friends has the mantra: “small successes, not big failures.” While there’s nothing wrong with having big, lofty goals … be sure you’re setting reasonable goals that you can accomplish. Short-term measurements of success can help build your confidence (and empower you) with each achievement. Whereas, if your measure of success is this big, lofty goal you’ve set that may take years to achieve, your confidence won’t grow as quickly. Long term goals stretch out the path to success —build your confidence and empower yourself every day.
6. RAISE UP OTHERS
As Maya Angelou said: “When you know better you do better.” None of us can be successful without the help of others and vice versa. Take time to mentor or be a mentee. Attend speaking engagements or conferences. Be a supportive friend. Showing up can take on many forms, but the key is to be present and have empathy for your sisters.
7. LET GO
Let go of negative people. We absorb other people’s negativity. That’s why it’s good to avoid the negative or toxic ones who bring you down and make you feel like you’re not capable. If you want to keep one in your life, limit time spent with that person. And ask that they not make the negative comments. If they do, leave. Love yourself enough to not allow negative people to hurt you.
8. HAVE A SELF CARE DAY
Even Superwoman can use a spa day. Take one day of the week (or at least a few hours) to binge that Netflix series you’ve been eyeing, catch up on some sleep, take a bath with some tea, or have a spa day with a girlfriend. Feeling rejuvenated and relaxed will make you more productive the rest of the week.
9. TAKE ACTION TO SEIZE OPPORTUNITY
Business owner, investor, and philanthropist Richard Branson is known worldwide for his many successful ventures. His net worth totals over $5 billion dollars. Less known is the story of how his airline, Virgin Airways, came into being. Branson was in his late 20s, waiting for a flight to the Virgin Islands, when he found out that his flight was being cancelled. Not having any other options, he took the initiative, writing “Virgin Airlines $29” on a blackboard and walking around the airport. Using the money to finance it, he chartered a plane then and there and took himself and his happy passengers to their destination. When you encounter a problem, consider a direct solution, even if you haven’t worked out all the details. You may be surprised at what you are capable of.
10. ADOPT A POSITIVE MINDSET
Never underestimate the power of a positive mindset. The mind is a very powerful entity that controls everything within our inner being. Thinking positively through all situations gives women a sense of calm, a peace of mind, happiness, productivity and a full feeling of self-worth. There is nothing a woman cannot do with a positive mindset. Maintaining the daily habit of being aware of what and how the mind is thinking allows women to pick and choose their thoughts by being in control of their mental state. Thinking positively helps women confidently solve problems and face life’s daily challenges with a smile, knowing that everything will work out to their benefit and the benefit of others.