Empowerment is an interesting word that people use but don’t always understand how to make it work for them. That’s especially true when they really need a dose of it themselves. If you are facing any of these issues, perhaps learning how to step into your power would help: living in an abusive setting (emotional/physical); suffering from a chronic illness; feeling situationally depressed; not reaching your full potential on the job or in school; experiencing one of more unsuccessful relationships. The list is endless but, in all cases, there are just a few steps that could help you gain a new perspective and perhaps truly change your life.
Sidebar on me: I’ve recovered from six different chronic and life-threatening conditions in my life including leukemia twice – all without conventional medicine or pharmaceuticals. I’ve owned my own successful business and reinvented myself three times. I just turned 77, look 62 and have the energy of a 50-year-old. I’ve survived many hardships including the loss of my only child, three-years ago. I’ve also just finished my third book. In all cases, I changed negatives into positives. I’m resilient because I’m empowered. So, let me share a few hints on how stepping into one’s power works; it’s not that complicated.
First: take personal responsibility for your situation. Believe me, you contributed to it and if you can believe you were a part of creating this mess, then you have to believe you can also make it right again. If you constantly blame others for the state of your life, you’ll stay stuck. So, ask yourself a few questions about what you might have done that wasn’t particularly smart like making bad choices that put you in a lousy relationship or left you with bad health; thinking so little of yourself that others began to see you the same way; or creating such a boring life that you didn’t really live! Was the latter a fear of failure – or a fear of success. Ask yourself questions then begin to accept responsibility. Next, open your heart and mind to doing things differently. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, absolutely won’t work.
Second: make a plan but not a specific plan. Simply have a vision. “See” where you want to end up long term, believe it can happen and then, with gratitude, trust the process of life to take you there. Don’t expect a straight line but rather the path will zig and zag. That’s the fun of any journey – experiencing the unexpected! Hold on to the vision and have faith, moving ahead one step at a time. But always keep moving. Don’t be rigid about the tactics you employ or the timeline, be flexible and you’ll feel less frustrated and disappointed. The key is to enjoy life and enjoy the ride.
Third: Drop fear. Fear-based emotions can make a person paralyzed. Shift your perspective and move ahead without fear. Sitting on a couch wishing things were better never works. Action is better than no action at all. Even mistakes are alright since you’ll learn from those. The key to success in anything is simply to get started. Take the advice of Nike when they say: Just do it.
But you can’t release fear if you don’t know what it looks like. Here are a few examples of fear-based behavior: believing things are unfair or not as easy as they should be; feeling hopelessness, having insecurity and self-doubt, being hostile, holding resentments, worrying, feeling anxious or feeling embarrassed. Fear of the unknown, competitiveness, frustration, bitterness, having a lack of confidence and so many more are part of the mix. Any fear-based emotion is counter-productive and will hold you back – instead of fear, try love.
Love-based emotions like these will fuel progress: practice gratitude – it will open doors for more to come; an open-heart and loving attitude will attract more people who will like you - because you like them; having compassion, trusting, respecting, making connections, being cooperative and less judgmental. With these emotions you will become more happy, more certain, enhance the feeling of belonging, and open yourself to wonder. Practice those emotions and don’t forget having a sense of humor!
People who are empowered are fearless, they take chances, take risks, make decisions, and step out of the shadows. They reach out their hand to others and somehow find their power by helping others find theirs. There is no age limit to changing your life for the better. Open your eyes to the possibilities and begin to live. Everybody loves a winner and wants to be around them – if you truly see yourself that way, others will too. The final benefits, being active and alive are sexy traits, at any age!
Yes, becoming empowered will bring more rewards than you can imagine since you’ll also age youthfully and find a peace you never thought possible.