Have you ever wondered how it may feel to truly not care what others think of you? Or how it may feel to brush off negative remarks. This is what it means to be empowered!
Empowerment refers to our feelings and the story we tell ourselves about our own lives and the world around us. An EMPOWERED WOMAN lets go of who she thinks she should be and embraces who she really is. To be an EMPOWERED WOMAN means that self-love is always a priority rather than a luxury. We all have aspirations to try to make an impact in the world and make our mark on it; but our ability to do it is determined by our confidence, self-belief, and our resilience.
Keeping scrolling to identify the top 5 characteristics of EMPOWERED WOMAN.
1. AN EMPOWERED WOMAN Is her own best friend
Would you ever criticize your best friend for not getting the job she applied for? And would you make her feel so bad about it that would second guess her self-worth? I am pretty confident you wouldn’t do that. Instead, you would comfort her with a hug and say "it is ok you will try again next time!" So, why do we think it's ok to speak to ourselves with such negative thoughts and fuel our bodies with such toxic energy that we feel worthless when we fail at something?
The rule of thumb for every EMPOWERED WOMAN, is if you wouldn’t say it to your best friend, don’t say it to yourself. The first step towards becoming your own best friend is to realize that you are in control of the internal narrative that is created in your head. You can switch it off and create a new one with a more loving and appreciative tone of voice. This is what psychologists call "self-talk" or "affirmation."
2. AN EMPOWERED WOMAN has a loving relationship with her body
An EMPOWERED WOMAN is loving, grateful, and respectful towards her body because fostering a healthy relationship with her body is instrumental in having a happy and fulfilled life. When we describe our bodies with limiting and negative adjectives we in turn add fear and resentment to our lives; making us less free.
A great way to do this is by changing the vocabulary when talking about our bodies. Instead, of saying “look at my “large legs”.. a better-fitted adjective would be “strong” legs. Be grateful for the body you have and be kind to it! Also, recognize that "ideal body standards" that revolve around social media is a trend and the standards change through time. It's crazy to see how beauty standards have changed throughout history. If you are happy with your body those beauty standards won't have power over you. EMPOWERED WOMAN sets the standards for herself not the other way around!
3. AN EMPOWERED WOMaN Has goals
An EMPOWERED WOMAN has her own desires, needs, and wishes and honors them. She makes time for herself within her busy schedule to do what she wants without feeling guilty.
Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision into reality.
Here are a few key tips to remember when setting goals:
It's important to break down an overall goal into smaller, measurable steps.
Be clear on how to reach your goal, it helps to write down each step.
Schedule each step into your planner so you know when you're going to make it happen. Saying you will do it is not enough. Putting it on your calendar means you intend to do it and it is more likely you will.
You can gain confidence simply by taking action towards your goal even if you don't get the result you were looking for. Keep in mind that success is in the doing and not necessarily the result.
Give yourself credit for taking action even if you need to ask for help or it is a struggle.
Take the credit you deserve. Don't diminish your accomplishment by looking at all you haven't done or all that is left to do.
Continuing to add goals, regardless of how small or large, provides you the opportunity to update the way you see yourself and grow confidence.
4. An EMPOWERED WOMAN Has a thirst for learning and likes to acquire new skills.
Do you remember the youthful pleasure of learning for the sake of learning? The older we become the more foreign this notion becomes to us. That is because as we get older there is the fear of being bad at something that we think is worthwhile, and perhaps even more so, being seen to be bad at it. We often find ourselves thinking "what's the point of starting something new when you know you'll never be very good at it?"
However, studies show that learning something new is considered to be a special ingredient in building confidence. Once you get past the early stage of self-doubt and stick to it, your self-esteem will blossom as a result! You will surprise yourself with what you're capable of and you will be proud of what you have accomplished! Vanessa King, a positive psychology expert at Action for Happiness tells Psychologies magazine. “As human beings, we have a natural desire to learn and progress.” The journey of learning makes you move forward and progress regardless of the outcome.
An EMPOWERED WOMAN Practices self-care and loves herself
Self-care is and looks different for everyone. Self-care is care that is provided “for you, by you.” It’s about listening to your own unique needs and taking the decision to meet them. For me, self-care requires unwinding and taking a long walk with my dog in the park, which gives me the opportunity to reflect on my day/week. I definitely feel rejuvenated after a workout. Therefore, I try to work out daily, especially on those days when I feel rather down because it really clears my thoughts and I immediately feel like I did something good for myself.
Self-care isn’t always fun, but it is always worth it. I try to see self-care as an opportunity to pull up a corner of the rug I have been brushing all my problems under. For just 5 minutes a day, we can gently lean into what is causing us distress and learn to soothe our pain by talking to ourselves with the same love, kindness, compassion, and positive attitude we do towards everyone else. What we resist persists, but with the right self-care we can process and manage our discomfort in a healthy and proactive way and this is an incredibly empowering feeling.
I'll finish off this blog post with a powerful excerpt from Self-Care For The Real World by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips. "What was the last thing you said to yourself about yourself? "I can’t do that because I’ve never done it before?" "I can’t say that because they’ll think I’m stupid?" We are way more careful with what we say to other people than how we talk to ourselves. To ourselves, we can be so damn mean.
These are the 5 top characteristics that I believe make an EMPOWERED WOMAN. Life is too short and too valuable to allow our insecurities to get in the way of reaching our true potential. It is important to remember that confidence is something that you build, not something you have.