Do you feel empowered?

With everything happening around us—politically, personally, and professionally—feeling empowered is more important than ever.

Why?

When we feel empowered, we make decisions that protect our wellness, uplift our communities, and support our loved ones. We use our personal power with courage.

So today, I want to explore what self-empowerment really looks like because self-empowerment is about living with permission….SELF-Permission.

Self-empowerment also ensures we don’t surrender our lives to fear, expectations, bullies, or outdated beliefs.

So, let’s break self-empowerment down into four essential practices that will help you live an empowered life.

Self-Advocacy: Using Your Voice with Confidence

Self-advocacy is recognizing, communicating, and claiming what you need without guilt, hesitation, or waiting for validation. It’s about courageously owning your voice and trusting your inner-knowing.

⇒ When We Do It Well:

• We command respect in relationships and workplaces.
• We live our values without caving in or conforming to the status quo.
• We set boundaries that prevent burnout and resentment.
• We reinforce our self-worth by treating our voice as valuable.
• We ask for support, resources, assistance, and grace.

⇒ When We Fail to Self-Advocate:

• We feel invisible, unheard, or taken advantage of.
• We let fear of rejection silence us or compromise our integrity.
• We over-extend, over-give, over-promise, and over-serve in ways that deplete us.
• We become resentful, expecting others to read our minds.

I provide examples of self-advocacy in the latest episode of Deciding To Soar: Living Life Your Own Way.

Self-Definition: Choosing Who You Are on Your Own Terms

Self-definition is the ongoing process of deciding who you are based on your truth—not what society, family, traditions, or past conditioning has taught or told you to be.

⇒ When We Define Ourselves Authentically:

• We are aware of our talents, gifts, identities, and values.
• We feel at peace because we are living in alignment.
• We stop shape-shifting or hustling for approval and validation.
• We attract relationships and opportunities that align with our truth, values, and destiny.
• We feel respected.

⇒ When We Let Others Define Us:

• We burn out and become bitter because we are living a lie.
• We feel lost or disconnected from our true selves.
• We live on autopilot and let others make decisions about our careers, faith, politics, or money.
• We feel like fakes, frauds, and failures because we live without integrity.

I provide examples of the latest episode of Deciding To Soar: Living Life Your Own Way.

Self-Determination: Walking in Your Truth, Boldly

Self-determination is the power to act on your self-definition—to control your life, choices, and future.

⇒ When We Live with Self-Determination:

• We feel powerful and in control of our lives. We control the controllable.
• We move with intention, not regret, reaction, or restriction.
• We stop waiting for permission or consensus and start leading our way.
• We feel clear, courageous, and committed to ourselves.

⇒ When We Lack Self-Determination:

• We drift through life, reacting instead of acting.
• We struggle with consistency and follow-through.
• We let external forces dictate our path, pace, people, and perspectives.
• We blame others or our circumstances for not exploring options and moving forward.
• We constantly make up excuses for not taking action.

Self-Sabotage: Self-Empowerment in Reverse

Self-sabotage is self-empowerment in reverse. It occurs when we unconsciously or consciously disrupt our own growth, success, or happiness. It is when we divert energy away from our dreams, destiny, and hopes.  Due to fear, doubt, or limiting beliefs, we acquiesce and give up without trying or without trying long enough.

⇒ When We Overcome Self-Sabotage:

• We reclaim our energy and use it to follow through on our commitments and dreams.
• We don’t run from fear; we embrace it.
• We allow ourselves to receive success, love, and happiness.
• We stop making excuses and start making moves.
• We don’t settle for mediocrity; we step into our greatness.
• We know self-sabotage often disguises itself as procrastination, perfectionism, avoidance, overthinking, fake humility, or negative self-talk.

⇒ When We Stay in Self-Sabotage:

• We stall or remain stuck in toxic places and relationships.
• We create unnecessary obstacles that block our own success.
• We avoid hard work, we lack resilience, and we cancel out our dreams.
• We never know how talented or capable we are.
• We prioritize rationalizing – which means we tell ourselves “rational lies.”

My friend,  self-empowerment is the key to living life on your own terms. And it’s not a one-time thing—it’s a decision you make every day, especially in challenging times.

So, as a reminder:

•  Advocate for yourself, so your needs will NOT be overlooked.
• Define yourself, or others will define you.
• Determine your path so you will not drift or feel coerced into making decisions that don’t support or suit you.
• Recognize sabotage so you won’t hold yourself back from pursuing your dreams or activating your hope.

JOURNAL: How are these self-empowerment practices showing up in your life? How could your life change if you stepped more fully into self-empowerment?

If this message resonated with you, hit reply and share your thoughts with me. I would love to hear from you.

Please also forward this message to someone who needs a reminder of their power.

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Let’s keep rising—together – as we empower ourselves so we can also empower others!

Blessings!

SharRon