When we think of power, it is usually associated with having power over someone or something. What I want to talk about is Empowerment- the powerful feeling of strength and stability WITHIN yourself that lets you feel calm and in charge of your life. This kind of power is based on the idea of holding your own values and beliefs about yourself, your relationships and what you want to experience in your life. This kind of power is built on a foundation of love, compassion and strength for yourself and others.
In this blog we will explain:
What your personal power really is
Why it is so important for you
How to hold onto it and not give it away
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL POWER? HOW TO BE MORE AWARE OF IT.
The human body is an electro-magnetic unit. It requires energy to function, to think, to move. Thoughts are electrochemical events that produce physiological changes in our bodies. Emotions are the chemical reaction to those thoughts. As we think, emotions can arise that remind you of events or feelings from the past. This can either create a positive association or can remind you of a negative one and you may dismiss the feeling as you shove it down deep because it makes you too uncomfortable.
What does this have to do with personal power? Well, we all change as we learn and grow in this life, we begin to realize that who you are comes from an understanding of what you value and believe in about yourself, others and your environment.
Here is what I mean by understanding values and beliefs
You will learn more about your personal power when you realize:
Part of who we are comes from the way we were raised. We were given certain truths” about what we should believe growing up according to the people who raised us, the schools we attended, our beliefs about our bodies and what we put in them, about relationships, family, boundaries and the list goes on. These may not have always been OUR truths, but the ones of the communities that we grew up in. It takes a village, … right?! As we grow and learn, our experiences shape more of who we are and what we believe, like layers of a cake. The first layer is our family, the 2nd is our community and the 3rd is our life experiences. Sometimes, the flavour or each layer doesn’t always work well together. Overtime, our tastes may change. Just like our tastes, we need to do the work to figure out what we really value and believe in. If we don’t, then the layers of the cake will stay the same and leave a bad taste in our bellies. Literally. And it’s ok to want a different cake. Vanilla is safe but isn’t for everybody.
2. Once you figure out what means a lot to you, then you can begin to assess how those values are or aren’t reflected in how you live your life. For example:
Do you feel anxious when you have to go to work?
Do you feel like you are not being heard in your relationships?
Do certain family members completely drain you of your energy?
Are your choices the right ones for you to achieve your dream life?
If there are areas of your life that cause you to feel anxious, sad, stuck or angry, it may be time to re-evaluate who you really are and what you want out of this life. This is not knocking how you were raised or the people who were there in the process, but more about simply being honest about the person you have become NOW. When it is a certainty that everything else in the world can and will change, why do we resist the changes within us?
WHEN YOU BECOME AWARE OF THE EMOTION that comes up, it is important to let the feeling have its spotlight. There has to be a reason that you are reminded of this feeling or have that association. If you do not understand why you are feeling a certain way, it becomes important to investigate what is really going on.
WHY IS PERSONAL POWER SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?
The energy of our personal power is important to figure out what no longer holds a connection for the person you are right now so that you can move forward on your path. If everything stayed the same, the story of your life would be a yawn. No one would ever want to make a movie out of that! And remember, you are the author of your life.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHOICES - Uggghhh, really?
We all have to take responsibility for the choices we make. It is not an exercise in blaming others for how your life has turned out. YOU made the choice to take the job you hate for the power you thought your paycheque would give you. YOU made the choice to stay in the relationship that was draining you because your family doesn’t believe in divorce and you don’t want to disappoint them. YOU made the choice to shove the guilt of whatever happened in the past inside of you and seek approval and forgiveness from everyone you know. If you allow other people’s energies to decide what is true for you, you will never know your true inner strength and what you can achieve if you put your actual mind into believing in yourself.
Once you have identified what feels right for you in various areas of your life, you will be more able to recognize what jobs, relationships and situations no longer work to achieve your best life. You will be tested and you will have people or situations arise in your day to day life that remind you of past mistakes or choices, but you will feel stronger than ever when you are able to react to those people and situations in a way that protects you and what you care about. Sit with that for a second. Imagine the situation that just popped into your head and you are able to walk away, not walk away mad, just walk away. No drama, no anxiety, no negative energy. Just moving forward to the rest of your life knowing that you just made a great choice for yourself. Isn’t that a great feeling?!
Positive thoughts create positive outcomes.
HOW DO I FIND & HOLD ONTO MY POWER?
I know that I made that all sound so super sweet and it will be - but the hard work begins now. What I am about to list are some strategies to find and hold onto your own power.
Get HONEST with yourself. Sit with those emotions and investigate why certain people or situations make you feel this way. Only you can get to the real source of your emotional and physical suffering.
Once you have identified the emotions, figure out what your Triggers are. Is it being made to feel inferior by your co-worker? Is it when you feel that your spouse doesn’t appreciate how hard you work? Is it when your sibling undermines you and tells you how worthless you are for no reason? Is it when your parents compare your relationship to that of their nephews ‘perfect’ marriage?
Outlook/perspective is key. If you THINK you are going to fail, chances are you are going to fail. The brain is the ‘dumbest’ organ and only works when we tell it what to do. If you tell it that you are going to be poor for the rest of your life, you probably will be because your outlook will guide you to making choices that may not create opportunities for abundance. Shift yourself to a more positive mindset A great technique for this is to write down affirmations on cue cards and stick them up all over your house. Put them on the mirror in the bathroom, the fridge door, the back door and beside your bed on the wall. When you see them, say them out loud. I guarantee that if you do this consistently for at least a month, you will be able to internally repeat them when moments of doubt or self-sabotage come up. Examples could be, “I am worth the effort”, “Everything is always working out for me”, “Money and abundance flow easily in my life”. Having a positive outlook on a daily basis will increase your ability to strengthen your personal power.
Energy work. I am a Reiki Master Practitioner and believe that the energy stored within us can be cultivated, strengthened and managed for our best life. Receiving a Reiki session to align and strengthen your energy centers is a great place to start. Beginning a practice like meditation is a sure fire way to get in touch with your internal power and energetic fields.
Self care and movement. Taking care of yourself by showing yourself love and compassion with positive thoughts and positive gestures like getting a massage. Eating clean food, getting enough rest and exercising are all great ways to let any subtle negative energies out and replenish with nutrients, get some good brain care and physical rejuvenation.
With these power management techniques, you will be able to find the mastery of your own body, thoughts and actions. As you work to be in-tune with your physical, mental, emotional bodies, you will find the calmness and clarity that will allow you to move forward in your life with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation. You will become more able to handle the stressful situations and people you meet without losing any energy or your focus along the way. This is because you will have a more firm understanding of what is important to you, what is a direct result of your choices and what is a projection from other peoples state of mind and energy.
You can become a powerful creator of Energy when you are fully aligned and grounded. Finally, having love and compassion for yourself and your humaness (is that a word? Cause it should be. LOL) goes a long way.We are not perfect! Too often we punish ourselves for making mistakes in our personal and professional lives, when it is a part of the learning process. Becoming empowered doesn’t mean that you will never make a mistake or never get upset, but it will mean that you will be able to recognize the feeling, let it go and bring your power back inside yourself so that you don’t allow that person, argument or mistake to stay attached to your thoughts or energy too long. It is the abilty to bring your attention back to your happiness, your true intentions in your life that let you hold on to your gift of freedom.