5 ways to develop self-empowerment

Do you ever feel unmotivated and not capable of achieving anything? Here is your chance to learn more about self-empowerment. If you want to put yourself forward and work towards your goals, you first need to set meaningful ones and take action to achieve them.

Would you like to understand what self-empowerment means? It's core meaning is “being powerful;” taking control of your life. Self-empowerment is the key to achieving your goals. It requires you to be truthful with yourself and work on yourself in order to achieve your maximum potential. It is related to your self-esteem and to your personal development.

Here is how you can master the self-empowerment game:

1. Increase your self-awareness

As previously mentioned, self-empowerment is related to your self-esteem, which can be increased by working on knowing yourself better. This means identifying your strengths and weaknesses and learning how you can capitalize on them. Start working your locus of control, which means to work on your beliefs around the control of your life. Locus of control is the power you have over your life rather than other external factors having control over you.

2. Identify your goals

You know who you truly are, and now it is time to set your goals. A great model for setting goals is the S.M.A.R.T. framework: setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals. This will bring you more clarity to design your action plan, which is highly needed to succeed, because change without action is not possible.

3. Grow your competences and skills

By knowing your current strengths and weaknesses, you will be able to find the competences and skills you need to grow in order to achieve your goals. By being specific regarding the skills you need to work on, you will find the right opportunities to build them - by practical work, attending workshops or seminars or even learning from someone in your environment.

4. Flourish your natural talents

Each person on this earth has a natural tendency, an area where he/she excels, and this tendency - when it is worked on - becomes a talent. Do not limit your thoughts of natural tendency; e.g., your creativity, organizing-skills, artistic soul or entrepreneurial mind, etc. - look deeper in yourself and you will clearly see it. Start working on developing it to become your talent. Using your strengths to develop yourself will definitely make you feel empowered.

5. Focus on your own race

Many times, people feel discouraged because they tend to focus more on those around them rather than on themselves. Forget about your surroundings - look at your journey and your goals. You will not be empowered by looking at how other people perform, because you will never concentrate on you and the progress you are making, the goals that you are achieving and the obstacles you are overcoming. Self-empowerment is not about competition - it is about achieving your own goals. Focus on your inner self to overcome your obstacles and set your milestones. Only by putting the attention on yourself will you live a truthful life.

These are 5 ways to develop your self-empowerment, but, without action, you will not get where you want.

Here are 3 main practices to work more on your self-empowerment.

1. Practice morning affirmations

By setting the pace for each day, you will start shifting your mindset to become more positive. Affirmations should be in the present tense, starting with “I am..” Then, set the actionable and realistic goal(s) you want to achieve and repeat daily. Or, you can follow a guided affirmation practice (for this, we suggest this one).

2. Start journaling

By writing down your thoughts and goals for the day, and how you implemented them, you will be able to review your entries and your efforts throughout your journey of self-empowerment.

3. Use active and positive language

Use phrases like “I will…”, “I can…”, “I am able…”, “I am capable…”, “I am proud of…”, “I have the power to...” These simple phrases can help you be more action oriented and, at the same time, work on the positivity towards your goals.

Now that you have clarity on what self-empowerment is, you should be able to act toward your goals and shape your success path. Keep in mind that the journey is not one way - you will face challenges and ups and downs. It will be constantly changing, but that’s okay, because life is dynamic and so is the journey of self-empowerment. People who consciously decide to take over their lives are happier, more fulfilled and have clear goals.

Want to learn more about yourself and start your self development journey? Check out this Mindset course!