What does it mean to be empowered? Do you feel it? Do you live your life wanting to feel it? Empowerment is becoming such a key aspect of my life, so I wanted to share with you a little bit more about it.

What is Empowerment?

Empowerment is, in it’s simplest form, about giving power to something. In basic scenarios this could be from a promotion at work or gaining more responsibilities. However, the context I am looking at it in is in my personal life. What makes me feel strong? What makes me feel in control? That is empowerment to me. It’s about claiming responsibility for myself in my own life, rather than relying on the bigger system.

So why is it important to me?

I don’t want to have to feel that I owe anything to my work, or that I’m trapped in the 9 to 5 system of the world we live in today. I’m sure many of you reading this will be thinking I’m naive to think I won’t be sucked into this way of the world. That I’ll leave university and quickly be forced into a job I hate to pay my way and that’ll be that until I retire. But for me, at 19, I don’t want to think like that. I want to think that anything I want is possible if I just work for it.

Now is the time in my life I can make these decisions; to be irrational, to have no plan. I don’t have a family dependent on me, I just have me. I am going to university to better the opportunities out there for myself. I love learning and can easily become consumed in my subject. For me, that is empowering. Being able to completely submerge myself in Ancient Greek Politics and to not have a care about anything else.

Empowerment to me, is the feeling that I’m in control.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I like having a plan. But there’s something about not knowing what I’m doing in the future that I find exciting. Yes, I’m planning by saving the money I can, but I’m not planning what that end goal will be. I feel empowered knowing the decision is mine to do what I wish when I finish my course in two years time.

Everyone should empower themselves.

Again, some people reading this might be thinking it’s impossible to empower yourself “just like that”. If you’re in a secure 9 to 5 job you might think it’s hard to liberate yourself from this system and to take back control, because yes, as it stands your job owns you.

I’d never quite realised this before until a friend of mine said it to me.

“My job doesn’t own me.” I would say, but could I give myself a pay rise if I think I deserved it? Nope. Could I give myself a weeks holiday without my boss’s permission. Again, no. When I realised this I realised I wanted to change that. And everyone can.

Now I’m not saying go out and quit your job, that isn’t what I’m getting at. What I’m saying is take back the time you do have. Find a hobby you love, or volunteer somewhere you’ve always loved visiting. Empower yourself by being yourself in the time you can.

Everyone has that “work mode” personality so sometimes it’s nice to be able to switch off. When at work you always have to be “on” and that can sometimes be tiring. Empower yourself with some down time and really strive to take back control of that aspect of your life.

The best ways to empower:

Say Yes!

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time or energy? Now’s the time to do it! That sense of achievement will fulfil you in ways you won’t believe!

Try something new!

Like the first point, doing new things is the best way to learn. No one gets excited after hearing something the 1000th time so the same goes with trying new things! Excite yourself and break your barriers! Visit a new place or try a new sport!

Read!

This is a new activity for me, and I don’t mean I was illiterate before! What I mean is read books on personal development or autobiographies/biographies. These are some amazing ways to learn new things and experiences from people that have lived through them!

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