Written by: Hannah Schlueter, MA, LAC
To be empowered means you are feeling strong, confident, and aware of your own power. The importance of feeling empowered lies in its ability to help you achieve your goals, find your voice, and live authentically. Self-empowerment is the process of developing skills to cope with outside pressures and insecurities. It gives you the ability to use your personal power rather than depending on other forms of validation or reassurance. While there are a bunch of different ways to increase feelings of empowerment, it can be hard to find a place to start. You are not alone in this feeling! Here are three ways you can act on your journey of self-empowerment today.
- Apply Your Strengths. Make a list of things you think you are good at or things you like about yourself. Tapping into the skills and characteristics you already have is a fantastic way to feel more empowered as you can apply these to the current issue or challenge you are facing (or will face in the future). It can be empowering to learn new skills, but it is not a requirement. Utilizing what you already have is just as effective!
- Get Creative. Creativity is a massive part of the foundation of self-empowerment because it helps you connect with who you really are. From the things you like to do to the clothes you pick out for yourself each morning; self-expression comes in many forms. It may take some time to find what is right for you, so make sure to explore all your options when looking for the ways that you feel represent you best.
- Empower Others. Did you know the saying “we rise by lifting others” has some truth to it? That’s correct, empowering others is a sure-fire way to feel more empowered yourself. Whether it be a random act of kindness or simply complimenting a classmate, it feels good to make others feel good! When you are able to give someone else a boost of confidence or some genuine encouragement, pay attention to how empowered you feel by giving that feeling to others.
Self-empowerment is made up of some personal exploration and a whole lot of practice. Learning what makes you feel empowered will have immense benefits for your mental health. It enhances the level of awareness you have about yourself and can be a great skill to rely on when facing new things and tackling challenging situations. Start with what feels right for you, and go from there!
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Hannah Schlueter is a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) who provides therapeutic services at Evolve Counseling. Hannah specializes in working with teens and enjoys helping them navigate anxiety, depression, identity struggles, self-esteem, and relationships. Hannah has a passion for helping teens overcome their challenges and empower them to grow and improve their overall well-being.