What is empowerment? Where can I find it? According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, empower is defined as “to give official authority or legal power to”, “to enable” and “to promote the self-actualization or influence of’. For this post, we are going to focus on the last definition, specifically in regards to self-empowerment or personal empowerment.
First and foremost, just saying that you are empowered does not mean that are in fact empowered. To be empowered means that your words and your actions align, and that you are projecting this sense of empowerment out into the world. Being empowered means that you understand that you are in control of yourself and everything that entails. Your thoughts, your actions, your choices, your behaviors; these can all reflect a sense of personal empowerment. Within the concept of empowerment, is the idea that only you can make yourself happy, and only you are responsible for maintaining a sense of calmness. However, there is often a misconception that empowerment involves some sort of power over others. It does not, it only means that you have power and are able to utilize that power within yourself. Personal empowerment begins and ends within the self, and realization that you are the only thing you can control in this world.
Now how does one achieve this ‘personal empowerment’? Cattaneo & Chapman (2010) developed 6 simple steps for working towards personal empowerment. For the record, these steps may not occur in this order or at all on your journey towards self-empowerment.
1. Identify a power oriented goal. Find a complaint, and actually discuss and resolve it with the person (other than yourself) that it involves. When you successfully resolve an issue between yourself and another person, you are improving your relationship with both yourself and the friend/partner/coworker that was involved. (key word here is successfully)
2. Knowledge. Learn how to “complain effectively”. Read books, gather articles, and develop communication skills so that you can properly express your concerns.
3. Self-Efficacy. Being able to communicate your thoughts, including complaints, is overall a helpful tool to have. If you cannot advocate for yourself and for your needs, how are those needs ever going to be met?
4. Competence. Basically this just means that in order to improve at something, and gain competence in that area, you must practice. Practice your communication and complaining skills.
5. Action. Self-empowerment is not just something that occurs internally, it is also the ability to enact external changes. You can start by thinking about what to do, but eventually those thoughts will need to be externalized for any change to occur.
6. Impact. Enacting that external change will ultimately influence the world around you.
If you can’t figure it out on your own, there are professionals (like us) to help guide you. You are still strong and valuable if you ask for help.
References:
Cattaneo, L. B. & Chapman, A. R. The Process of Empowerment: A Model for Use in Research and Practice.
American Psychologist. (2010) 65, 646-659.
Formica, M. J. (2015, December 7). Personal Empowerment Is More Than a Feeling. Retrieved from
Winch, G. (2011, January 11). How to Attain Real Personal Empowerment. Retrieved from
