4 Key Areas Where Women Can Claim Their Power
Hello dear friends,
Every single day is a cause for celebration of the Feminine, of sisterhood, and of women* everywhere. But on International Women’s Day, we’re called to band together even stronger, and find new ways to empower and uplift one another for the year to come.
* Throughout this piece, I use the terms “she,” “her,” “women,” and “sister” but these are not exclusive to cis female-bodied people. If you identify as a woman, this post is for you.
As a coach that works with women all over the world, helping them reconnect with their own inner divinity and healing capabilities, this day is a special one to me. I would not be here today if not for the resilient, kind, powerful women around me, and I am so grateful for my sisterhood!
Many people like to throw around the word “empowerment” when speaking about women, but we’re often left wondering what the heck it means to be an empowered woman, exactly? Is it about owning your choices and being comfortable in your own skin? Is it about being in sync with the Universe, and letting your unique light shine every single day? Or is it about investing in your own self-care and healing practices, so you can feel as nourished and clear-headed as possible?
In reality, it looks a little bit different to each of us, but the end result is the same. Perhaps you know someone who is fully present and fully empowered in her life. What kind of energy does she give off? True, authentic, soul-driven empowerment is luminous. It sparkles and invigorates. It soothes and inspires. It glows, it flows, and it shifts the energy of everything around it. And it is that quality of being that so many women are struggling to find. We want it, but end up getting lost trying to find it.
Our modern culture tries to tell us that empowerment means buying certain designer products or working certain high-profile jobs. Our society preys on our fears and insecurities by selling us things we don’t need, telling us to settle for mediocre relationships, and shooing us onto the treadmill of overwork and burnout. Since you’re here, reading this right now, you’ve probably already guessed that these things don’t lead to true empowerment, and you’re ready to dig deeper. You’ve tried the weight loss tricks, dressing for your body type, and asking your boss for a raise. And you still don’t see that glow when you look in the mirror each morning.
Despite what you may have heard, there is no one magic bullet to empower yourself, and no amount of catchy slogans is gonna do the job. True empowerment is a foundation, and a strong foundation must be balanced, level, and secure. Building this foundation is not an overnight job, and it’s not something that you should attempt to tackle on your own, either! We women are wired for tribe, and we can accomplish so much more when we work together. Finding a sisterhood to belong to, online and/or in person, is a key step in empowering yourself.
If you truly want to live an empowered life, it’s important to address a variety of areas where we, especially as women, tend to falter. There are many aspects of your being, and they are all deserving of your attention and energy! Pay attention to these four areas, and make some of the changes suggested, and you’ll be well on your way.
1. Physical
Our relationships with our bodies are fraught with complicated feelings. Our physical health is one of the main areas that we sabotage ourselves, and block our way to true strength and vitality. While this is a pretty hard area for most of us to change, it’s crucial that we move towards a place of loving-kindness with our bodies, and use food and movement as nourishment for these beautiful starships we have been given for our time here on Earth.
So, what does a physically empowered woman look like?
She makes no apologies for her appearance or her perceived “flaws”
She sees each meal as an opportunity to lavish her body with nutrients and positive energy
She gets pleasure from moving her body in ways that feel good and help her feel grounded
She prioritizes rest and recovery time, and doesn’t push through pain as a form of punishment, or out of obligation
She wears the clothing that makes her feel happy, regardless of the opinions of others
She makes sure to stay hydrated, get adequate sleep, and take care of herself with proper hygiene
2. Mental/emotional
So much of our life enjoyment has to do with what happens inside our own heads, and too many women have internal landscapes filled with negativity, shame, and self-doubt. This is the area where lots of us are our own worst enemies, and working with the mental and emotional aspects of our being is of the utmost importance. This is where deep healing can happen, so we can shift into a place of inner peace, with the outward manifestations of compassion, patience, and understanding.
A mentally/emotionally empowered woman has a lot of great qualities:
She sets aside time for reflection and quiet each day
She prioritizes her mental health and gets the help that she needs, whether that’s through medication, talk therapy, or both
She works to heal old wounds and let go of past grievances
She takes responsibility for her own feelings and perceptions of the world, and expresses herself mindfully
She makes an effort to reduce unhealthy interactions and instead, invest in the relationships that help her flourish
3. Spiritual
An empowered woman understands that the Universe/Spirit/Divine is the true Source of her energy, her abundance, and her purpose. When we lose this connection to the bigger picture, we can become listless, stagnant, and shallow. Women have long been the keepers of spiritual wisdom and power, and we now have the opportunity to step into our birthright as mystics, witches, and healers of all stripes.
What does a truly, spiritually empowered woman look like?
She prioritizes her spiritual practices and rituals
She expresses gratitude and aligns herself with the flow of abundance daily
She is humbled by her place among the natural world, and regularly goes outdoors
She invests in her own spiritual growth and development, seeking new sources of community and knowledge in areas that resonate with her
She allows the Divine to lead, and always asks for guidance from her spirit team when making decisions
She never abuses her spiritual gifts, or looks down on those who experience the Divine differently than she does
4. Financial
If you were to poll a group of women today about what things stress them out the most, it’s almost guaranteed that “money” would be on the shortlist. We have such a complicated relationship with money, and too many women use this resource in an irresponsible and unhealthy way. We get stuck in the lack mentality, and end up squandering our resources in areas that do not help us grow.
A financially empowered woman has a few important traits:
She diligently works to reduce her debt and avoids taking on new debt
She manages and sticks to a budget that ensures her personal security
She understands that money is simply concentrated energy, and she takes responsibility for her own thoughts and beliefs around money
She puts some of her money into investments and/or savings, so she can be prepared for life’s surprises
She looks for ways to generate extra income by putting her passions to good use
She tithes or gives to charitable organizations that she believes in
She avoids impulse purchases and always asks herself before buying something: “How will this add value to my life?”
Using these four aspects, we can all build a strong foundation of self-empowerment. You can think of these as the four corners of your amazing dream life, allowing you to stand, fully supported and resilient. We can, of course, also include sexual empowerment too, which I wrote about HERE.
In the end, each of these four pillars of empowerment can be summed up in terms of energy, and I go over many of these exact practices and how to make these shifts in my Energy Mastery Online Course!
Enroll in this self-paced online course today and use the special coupon code WOMENSDAY for 10% off when you pay in full!
Big hugs to all my sisters out there. May we never underestimate the power we have to co-create the life we dream of.
And as always,
~ Take care and be well ~
All of the amazing images used in this blog were taken by Gemma Chua-Tran.