Empowerment. The most daunting word of the decade. A strong word that has hundreds of meanings, something different and more personal with every person you ask. I find myself constantly thinking, what even IS empowerment?

Is it Music Video Cliche- Choreographed dance moves in heels while a singer talks about being an empowered woman… Or perhaps the young lady who spent all summer revising so she could feel the sweet relief of passing exams with flying colors. Or maybe it’s the new Mum who is discovering a whole new world of love and excitement while feeling confused and scared at the same time?

So, if Empowerment is such a different thing to each person, how can we, in a world full of judgement, feel truly empowered? – I shall tell you how.

You don’t have to go too far to find the answer, it’s within you. Empowerment is when you find the courage to keep going. It’s when you make a choice that no one wants you to make, but you truly understood yourself to know that the choice you are making is the best one. Empowerment is as small as wearing a new lipstick shade that you wouldn’t usually wear, to becoming the CEO of your dream company. It’s knowing what you want, when you want it and how you want it.

Empowerment is saying No even when you’re scared. It’s knowing your limits and your value.

Don’t compare your empowerment, own it. Nurture it, grow it and love it. The whole single purpose of self empowerment is that this was all you. It’s your choice, your call to make and you made it. You allowed yourself the empowerment, you trusted in your own decisions and you become the boss. That’s empowerment.

Now that the deep stuff is out of the way, I wanted to share with you a little list of my personal empowering movements that allow me to center myself and regain control.

-Allowing myself time off. Running a bath and ignoring the work I can easily do tomorrow, I want to relax.

-Letting myself eat cake for breakfast with out an inch of guilt, my worth isn’t controlled by social standards of how a young woman should live. The healthy eating can wait

-Saying No to the catch-up with that one ‘friend’ who prefers to belittle me as she hides behind the “I’m only joking, lighten up!” Facade.

– Empowerment is wearing a full face of makeup just because I feel like it. Not because I’m impressing someone, not because I’m insecure but solely because I felt creative.

– Empowerment is trying a tad harder at work for no one’s approval but my own. To accomplish my goals. To reach them.

To feel empowered you truly have to dig deep and not compare. Your Empowerment could mean nothing to someone but the world to you and guess what- that’s valid. If it serves its purpose of helping you feel more empowered then well done!