Self -Empowerment: Deriving the strength to do something through one’s own thoughts and based on the belief that one knows what is best for oneself. Simply put, taking charge of you own life.

With all the external influences we are exposed to on a daily basis it is no wonder we lose our own identities. The constant barrage of diet and exercise commercials, infomercials promoting the power of beauty, the relentless reminders we encounter at every turn, every pop-up on our computer, phones or whatever device we are using at the moment keeps reiterating what society wants us to be, trying to dictate who we are, what is acceptable, what is not, how we should look, what we should wear, what we should weigh. The constant competition to get into the best schools, drive the right cars, socialize with the right people. The standards are nearly impossible for most of us to achieve.

We are influenced, both consciously and subconsciously, by outside forces that many of us have forgotten who we really are. We are individuals. Beautiful, unique, flawed human beings.

I think it’s time for all of us to become self-empowered. Take charge of your thoughts, actions and reactions to your surroundings.

Let’s start by taking an honest look at our lives; at work with your colleagues, in your home, with your family, friends and neighbors. Who makes the decisions regarding your happiness and your health and wellness? The question is, are you truly caring for yourself or are you solely doing things to please other people? Do you make choices that negatively affect you in order to please other people? For example; would you skip your Yoga class after work so you could have cocktails with your co-workers, hoping to be more accepted into their clique? Would you cancel plans with your girlfriends because that cute guy from the gym asked you out at the last minute? When is the last time you went through an entire day where you were not negatively affected by any outside influences? Do you let the negative attitudes of others affect your positive outlook on life? Just think about it.

It is time to make a commitment to ourselves. Make a heartfelt promise to seek self knowledge, to really know and appreciate ourselves. Know what you are good at, know what you have to offer the world, develop a sense of purpose. In turn it will inspire a new found self confidence that will help lead to that self-empowerment. The more we gain understanding of ourselves the more we can develop and empower ourselves and better manage our lives. The more self-empowered we become the more fulfilling our lives and relationships will be.

We need to become experts on our own lives. This is much easier said than done of course. All of our lives we have been conditioned to believe certain things. For instance; who wasn’t told that a physician knows what is best for your health, that a therapist knows what’s best for you emotionally or mentally, or that your minister, rabbi or priest knows what’s best for you spiritually? We have been conditioned to not question their opinions or authority. On an even more superficial level, many of us blindly accept what we hear and read in the media every day.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these people and influences are undeniable factors in our lives. But who lives in your skin all day; everyday? You do, you are the only person who truly knows yourself, how you feel, what you think, what your dreams and fears are at all times. Our opinions of ourselves matter.

Being aware of the power that we allow these external factors to have on our thoughts and behaviors is the first step in achieving self-empowerment.

Let’s all take a minute, stop what you are doing. Ask yourself how well you know yourself, do you feel self-empowered at this very moment? If not, what can you do today to move in that direction?