"You must do that which you think you cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt
SEPTEMBER 2024
Self-Empowerment
Self-empowerment helps you navigate your career with confidence, clarity, and conviction. And the good news: Self-empowerment is a muscle that can be trained - but on the flipside also needs effort to be maintained.
​
If you’ve been off on holiday, out on maternity leave, recovering from an illness, out of work for a while, gone back to study and are now looking to get back into the full corporate swing - you’ll know what I mean. Chances are you’re not feeling as confident as before, and perhaps due to a diminished level of confidence there is a bit of a feeling of inertia. Perhaps excuses. Perhaps pessimism or cynicism. Exactly: All not great things. So let’s tackle this together.
Once you fully accept that the only person in your life who is in charge of your success is you; life doesn’t get necessarily easier - but it gets simpler. Because in every scenario, in every equation you can ask yourself: “Have I done my best to xyz?” Or you can say “What is in my power to influence this situation?”.
Your mindset and attitude is a choice you make is the first step to realise your full potential.
​
“ Fate is the hand of cards we’ve been dealt.
Choice is how we play the hand.”
​
While there is a simple truth that it all starts with you - we know strengthening the self-empowerment muscle - and maintaining it - is not easy. If you want a more continuous level of confidence and clarity, self-empowerment is the first step to take..
What is Self-Empowerment
Self-empowerment means making a conscious decision to take charge of your destiny. It involves making positive choices, taking action to advance, and being confident in your ability to make and execute decisions. Yes, that’s “making a plan and going for it”. Self-empowered people understand their unique strengths and how to double down on them. And they are acutely aware of their weaknesses and are either motivated to learn and improve, or outsource them with confidence.
​
“Do you know your top 4 strengths?”
​
​
Lift Yourself and Shatter Your Own Glass Ceiling with a Bang!
​
Many women hide behind excuses. And sadly as long as there are excuses it is very difficult to drive change. To take 100% ownership and accountability for actions, inactions, opportunities created or seized.
While the list of excuses is long and if we’re honest we all have some, let me ask you two questions:
-
What is that you really really want professionally?
-
What is stopping you from achieving it?
If any of these sentences come up in your head: “My firm has no flexible work policy.” “I don’t have the right experience to apply for the role one level up.” “They will never give me the stretch assignment, because I am 5 months pregnant.” etc - call me for a candid chat.
​
Yes, being a woman is not easy. We constantly juggle a gazillion of different things. But guess what: You have a mouth and you can say “No”. Simple.
Rule of Life & Work #1: Know what you really really want. (If you don’t know what you want to achieve professionally in your wildest dreams, book a coaching session with me or anyone else. Figuring out what matters to you takes time and won’t be done in one session..so be patient with yourself but take action to develop your understanding and knowledge of yourself.) If you don’t know the direction of travel you will never be able to be in the driver’s seat of your life. The journey might still be nice. If you are lucky you might also end up being successful in the conventional sense, but perhaps that success doesn't make YOU happy. If you want to be more deliberate and lead an authentic life - there is simply no shortcut to knowing what you want and doing the hard work to get there. Having said that, there might be one shortcut:
Say “yes” to things that matter to you, that excites, delights, or scares you.
Outsource everything else.
​
Remember, you wouldn't be part of The Female Forum if you didn't believe that you can take charge of your life, make impactful decisions, and create the success you deserve. Self-empowerment is about owning your power—knowing that your voice, actions, and choices matter. And crucially, that you have the power!
​
For professional women like you, self-empowerment is particularly crucial. It enables you to break through barriers, challenge the status quo, and advocate boldly for career opportunities and stretch assignments for yourself and others.
​
When you are empowered, you are better equipped to lead, innovate, and attract career opportunities. And you become a better role model for others.
​
Self-Empowerment is the cornerstone of business success. Erase all limiting thoughts and remember:
​
You have a voice! Use it to ask for what you really really want. That stretch assignment, that pay rise, a new opportunity!
​
You are capable! Drive YOUR action. Get your hands onto a project that's of strategic importance. Be(come) visible!
You have a choice! Life is about trade-offs; no situation is perfect. Choose your battles wisely, avoid wasting energy on things you cannot change, and, above all, stay true to yourself. Make the right choices for YOU.
​
Here are the Top Tips to Achieve Self-Empowerment
Develop a Positive Attitude
Focus on your strengths, pursue your passions, trust your abilities.
​
Set Reasonable Goals
Set, measure and track goals that matter to YOU.
​
Surround Yourself with Positive People
Laughter is contagious and so is pessimism. Find your tribe of like-minded people who are thriving for personal and professional growth.
​
Practice Self-Care
There will be days you’ll fall off the saddle. Dust yourself off, rearrange your crown and get back into the game. Find ways to re-energise you and help you stay on track (for me it’s an afternoon nap)
Use Positive Self-Talk
Be acutely aware of how you speak to yourself. How kind are you? Are you speaking to yourself (yet) as the wise mentor you always wanted to have? Reward yourself and celebrate milestones. Pick a mantra that inspires you. Have a happy song ready. Remember life is all about growing. You are not failing…your are learning.
Be Assertive
Assertiveness is about being comfortable expressing your thoughts, ideas, and needs. Sometimes it is better to address something head-on in a kind and gracefullyBOLD way.
Create an Action List
Lists, lists, lists. Empowered people take action, exhibit a growth mindset, and are comfortable learning and developing their abilities. Success does not come overnight, nor does come a certain level of fitness, an ability to speed read, or knowing how to make the best carrot cake. Success is a culmination of decisions and actions. Write the lists of actions that you want to accomplish and then go for it. Work towards it every single day. (And by the way: it is totally okay to have ‘only’ one goal in your action list. This is your life. This is your list. You decide what gets added.)