Seven steps to becoming a more empowered woman

(Uplift | Azriel ReShel)  We live in extraordinary times. In a very short space, the global women’s march, the #metoo movement, and #timesup, have captured the imagination of women across the world. There is a buzzing excitement that finally real change is coming.

Become a more empowered woman

We have lit the spark of truth and are feeding the fire of freedom. Women and men are burning away the shackles holding us victim in a world that has valued commodities over people, and men over women.

There’s a realisation that if women are to become leaders, we must stand together. To chart a new way forward, the task now is for women to discover their inner power, unite our hearts and minds, and to transform the world. It is the dawn of a new world, where women can become warriors and take up greater positions of power in society.

The power of sisterhood

Through the years, women have been broken and discarded. We have had our voices silenced, bodies ravaged, power muzzled, and innocence taken. There are centuries of pain held in the bodies of women; we carry the trauma, fear, and grief of our ancestors. But now, there is a real chance for us to take back our power, speak our truth, and change the world.

We can heal the centuries of pain by connecting with others, sharing, crying, and letting go, so we can move forward with forgiveness and freedom. When we open up to others, hear their stories, and offer our presence, that is when the tender embrace of transformation comes. Together, we release the trauma, abuse, neglect, and unfairness, and start to rediscover who we are. Not only can we release our pain when we get support, but we also discover our wisdom, our strength, and our gifts. We learn how to reclaim what was lost. True sisterhood, forged in love, generosity, kindness, and compassion, helps us activate our inner warrior. It is the restorative balm for a broken heart, the solace that heals all wounds.

Centuries of abuse have kept women captive and silent. Too often the struggle has become internalised. Now it’s time to reconcile with the past. We can heal and transform ourselves, and this seven-step process can be a starting point.

1. Reconnect with yourself

You will need to commit to a radical acceptance of who you are, the life you’ve lived, the woman you are, the experiences you’ve had, your gifts, and your shortcomings. It’s time to accept all of you. You are who you are, your body is what it is, your life is what it is, you cannot change any of this. Instead of fighting it, it is time to accept it all. Completely. See the truth of what has happened in your life, without minimising it, sweeping it under the carpet, or focussing on the worse things that have happened to others. Acknowledging the pain and the difficulties you’ve experienced will help you come to a place of quiet acceptance. Not resignation, but the acceptance that connects you to your most authentic self.

2. Dig out your courage and connect with others

Doing the inner work to reclaim yourself, to heal your wounds and your past, takes tremendous guts. The only way through is to embrace your vulnerability and get support. Sharing your heart and soul with another is the most deeply healing and beautiful experience. There is such strength in having a support network and a cheering squad that has your back. When we are alone, our pain, loneliness, disconnection, and victimhood, shackles us. Together we are invincible.

3. Embrace anger

Anger is a potent force. When fully expressed with wisdom, it can be channelled into incredible power. Anger is a messenger, it communicates that something is out of balance, and is wrong in our world. It demands action, recalibration, re-alignment, and putting right what is amiss. Women have disowned anger for so long, it’s become tainted with shame, guilt, powerlessness, and fear.

Bullied and abused for our anger, or cast out as unfeminine, we have become frozen in powerlessness; unable to harness our anger for change. It’s time to move forward, to use the creative power of anger positively. To do this, we need to firstly release the rage most of us are sitting on. Holding onto anger about the past keeps us chained to it, and in a state of victimhood. Letting go of anger and rage doesn’t mean what happened is now forgotten, it means we stop being imprisoned by these situations. First, we need to get in touch with our suppressed anger, go beyond the numbness, and then release the emotions and the energy held in our bodies. When the charge of anger is released, we become responsive instead of reactive. We are able to see the bigger picture and the next steps.

4. Awaken compassion

Once the dammed-up emotion is released, forgiveness and compassion for our self and the situation naturally arises. It’s vital not to try and force this. If we fully release our anger, we will release the shame, judgements, and self-criticism. Too often, as women, we blame ourselves for our situations. This is so harmful, as more often than not you had no choice, due to your upbringing, society, and to being a second-class citizen in a patriarchal world. Self-blame is deeply toxic, it cripples your self-esteem and ability to be empowered and happy.

5. Move from victim to warrior

The key to shifting your perspective from that of a victim to an empowered woman, is to realise that you have choices. Even when it seems like you don’t, you have a choice. You always have the power to choose how you respond in any situation and how you will show up. This is where your true character and power resides. The more you believe you have a choice, and you exercise that choice, the more powerful and in control of your life you will feel, and pretty soon, you will discover the clarity and strength of being empowered.

6. Find your voice

Your painful experiences have gifted you with qualities like wisdom, compassion, sensitivity, resilience, and understanding. You never know who needs to hear your story, and who will be inspired by your pathway. Your voice is needed in the world right now.

7. Make an impact

When we release rage and anger, we are able to connect to our passion. This can lead to a new purpose in life, and so often out of the deepest trauma, the most incredible, fresh vision, creative ideas, and new directions in life, can occur.

As we rise in power, heal our broken minds, hearts, and bodies, and reclaim our magic, we are healing men too. It’s our mission to inspire, innovate, teach, and help every woman become a leader: A shining light in her family, her community, and her workplace. A pillar of strength, wisdom, compassion, and power.

Source: Uplift

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