How to Empower Yourself

I've noticed recently there's been a dip in social media usage, and people seem a bit crabbier than usual. I could chalk it up to politics, but there's more culprits than just that. Writing these insightful and reflective posts, alongside some fashion shots, has been one of my favorite things to do.

Figure out what's got you down. Whether it's finances, a relationship, politics, whatever it may be. Whatever it is, figure out what it is that's got you down. Sometimes I find myself in a bad mood, and I have no reason to be in it. Even if you do have a reason, think about perspective. You know I always preach perspective. Whatever's got you down may not be a legitimate cause for you so keep in mind that your problems are relative to the world's problems. I'm not saying don't feel bad about what's got you down, but make sure to factor in perspective.

Remember you control your life. You make your own decisions. No one is going to be accountable when you screw up. You control your future. No one else. Make sure to remember that if something is making you unhappy, you have the power to change it. One example I hear often is people unhappy with their job, or their boss. If this is truly such an issue for you, change it. Why are you still doing the same thing every single day if you're not happy, and you have the power to change it? Sure, you may not want to find a new job or put yourself out there but is that really worse than being unhappy every single day you go to work? I say pull yourself up by your boot straps, splash some water on your face and figure out how to make your situation better. Today. Not in 10 years.

During my psychology studies, I learned about the bystander effect which states that if 10 people are witnesses of a crime, each of them are less likely to call the police because they all think someone else is going to do it. In comparison to being the only witness to a crime, and feeling it is your duty to call and report the crime because you're the only bystander. Sometimes we get caught up in the pattern of everyone else, and we lose ourselves and our ability to change our surroundings. Empower yourself by taking control of your situations.

Be happy. I wrote a long post about 10 ways to be happier. It's important to be happy with yourself in general, and this is such an empowering thing. When you're happy, you feel like you can take on the world. When you're happy, it also feels like the stars are aligned.

Eliminate negativity. I strive to be positive on my networks, but I do falter at times too because things do really aggravate me or make me unhappy. I've had a couple of instances recently where people have either attacked me online, or unfollowed me due to my beliefs and the way I choose to run my business, and while that can be quite a blow especially if you considered them a friend, it is not the end of the world. Far from it. Good riddance if you ask me. I think it's important to eliminate things that bring you down. You have control to remove the bad areas of your life because as they're bringing you down, they are making it harder for you to achieve your goals.

Be knowledgeable. Don't listen to every piece of news and propaganda you read online. Educate yourself before making statements. This has been a toughie for me too, but make sure to read up on the full story. Knowing the ins and outs is very important, and is an empowering feeling. When you know something, you are able to speak intelligently and feel more confident doing so.

Make your dreams happen. Set goals for yourself, and make them happen. The best way to feel empowered is to achieve your goals, one step at a time. To coincide with this, you want to make sure your goals are realistic but that you're aiming high nonetheless. For example, suddenly becoming a millionaire next week is unattainable (unless you're the luckiest person alive and happen to win the lottery) but aiming to get a 10% raise by the end of the year is attainable. 

What's your advice for empowering yourself?

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