Reflect on where you’ve been and what you’ve done. This will help you decide what you want to do next to continue to build on your success. For example, if you started running a year ago, you might decide your next goal will be to run a 5k or a 10k race. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It’s natural to be nervous about asking for help, whether because you see it as showing weakness or worry about being rejected. But being able to get help when you need it will empower you to try your hardest. So take action! Stop comparing yourself to others and feel pressured to do things they are doing. [4] X Expert Source Lia Huynh, LMFTLicensed Marriage & Family Therapist Expert Interview. 5 May 2022. Do an inventory of the things you like to do, the things you are good at, and the things that make you feel energized. [5] X Expert Source Lia Huynh, LMFTLicensed Marriage & Family Therapist Expert Interview. 5 May 2022.
Normalizing pronouns is a simple way to empower all gender identities. For example, you can list your pronouns on your social media profile (even if they seem obvious to you), or routinely ask people their pronouns rather than guessing. Respect and remember people’s names and pronouns, even if they’ve changed from what you knew before. If you mess up, just quickly apologize, correct yourself, and move on. If you’re leading a group discussion or project, seek input from people of all genders and make sure everyone gets a chance to contribute.
For example, participating in a human rights protest can be socially empowering. You believe in the power of your voices to collectively change your society. Seeing others like you speaking out can be empowering as well. For example, Greta Thunberg has inspired a generation of young female eco-activists who feel empowered by seeing a girl who looks like them speak out about climate change. [9] X Research source
For example, people who work at self-help legal clinics empower their clients to handle legal matters on their own by educating them about legal concepts and court processes. The wikiHow mission to enable everyone in the world to learn how to do anything is another example of educational empowerment. Indulging curiosity and giving yourself permission to be curious help you empower yourself educationally. Follow your curiosity to learn new things and discover new gifts and talents. [11] X Expert Source Tracey Rogers, MACertified Life Coach Expert Interview. 6 January 2020. Teaching indigenous students in their own language helps empower them educationally as well as culturally.
For example, free community budgeting or investing clubs can empower people to get started in planning for their future. Micro-lending programs run by nonprofit organizations also bring economic empowerment to developing countries. These programs provide seed investments for local artisans to start their own businesses. On a broader scale, economic empowerment allows people the ability to think beyond simply surviving from day to day and take control of their financial future and overall economic wellbeing. [13] X Research source
For example, if you help elect your city’s first mayor who uses a wheelchair, you’ve helped empower other disabled people to run for elected office. Registering people to vote and driving people to the polls on Election Day is another way to empower people politically.
Listening to people from different races or socio-economic groups share their stories builds empathy and awareness, which increases your psychological empowerment. Talking to other people who are going through the same things you are can also be empowering, because it helps you realize that you’re not the only one. Seeing that someone else has faced the same problem and come out the other side gives you hope. [16] X Expert Source Nicolette Tura, MAAuthentic Living Expert Expert Interview. 23 January 2020.
Physical autonomy is also a big part of physical empowerment. To be empowered, you need to feel that you have control over your own body and the right to keep other people from touching you in ways you don’t like. [18] X Research source Celebrate your uniqueness and love your body as it is—try to avoid comparing how you look or what you can do to others. Practice self-care. [19] X Expert Source Nicolette Tura, MAAuthentic Living Expert Expert Interview. 23 January 2020.
For example, if you’ve recently come out as a gay man, you might feel more sexually empowered if you visit gay bars or use dating apps specifically for gay men. [21] X Expert Source Marissa Floro, PhDCounseling Psychologist Expert Interview. 1 April 2021. Going to LGBTQ+ Pride festivities is a great way to increase your own sexual empowerment. For many women, taking a pole dancing class is sexually empowering. [22] X Research source
For example, a neighborhood might band together and form groups to pick up litter to help clean up their neighborhood. The clean neighborhood might empower them to take other steps to improve the health and safety of their community. Growing a community garden or starting other common interest groups, such as a biking club or book club, is another way to foster community empowerment.
For example, if a manager keeps a suggestion box on their desk and addresses all of those suggestions each month, their employees will likely feel empowered. At the school level, student government can be one form of organizational empowerment for students. Those who participate in student government typically feel like they have the power to make a difference at the organizational level.
For example, recognizing and learning about cultural holidays empowers those cultures. Teaching people to respect cultural traditions even if they don’t share them empowers those cultures to maintain their traditions and see their value. Teaching and using indigenous languages promotes cultural empowerment. At the governmental level, changing the names of places to reflect the original indigenous name also empowers those cultures.
