Decide to Rise

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Change your thoughts and you change your world – Norman Vincent Peale

British singer and songwriter Leona Lewis has started a social media campaign for the month of June, called #empowermonth, which I absolutely love and I am ready to jump on board.  Admittedly I have a vision for my life, but sometimes the vision gets cloudy because of negative self talk, lack of encouragement or obstacles that I may face.  I know that I am not alone in this, therefore we all need ways that not only we can empower ourselves but others as well.  Most importantly, you can not genuinely empower others, if you can’t empower and encourage yourself.

As women, we often hold ourselves back from advancement with self-imposed barriers.  We tend to have a fear of failure or a lack of confidence, that unfortunately prohibits us from being our best selves.  However there comes a time when we must move past our insecurities and embrace the person we were meant to be and envision.

There are a number of ways in which we can empower ourselves, but I think the main thing we have to do is allow ourselves to dream and envision the experience and life we want to live, whether it be a womenuer, corporate executive or philanthropist.  Once you decide how you want to live your life, then you can incorporate tools that will empower you and give you the courage to make the steps towards fulfilling your dreams.

Here are some ways that every woman can do to propel themselves forward through empowerment:

• Be Yourself
  This requires you being honest with yourself about who you are and what you want to do.  Embrace the unique qualities you have and use those to form relationships and allow yourself to lead and contribute not only to your success but to the success of those around you.
• Embrace Failure
  Accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes, everyone does.  You become empowered when you learn from those mistakes and put them into action
• Repeat Affirmations
  Remind yourself that you are worthy of anything and everything that you dream of.
• Build Self-Appreciation
  People will not always applaud you for your success, therefore learn to reward yourself for accomplishing your goals and appreciating all that you have done.
• Stop Negative Talk
  Do not speak negative of yourself or others.  Most importantly do not allow what others say of you to cloud your mind or the life you want to live.  It is fine to seek advice, but make sure that it is not only genuine but it is the best advice for you.  Remember, once you change your thoughts, you change your world.
• Learn More
  If you want to be a leader in your industry, then you have to have the skills and the resources to do so.  Not only would this provide you with technical skills but it will also give you confidence.
• Have a support system
  While it is important to be able to empower yourself, you should also have a support system that would be an ear, encourage you and hold you accountable.
• Make the first step
  What is that thing that you want to do? Is it to change careers? Do you want to start a company? Then the first step for you may be seeking out mentors who can give you advice or help guide you.
• Take the pressure off
  It is perfectly fine to take breaks and take a step back.  It allows you to reevaluate, have a clear head and look at the big picture.  It also serves as a refresher for your physical and mental well being.

Empowerment requires that you believe in yourself and exude confidence, if you don’t no one else will and they will take you but so seriously.

To quote the lyrics from Leona Lewis, remember, “I AM, I EXIST, I AM HERE.” Live your life and make IT great the best way you know how, DECIDE TO RISE[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]