You might have been made to believe that you can be empowered . Meaning someone can give you power. Which also indirectly means that someone can take away your power. I strongly disagree with this insinuation. The power lies within you, and while social circumstances can place you into a position where you feel more or less powerful, society cannot strip you entirely of your power, therefore, your mindset determines your power (and freedom).
by Dr. Kinga Mnich
Table of Contents
Let’s change your perception of power so you can step into it with ease.
1. Power means influence.
Power is often summarized as the individual’s ability to control or direct others, i.e. exercising authority over others or imposing your will on others; leaving out that power in a social context is usually based on knowledge, charisma, prestige, wealth, and other social components. We often don’t want to speak about power because it is used concurrently with force (forcing your own will upon others). While this is true in specific environments, power, more importantly, refers to one’s own ability to turn ideas into reality.
2. Confidence is power.
Confidence is more than just a feeling: it is the belief that you can handle whatever comes your way. This means that you believe that you have the power to master unknown situations, which, in turn, means that you understand your personal worth, abilities, and skills. All this builds self-esteem and helps you to move self-doubt aside. Power also allows you to set aside judgment, criticism, and comparison.
3. Power means to understand that you are not the victim.
One of the biggest hindrances in self-development is self-pity, an infinity of complaints, and negativity. These concepts prevent you from taking responsibility for your thoughts, as well as for your power. At times, because change is scary and requires you to fight for yourself, it seems easier to simply pretend that you can’t change the situation.
4. You can have power & still be kind & caring.
Power is often associated with cruelty, egotism, and the inability, or unwillingness, to care for others. While that might be true for the tyrants of this world, power is, in fact, the ability to change things. Not everyone is going to share your beliefs and vision, but, the clearer you are about your vision and, the more values you demonstrate in your actions, the more people will support you, and the more power you will gain.
What other examples do you have of power share it with us in a conversation on Instagram.
