Express Yo' Empowered Self!

I thought this week I would talk about empowerment. I try to live out this concept every day. For me, empowerment is about honoring yourself and your values. It is not using a loud voice to scream, “THIS IS WHO I AM. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, AND IF YOU LEAVE IT, THEN YOU CAN GO FUCK YOURSELF.” Although, sometimes a loud voice is needed, like when legislators try to defund women’s health programs in Texas. Empowerment is so much bigger than just a loud voice. It is how you support yourself and quietly stand up for yourself every day. It is knowing your core self and honoring your needs. It is telling your boyfriend that you will not spend the night before a big presentation, because you need to sleep in order to feel ready, and he snores. It is telling your friend that you have not been as available to them, because you needed to take time for yourself, in order to process recent life changes. It is going to the gym, when you would rather be at a happy hour, because you know that cardio sessions help you feel healthy.

This is the essence of empowerment for me. It is putting yourself first, above all else. Above your job. Above your partner. Above your friends. Above your children. Your needs come first, and you don’t dishonor yourself by constantly putting yourself aside. You state what you need. You recognize what you are worth. You don’t dim your light in order to make others feel better, and you keep people in your life who can support you. It can be so easy to let ourselves go instead of putting our needs first. Society gives women those messages all of the time. I want us to break this cycle. I want to give the finger to anyone who says that this is selfish and wrong. Empowering ourselves to put us first is exactly what we should be doing. At the end of the day, I am much happier when I can say that I have celebrated myself throughout my life. Even though it can take sacrifice, I am worth it. We all are.

How are you going to express your empowered self today?

-        -  Lauren, Empowered Female who puts herself first, and I am proud of that