How to Work on Yourself: 3 Key Strategies for Personal Empowerment

'Empowerment' is a magical word in the world of self-improvement. It's all about taking charge and unlocking your inner strength. While it might sound like a big leap, it's really about making choices that uplift and support you.

Personal empowerment isn't about making grand gestures; it's about embracing small choices that make a big difference. Maybe it's taking a solo trip to escape group planning hassles or hitting snooze at 7 am because you need that extra rest. It's all about taking charge and making choices that resonate with you.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” That's the essence of empowerment. While life's ups and downs can sway your emotions, remember, you hold the power to shape your experiences.

Ready to harness that power? Here are some practical tips to guide you on your empowering journey.

1.Setting meaningful goals is a game-changer when it comes to personal empowerment.

Here's a simple guide to setting goals that stick, inspired by the S.M.A.R.T. plan:

Specific: Don't be vague. Instead of saying "write a novel," aim for "write 500 words a day." This gives you a clear direction and purpose.

Measurable: Keep track of your progress. Knowing where you stand helps you stay motivated and focused.

Attainable: Dream big but stay realistic. Setting overly ambitious goals can set you up for disappointment. Challenge yourself, but keep it doable.

Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your life's bigger picture. This gives you a meaningful path to follow and keeps you grounded.

Time-Bound: Set deadlines. It's easy to procrastinate on long-term goals, so give yourself a time frame to keep things moving.

Remember, setting random goals won't lead to empowerment. Make sure your goals are tailored to you, pushing you forward without overwhelming you.

Once you've set your goals, the next step is to chase them with gusto. Motivation is your secret weapon here, the spark that gets you moving and keeps you going. Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik highlighted the 'Zeigarnik effect,' suggesting we remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones. It's that itch in your mind urging you to complete what you've started.

Research from Wake Forest University underscores the power of planning. Participants who made plans to finish incomplete tasks performed significantly better in subsequent activities. It's proof that a little planning can go a long way in boosting performance and reducing anxiety.

In essence, it's about commitment and positivity. Set goals that resonate with you, chase them with determination, and celebrate your progress along the way.

2.Building self-awareness

In modern society, self-awareness is one of the most useful, potent skills you can have at your disposal. John Duffy, a clinical psychologist, says most people aren’t as self-aware as they think and often struggle to understand emotional states: “In effect, self-awareness is the recognition of one’s own emotional state at any given point in time.”

When you can recognize it, you can manage emotional states and consequently take more control over other elements of your lives.

Building self-awareness begins with viewing yourself from an outside perspective, seeing yourself as others might see you. Imagine hearing a friend describe your behavior; would you support them or react negatively? Taking a step back to evaluate how you present yourself is a powerful act of self-awareness. Consider it as regaining control of your actions and reactions.

According to Michal Strahilevitz, a consumer psychologist and marketing professor at St. Mary’s College of California, it's beneficial to focus on situations that trigger strong emotional responses. For instance, if you find yourself raising your voice, it might feel justified to you, but consider how the other person perceives the situation. This shift in perspective can help enhance your self-awareness and improve your interactions with others.

One element of building self-awareness to be mindful of is any potential shame. Looking at your role in past conflicts and situations may not be the most comfortable task, but as is the case with self-awareness, knowing more about yourself means understanding where you’ve gone wrong before.

The key? Always try to remove yourself from the situation. Besides, you can’t solve problems if you’re not aware of them. In this ever more complex world, awareness is paramount for improvement.

3.Developing resilience

Resilience stands out as a key player in personal empowerment. While goals, motivation, and self-awareness lay the groundwork, resilience is the driving force that propels you forward, especially during tough times or setbacks. It's your ability to recover and adapt when faced with life's unexpected challenges and traumas.

You might look up to individuals who've weathered storms and wonder if you could muster the same resilience. The encouraging truth? Resilience isn't a trait you're born with—it's built through daily practices and actions. Surrounding yourself with supportive individuals, maintaining a positive outlook, taking care of your physical well-being, and steering clear of negative influences can all contribute to strengthening your resilience.

Reflecting on past experiences can offer valuable insights. Consider how you've tackled challenging situations in the past and which strategies proved effective. This introspection can inform your approach to future hurdles.

In a nutshell, resilience involves recognizing your inner strength, learning from adversity, and establishing a solid foundation to navigate life's ups and downs. It's a skill that anyone can cultivate to enrich their personal empowerment journey.