You want to be in control of your life, right? Personal empowerment enables you to make positive decisions, and to take action that will bring you closer to achieving your goals and ambitions.

Don’t just talk, make it happen

Thanks to Mind Tools we can start the process of personal empowerment right now. Here’s a summary of the process https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/personal-empowerment.htm

To become more self-empowered, use this four-step process:

• Know Yourself: understand your motivations, and your strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify Your Goals: identify the aspects of your life that are the most important to you, and where you can create meaningful change.
• Develop Your Competencies: focus on the skills or qualities that will allow you to reach your goals.
• Claim Your Space: take your first few steps! Then review and reflect on your achievements so far, and adjust your approach if necessary. If it’s appropriate, seek feedback from the people around you to ensure that you stay on track.

Re-ignite the positive force within you

The following techniques and exercises can help to support you during the self-empowerment process. Find the ones that suit you, and practice them regularly!
• Journaling . Keeping a record of your progress enables you to see how far you’ve come – and to remember where you went wrong!
• Cognitive restructuring . Challenging the beliefs that underpin a sense of powerlessness can enable you to view your situation in a different light.
• The ABC Technique enables you to see the consequences of negative thought patterns, and to become more optimistic.
• Affirmations . Repeating positive thoughts to yourself can give you a greater sense of well-being and self-belief.
• Exercise . Take a walk. Go for a bike ride. Work out at the gym. When your body feels good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you’ll feel more powerful.
• Find an inspirational role model. Learn how this person overcame his or her own challenges – if they did it, so can you.
• Talk . If you need an instant boost, talk to a supportive friend or colleague and let them tell you how great you are!

We all need to feel empowered so start working on it. If you’re feeling helpless or confused consult a life coach, and Mind Tools has a vast library of courses that assist people to live and work better, empowering lives.