Personal power is this week’s theme. It might be sorting out your finances. It might be something else you’ve been putting off but which could be incredibly empowering for you.
The newsletter has more reflections (including the bizarre experience of using power tools for the first time in my life aged 47, not to mention learning to drive an incredibly powerful tool, aka Beatrice Lobster, my Skoda) and journal prompts.
It also has my first ever interview with someone I was interviewing for myself, not for a title or book, the delightful Keris Stainton from The Ladybird Purse
And in the Personal Peace online membership this week, we’ll be embodying empowerment as well as exploring its energy and practicalities.
1) Be honest with yourself
If you need to learn a new skill, learn it. But face what needs to be faced whether it’s spreadsheets, an instruction manual or anything else.
Remind yourself that learning new skill makes it feel like the brain is scrambled and be patient with yourself as you uplevel and empower yourself.
2) Embody empowerment
I’m typing this all hunched over, sending signals of, “I’m hiding! I’m prey! I’m hoping to be invisible to predators” to the pons part of the brain.
Even though, consciously, I feel fine, the simple act of lengthening through the spine, letting the shoulder blades relax (as if they’re dropping) and looking up lets the brain know, It’s OK. All is well. I’m safe.
For extra oomph, stand up and take an open hearted pose like Warrior II or make like a starfish or Wonder Woman (check out Amy Cuddy’s research around Power Poses).
3) Be your own hype person
Imagine you’re the best person for whatever the thing you want more confidence and, in your head (or out loud if appropriate), give yourself the most loving peptalk you can manage.
Remind yourself that you’ve GOT this.
You rock!
Imagine yourself as a small child or beloved cat/dog/lizard
Talking soothingly and lovingly, outloud or in your head, ACKNOWLEDGING your fears and reservations (am not advocating gaslighting yourself about the realities of the situation or toxic positivity) helps soothe the amygdala, the alarm bell of the brain. It also helps tone the Vagus nerve and helps the whole nervous system relax.
4) Ask for guidance (and be open to receiving it)
The other day, when I used my new petrol strimmer for the first time on my own, I asked the angels of strimmers and Hestia, Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Home to help me.
Yes, it felt dramatic.
But as soon as I did so, I felt a sense of peace and ease that enabled me to get ON with it.
You might have a favourite mantra or prayer… experiment but know that help is available.
We just need to remember to ask.
5) Connect with HUMAN help
Sometimes, this small thing can feel like the hardest thing in the world.
You may already have a human or humans who’d be delighted to help out (even if you feel awkward asking).
Or you may feel completely alone and unable to ask anyone.
Even if this IS the case, being honest with yourself is the first step to creating a better community and mutual support system.
If you’re always the one DOING the supporting, prioritise your Self and find humans who want to reciprocate too.
We may live in an individualistic society but we humans are wired for connection.
As the African proverb goes, “Travel faster alone. Travel further together.”
Interdependence is empowering.
6) Acknowledge your progress
Waiting to FEEL more confident and empowered is a waste of time.
Build up by getting curious about what you’re doing well already and enhance it each day.
Even spending 5 minutes each evening, listing 3 things you’re proud of yourself for that day, will begin to retrain your brain and nervous system to seek out all the amazing stuff you usually forget to integrate but actually sitting with it and thinking, “Yeah! I DID that!”
And if you found this helpful, it’d mean a lot if you care to share the link, either by email and/or on your social media.
Thank you.
With love,
Eve