Have you noticed that the term Empowerment is talked about a lot these days?
Oftentimes it is in the context of a person feeling empowered by an experience, for example, “I heard this person speak, and I feel so empowered”.
The word Empowerment is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “authority or power given to someone to do something”, and further it is categorized as a noun.
Inspired by a conversation with my client, colleague, and friend, Kimberlli, this got me thinking: Is empowerment really a “thing” that we have to be gifted by another person?
To me empowerment is akin to motivation, will, drive and gumption.
Can’t we create all of these things within ourselves?
If we take steps to empower ourselves, then Empowerment is a verb. It is an action word, one that we can act on, create, and do for ourselves.
Relying on others to give us power seems more like we are giving it away rather than nurturing it within, therefore we are depending on others to build us up and make us feel worthy, strong, competent, and confident.
This is especially important in recovery and rehabilitation from illness and injury. Having struggled through my own recovery from injury, I can attest to the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that sneak in when the process is not going as planned.
I felt that I had to rely on medical professionals and the insurance company to direct my recovery and to tell me how to move beyond this. This wasn’t working and eventually prolonged my rehabilitation considerably, that is until I empowered myself to stand up, find the strength to work through the challenges, and find solutions toward getting my life back finally.
The bottom line is that we all have our own source of power. Tapping into that energy can be difficult but it is there, it is yours and you can figure out how to harness it. Empower yourself to accomplish anything you need and want in life.
A highly-trained movement specialist can provide valuable tips and tricks to help you harness your own power to recover from injury and move without pain and fear. Click HERE to learn more about ReActive Movement’s Functional Pilates and Therapeutic Exercise programs customized for your specific needs.
Written by
Holly Wallis, Certified Movement & Rehabilitation Specialist, PMA®-NCPT
Director of US Operations, Body Harmonics Pilates & Movement Institute
Studio Director, ReActive Movement, 6200 LaSalle Ave, Oakland, CA 94611
510-710-5212
www.reactivemovement.com
www.bodyharmonicsUS.com (Pilates Teacher Education)
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