Self-empowerment for a healthy, happier you

MAKING MORE positive choices can transform your health and give you a better sense of control over your well-being. Instead of allowing yourself to slip into bad habits, you can empower yourself to take an active part in managing your health.

Self-empowered people take control of their lives by setting goals and taking actionable steps to achieve them. They not only understand how to get things done but also are confident, focused, and comfortable making decisions that guide them toward their future.

If you are insecure about your ability to achieve your ambitions, you can take several steps to live a more empowered life.

Self-empowerment means making a conscious decision to take charge of your destiny. It involves making positive choices, taking action to advance, and being confident in your ability to make and execute decisions.

According to Moses Chybar, health and wellness coach, during a weekly Health Talk Sunday Series, self-empowered people understand their strengths and weaknesses and are motivated to learn and achieve.

“Some of us have good relationships, while others are struggling. No matter where you are in life, you can take measures to improve yourself. You can ask yourself the question, where would I like to be in five years. This question can relate to your physical, mental and emotional well-being, as well as financial stability,” Chybar said.

Chybar indicated that action follows everything that we do, so if we have developed bad habits over the years, we can create new habits and change our way of thinking to improve some or even all of our relationships.

“We can look at our trajectory and ascertain what direction is our relationships heading. We must know what we want to have, and then sit down and analyse our situation. If we do not want the harvest that we are reaping, we need to look at the seeds that we are planting,” Chybar said.

He indicated that we must change what is in our environment that is preventing us from having better relationships and empowering ourselves. Sometimes you have to move out of your comfort zone or areas of our life that we identify with.

“If we identify with abuse, then as adults this will affect our relationship with our children. We will believe that this is the way to discipline our children. Sometimes we have to go back five, 10 or even 20 years to identify those habits, and the ones that we must change to have a better outcome for our future,” Chybar said.

If we plant seeds of kindness, seeds of love, and love for the Creator, we can generate greatness into our relationships that can make us unbeatable.

“We must sow before we reap. Relationships are emotionally based so we must invest into our emotional bank accounts. We cannot plant a seed today and expect to reap tomorrow. The harvest will not come overnight, but over time,” Chybar said.

The key, he said, is to look at your habits, and see which one is not in alignment with where you want to be, and then plant seeds of love, understanding, and commitment to change, and we will experience a high sense of self-empowerment.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com

TIPS TO ACHIEVE SELF-EMPOWERMENT

If you are striving to attain personal empowerment, focus on your drive, identify what you can control, and keep an objective, goal-oriented mindset.

• Develop a positive attitude Cultivate a positive attitude and outlook by evaluating your strengths and weaknesses, pursuing your passions, and trusting in your ability.

• Set reasonable goals Measurable, achievable goals are an important component of self-empowerment, and understanding how to set them can help you feel good about your achievements.

• Surround yourself with positive people

Laughter is contagious and so are pessimism and negativity. Surrounding yourself with like-minded, motivated people can help you feel empowered to achieve your goals. If your self-esteem takes a blow, schedule time with positive friends, peers, and family members. Experiencing their positivity can improve your mental well-being, minimise your negativity, and empower you to follow your dreams.

• Practise self-care

Self-care includes any activity that you do for yourself to feel happy and healthy. It can include everything from eating right and exercising to treating yourself to a spa treatment. Scheduling time to relax and rejuvenate will make you more productive. Additionally, being kind to yourself can help you be confident in your ability to address and overcome hardship.

• Use positive self-talk

To live a self-empowered life, focus on what you can do as opposed to what you cannot. Practising self-affirmations and displaying confidence in your ability to achieve your goals can help you take steps to achieve them.

• Be assertive

People who strive toward personal empowerment must be comfortable expressing their thoughts, ideas, and needs. If you are invited to a party but have an important presentation the following day, let the host know you will be leaving early to prepare. Or if you and a co-worker are collaborating on a project, but you are doing most of the work, do not feel guilty about addressing the situation head-on and asking them to do their share.

• Create an action list

Empowered people take action, exhibit a growth mindset, and are comfortable learning and developing their abilities. They also understand that success does not come overnight but is a culmination of decisions and actions. If your goal is to finish your college degree within four years, list the actions you will need to take to achieve that goal, such as researching financial aid options, enrolling in an online programme, and establishing a study schedule.

SOURCE: Maryville University; Health Talk Sunday’s. For more information contact: healthtalksundays@gmail.com