The Empowered Self Series: Part 4 – The Essential Principles of Empowerment

If you have been feeling stuck and powerless for quite some time, you may have wondered, whether you have what it takes to create the positive change you desire or if this is just your “lot in life.”  Although playing the role of the invisible, the pleaser or micromanager may have provided you with a sense of safety and comfort, it also kept you in continuous survival mode. However, is the purpose of life to just get through it, or are we here to thrive with purpose, joy and fulfillment? Countless of my clients, who have been struggling with anxiety and insecurity, have proven to themselves that shifting from survival mode into empowerment isn’t a privilege for just a few chosen ones – it is our natural birthright.

But where to begin? I found that by simply understanding and accepting the following principles, you can already take the first step on the path to empowerment.

• Our subconscious mind runs most aspects of our lives. Although we rely heavily on our intellectual, conscious mind, most of our daily activities are determined by our habits, our emotions and our beliefs, all of which stem from the subconscious mind.
• The protective function of our subconscious mind is often based on programs and imprints from our childhood. When we are living in survival mode, our subconscious mind employs the same protective patterns it developed during our early years. These patterns, which are designed to keep us safe through avoidance, pleasing others or control, determine the boundaries of our comfort zones.
• Self-empowerment and growth require for us to expand our comfort zone. Just as we wouldn’t take a road trip with a map from 1965, the journey of empowerment requires us to update our subconscious programming – and thus the boundaries of our comfort zone. Ultimately, it isn’t the size of our comfort zone that keeps us safe but the trust in our abilities to handle whatever life brings us.
• Our subconscious mind needs a trusted leader and guide to change and evolve. Like a loyal servant our subconscious will continue to faithfully support us in the same proven ways that kept us safe for most of our lives, until it is instructed to do something different. It needs our conscious guidance to be able to In order to shift from survival into empowerment mode and thus fully utilize its potential.
• Our subconscious mind responds to our thoughts with emotions. Negative self-talk is the most common reason why we are feeling anxious or insecure.
• Our emotions determine how we perceive our reality. We can choose to switch from survival to thriving mode, when we are in charge of our thoughts and our emotions. This is why true empowerment requires the harmonious collaboration of our conscious and our subconscious mind.