Empowerment

With the New Year, and encouragement from new friends like my friend Taran, and from old friends like my friend Katie who runs Thrive Bend, I am making a conscious effort to recognize moments in my life that I feel empowered.

You know, that delicious rush of "I got this." Adrenaline, warm tummy, full heart.

I've been surprised so far and would like to share a couple with you:

"Today I feel empowered because I stopped by the college to pick up a really really nice letter of recommendation and Jo at the front desk said it was great to see me and that I looked great.

Feel confident and empowered leaving Kinko's because I got several tasks done and a couple that I had been unsure about taken care of easily.

And I'm wearing my taking care of business boots and that always helps."

And...

"Today I felt empowered because I paid several bills and paid down the credit card. And Tyler and I worked a little harder than usual so I was able to even put a little away.

Getting organized in the morning and revisiting what needs to get done relaxes me and makes me feel confident and empowered. Like I can handle today."

It's not always the big achievements in life that make us feel empowered, and it's important to focus on the the things that make us happy and confident.

A recent fellow blogger encouraged us to "be kind to ourselves." This is a more challenging task than most people realize, especially for those of us for whom self-kindness comes less naturally than self-criticism. It is natural human instinct to self-criticize...there is truth to the statement "we are our own worst critics." But self-kindness must come hand in hand with that.

Recognize, the next time you look at a friend who you think is the best, most brilliant, most kind person in the world and consider that she might be a victim of constant self-criticism and severe lack of self-kindness. Make today random-acts-of-compliments day. Heck, make every day that, and make sure that when the thought occurs to you that hey, that person rocks, let them know.

You might change their heart that day.

You might make them feel empowered.

In case you didn't notice, we're going a little more introspective these days. Hope you enjoy it.

Ciao,
kc

P.S. It's almost running season! Thinking about a FULL marathon this year...thoughts?