How I was actually able to start my Empowered Chapter?

I never understood the legit meaning of Empowerment until I did not feel it at all. 

You always hear about women empowering women, or feminism empowerment, and yes, we have the idea of what it is, we absolutely agree with it, but I did not know what this actually meant until I had to lose my empowerment and start it again, as definitely a new chapter in my life.

From my teen days until I became a mother, I did think I was an empowered woman. Where I used to live the life I wanted to live, I chased and achieved most of my dreams, made the decisions I wanted to make, had a stable career, some bad but some good relationships, and seemed to always do what I really wanted to do. Isn’t it what empowerment is about? 

Little did I know that MOST of my choices and dreams had the influence of someone else, or from the environment I was living in, or from the partner I was with or simply what society adds into women’s life. 

To start the Empowered Chapter of my life that I live now, I had to go deep, very deep into who I really am. This cost me my mental health, neglecting my body, anxiety attacks, financial debt, as well as many other issues that started to appear. For me to actually start it, I had to close many chapters of my life that I had way open still. 

I had to first start reflecting in every area of my life, and to ask the question: “Is it what I really like and want, or is it what everyone else wants?”. From there, I was able to start my awakening journey of making the changes I needed to do.

My new chapter started from the pain of not feeling myself anymore, from being exhausted all the time, from being sleep deprived, from not having time for myself at all, from not having a break and from not making enough money to live the life I wanted and giving my children the life they needed. 

But before I even was able to start it, I had to reach rock bottom mentally and had no other choice except to leave where I was. Even though it was really hard, really painful and extremely scary, I took the courage to change everything. To start again and start listening to myself.

I started that chapter with my body, focusing on losing the weight I had put on during pregnancies (which was a comfortable space as I have done it before - theme for another time). While taking care of my body, going through weight loss, dieting, eating better, having an exercise routine, I started to feel better, not just physically, but mentally. And this was the first chapter of my new life. I have started to organize my life, to put my physical and mental health first.

After that, everything started to shift and the feeling I have is that I started to wake up. To actually see what was in front of me, to actually be able to feel my emotions, to reflect if what I was living made sense and from there, I was able to start making the changes I needed to make. I left another job, I organised my routine in a way I came first, I started my own business and with that, purpose came back to my life. 

Practically speaking, habits such as reading, writing, meditating, exercising, eating well are what I have into my daily routine until those days. This is the way I found to put myself in first place everyday, because I understood that if I’m not well, no one will be and nothing is going to work.

Then, making sure I surrounded myself with people that aligned with my beliefs was really important, making sure all content I consume is also aligned with the version I wanted to be and working on my spirituality. Making sure I understand who I am, what areas I need to improve, how I function, why I’m here and the purpose of me being into this Earth. My faith saved me in so many ways and I have learned that I, like EVERYONE else, deserve the best every day and we are here to thrive!

Today I do feel empowered because I know myself better, I feel better mentally and emotionally, my confidence is back, I am stronger physically, I set all my boundaries and I see everything clearly as well. I have my goals and dreams that align to how I am now and what I want to be, without any influence. 

So if you ask me how I was actually able to start my Empowered Chapter, I would respond:

Through having the courage to change every aspect of my life that did not make sense anymore. Through understanding my boundaries and setting them up. Through learning that I’m the only one that can change my reality and this is my responsibility. Through understating and feeling I deserve the best every day. Through comprehending that if I want to make the ones around me happy, I need to be happy first.

I truly hope you can have this courage too and I truly hope you can then start your Empowered Chapter and take everyone that you love with you. 

I’m here to support you in every step of the way.

Love,

Dea