Celebrating People Who Empower Others: How My Best Friend Is My Life Anchor
Who empowers you in your life?
And I don’t mean like a full-on Beyonce or Oprah mode (we could all be a bit more Oprah I reckon…) – but just truly, taking a pause to reflect on who is there for you?
Who supports you when you need it most?
Who can you turn to when you need perspective?
Whose shoulder do you lean on when you need to ask for help?
We don’t necessarily take it for granted, but we forget that we have opportunities to empower ourselves by turning to the people we trust the most.
It’s probably helpful as well to understand what ‘empowerment’ means because it seems to be attached to something that is unattainable or a bit ‘out there’. But empowerment is within reach of all of us because, for me, it’s about taking control of my life – maybe words like responsibility, accountability, independence, and autonomy come to your mind.
For me, it’s all those values. And it’s not just the control aspect but recognising the opportunity but, giving yourself the permission to take control and move into a higher state of realising your potential.
“Empowerment refers to the process of enabling individuals or groups to gain control over their lives, make their own choices, and take action to achieve their goals and aspirations. It involves providing people with the resources, opportunities, knowledge, and support they need to realise their full potential and exert influence over their circumstances.” – Thanks ChatGPT!
Yes!
And with this opportunity to self-support, it can help to nurture those feelings of self-confidence and a sense of agency in yourself. It’s so important for humans to feel that they have capacity on a cellular human level to support themselves – and that means having a support network around you that you can recognise and also be a part of for someone else.
Have you noticed that perhaps when you feel like you are in control, and connecting more to a sense of agency and control that you’re in essence stepping into your empowered state… you feel capable of making decisions, solving problems, and effecting small making-a-difference changes in your life AND in the world around you – contributing to a wider feeling of empowerment by being there for others.
Empowerment is not just about me-to-me or you-to-me but all-to-all. Again, what a comforting thought to know I can empower myself or someone else by just being there for them. And indeed, when I need it, my support net kicks in and empowers me.
So not quite Beyonce or Oprah mode – but something so simple, real and genuine – just a circle of friends or acquaintances being their for you to support your mindset.
And that’s GREAT for your resilience!!
Part of our resilience is not only building our support frameworks but recognising them – seeing them in our lives and appreciating them for their spirit:
– I’ve got your back.
In a world now where some of our social support networks are via Whatsapp, LinkedIn, IG, digital team chats or something in the un-physical world – it’s really a bit of a gift when you reflect on that; that someone who you have never met could save you.
Save you in a moment, in a time – when you need it the most.
And so reflecting on one of my biggest gifts in my social support networks I have to mention my best friend, Regan. My friendship with said best friend – Regan, has spanned my entire life. As we approach celebrating our 40th birthday, and in true essence of this month being about empowering women, I felt it was fitting to dedicate this to a woman who has unconditionally been there for me since I was 2 years’ old.
At times in my life, she has saved me.
At in times of her life, I have saved her.
And maybe you have a Regan in your life – an anchor. Someone who you can just be yourself with, because they know all sides of you and they understand or seek to understand you and can empathise.
Ask yourself how often do you ask for their help?
It’s something I’ve been working on a lot in the last few years – asking for help. And now I feel in a good place that no matter what the subject, time or place – physical or un-physical, I could reach out to Regan.
And that’s part of this process to empowerment; not being afraid to ask for help. If you don’t ask for help, it’s tough to start the process of feeling more empowered – whatever that situation might be.
Don’t be afraid of empowerment, because you don’t need to be afraid of asking for help when it comes to your trusted social support networks. They’re your tribes, your people. The ones who are going through the same thing as you.
And also remembering – that YOU CAN take control of your life.
One small step at a time. You have the capabilities to change within you.
You just might need your people to help you turn the key…
And so, a big thank you to my wonderful friend Regan who has helped me to empower myself not only in the moments when I really needed it – but also in those moments when I needed to see the goods in myself.
