4 Ways to Empower Yourself This Year
Although the definition of varies from person to person, one trait we all have in common is the desire to be successful. It does often seem that success comes easier to some than others. When in the midst those who excel, it’s easy to believe their lives are all rainbows and birthday cake while all we seem to find are rain clouds and gas station sandwiches. However, finding success might be easier than you think if you can find ways to empower yourself this year.
1. Jump Start Cash Savings
Having enough cash on hand to handle whatever financial problems life throws your way is very empowering. Being able to make a large purchase with cash when you’ve always financed in the past is also empowering. Having enough money to make a donation to a cause you believe in is guess what? Empowering!
If you are someone who has always lived paycheck to paycheck, try saving $100 into a separate saving account. Then aim for $500 and keep increasing until you have enough. If you can’t do it by cutting expenses, make more money by working overtime, starting a side hustle, or taking on a part time job. Taking control of your money instead of letting it control you is truly empowering.
2. Pay Off One Debt
For those of us who currently or have ever had sizable consumer debt, it can be overwhelming to think about how much is owed. Instead of looking at the big picture, take one debt and focus on paying it off. Whether it’s the one with the lowest balance, highest interest rate, or just the one you hate the most, concentrate on making it go away.
Paying off something free and clear empowers you to pay of the next debt and the one after that until it’s all gone. The euphoria of finally pulling ahead of debt after years of treading water is much more rewarding than any purchase ever could be.
3. Face One Fear That Holds You Back
No, you don’t have to get a pet spider or climb a mountain, but if there is a fear that is holding you back from success, take steps to face it head on. That might mean joining Toastmasters to overcome a fear of public speaking. Maybe it’s finally time to join a weight loss group and step on the scale. It could mean sitting down with your significant other and actually figuring out where your money goes each month.
I used to be afraid of looking too hard at our finances because I was afraid of what I subconsciously knew. However, once I faced that fear, I was able to take control. Most financial, career, or health fears are way worse to think about than once they actually happen. Stop letting fear control your choices.
4. Turn a Negative Into a Positive
I was never one for philosophy, but there is no discounting the power of positive thinking. Turning negatives into positives, especially after a failure, is what creates success. I think we have all been in situations or have known people going through circumstances that were challenging. Whether it’s health problems, debt, loss of a job, or difficult personal relationships, sometimes the rug gets pulled out from under us and all we can do is struggle to find stable footing.
In those instances, do you try to find someone or something to blame, or do you grow from the experience? There are always two choices. Either focus on staying negative or use those feelings of fear, despair, and inadequacy to make sure you don’t repeat past mistakes. If you can turn one negative into a positive this year, that’s very empowering.
Empowering Yourself Brings Control
Empowering yourself brings control. It doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen or that you won’t ever fail. It simply means that you’ll be able to absorb the bad, learn from it, and keep on making forward progress.
What fears have you overcome to be successful? What makes you feel empowered?
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Nice post Kim,
you are right about thinking positive, I am always trying to think positive no matter how bad situation is, and this kind of thinking always brings me solution, it is not always at once, but it happens.
Thanks for sharing.
This year, I am keeping myself positive and turning negative thoughts into positive. I think being positive would just make my dreams and new year’s resolution come true. And, this month, I am paying off my credit card bill, which is something really great! Happy New Year to you Kim.
I actually felt really empowered my I left my former employer and the steady paycheck to pursue my passion of helping people with their money. It was scary beyond anything, but two years into this, I truly feel like I an do just about anything and I wouldn’t change a single decision.
I tend to be a pessimist, so I really need to focus on turning negatives into positives. I need to start seeing the positives in bad situations and have a more positive attitude when things don’t go exactly as planned.
These are great ways to start off the new year. I have big plans for 2016 and they all involve making more money! 😉
I think having an emergency fund has definitely made me calmer and more empowered. I think that paying off one debt would help people a lot too. Just being done with one obstacle — however big or small — makes you feel like you can conquer the world.
I felt empowered when I took control of my finances. Before that I was always worried about the next expense and how I was going to pay my bills. But once I took control of my finances I notice that I no longer worry about financial things.
I now have the power of grayskull!
i have overcome the fear of being bold and risky. I used to just like to “blend” and not make waves or cause any kind of commotion. But I realize I was going no where in life with that mindset. It’s not like you step on toes or piss everyone off, but you get to the point where you know you are doing your best, with a good attitude, and you know that you will never please everyone or have everyone like you, but that’s not going to stop you from pursuing your dreams or living a bold life.
I think finances play a huge role in empowering yourself. Too often we think it’s impossible to make a financial change and we just accept that we’ll be stuck in that position forever, but once you make one successful change it can create momentum. A fear that always held me back was that I couldn’t lose weight and become healthier. I had to face it a couple of years ago and be real with myself – it wasn’t easy but it was needed in order to have success.
Great post, Kim! I feel empowered when I feel in control. That is probably part of the reason I ended up this way =) I like having a handle on my spending. The key for us is budgeting each month. I like being in charge of my money – and well, basically everything.