Empowerment........what it actually means......

As I have said before I know there are people out there that don't get me at this point in my life.....think I am too much.......or too this and too that......and you know what it is totally fine by me......I am staying in my lane and happy to have the people that choose that lane alongside me be the ones that stay......and am loving the new people I am attracting and meeting because of my shifts....:) I feel like empowerment is a dirty word for some folks.....particularly women's empowerment.......and maybe I used to not understand it too in the ways I feel I do now.....here is what I learned.......you have to empower yourself......period......you have to believe in you like it is your full time job......your feet need to hit the floor, and you need to walk through the day like the badass you are and believe yourself to be:) .....early on, I have said, I read a divorce book.....and the girl said you have to train like a warrior for the journey of divorce, because it is a marathon not a sprint......and you know what hell yeah!!! That was the greatest advice ever.......I took that, I internalized it......and made it my mantra........running on the treadmill......reminding myself of my warriorhood.....snow blowing......warriorhood.......lifting weights.....all of it......believing that she lied inside of me.......and giving her permission to step forward.......no matter what......I have people in my life that empower me too, and gosh am I so appreciative of them......they believe in my strength and build me up on days when doubt creeps in......but ultimately beyond them, and their support, and love......I BELIEVE IN ME.......no matter what.......not a thing a person could say that could make that waiver.......I KNOW who I am......where I am headed......and empower myself every single day......that is what it is......it is not some event......or rally.........or any of that.....those things have their place to address a social issue.........but women's empowerment needs to be present in our day to day.....every single day.......building other women up......believing in them.......speaking life into their journeys........cheering them on.......walking their walk with them........when stuff gets hard........and helping them believe in them too......when they have lost their way.....reminding them of the woman they are......or maybe the woman they want to be......or hope to be.......or can be.......all of those things.......I love that people believe in me too, but I really love that I believe in me fully and finally.......and that nothing can shake that.......it is that belief that drives me every single day......and once upon a time Jenn did not believe fully in herself......she did to some degree......but her insecurities were ever present.......having her question herself at every turn.......her inner voice throwing out criticism......blame.......judgement....all of which made her journey so heavy.......and when I figured out how to make my inner critic my inner cheerleader.......the game changed:) Cheer yourself, empower yourself, love yourself, you are worth it! And then do that for another person:)