One Word and Seven Sentences to Empower You

No, I’m not at the point of condensing my posts into just seven sentences. 😉

However, I do have seven powerful sentences and a helpful download for you. Before I get to them, though, let me ask you for one word.

One word? What word?

A word that will help shape and propel your year into living more the life you want to live. A word that will help empower you to look at the real challenges your disability (or that of a loved one) presents and say,

Hmmm…..let’s figure out how to look at this challenge/problem differently so that instead of it holding me back, I take it on the wonderful ride of life.

I encouraged a similar question about a year ago with What’s Your Word (or two) for This Year? It’s part of a practice people have acquired that in addition and even instead of New Year’s resolutions, which most of us abandon anyway, we focus on some word or theme that will move us in the direction of where we want to go.

Last year, my words were finances and systems. I know, pretty boring. But by focusing on them, they did help me feel stronger in my business.

This year I also have two words, a word and a phrase actually. The word, kindness. The phrase, do less.

I decided I needed to focus on kindness for 2017 after experiencing a lack of kindness last year, which I have to say I don’t typically encounter. After feeling hurt and angry by what was directed at me, I realized yet again that for me, what eventually brings me peace and resolution is to continue to respond with kindness and not climb into the ugly trenches. This doesn’t mean I don’t have clear boundaries and keep the unkindness at a distance. It just means I don’t feed the unkindness with my energy.

And what do you know? This strange trick of being kind empowers me.

Do less. I think this should not only be my phrase this year but my mantra for life. When I shared this phrase with some colleagues, I also explained its deep connection to living with a disability. As a child, young adult, and even a not-so-young adult, I realized a significant compensatory strategy for the effects of my disability and all that I could not do was to do more of what I could do. I did more, more, more.

This technique was very beneficial when I was younger. It got me into school with my peers, into a good college, secured me employment, and even began my business. However, most of the strategies we use in our younger days to survive and thrive get to a point at which they are no longer effective and can actually begin to prohibit our growth.

As a -- ummm…okay, middle-aged woman with a disability, I need to now learn how to feel empowered by doing less, not acquiring so much, and focusing on some select abilities I do well. At this point in the journey of life, that will empower me well beyond anything I can do more of.

So onto the seven sentences. When living with a disability, empowerment and confidence pretty much go hand in hand. If you’re having some difficulty with coming up with a word or phrase to empower you for the year, here are ten statements to get your creative (and empowerment) juices going.

They’re confidence-building statements, along with a simple explanation of why the statement works, to help strengthen your inner foundation for believing not only in yourself but the life you want for yourself. Here’s a sneak peek at one of them:

My disability and the experience of living with it only adds to what I have to offer.

The strengths and personal qualities, such as determination and acceptance of others, you have gained from living with a disability enhance who you are and what you offer to others.

Stay tuned next week. We’re going to round out this month of January and setting you up for the year you want, by talking about “blowing up your life,” a.k.a. being BIG.