The rationale for empowering ourselves and others is the belief that we are able to act in a way that feels more aligned with our values and principles when equipped with the right combination of mindset and permission.
Some common ways to go about offering or receiving empowerment include: conversations, writing and reading books with important ideas, creating and listening to music with moving lyrics, producing and watching films with themes that we can relate to, experiencing an intense life event (e.g. a near-death experience), or even social media posts that aim to convey helpful ideas (yes, really), etc.
It’s important to understand that the practicality of empowerment doesn’t happen the moment you receive it — the moment you are moved by a book or the moment you experience an intense life event.
The practicality of empowerment exists in what we do after feeling empowered.
It’s the decision to work for a civil rights group after experiencing personal tragedy.
It’s the decision to speak up in other areas of life after watching your favorite actor stand up for themselves in a film.
It’s the decision to endure a difficult journey after reading the biography of someone who did the same thing.
It’s also important to understand that words, actions, and experiences have can leave fundamental shifts in behavior and trajectory in their wake. And we rarely know the full impact that they have on us and others until after the fact.
To that end, in the interest of ensuring the well being of ourselves and others, you may find it to be a generally good policy to assume that all of the words, actions, and experiences you share can have an effect and therefore the intention to imbue kindness and to empower others should be a constant one.