Women’s Empowerment: You’re Empowered If...

We’ve been blogging for over three years now and we’ve tackled the question of, “What is empowerment?” many times. However, would you truly recognize an empowered woman if you saw one? Odds are you probably wouldn’t; not entirely anyway.

At Soulspring Groups (the meetings, the gatherings and all the events), empowerment is a common topic of conversation. When asked about empowered women, you’re probably as quick as most to list off a slew of names; women you know, women you admire, women you aspire to be. Yet one important person is likely to be left off the list, and that person is YOU.

So we ask you...Would you recognize an empowered woman if you saw one? What behaviors do they exhibit? What traits do they possess? More importantly, are you one?

As the old adage goes, seeing is believing. Are you living empowered?  Check yourself against these ten examples of empowering qualities and behaviors and see just how empowered you really are.

You are empowered if...

• You recognize the fear and do it anyway. Why would we let a little thing like fear hold us back from what we want in life? After all, the key to overcoming our fears is to just stop it!

• You learn something new every day. The world is full of adventure and there’s a lesson around every corner.

• You believe that you have the potential to achieve great things. In the words of the great Dr. Seuss, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

• You display patience and accept divine timing. We once heard Echkart Tolle, author of such great books as “The Power of Now” and “A New Earth” say, “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment.”  Well said!

• You welcome each day with enthusiasm and excitement. Each day is a gift after all; is there really any other way to accept something so special?

• You accept challenges as opportunities for strength and character building. Heck, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?

• You squash the negative self-talk and speak only positive and affirming statements. Our positivity is what fuels us and makes us shine! That’s why we offer a new positive affirmation with every visit to the Soulspring Groups’ website!

• You begin your day with a ritual such as quiet journaling, meditation or prayer. Silence, personal reflection and time spent connecting to our Creator, keeps us focused and centered on the bigger picture.

• You believe above all else that you have what it takes. How cruel of a joke to be given a deep desire with no way to achieve it. No, we’ve got everything we need, or at least have access to it, if we stay focused and conscious. While it may not come to us exactly as we envision, our passions will be realized in wonderful ways if we keep the faith and believe.

• You take time for regular personal development and the exploration of important life principles. For a growing number of women, that means being active in their Soulspring Group. If you’re not yet part of this inspiring trend, you’ll want to learn more about joining a Soulspring Group or starting one of your own today.

The Soul Sisters

Soulspiration of the Week:

"By conquering your challenges, taking control of your thoughts, listening to your soul and uniting with others like you, you can bestow your unique gifts and talents unto the world. When your strengths and spirit meet that's when you achieve a level of true empowerment!" ~The Soul Sisters

The Power of Words

My sisters and I, along with long-time Soulspring member LuAnn Myers, just couldn’t pass up the opportunity yesterday morning to cheer on the amazing women and men who have committed themselves to walking in the 2010 Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day. This walk is a 3 day, 60 mile – yes, I said 60 miles – walk to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer. I’ve always wanted to experience every aspect of the walk; walk, cheer, crew. Having participated two previous years as a walker, this was my year to cheer (maybe next year will be my year to crew?).

It really is true what they say; once you experience any aspect of this walk you are immediately addicted to the contagious energy! The morning was incredible, watching all 2400 walkers march before us as we held our “Words of Encouragement”. Our “Words of Encouragement” have put on a lot of miles in their own right. They accompany us to many Soulspring Groups events and there’s something about them that draw people in (local press and KARE 11’s own Lee Valsvik among them! See the video here!).

Inspire…Belief…Power…Passion. These were the words the walkers saw as they traveled along their day 2 route. Almost immediately women began pointing, smiling, asking us to pose with our “words” for scrapbook photos, some even shed a tear. Whatever the reaction though it was clear that these words meant something to each of them, spurring them on to reach their final destination.

Isn’t the power of a simple, lone word amazing? Straight and to the point, and most importantly open to individual interpretation; defined by happy moments, tragedy, experience, and the overall journey of life.

Thank you to all the walkers participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day this year! We’ve got a “word” for you…AMAZING! That’s the best way we can describe your hard work and endurance as you create awareness and put names and faces to this disease. Never doubt that you are changing the world!

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” ~Mother Theresa

Quiz: Are you headed for a Personal Energy Crash?

Feeling tired? Lost your oomph? You’re not alone, it’s one of the top complaints we hear from women, which led us to dedicate the month of August to the topic of energy.

Sure, as women we lead busy lives and sometimes our hectic pace can get the best of us. But burning the candle at both ends for too long can lead to a personal energy crisis. Avoiding the problem all together can soon lead to a crash!

So are you on the verge of a power melt-down or have you formed a solid foundation of thoughts, belief, attitudes and habits to protect yourself from a full-fledged crash? Take this self-assessment and find out!

Are You Headed for a Personal Energy Crash?

Answer TRUE or FALSE to each question below.

TRUE FALSE What I do for a living really turns me on.
TRUE FALSE I surround myself with high-energy and positively charged people.
TRUE FALSE I’m living my life purpose and my life is an exciting adventure.
TRUE FALSE I’m invigorated knowing I’m living in alignment with my highest values.
TRUE FALSE I rarely feel overwhelmed; there is plenty of me to go around.
TRUE FALSE I feel a daily sense of pride in myself and my accomplishments.
TRUE FALSE There’s only one “me” and I take care of myself.
TRUE FALSE I take time regularly to focus on my own hobbies and interests.
TRUE FALSE I work at a healthy pace.
TRUE FALSE My daily to-do list is challenging, yet manageable.
TRUE FALSE I take breaks and time off free from guilt and regret.
TRUE FALSE When it comes to “me”, I have no problem saying “yes”.
TRUE FALSE I easily say “no” to requests that deplete me.
TRUE FALSE I feel empowered and in control of my life.
_____ _____ TOTAL

SCORE: Add up the answers in each column. Compare the number of TRUE statements to the results below:

12+ Sure, your hectic schedule tires you out, but overall you are one powered up woman! Stay focused and on track. Your positive example will inspire others to live an empowered lifestyle too!

9-11 You’ve been working hard to live your life on purpose but negative thoughts, beliefs and habits keep coming back to haunt you. Old habits die hard but stay strong. A few more tweaks will take your personal power to new heights!

6-8 Watch out, you’ve been pushing it to the limits for far too long. You’re definitely in crisis mode and it won’t take much to throw you into a real tailspin. Take steps now to protect your energy stores. As is usually the case, you have a pretty clear idea of what’s draining you. Take steps now to rev up your life once again!

0-5 Girl, we’ve been there! You’re a walking, talking example of frazzled, fizzled, frenzied and frayed! This is no longer a drill but a real live energy crash. Implement your emergency energy plan now!


So, how did you score? Are you in the midst of a crisis? Don’t worry; a full recovery is possible.

If you’re in need of a source of high-power fuel, you won’t want to miss our free tele-training event…

Power Up: Overcoming your Personal Energy Crisis
Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m. (CST)
Location: The Soulspring Tele-Classroom. Come as you are and learn in the comfort of your own home!
Fee: We invite you to be our guest!

Get the Details Here!


Sisters of Soul


Soulspiration of the Week:

“Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness.” ~ Shakti Gawain

Emergency Personal Energy Policy

ENERGY: en-er-gy [en-er-jee] n. Any source of useable power; available power; the capacity for vigorous activity; an adequate or abundant amount of power; the ability to act, lead and effect; an exertion of power.

Energy has many different meanings, but one thing is true; many women are experiencing an energy crisis! It’s the number-one complaint we hear from women.

Here at Soulspring Groups, we decided to implement an Emergency Energy Policy. During the month of August you will notice a reoccurring theme as you read our blog posts, follow our “tweets” on Twitter, and visit our page on Facebook. We’re going to be talking in terms of “energy” and offering tips and ideas to power up your life!

You may be wondering why an organization whose mission is empowering women would take such an interest in “energy”. Allow us to explain…

As you know, Soulspring’s focus is to inspire and support women to seek out and pursue their passions, goals and dreams. Through the course of this work we noticed something interesting; a very striking correlation between passion and energy. A woman on a mission glows, they have an inner radiance that can light up a dark room, and they energize others around them. There’s nothing more exhilarating!

And then we have the opposite; women who are living in the gap. That desolate place of boredom, anxiety, worry and unease. Life there is dark, unexciting, and tedious and if you yourself have been in that wasteland for any length of time, you know the feelings we’re talking about.

Well, it turns out many of the most common Passion Pitfalls, the ones that lead us to the gap, happen to also be huge energy drains, exhausting our power supplies, depleting our batteries and literally sucking us dry! That’s why we’ve decided to enact our Emergency Energy Policy this month and we’re inviting you to plug into it!

How, you ask? Well every woman from time to time goes through a personal energy crisis. Whether you're experiencing one now or not, it's still important to watch for the signs and prepare your energy plan in advance. Here's what you can do this month to do just that...

First, our next issue of our e-newsletter, Soul-spiration, is going to roll out our Personal Energy Conservation Plan. You won’t want to miss this issue! If you haven’t signed up for your free subscription please do so now so you don't miss out! Claim Your Free Soulspiration Subscription Now!

Next, we invite you to join us for our next free tele-class training event, Power Up: Overcoming Your Personal Energy Crisis. On Wednesday, August 19 we’ll be revealing common energy drains that deplete your personal energy stores, and helping you to tap into a source of personal power you didn’t even know you had! Get the full details by clicking the link below! Power Up: Overcoming Your Personal Energy Crisis

Watch for our Daily Energizers, our high-octain "tweets" all month on Twitter! Then of course you'll want to meet us back here at the Soul Sisters Blog next week for our next "energized" post!

It's going to be a powered up and high-energy month! Get ready to flip the switch and turn on your life!

Sisters of Soul


Soulspiration of the Week:

“See where your own energy wants to go, not where you think it should go. Do something because it feels right, not because it makes sense. Follow the spiritual impulse.” ~ Mary Hayes-Greico