This is no time to indulge in self-pity or self-doubt in a pandemic, this is the time to feel your own power!
Nona Walia
This is the time to celebrate your superpowers. Strong cultures believe in celebrating your inner power. Actor Jennifer Lopez took the world of LinkedIn by storm in the last twenty-four hours, when she posted a video of hers saying, "Just keep going. Don't let those doubts that creep in influence who you are. Believe you are great and keep going." It was Arianna Huffington, Founder And CEO of Thrive Global, who commented on her post, "Such a teachable moment about self-doubt. I'm reminded of how my mother would say, "failure is not the opposite of success, it is a stepping stone to success."
In a global crisis, the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. Power isn't just the reserve of powerful CEOs in boardrooms, or political leaders. You don’t have to be in a position of power to feel powerful. You can just tap into your inner power. Anna Rowley, Ph.D., a psychologist believes "there is a big difference between ‘being’ powerful—which is when you rely on your powerful role or status, like being a boss, parent, or sibling—and ‘feeling’ powerful." Everyone can train themselves to feel powerful in a crisis. Feeling powerful is innerwork, it is about removing all self-doubt. It’s all about connecting with your strengths and capabilities, and trusting them to see you through a situation. When you feel powerful, you have the ability to move through the most difficult situations. You won't feel stuck. A powerless CEO in self-doubt can damage the confidence of all his employees. A sense of power “has dramatic effects on thought and behavior,” writes Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, in 2011 article in the journal Psychological Science . Dr. Amy Cuddy on The Science of Success says, "The key is to make yourself feel powerful. I’m not talking about power over people, but the power to bring our best self forth, to believe in ourselves, and to be present. When people feel powerful it affects their feelings, their thoughts, their behaviors, and even their physiology. You feel more optimistic, more happy, and more confident. You think more openly, more creatively. You generally see the world as a place that’s filled with opportunities, not threats." Ask yourself: How powerful do you feel? How much choice and ability to move through your world do you have? To feel powerful, do these effective techniques:
Create powerful moments: Try to tap into your authentic power. Feel and appear powerful. According to Psychology Today, act authentically -- echo your personal views, set boundaries, protect your energy.People want to know who else is in the trenches with them – and if you have got each other’s back, especially at a time like now, that’s really powerful
Empower yourself with a dialogue: What is the story you tell yourself. Self-talk is critical. It helps you feel your power. The real power in life lies in how you feel inside. Once you tap into that internal power, it’ll radiate to others and the world around you. Stop paying attention to the scare stories.
Give yourself a powerful task or goal: Stick to your commitments. Make small goals for yourself. Life outcomes are much better for people with an "internal locus of control," or a tendency to believe that they are responsible for most of the things that happen to them.
Have a powerful body language: Work on your image, when you feel powerful in your mind, the confidence will show in your body. Notice what you are avoiding. Don't give anyone else power over you. A recent report in Science Daily says, a dominant body posture may help children to feel more confident in school. Researchers from San Diego State University and Columbia University found in a recently published study that how people speak conveys hierarchical rank--status. Making your voice sound right can help you feel powerful. Speak in a monotonic tone and higher pitch with more variability in loudness.
Wear Your "Power Color":You're not imagining that boost of confidence you get when you put on a top in your favorite shade!
What makes you feel powerful? I would love to hear from you.