Empowerment. When we hear that word, I think we often think of self-help books, podcasts or pricey seminars since “empowerment” is such a trendy buzzword right now.
To me, the word has a different connotation. I think of small bits of things. Yes, there can be times that just the right speaker or book can change our lives and propel us in a totally new direction, often a life changing direction. But I think those luminous moments are the exception rather than the rule.
Each of us is unique. No one has our thumbprint or our exact DNA. Quite miraculous when we think about it! That means that each of us has a path that only we can walk. Yes, we can learn from others along the way or those that have gone before us, but our unique path is ours alone.
Most of us have to search to find our purpose along the way with many detours. We aren’t given a step by step blueprint as we come tumbling into this world. Oh, how wonderful that would be! In fact, our path is often covered over by family expectations, cultural norms or well-meaning friends among other things. We often find ourselves wondering, “who am I really?”
I believe we find empowerment to know and live the life we were meant to live in little pieces. Each time we encounter something that resonates deeply within our soul and we don’t even know why, we are finding a piece of our authentic self. And it is out of our authenticity that our true path emerges. I have often read a passage in a book that puts into words something I just “know” in my soul, but have never spoken. It often takes my breath away when I meet those moments.
Slowly, if we are attentive to what enters our world, we can begin to allow our authentic self to emerge. We begin to assemble the parts of ourselves into the unique person that only we were created to be. If I notice that every time I am in nature or working in my garden that my heart sings, that is something I need to pay attention to. If words spoken or written excite me, that is something to notice. Do I feel most creative when I am whipping up a recipe in the kitchen singing to the radio? Slowly, as I begin to notice what deeply resonates within me and makes my heart sing, I begin to find the pieces of myself that empower me to become the person that only I was created to be. And as I become my authentic self, it often empowers others around me to find the authenticity they have often been hungering for without the words with which to name it.
WHAT MAKES YOUR HEART SING?
