Self-Empowerment: Meaning, Examples, & Quotes​

By Beth Birenbaum, MPH

Learn how to gain more control over your future through self-empowerment.

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Do you ever feel stuck, like life is happening to you rather than you being in control? You're not alone. Many of us yearn for a greater sense of agency, the ability to shape our life direction. This is where self-empowerment comes in.

In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of self-empowerment and examine some of the psychology and science behind it. 

We’ll also give some examples and practical tips and activities to help boost your sense of empowerment.

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What Is Self-Empowerment? (A Definition)​

Self-empowerment refers to the process of gaining control over your life, making independent decisions, and taking actions that lead to personal growth, fulfillment, and success. It’s about developing a strong sense of self-worth, self-confidence, and resilience, as well as acquiring the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. Self-empowerment encourages you to take responsibility for your happiness and well-being, to believe in your capabilities, and to strive for continuous improvement and self-actualization.

Opposite of Self-Empowerment​

The opposite of self-empowerment is disempowerment or a feeling of powerlessness. It's where you doubt your ability to make choices or influence your life. You might feel dependent on others or as though external forces control your destiny. 

It can result from external factors such as oppression, discrimination, or lack of opportunities, as well as internal factors such as low self-esteem or self-doubt. Disempowerment can lead to a lack of motivation and difficulty taking action. It can also impede personal growth, limit achievement, and contribute to feelings of helplessness or dependency.

Why Self-Empowerment Is Important

Self-empowerment is important because it contributes to feelings of well-being (Davidhizar, 1992), and it allows us to live our lives with authenticity and according to our values. When you’re self-empowered, you have the confidence to take risks or pursue dreams. You’re not afraid to stand up for yourself or to say no when it’s appropriate. You’re able to cope with challenges and setbacks and move forward with your life.

Here are some of the benefits of self-empowerment:
​

• Increased self-confidence: When you’re self-empowered, you believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your personal goals. This increased self-confidence can help you to overcome challenges and setbacks.
• Improved health: Studies show that empowerment enhances both physical and mental health (Wallerstein, 1992). Feeling in control helps to reduce stress and anxiety and it can improve our overall mental health.
• Greater happiness: When we feel in control of our own lives, we’re also more likely to be happy and fulfilled.
• Improved relationships: Self-empowered people can set boundaries in relationships and stand up for themselves, which can lead to healthier relationships (Rankin, 2014).
• Sense of purpose: Self-empowerment can help us to find a sense of purpose in our lives.

On the other hand, feeling powerless is associated with both physical and mental health issues (Wallerstein, 1992). When you feel that others are dictating your life, choosing your beliefs, values, or behaviors, you may lose confidence and experience reduced well-being.

Examples of Self-Empowerment

Here are some examples of what self-empowerment can look like in action:
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• Setting and achieving goals: This could be as simple as setting a goal to exercise regularly or as complex as pursuing a career change. By setting clear goals and taking steps to achieve them, you'll gain a sense of accomplishment and boost your confidence. Setting and achieving goals is crucial for self-empowerment because it provides clarity of purpose, motivation, and drive. In fact, some researchers define empowerment as envisioning a way to achieve our goals and then seeing a link between our efforts and the results in our lives (Cattaneo & Chapman, 2010). 
• Learning new skills:  Taking a class, reading a book, or watching a tutorial are all ways to expand your knowledge and skill set. Always stay open and explore opportunities to learn and grow. The more you learn, the more capable and empowered you'll feel.
• Practicing positive self-talk:  The way you talk to yourself matters. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, challenge them with positive affirmations. Remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments. This helps you build confidence, overcome self-doubt, and cultivate a positive perception of yourself.
• Setting healthy boundaries: It's okay to say “no”—to set boundaries and decline requests that don't align with your priorities or well-being.
• Taking care of yourself:  Make time for activities that nourish your mind and body. This could include getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, or spending time in nature.
• Advocating for yourself:  Speak up for what you need or deserve. This could involve negotiating a raise, asking for help at work, or setting boundaries in your personal life.

Watch this video for an inspiring example of self-empowerment.

Video: The Road to Self-Empowerment

Self-Empowerment Affirmations​

Self-empowerment affirmations are positive statements that can help you boost your confidence, motivation, and overall sense of empowerment.  

The theory is that affirmations may be able to help us with these goals by forging new neural pathways in our brains. Indeed, both research and theory suggest that deliberate thought processes—like affirmations—can be made automatic over time (Paulhus & Coue, 1993). For example, try to think back to before you knew the answer to 2 + 2. You had to count and think about it. Now, your brain just knows the answer automatically. This is how the brain works—it attempts to automate anything we do often. So if we repeat our affirmations often enough, our brain just might start to think these thoughts automatically

Here are some examples of affirmations for empowerment, but feel free to choose whatever resonates with you: 
​

• I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.
• I have the strength and inner resources to overcome any obstacle.
• I am worthy of love and happiness.
• I am confident in my abilities and talents.
• I am grateful for the abundance in my life.
• I am in control of my own life.
• I trust my intuition and inner guidance.
• I am a valuable and important person.
• I am not afraid to take risks and pursue my dreams.
• I am capable of making a positive impact on the world.

Self-Empowerment Activities

Self-empowerment activities help you build your confidence, resilience, and sense of control over your life. The self-empowerment affirmations discussed above are a great way to start. Let’s go over some others.

Self-Reflection
​
Self-reflection is important for promoting self-awareness and therefore plays an important role in promoting a sense of self-empowerment (Bailey & Rehman, 2022) Reflection helps us to become more aware of our strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. This self-awareness empowers us to make more informed choices about our lives and to set goals that are aligned with our values. Journaling or meditation can be helpful tools for self-reflection.

​​Set and Work Toward Goals

The process of setting goals and working towards them can have a profound impact on your confidence, motivation, well-being, and sense of empowerment. For example, maybe you can think of a time when you overcame a challenge and achieved a goal, thus proving to yourself that you can accomplish difficult things. Did you feel empowered? 

However, how you go about setting goals is crucial for increasing the likelihood that you’ll achieve them. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for yourself. Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks to stay motivated and focused.

Create a Vision Board

​Creating a vision board is a self-empowerment activity that can help you to clarify goals, visualize dreams, and stay focused on aspirations. They are visual representations of your goals, intentions, and desires. They’re typically poster-sized and include a collage-type arrangement of images that symbolize different facets of your goals and intentions. Vision boards are useful for ensuring that your goals remain salient. That is, by creating a visual representation of your goals, you can easily look back at your vision board and remind yourself of the intentions you set. When your intentions are at the forefront of your mind, you are more likely to act on them. And taking action toward goals is empowering.

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning can be a powerful tool for self-empowerment. By actively seeking out new knowledge and skills, we expand our capabilities and open doors to personal and professional growth. It might involve reading, taking courses, attending workshops or seminars, or any other activities that help you have new experiences. This newfound knowledge boosts our confidence, opens doors to new opportunities, and allows us to navigate an ever-changing world with greater adaptability and control over our destinies.

Set Healthy Boundaries

Setting boundaries has several benefits for self-empowerment. First, it encourages healthy relationships (Rankin, 2014). Healthy relationships are based on mutual respect. When you set boundaries, you are teaching others how to treat you with respect. 

It also improves self-esteem (Mathe & Kelly, 2023). Setting boundaries shows that you respect yourself and that you are not afraid to stand up for yourself. This can boost your self-esteem and make you feel more confident. When you have clearly defined your boundaries, you’re better able to express yourself and maintain authenticity, leading to a higher level of self-esteem (Impett et al., 2008).​

Self-Empowerment Tips

• Surround yourself with positive people: Build a supportive network of people who uplift and encourage you, fostering a positive and motivating environment. This constant source of encouragement helps you overcome challenges and setbacks with greater confidence.
• Practice self-care: Prioritize your physical and mental well-being through activities that reduce stress and boost your energy, enabling you to approach challenges with greater resilience. Taking care of yourself equips you with the inner strength and confidence to navigate difficult situations and bounce back from setbacks.
• Develop a growth mindset: Believe in your ability to learn and improve, embracing challenges as opportunities for growth. This empowers you to take risks and persevere through setbacks, knowing that you can learn and grow from them.
• Be assertive: Communicate your needs and desires clearly and confidently, advocating for yourself in a respectful way. This builds self-confidence and allows you to take charge of your life, ensuring your needs are met and your voice is heard.
• Create an action list: Break down your goals into manageable steps, creating a roadmap that keeps you focused and motivated. This empowers you to take action and achieve your goals by providing a clear path forward and a sense of accomplishment as you check things off your list.

Self-Empowerment Coaching

Sometimes we need a little help getting started on the self-empowerment path. That’s where a coach can be helpful. Self-empowerment coaching focuses on helping you recognize strengths, build confidence, set meaningful goals, and take action to create positive changes in your life. This type of coaching is based on the belief that people have the ability to take control of their lives, overcome challenges, and achieve their full potential.

Here are some of the things that empowerment coaching can help you with:
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• Increase confidence and self-esteem
• Improve self-awareness
• Set and achieve goals
• Develop a positive mindset
• Improve communication skills
• Build healthy relationships
• Manage stress and overcome challenges

Self-Empowerment in Psychology

Self-empowerment in psychology examines how people gain the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to take control of their lives, make independent decisions, and achieve their goals. It involves developing a sense of self-efficacy, self-confidence, and self-awareness. Let’s go over some psychological models that address self-empowerment.
 
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) 

This theory focuses on intrinsic motivation and the factors that contribute to personal growth and fulfillment. SDT suggests that individuals are driven by three basic psychological needs: autonomy (the need to feel in control of one's actions), competence (the need to feel capable and effective), and relatedness (the need to feel connected to others). 

The theory suggests that when we’re high in these three factors, we also have higher levels of wellness, motivation, and confidence (Deci & Ryan, 2012). When we feel like we have control over our lives, that we are good at what we do, and that we belong to a supportive community, we are more likely to be confident in our abilities, ultimately bringing a greater sense of personal power.

Self-Efficacy Theory

Developed by Albert Bandura, this theory emphasizes the belief in your ability to achieve goals and overcome challenges. Self-efficacy influences motivation, behavior, and resilience. It suggests that people with high self-efficacy are more likely to persevere in the face of difficulties and achieve success (Bandura, 1977).

Positive Psychology

This approach focuses on strengths, virtues, and factors that contribute to psychological well-being and flourishing. Positive psychology emphasizes concepts such as resilience, optimism, gratitude, and mindfulness as pathways to self-empowerment and personal growth.

Humanistic Theory

Humanistic theories focus on the importance of self-actualization and the fulfillment of personal potential. Self-actualization is the process of reaching your full potential. Self-actualized people are typically characterized by a strong sense of purpose, a high level of creativity, and a deep appreciation for life. When we feel like we’re progressing toward fulfilling our potential, it positively impacts our self-confidence and self-empowerment. 

Cognitive-Behavioral Theory (CBT):
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Cognitive behavior therapy emphasizes the role of thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors in shaping emotions and experiences. It promotes self-empowerment by helping people identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop coping strategies, and make positive changes in behavior to improve mental health and well-being.​

The Science of Self Empowerment

The science of self-empowerment explores the psychological and neurological mechanisms that underlie our sense of control and agency. It draws on research from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, and sociology, to understand how we can develop a more empowered mindset and take charge of our lives.

Here are some of the key findings from the science of self-empowerment:
​

• Our beliefs about ourselves shape our reality. Our self-efficacy, or belief in our ability to succeed, is a powerful predictor of performance. But not because simply believing we can do something makes us successful. When we believe we can achieve our goals, we’re more likely to put in the effort and persist in the face of challenges. One study strongly supported a link between medical students’ sense of self-efficacy and their academic performance (Hayat et al., 2020).
• Our brains are wired for growth. The brain is constantly forming new neural connections, and we can leverage this neuroplasticity to develop new skills and change our mindset. By focusing on our strengths and practicing positive self-talk, we can train our brains to be more optimistic and resilient (Hanson, 2014), which is important for self-empowerment.
• Our social connections matter. Our relationships with others can provide us with support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. Strong social connections can boost our self-esteem and help us cope with stress, thus enhancing empowerment. One study found that healthy social connections help empower people to reach and maintain their health goals (Martino et al., 2017).

Self-Empowerment Quotes

• "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
  
• "You are enough just as you are." - Brené Brown 
  
• "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela 
  
• "Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt
  
• "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt
  
• "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
  

Articles Related to Self-Empowerment​

​Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

• Believe in Yourself: Why It's Important and How to Do It
• Loving Yourself: Why and How to Do It
• Assertiveness: Definition, Examples, & Techniques​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Books Related to Self-Empowerment​

If you’d like to keep learning more, here are a few books that you might be interested in.

• Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Women: 20th Anniversary Edition
• The Nibble Theory and the Kernel of Power: A Book About Leadership, Self-Empowerment, and Personal Growth
• Dethroning Your Inner Critic: The Four-Step Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Empowerment

Final Thoughts on Self-Empowerment

Sometimes the biggest growth in self-empowerment comes from realizing that our strengths emerge from embracing our vulnerabilities and learning from setbacks. It's not about being flawless or fearless, but about acknowledging our imperfections and fears with courage and compassion. Self-empowerment comes from within, cultivated through self-awareness, resilience, and a willingness to learn and grow from every experience. As we harness our inner strength and authenticity, we not only transform our lives but also inspire others to pursue their paths of self-discovery and empowerment.

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References

• Bailey, J. R., & Rehman, S. (2022, March 21). Don’t underestimate the power of self-reflection. Harvard Business Review. 
• Cattaneo, L. B., & Chapman, A. R. (2010). The process of empowerment: a model for use in research and practice. American Psychologist, 65(7), 646.
• Davidhizar, R. (1992). Feeling personal power. Today's OR Nurse, 14(10), 34-36.
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory. Handbook of theories of social psychology, 1(20), 416-436.
• Hanson, R. (2014, September 24). How to grow the good in your brain. Greater Good. 
• Hayat, A. A., Shateri, K., Amini, M., & Shokrpour, N. (2020). Relationships between academic self-efficacy, learning-related emotions, and metacognitive learning strategies with academic performance in medical students: a structural equation model. BMC medical education, 20, 1-11.
• Impett, E. A., Sorsoli, L., Schooler, D., Henson, J. M., & Tolman, D. L. (2008). Girls' relationship authenticity and self-esteem across adolescence. Developmental psychology, 44(3), 722.
• Martino, J., Pegg, J., & Frates, E. P. (2017). The connection prescription: using the power of social interactions and the deep desire for connectedness to empower health and wellness. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 11(6), 466-475.
• Mathe, J. R., & Kelly, W. E. (2023). Mental Boundaries Relationship with Self-Esteem and Social Support: New Findings for Mental Boundaries Research. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 02762366231158274
• ​Paulhus, D. L., & Coue, E. (1993). Bypassing the will: The automatization of affirmations. JMS, 4, 1.
• Rankin, P. R. (2014). Managing Boundaries in the Multiple Relationships Created by Mentorship. In Strategies for Teaching Leadership. CreateSpace.
• Wallerstein, N. (1992). Powerlessness, empowerment, and health: implications for health promotion programs. American journal of health promotion, 6(3), 197-205.​

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