Gaining confidence and individual autonomy can change all of this, and what better time to begin your self-ruling journey than America’s Day of Independence, the Fourth of July?
In no particular order, here are 10 ways to cultivate your inner Essie Weingarten (founder of Essie Cosmetics).
1. Accept who you are. This is a no-brainer but can sometimes be challenging. Whether you seek counseling, open up to friends or begin journaling, accepting who you are by letting go of your past is crucial for self-growth.
2. Have faith. Believe in yourself, and if this concept seems too foreign at the moment, fake it till you make it. If you don’t trust yourself, why would anyone else?
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3. Educate, research and learn. Go back to school, take some classes, or go online to teach yourself about the plans you daydream of. You can never know too much.
4. Get smart with your money. Talk to financially successful women whom you admire or fiscally sound family members. Go online for budget planning at sites like www.mint.com and if able, meet with a financial advisor. And save, save, save. Even if it’s a dollar a week in the beginningit’ll add up. Too often women associate their well-being with their bank account. Though this isn’t good for anyone, having a safe nest egg is.
5. Set practical goals. If you’re just beginning your path towards independence, don’t tell yourself that everything you want will be accomplished by December. That is unrealistic and will set you up for defeat. Instead, start small with definitive goals.
6. Know when to ask for help. Not asking for help or asking too late can turn a manageable situation into a serious one that may affect your health and overall well-being. A smart woman knows when and when not to take on too much.
7. Feed your soul every day. “Observance of the soul can be deceptively simple. You take back what has been disowned. You work with what is, rather than with what you wish were there.”
–Thomas Moore
8. Take chances. Enroll in a dance class, nail art retreat, karate class. … Just do something fun to let go a bit. It may feel awkward at first but will become easier with time.
9. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day! And reworking your psyche won’t be either. Great things take time to achieve but are well worth it in the end.
10. Never give up. You may have days where you don’t want to get out of bed, much less go to a salsa class to “honor yourself”! That’s sometimes all right. What is not okay is to throw in the towel because of one failed attempt or string of bad luck. Ya fall off, ya get right back on! You can do this.
Megan James
Image: Thinkstockphotos.com
