Personal power?

[Ronin]

How do you know you've increased your 'personal power' given that you can't measure it?

In case your personal power is booze related, there's the glasses, bottles, and all for a fairly accurate mea--

I'm going to sleep. :hilarious: Personal power enough.

 

[ladee]

Personal power can not be measured in a scientific way, but in a feeling and acting way.... I can do things today, I never dreamed possible... so that is growth.... and courage, and personal power.

 

[Deleted member 33052]

For every time I stepped out of my comfort zone, and was vulnerable, I got stronger each time... even if...

That was inspiring! Thank you, ladee!

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I'm with @Deadman on this one.

Does personal power equal growth? What does it even mean? Can someone define it?

Here, I typed "define personal power" in google and this clip of this site came up:

"Personal power is a source of influence and authority a person has over his or her followers. Where does a person get this power from? In short, the power is determined by his or her followers. There are different types of power a person can hold."

Personal Power: Definition & Types - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

So, from that, it sounds like it is having power over others. Determined by your followers. Red flags all in my head from that.

Then, I look further and get this from psychology today:

Link Removed

Which says:

Personal power is based on strength, Link Removed, and competence that individuals gradually acquire in the course of their development.

Which is it? And how do we know which it is? It sounds like a suggestive term to me, depending on who is speaking and what about.

I would need it defined before I can answer it.

 

[Deleted member 33052]

I'm with @Deadman on this one.

Does personal power equal growth? What do...

Lol, look at you, being all logical! Now I kinda wish you'd been the first to comment! ;)

 

[Deleted member 41765]

I think men and women define "personal power" as differently as we define it individually.

Personal power can not be measured in a scientific way, but in a feeling and acting way.... I can do things today, I never dreamed possible... so that is growth.... and courage, and personal power.

Love this!

 

[The Albatross]

Will power alone wasn't enough for me... not consistent enough and I couldn't power it out at times. I'm a bit interested in the responses cuz I've been a bit confused about the term (personal power).

 

[Tinyflame]

By those definitions above from @lostforgottensoul I have none lol.

Idk but I never wanted power, I'd rather have had peace and a purpose.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Idk but I never wanted power, I'd rather have had peace and a purpose.

Agreed!

 

[ladee]

@Junebug, having peace and a purpose IS power.. we only know the word POWER to be a negative.... having the insight to never hurt some one deliberately is power.... the power of love and consideration of others... I think you have much more power than you think you do... as you are always, and I mean always, one of the kindest and most supportive people on this forum....I feel everyone that knows you , would agree.... power to love and be kind is a very positive thing. Gentle hugs to you m'lady.

 

[Tornadic Thoughts]

I view personal power as being a very personal thing. Not exhibiting power over followers or any other external being, but accepting it over yourself by making healthier choices that are well within your reach to do that can enrich your life and contribute to your overall wellness, on purpose, every single chance you get.

Learning to be your own follower, perhaps, rather than blindly and/or loyally following others based on their credentials on paper, preferably by being open to re-learning all about self, very thoroughly from the inside out, and by openly and continually questioning what doesn't set right with your soul. That can be super hard to do when you've been aggressively silenced much of your life and are continually placed in circumstances that render one paralyzed by fear.

At least that's what it took to finally feel anything that resembled healthy self-empowerment within my own biology. The paths we each must take to reach that point are as varied as every other path we take as individuals. If I manage to tend to self-care and not hurt another in my daily interactions, then I call it a success.

If I recognize I simply don't have the energy to tend to myself on a given day, or maybe say the wrong thing at the wrong time, that's still a success, because I can finally recognize it for what it is and no longer feel I MUST fix myself or that I'm a worthless failure for feeling that way, but rather accept that not all days have to be "on" days and then choose to use my tool box of already proven therapeutic options to best feel my way through it, or take a long ass nap and use the tool box to make tomorrow a better day.

I felt the most healthily empowered in my life when I was willing to unlearn what had been long conditioned and programmed into my brain as being my only chances for survival in this world we live in, along with many traditions that never felt right that I'd felt heavily guilted into participating in by family and other authority figures. A whole lot of baggage being carried by me that belonged to others. I sure wish I could charge baggage fees like the airport does. Heavy shit that drained my being. Giving up the idea that just because things were taught in a school or place of worship of some sort that it had to be accurate, because they certainly wouldn't waste our time teaching inaccuracies...or would they? According to direct results I've experienced in my life by going against the grain, so to speak, I'm convinced they very much would, and still do.

Discovering how incredibly misleading damn near everything can be, no matter how many peer reviewed studies accompany it, continues to boggle my mind and also serves as a good yardstick of what not to do more often than not. Although it rarely feels like personal power when you're looked down upon by many as being just some supposed idiot always bucking the system, or however one chooses to phrase it or view it. It can either continually pluck my nerves or be free entertainment. Personal power, to me, means choosing to view it as free entertainment rather than allowing it to trip up my flow of what I've grown to know. I can only choose my choices, not those of others. My ene

 

[Deleted member 37085]

I have to change my answer. I've been thinking about this for a couple of months and have come to t...

I agree about accountability yes, yet even with that some relationships are not viable, sadly.