Environment - This is important because if you are in a negative environment (like a bad job) you don't feel very empowered. Toastmasters is a positive and supportive environment, and at Igniters do a fantastic job of creating this atmosphere.
Emotion - Gaining control of your emotions is the key to successful personal empowerment. People tend to do things that they feel like, and avoid things they don't feel like. Therefore, your feelings are a huge part in being able to get yourself to do what you need to do, even when you don't want to do it!
Education - Because we already know what we know, and it's gotten us what we got, in order to get what we don't have, we must learn what we don't know now. Oprah Winfrey said "I think education is power. I think that being able to communicate with people is power. One of my main goals on the planet is to encourage people to empower themselves."
This evening the audience was delighted to hear new member Robin give a cool second speech on "Hip Hop's Contribution to Vocabulary". During introductions we learned that it really takes different strokes to please different folks, diversity makes the world go around!
Some of the tools, tips, and techniques that Igniters shared that they use to motivate and empower themselves are: "working out", "spending time with friends and family", "brainstorming", "a gratitude rock", "delegation", "lip gloss", "music", "daily walks", "lucky bells and bracelets", and even a "pet snake"... albeit it was not real (thank goodness, as some member might have found that very disempowering!)
"Empowerment is not giving people power, people already have plenty of power, in the wealth of their knowledge and motivation, to do their jobs magnificently. We define empowerment as letting this power out. "It encourages people to gain the skills & knowledge that will allow them to overcome obstacles in life or work environment and ultimately, help them develop within themselves or in the society." - John P. Carlos
