On this International Women’s Day today, let us all pledge to empower each other to become better human beings as we are more powerful when we empower each other, says DR PUSHPA CHATURVEDI
What does empowerment really mean? Empowerment is not about having power over others, but to have power over one’s self. It’s not necessary to be strong always, but it’s important to feel strong and make others feel strong. It’s about the ability of individuals to do something about their needs, wants, opinions, beliefs, and feelings.
Empowerment is about working together for our shared interests, to improve our communities and institutions, and build a more just society. It doesn’t have to be anything big always; even small gestures, thoughts or words that elevate you and others to a sharper understanding to live a happier, peaceful, and productive life are small steps towards empowerment.
Since my childhood and teenage years, my parents always encouraged me to read in order to expand my way of thinking. They taught me to value myself, to believe in my actions and fly as high as I wanted. They trusted me fully and built my confidence to do everything I wanted as long as I constantly strove to become better.
This they did despite the extreme wrath of my orthodox grandparents who never approved that girls be given liberty. My mother was only a 7th grader, but she was very progressive in her thinking.
My younger cousin sister was married off at 18 years of age, but my parents never thought of marrying me off at an early age. Now I realise that all that they ingrained in me, did expand my mind in unimaginable ways as well as helped me to grow as an individual to empower myself.
Empowering others is simple ― it can be achieved by appreciating the good in them, encouraging them, sharing your knowledge and wisdom, believing in them and always being mindful of how you react or respond to their mistakes, so as to not discourage them, but help them to overcome their shortcomings.
Since I got married into an orthodox, traditional-minded family, I have always tried to empower others with my ‘limited’ wisdom and I am glad that I did succeed to some extent.
Empowerment at home and in the community, leads to building a just and empowered nation, but this needs a clear soul vision. It needs economic, societal, cultural and spiritual inputs in the right direction. In the present era, we see that in order to grab power, most politicians make false promises and take the people for a ride; and instead of empowering them, they exploit them. Unfortunately, politics and power has become a dirty game.
For spiritual empowerment, we need to be confident of our ability to reflect and tap into our mind, body and spirit, to explore the energy inside that makes us who we are; to discover our dreams and passions, invoke self-love and to connect with our true self ― the divinity within.
When we think positively and choose faith over fear, connect with nature, disconnect with outer chaos, and meditate, it helps us to develop inner awareness and give our self the power and freedom to explore our soul, beliefs, and identity.
Women empowerment is another critical aspect to be achieved, where both men and women have equal power and opportunities for education, healthcare, economic participation and personal development.
Education is the gateway to progress and needs utmost priority. Women must join forces with men, as most would like to help. Women are capable of doing anything men do and they deserve to get opportunities to prove themselves. It all starts with honing your skills, developing your support system, and staying true to yourself. Being confident and believing in your own self-worth is necessary to achieve your potential.
On this International Women’s Day today, let us all pledge to empower each other to become better human beings. We are more powerful when we empower each other.
(Featured Image Courtesy: The Hindu. Captain Zoya Aggarwal, leading an all-woman cockpit crew)
Dr Pushpa Chaturvedi, a paediatrician with over 50 years experience, is an educationist and researcher, with over 100 research publications, mainly on social paediatrics in renowned medical journals. Ex Professor and Head of Department of Paediatrics, MGIMS Sevagram Wardha, she is a thinker, writer, poet, artist and a spiritual blogger with over 500 blogs to her credit. Dr Chaturvedi is also a keen traveller, music and nature lover.
Beautifully described about empowerment. Empowering oneself to distinguish right and wrong, to love and serve each other with respect.
Nothing can be better than empowering the self and realize its true powers.
Cannot like more your words and shares Pushpa mam!
Thank you Manas jee ..when we lift others we also lift ourself regards
Pushpa ji, I am simply moved to go through this beautiful post.
True generosity lies in empowering each other indeed, and by waking up to this great truth about the common human predicament only we can compliment and supplement one another in making humanity one shade better. This as such lies at the heart of true education which vouches for passing on values and life lessons not as a subjective learning but as a legacy of future generations. And only then can we live a life of shared values and shared understanding which as such is the only wonder glue of social cohesion.
On the other hand, as we are today on a celebratory mood of International Women’s Day, one beautiful verse of Kabir ji which in itself is a question for deep introspection comes to my mind:
नर नारी में एक विराजे,
दो दुनियाँ में दिशे क्यों ?
When The One abides in both men & women, why do we look just two??
Truly, as the renowned psychologist Erich Fromm says, we, each of us, carry the traits of both masculinity and femininity in us. While love, affection, care, concern, sacrifice and justice stand as feminine qualities, valour, courage, administration etc. stand as masculine values in each of us. And we remain incomplete till we transcend our skewed ‘either/or’ self identities as merely a man or a woman and reach at a state of fusion of these traits as and when in our real life situations it asks from us.
This is perhaps the most pleasant struggle of an individual and the resolution of it in reaching at the fusion of the polarities within us as such, is the greatest joy of the individuation process. All the questions and conflicts about gender difference which lies in the mental plane becomes just redundant in a flash.
Every day would be a Wow-man’s day then for such an individual, optimising one’s highest worth!
Thank you Pushpa ji again, for such an empowering post. Happy Wow-man’s Day for All of Us?