How Do You Define Empowerment?!

In this day of Social Media, Constant Conflicts of Opinion and everyone clamoring to have their voice heard above everyone else’s…..

How do you define empowerment…

 

To me being a woman living the life of a single parent in Pakistan empowerment does not mean equality with men.

Being a sister to two brothers I am very close to, I learnt very early on that both genders have their fair share of challenges. As I grew up not just physically but emotionally also, I realized that empowerment to me isn’t what social media would have me believe.

I consider myself to be a responsible, educated and an empowered Woman and to me my empowerment stems from the fact that I can economically provide for myself and my daughter.

To me empowerment is to understand my strengths and my weaknesses and be able to make mature and healthy decisions based on facts.

To me empowerment is that I can be both a mother and nurture and love and be a father and earn and protect.

To me empowerment isn’t a gift that’s going to be handed to me on a platter. It’s a form of emotional liberation based on what I want out of life.

So isn’t it senseless that we spend precious energy brooding over why we are women and why we can’t walk the street at midnight looking flashy and expect no harm to come to us? Dear noise of social media I wouldn’t do that even if I as a man. Because I would surely get mugged or harmed.

Life isn’t fair. It wasn’t programmed to be fair.

To all the girls growing up into this brave and beautiful world today, know that you aren’t any less empowered if you revel in being a woman. Never fail to demand respect because believe me it’s your right as a woman. Never feel ashamed to choose your path and own your destiny because that is true empowerment.

Seeking to be equal to men isn’t empowerment. It’s a degradation of your femininity.

So stop asking your fathers and brothers and husbands to empower you. Instead, wake up to your true potential and chalk out your life path and walk it without seeking validation because that is what true strength demands.