The concept of empowerment is simple; its achievement, however, might be more complex. If empowerment is the power derived within or given to us to do something, then female empowerment dives deeper and raises the question of who has the authority to impart that power or help others develop it. How does empowerment translate to success? And what is the perfect balance that makes us thrive?
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The concept of empowerment is simple; its achievement, however, might be more complex. If empowerment is the power derived within or given to us to do something, then female empowerment dives deeper and raises the question of who has the authority to impart that power or help others develop it. How does empowerment translate to success? And what is the perfect balance that makes us thrive?
A problem with the conventional definition of empowerment lies in the idea that it is something given. The reality is that we create it for ourselves, or create environments, systems and structures for it to grow within others. It’s less a goal to achieve or a gift to receive than an evolving process, constantly redefining itself and adapting to new situations.
How do we define female empowerment today? Is it how well we parent, present or perform? We come together to support each other and address systemic and societal barriers to empowerment and success. Part of female empowerment is identifying what roles will fulfill you—career, mother, partner, mentor or the happy balance of each. Determining that balance is something only you can own, but getting there can be a journey.
You Are Not Alone
Empowerment begins internally but does not flourish in isolation. To be successful, we need to surround ourselves with (and offer others) positive support while releasing negative feelings, comments or opinions that hold us back. Your support can be local or virtual, across the country or around the world. You can find a mentor, create a network and carefully select your teams. Take it a step further and pay it forward by constantly challenging yourself to inspire others as a way of honoring those who mentored you.
There is no clear or singular path to anything. Even using terms like “right,” “wrong,” “traditional,” “modern” or “acceptable” can be misleading because everyone’s journey is different, and we no longer have strict or uniform notions of correct or incorrect ways to do or define things. Find comfort in camaraderie and strength from sisterhood—all of us are on a female empowerment journey, and it will take time to figure out what that means individually.
Look Within
Finding fulfillment and balance—and inevitably feeling empowered in your life roles—is a constantly changing mission that begins with self-knowledge. You are the only one who can identify what empowers you, and the first step in that process is to get to know yourself. If the driving force behind success is empowerment, we can embrace that force within. It is generative energy that can elevate anyone, regardless of gender.
One way to practice introspection is through mindfulness. This practice teaches us to focus our attention on the present moment and accept it without judgment. We see ourselves and the world as they are, not as we or others wish them to be. It’s a way of life and a mindset that helps us identify our feelings and respond to them in healthy, compassionate ways. When we pay attention, on purpose, we observe and identify strengths and passions, as well as areas of improvement. We realize when to lead and when to delegate.
You can make better decisions, respond appropriately to any situation and empower yourself while lifting others around you. With self-awareness, you become the architect, decision maker and authority on your life’s journey.
Paths to Fulfillment
The world has taken an incredible shift with female career empowerment. Many corporations support a vision and platform for workplace transparency and inclusive company cultures. Selecting a company and leader with the platform that best supports you can be pivotal.
Women are an integral part of the workforce, which requires finding the intersection of what empowers your mind, body and spirit. A Zippia survey conducted in 2022 notes that 46.6% of the workforce in the US is female. The women’s labor force participation rate was at its highest in 1999, when 60% of working-age women in the US were employed. This study notes that the pandemic hurt labor force participation as a whole, but the good news is that we are already seeing a sign of recovery, with the women’s labor force participation rate increasing by 2.2% since April 2020.
The pandemic forced women to make a staggering number of impossible decisions. Many had to leave the workforce (due to elimination of positions or entire departments, or childcare and eldercare demands), while others were encouraged or required to lean into their careers full force, changing their home dynamic. Today, composing a professional life is relative to what you can afford, your skillset, priorities and support. For those hoping to build a career, family or identify a fulfilling partner, it defines what this balance will look like for you in the future.
Leading With Intention
A 2022 Forbes study found that the pandemic played a prominent role in the working mother’s role in the workforce and her plans to have more children. In 2018, 58% of working moms still planned on having more children. For the first time in 2022, that statistic dropped to just 42% of millennial and Gen Z moms intending to have another child.
Progressive companies realize the strategic benefit of creating an equal-level playing field for women and mothers. Prioritizing each of these elements can be confusing or conflicting.
For me, empowerment has come in the form of many honors. Some have been physical awards, but the best-won tributes come from honest mentoring conversations with great leaders teaching me life-changing lessons. Most recently, the most fulfilling reward has been receiving my teammates’ celebrations for my prioritizing being a mother.
While each day can feel arduous, striving toward balance as a team boosts mindset and morale. When we are balanced, we build resilience, and with resilience comes the power to recover from adversity and remodel our professional and personal worlds by redefining our notions of success with support and solidarity.
The aspects of leadership that are most fulfilling for me have become the ultimate inspiration for my team. Why? Because when I stopped trying to fit into a conventional role (or adhere to a fixed definition of female empowerment) and embraced my authentic self without judgment, I serendipitously opened a door for others to do the same.
Support Over Judgement
No one (including friends, family, your job and especially society) can dictate what will empower you, nor should they judge. Only you can define what inspires you, which can (and probably will) change frequently.
Finding supportive friends, colleagues, family members and allies is the key to success. Focusing on your mental well-being and tuning in to what inspires you allows you to stay true to what brings you balance. Communicating openly and honestly with your network or partner empowers you to drive your success.
When we start prioritizing compassion over competition and mental wellness and resilience over productivity (and the “always on” workday), we can open up the empowerment dialogue to explore the balance and measures of success.
Female empowerment means not being afraid to practice self-care. We can make smart choices that shape our future, like mindful eating, sleeping well, adopting a consistent exercise routine and developing patience. Power doesn’t always show up in a suit or a glossy presentation; if empowerment comes from within, then that internal space needs the highest level of support and care—certainly as much as we give to our PowerPoint presentations and video conference screens.
Balanced Empowerment
We can access our fullest potential when we tend to our mental health and develop a positive mindset. A 2022 Fortune article identifies ways career-minded women can cultivate positive mental health. Some suggestions include practicing mindfulness and surrendering to the priorities of the moment, or taking a step back out of your career limelight to rest and rejuvenate. It could also mean taking advantage of corporate benefits such as employee assistance, wellness benefits or taking a mental health day when you need it to regroup.
Surrendering is directly related to a central tenet of mindfulness: acceptance. It implies acknowledgment that the world is not always perfect, and neither are we. This doesn’t mean failure or success, but seeing reality and acting in accordance with it.
The choices you make regarding your journey as an executive, a mother, a caretaker and a partner are truly amazing and should be respected. If you want to raise your status—at work, in your home, as a mother or in a combination—raise it. You are the source of your own power. Create an empowerment road map, revisit it often, and keep questioning and learning about yourself, your community and your colleagues—because life never stops teaching.
Dina Fenili Niekamp brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to her role as associate vice president of sales, marketing & brand at Miraval Resorts. She works to drive consumer awareness of the brand and spearheads marketing and communications efforts across all three properties.
