Hello Roses,

So, as you now well know, one of my core values of the company is Empowerment (along with Elegance and Exclusivity) So today, I am going to focus on Empowerment and how YOU can feel more empowered.

Over the past few months, I have read many inspiring books including Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, She Means Business by Carrie Green, Girl Code by Cara Alwill Leyba and Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. They have become bestsellers because the message they are all giving is centred around ‘being the best’.

Women in general have a tough time believing in themselves, and I am going to give you some life hacks to try and instil this behaviour.

Empowerment in the dictionary is described as “authority or power given to someone to do something” which I find odd as it suggests power is something passed around and you have to wait to receive it. Despite not being totally happy with this description (it shouldn’t have to be given), I’m aware in some cases, women do wait for the go ahead. However, below are my top five ‘empowering acts’ that you can start right now so you don’t have to rely on others.

1. Posture.

It has been scientifically proven that people who adopt a ‘power pose’ before an intimidating event (such as a job interview or public speaking) will outperform those that do not. TASK: Stand with your hands on your hips and pretend you are Wonder Woman for two minutes. (source: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are#t-1233053)

2. Write down your successes.

Many people have spoken about this before, but I can guarantee not many people actually do it. Writing in a journal is incredibly cathartic and can help explain some worries. TASK: Write down three positive things from today.

3. Find your girl gang.

Having a group of like minded people (especially if you are achievement orientated) can help you get in the right frame of mind to tackle your challenges. I can almost guarantee that you will not be alone in facing your obstacles and pulling resources together can help you overcome them. Joining an association such as the Female Entrepreneur Association (https://femaleentrepreneurassociation.com/) can increase your network and provide you with tools to help get going.

4. Internal Monologue.

One of the main reasons people fail to achieve what they want is down to the story they are telling themselves day in day out. “You’re not good enough”, “It’ll never work”, “I just don’t have the time or money at the moment”. These internal dialogues can be detrimental to breaking barriers and building momentum. Try changing the way you speak to yourself and see the progress roll in. TASK: Say three positive affirmations about yourself out loud.

5. Celebrate the small wins.

Becoming who you want to be or achieving what you want to rarely happens overnight. It’s usually a long, tricky road with plenty of mistakes being made. However, every now and again, you will have a breakthrough. These breakthroughs may seem tiny, but they are what keeps you going. So celebrate them, write them down, have a glass of bubbly or just quite simply pat yourself on the back. Once you start the journey, be sure to finish it.

Lots of love,

Lucy Rose x