By Gabrielle Katz
Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Female Founder Collective’s What’s Next Fest. During the three-day virtual summit, I heard remarkable female leaders share their experiences on the way to success and how to lead once they got there. One session in particular changed my perspective completely. The session, “Owning the Room and Owning Your Future,” gave me a sense of confidence in my future and inspired me to figure out what I want to do in my life. It taught me how to step into my power.
As the speakers explained, there will be a moment in your life when you feel like you’re doing exactly what you’re meant to be doing. At that moment everything will come together. Your purpose, your gifts, your talents, your passions and your skill sets will align. At that moment you will step into your power, but before you can take the final step, you need to start your journey.
Now let’s rewind for a minute. In order to step into your power, you need to first acknowledge that you have your own power. Yes, that’s right: You have power. Tai Beauchamp, co-founder and chief brand officer of Brown Girl Jane, said women are often challenged by the concept of having their own power. However, you can’t have power unless you see yourself as a powerful being. Your power starts with you.
Before you own your power, you need to figure out what you’re really passionate about. To put it simply, you need to know what you want to do before you can do it. As straightforward as that sounds, the idea of knowing what you want to do can be baffling to some … it definitely is for me.
So, what happens if you don’t know what you want to do? Beatrice Dixon, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Honey Pot Company, shared how you can find your passion. First, you need to get centered and identify a source of happiness, a way to be in your moment. After you get to a place where you can feel joy, you can start to discover your passion. Your passions will lead you to what you’re meant to do.
This passion-excavating exercise leads to another; now, it’s time to uncover what you’re meant to be doing. Max Tuchman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Caribu, explained it perfectly by referencing an old saying, “When you don’t have to be paid to do what you’re doing that’s when you found the right thing.”
After hearing these words, my whole perspective changed. It really was that simple. You’re meant to be doing what you love, and when you’re obsessed with what you do, you’ll know you found your true passion. Don’t take my word for it, those are the words from successful women in power! And if this still seems confusing to you, there’s no need to worry! You can also figure out what you don’t want to do, and this process of passion-by-elimination can lead you straight to your power.
Quitting a job that on paper should’ve made her incredibly happy, Tai stepped into her power. Although everyone else thought her job was the perfect fit for her, she knew it wasn’t right and did what was best to satisfy her inner passion. She owned her power. For Tai, stepping into her power is defined as “having confidence in your purpose, in your passions, in your skillsets, and then willing to step against the grain when other people are telling you to do something.”
After listening to this game-changing session, I had one major takeaway: When you take control of your personal and professional life to find your passion, you give yourself the freedom to do what you love. That’s stepping into your power and it’s the best way to not only find success but also to keep it. It’s your turn to step into your power.
