How to Feel Empowered as a Woman

I am a woman that feels very empowered. I can do it all- be a mom, a full-time employee, a wife and a decision maker. I am strong and am proud of it. As a woman today, it is important to be self-reliant and to be able to make decisions for yourself. Learning about how it used to be in many households where men were the primary decision makers, breadwinners, where women had little to no say, etc., is a little crazy to me.

In my household, my husband and I are equals and both have equal say. I love this and it is very important to me. Feeling empowered to me involves many different areas.

Here is what helps me to feel empowered:


1. Being physically active
Being physically active and fit is very important to me and something that helps me to feel empowered. I am to fit in some kind of exercise almost everyday. This can include something as simple as a walk or can include running, ab workouts and lifting weights. With a 16+ lb baby, I find it super important to be strong so that I can carry her all around with ease and not have to worry about being weak.

One of the things that I like to do is incorporate Adalyn into my workouts. Many of the times that we go on a walk, I wear her which adds extra weight or push her in the stroller. Also, sometimes, I literally use her as a weight. For example, this morning before work, she was up when I wanted to workout so I used her as a weight which she thought was totally hilarious and laughed everytime I lifted her up and down.


I like these products from Swoob which help me achieve an active lifestyle. They have sports bras, tops and pants. I have a pair of leggings from them that are great. My only complaint about their sports bras is that I wish that they were padded for more support. Also an FYI, they run a little small so I order a size up. In the photos, I am wearing the Hummingbird sports bra.

Swoob sports bras have a pocket in them for your phone which is definitely a safety feature so when you exercise, you can have your phone nearby in case you need help. When I workout, I always have my phone on me when I leave the home in case I need help. When I used to run before dawn, I would wear safety lights to help keep myself safe. Learn more from this blog post "We are all survivors".

2. Standing up for myself in the workplace
At my first job as a dietary manager, I was walked all over. I was treated poorly literally for the way that I looked, my age and the way that I dressed. I had high stress and anxiety at this job and it was a horrible way to live. After I started my first job as an RD, I realized how terrible I was treated and said "never again". I will not let people treat me that way. I have learned a lot through my not-so-long career and have learned to always stand up for myself. It can be very hard to do this because you may be scared but having others respect you is key for being happy at your job.

At my current job, I feel that my co-workers respect me and I feel safe at work which is so, so important. If anyone needs tips on how to stand up for yourself at work, please feel free to email me!

3. Safety
Safety is so important. Luckily, I never had to deal with some of the horrible situations that some women have with violence, rape, abuse, etc. I am very thankful to live in a safe area where I can go on a walk without having to worry about my safety (although you should always be careful). To learn more about sexual assault awareness and prevention, read these survivor stories.

SABRE has products that can help keep you safe when you are out including a personal alarm and pepper spray. Especially as women, it is important to be aware of different situations and protect yourself. I have not done this but it would be a great idea to take a self-defense class to help keep you safe.

Watch the SABRE video.


4. Being treated as an equal
As a woman, I think that I am equal to any man and I want to be treated that way. Luckily, I have the best husband in the world that treats me great and we are both able to make decisions.

As a mom to a little girl, I want her to feel empowered. I want her to be strong and to protect her from any negativity in the world. I want to raise her to make her own decisions and to be careful. I love Adalyn so much and look forward to teaching her how to be empowered.