how to cultivate empowerment

Sometimes the empowered thing to do is to eat a bag of chips.

Sometimes the empowered thing to do is to take a day of rest in bed while eating the bag of chips.

Sometimes the empowered thing to do is to hit the gym and give it all you’ve got.

The sweet spot to zoom in on is your conscious, intelligible decision. The voice inside that says a confident, resounding yes – you should. This is the voice that speaks to you from the mind – body – soul connection also referred to as your intuition.

The problem with developing this voice comes primarily from the inability to hear it. This could be due to many reasons – the hustle/bustle of a busy life, the literal noise in your environment, your own internal dialogue, or the messages you receive from those around you. Every day we are infiltrated with information and with the increasing requirement to be accessible, reliable, and efficient – we are moving further away from being able to cultivate this inner voice.

I personally believe that although these last two years have been extremely difficult – it has also been an opportunity to make room for change and self-assessment. Change in itself is neither good nor bad, although always uncomfortable, change is ultimately necessary for growth. So how can we be more confident in the decisions we make – taking that step forward while cultivating empowerment?

STEP 1: Declutter

The physical act of cleansing your space is an extremely powerful tool in preparation for change. The elimination of distractions, higher amounts of productivity, higher social confidence and a boost to personal self esteem are the side effects you can expect from simply decluttering your space. Not only does it have physical benefits but mental benefits as the self-talk you engage in while decluttering is formative in strengthening your empowerment muscles. Questions like “How does this optimize my life?”, “Is this a need or a want?”, and “What is the value over the cost?” are great questions to address while cleansing your space. Carry these questions over to other aspects of your life and you will find that inner voice growing louder.

STEP 2: Turn Up Personal Accountability

When you say you’re going to do something – do it. And if you find yourself coming up short – rather than feeling bad or continuing to put things off (ah hem.. complacency aka the kyrptonite of empowerment) simply engage in some more self-discovery. Simply asking yourself “Why not?” is a great starting point to finding some answers. Maybe you’re tired – then schedule in an earlier bedtime and GO THROUGH WITH IT! Maybe you’ve overextended yourself and it’s something you’re not interested in doing – than acknowledge that you may need to incorporate better boundaries in your life. Maybe you realize you’re just in your head and making excuses – than GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD and JUST DO IT! Take the time to be curious, non-judgemental, and solution-oriented to start living in a way that is authentically you. As you build more self-awareness, you will find that your personal accountability will also improve. And as your personal accountability improves, so will your confidence in yourself and that inner voice.

STEP 3: Drink More Water

Scientifically speaking, humans are approximately 60% water. Your vital organs are predominantly water with between 75% - 85% in the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys. Also, muscle contains more water than fat so there is a direct correlation between optimal health and your water level. Hydration also supports the removal of waste, regulating your temperature and blood pressure, lubricating your joints, and protecting vital organs and fascial tissue. You are simply your best when hydrated – it’s science.

STEP 4: Continuously Check-in With Yourself

As life continues on with its loops and round-the-corner surprises, it’s easy and rather important to get back into it. Life is best lived when present. Just don’t forget to check in from time to time, especially in those moments where you find yourself falling off course or if you find the light inside you beginning to dwindle. Remember that going back to Step 1 doesn't mean failure. It means that you are continuously going through changes which means continuously growing and becoming the best version of you. Just as the world evolves so should you. Compassion supported by courage will always bring you the tools you need to live a life you’re proud of. Speak to yourself as your own coach, best friend, lover, and greatest supporter - letting that inner voice reign supreme and shine through.

P.S. All these steps have been BETA-tested and approved by myself.

You got this.

xox,

sher

References:

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-mental-health-and-cleaning-are-connected-5097496

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256

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Getting My Body Back: A Journey of Strength and Never Giving Up

By Ginger Vi • January 13, 2025

GINGER'S STORY

all the things you shouldn't do

By Sherry Leon • March 18, 2022

Bad relationship with food? Me too. I fear it… I crave it… I depend on it to make me feel better… I control it. If you’re in this same sinking ship… than let’s call this Titanic for what it really is… an absolute disaster. My bad relationship with food started as a child. Growing up in an Asian household meant that food was our main outlet for connection and celebration. It was used as a symbolic gesture of love and care. And while these may all sound like great things – without the real Mccoy - food quickly became the substitute for joy, connection, and healthy love and care. Then came the power trip I discovered I could have with food. I was able to manipulate and starve out my cravings and in turn - I was able to exert control over the results. I tuned out my feelings as I controlled my intake of food. Again, denying myself of a critical part of me. After years and years of following emerging fads and quick fixes – I finally embarked on a new diet. The diet of me. AKA intuitive eating. The 10 key elements of intuitive eating are: 1. Rejection of diet culture. Diet culture is based upon the idea that we are all the same. We perform the same activities, we process information at the same speed, we download the same microchip every evening. And while on some level - humans do share more parallels than we'd like to admit, we are so unique and multifarious in every way. It is unhealthy to follow the everchanging fads - as you are you. A classic. 2. Listening to your body’s cues. When you ignore the signs of your body - it will scream until it is heard. And this scream will come in the form of intense hunger where you will react by grabbing the fastest and most convenient option you can find. Tuning into your hunger cues earlier than later will result in more moderate and conscious food choices as well as a better relationship to food and eating as a whole. 3. Making food your friend. Do not deprive yourself of the goods. Simply enjoy in moderation and lavish in the experience, 4. Turning off the negative self-talk. Duality is a key ingredient in the recipe of judgement. Remind yourself there is no good and bad. You are not 'good' because you ate salad and 'bad' because you did not. You will always be you and you are awesome. Shame is not part of the game. 5. Embracing the art of eating. Being fully present in your experience while eating is arguably one of the most indulgent activities. Take your time to savour each bite, enjoying the flavours and textures and your body will automatically speak to you when you've had enough. 6. Checking in. Put aside set meal times so you can minimize distractions. By practicing awareness during mealtimes - you will be able to better detect when your body feels full and adequately nourished. 7. Being your own best friend. Emotional eating is using food as a distraction to cope with unsavoury feelings. Rather than turning to food, which won't resolve anything, try using other strategies to cope with your emotions. As uncomfortable as it may be - dealing with your emotions is a critical skill one must learn. Remember that everyone will experience negative emotions from time to time. Let kindness, patience, and compassion be welcomed guests free to stay as long as needed. 8. Respecting your body. Food needs to work for you. Not the other way around. Use it to nourish and flourish. 9. Enjoying the process. Food, exercise, work, family... pretty much anything that holds a place in your life needs to come from a place of gratitude and enjoyment. Shift the focus from scarcity to one of abundance and find balance amongst these things. Count your blessings, not your calories. 10. Making better decisions. Conscious decisions. Maybe that looks like a double fudge chocolate chip cookie... maybe that looks like a summer harvest salad. Make a decision to own up to your life - starting with the items on your plate. Although some days I still find myself falling into the outdated practice of shame for fame, my body will quickly remind me of past patterns that don't work. And I am soooo grateful for its humbling reminder. You got this. xox, sher (Reference: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/)

inhale exhale it is well it is well all of this is a part of the story you will tell

By Sherry Leon • March 18, 2022

Alone… lost.. defeated… confused. If you’ve ever experienced these emotions – you will understand how debilitating they can be. Over the last 2 years, I’ve dealt with these emotions and their lingering effects as I have tried to navigate and pivote the hell out of each change that life has thrown my way. I believe we have all endured great tests as we have all experienced in some form – either directly or indirectly – the confrontation of our fears, inadequacies and personal biases. But the beauty of this discomfort lies the potential for change... renewal... growth. And while our initial response is often fight or flight, I want to introduce a third possibility – the option to sit. To check-in with yourself. To be curious. To find stillness. To be comfortably uncomfortable. This is a true skill. Because each time we embark on a new journey or develop a new habit – our following actions dictate the impending results. So rather than being reactive (fight) or dismissive (flight) – I challenge you to try and take a nice deep breath, relax and find presence. Take your time to develop your why. Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself. Gift yourself the time and space to evolve at your own pace. Allow yourself to rest so that you may awaken with vitality and clarity. The reason why many of you (myself included) may have set goals only to find them unfulfilled or lacking in the desired result is because of our internalized associations that do not support its growth. We land on solutions that are not aligned with our own interests (ie: "I hate working out, but that's the only way I will look and feel better"), we get distracted and caught in the web of competition and comparison (ie: "I should be further along like my friends"), and we allow fear and doubt to evade our personal space (ie: "Maybe I'm just not good enough"). We react. And when we react in a way that does not support our instrinsic core values - we betray our SELF. In order to see real lasting results, a radical shift needs to occur that brings value to effort over metrics, mistakes over perfection, and personal accountability over blame and shame. It starts with the process of self-love, self-discovery, acceptance of your whole being without judgement. Step 1? Be proud. Be so. effin. PROUD. Be proud of the efforts you made yesterday. Be proud of the efforts you make today. And be confident in the resiliency you will continue to build for the days to come. This is your new narrative . xox, sher

let her sleep for when she wakes, she will move mountains

By Sherry Leon • March 12, 2022

Did you know that a lack of quality sleep can greatly decrease your desire to live? OK.. joke aside.. sleep is often an elusive sacrifice that North Americans have been conditioned to overlook. We tend to place high value on productivity, innovation, competition, staying 'on top' of our game and while these can all be great things to achieve - it can be a slippery slope to burnout - an inevitable destination that no one desires to reach. So how does one go about having it all? By setting yourself up for success the night before. Those who have a hard time with discipline and boundaries - fret not. Countless studies have shown that getting the recommended 6-8hrs of sleep per night has direct benefits to your health. Read on for more inspirational facts of why you should clock in earlier so you don't snooze in later. Sleep provides a sharper brain. When you are sleep deprived, you limit the amount of time your brain needs to assimilate new information leading to a reduction in focus and memory. So as much as you can plan or organize for a great day.. you may not even remember what the plan actually was! Plan for a productive day by planning for a productive night, which means going to bed at a set time each evening. Sleeps aids in weight control and muscle repair. Motivation itself can be hard to come by but the lack of quality sleep can derail it completely. Pair that with unbalanced hormones and there goes any chance of discipline for the day. Simply making time to disconnect from your to do list and connecting with your rest will really positively impact your later decisions - including those you make in the kitchen and gym. Sleep restores depleted energy. When your body is in a deep sleep cycle, you give it a chance to decrease blood sugar levels, blood pressure levels and other vital resets. Just like you charge your phone every evening to ensure a full battery life the next day - a well rested body also ensures a fully charged you. Alongside these top 3 reasons are some other strong contenders including a boost to your immune system, an increase in focus and creativity, a reduction in stress and/or increased aptitude in stress management, as well as an overall mood boost. So join in on the collective new wave of people saying no to FOMO (fear of missing out) and yes to JOMO (joy of missing out)! You got this. I believe in me... I believe in you! xox, sher