Those who feel that a woman who works out is simply ‘enforcing beauty standards’ or ‘not committing to a realistic idea of womanhood’ should be made to feel ashamed of those opinions, not through harsh responses or conflict, but by example. People who often think that femininity cannot be expressed correctly if worked on with direction simply haven’t looked at the issue clearly enough. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, disparaging others because of a standard they hold is the real hypocrisy here. In fact, a gym can be one of the places where female empowerment is the most cleanly expressed, and the most connected to the primal power women have.
You don’t need to dominate a boardroom to be an empowered woman. You don’t need to ‘tell it like it is’ to everyone you meet. You don’t need to be loud, aggressive or angry. You simply need to feel in control of yourself, and hold self-respect. Those are the only requirements, and they will naturally help you connect to your best self. But why is the gym one of the best places for female empowerment to shine through? Note that we say it’s not the only place for it to shine through, but it can be extremely helpful. Why? We urge you to consider:
Pure Reality
It’s possible to tell yourself you’re strong and powerful (because you likely are,) but it’s also possible to deceive yourself. You can tell yourself that you are the best thing ever, and that everyone should be pleased to be around you. But deep down you know this is just words. There’s something about a weight room, and the accurate, never overblown statistics of how much you can lift, or how far you can run, or simply how well your workout went for your personal situation that greets us with pure reality. Feeling proud of achievements, not just because we’ve told ourselves we have earned them but because we have can be immensely cleansing for the spirit, and give us all a sense of true ownership over ourselves. If this isn’t empowerment, then it’s hard to understand what is.
Connecting To Other Positive Women
Finding other positive women to support and to connect with can be essential. Finding the best fitness studio for women and submerging yourself in that can-do attitude can be much healthier than relaxing with people who are down, and enjoy criticising everything around them. Female empowerment thrives in possibility, in seeing what’s on the horizon and knowing you can do it. Don’t allow others to bring you down. Instead, look for supportive environments, because life can be tough enough as it is.
Dominion Over Body
As a woman, our bodies are our temples. Honoring our bodies by helping them stay health and feel amazing can help us live out our best femininity however we choose to express that, and give us more control over ourselves. The most empowering thing you can do is gain control over yourself, and where better for this than the gym?
With these perspectives, you are sure to become the woman you know you are.
