Empowerment can be difficult to measure; however, if this is an aim, we can definitely feel when we are heading in the “right” direction. When I refer to heading in the right direction, I’m referring to something that can only be felt intrinsically, a feeling of upliftment.  I asked some of my students how they were able to recognize when they felt empowered and I was surprised to learn that many of them knew the feeling based on recognizing when they didn’t feel empowered. Interestingly enough, similar to my students, one of the most empowering songs I’ve had the pleasure of hearing and singing, “I Will Survive,” by Freddie Perren and Deno Fekaris, lyrically expresses the language of recognizing how an individual can journey from an empowered state by first recognizing the weakened state. Ultimately, having the ability to recognize when one is not empowered, is an internal measurement of gauging when one requires uplifting.

Gloria Gaynor, famed vocalist of Perren and Fekaris’ tune, shares “at first I was afraid I was petrified…”. Like my students, she shared how she recognized that she was no longer experiencing the world from her highest/positive self.  She was living in a state of vulnerability having been victimized by the experience, which made it difficult to identify her strength and ability to persevere through the situation.

When I was personally asked to explain how one measures empowerment, I found this quite challenging to do without also reflecting on the contrast between my darkest moments and those when my inner light shined brightly. After listening to, analyzing and singing “I Will Survive” many times over, I’ve come to appreciate how the song can be used as a guide to explain more concretely the various levels of empowerment:

  1. “At first I was afraid I was petrified…”– One no longer has control over their own experience(s).  The experience has resulted in losing one’s ability to be confident and aware of opportunities beyond the state of being petrified—Zero Empowerment Level
  2. “I could never live without you by my side…”– The individual has given up the idea of being his or her own person.  His or her existence is now dependent on another individual’s presence and control—Zero Empowerment Level
  3. “I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong…”—The individual is now recognizing that there is something not quite right with the predicament. He or she has the ability to recognize the negative treatment. Therefore, the individual is awakening to the realization that his or her empowerment was managed by someone else—Level 1-2
  4. “I grew strong and I learned how to get along…”—The individual is learning to recognize his or her strength and how to live without being dependent on toxic experiences– Level 3-4
  5. “I’ve got all my life to live and I’ve got all my love to give…”—This individual is now recognizing the meaning of life for his or herself. At this point, the focus is not solely on the self; in this empowered state, the individual is ready to give of oneself–Level 5

Freddie Perren and Deno Fekaris’ “I Will Survive” can help us articulate and measure our own level of empowerment, especially as we interact with individuals and the wider world around us.  To what extent is empowerment necessary in order to be an effective parent, teacher and student? If we happen to learn that the cause of our disempowerment is a necessary fixture in our present lives, what steps can we take to remedy this?