Mujer Poderosa: Reclaiming Your Power 

Power. Poder. It’s a word that carries weight, energy, and authority. We hear about it in politics, leadership, and movements that shape history. But when we think of power in our own lives, especially as women of color, we don’t always claim it as our own. 

As women of color, we are often taught to give our power away, to family, to tradition, to external expectations that tell us how our lives should look. But true power, nuestro poder, is about choosing– choosing how we show up, where we invest our energy, and what kind of experiences we create for ourselves.

I think back to when I was a teenager. I was angry, frustrated, and emotionally unregulated, often choosing to withdraw instead of engage. When my family visited relatives, I would sit in the car, unwilling to interact, consumed by my emotions and whatever story I was telling myself at the time. Now, as an adult, I look back and wish someone had told me that I had the power to choose differently. That, even when my emotions were shifting, even when I felt overwhelmed, I could still decide how I wanted to show up.

Now, as a mother to a teenager, I share these reflections with my daughter. I remind her that no matter the situation, she always has the power to choose, to create the kind of experience she wants to have. And the other day, I saw this lesson in action.

Her teacher sent me a message, saying, “She chose to dance.”

At her middle school dance, she could have chosen to sit on the sidelines, to let fear or self-consciousness hold her back. But instead, she danced. She chose joy, freedom, and presence. And when we picked her up, the energy radiating from her was undeniable, she had fun because she allowed herself to fully experience the moment.

It reminded me of the song "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack, a song that speaks to the power of choosing to engage in life instead of sitting it out.

And isn’t that what power truly is? The ability to decide, to say, “I dance because I want to.”

This month’s theme, Mujer Poderosa, is a call to step into your power, own it, and direct it toward what truly matters. Because an empowered woman isn’t just one who has power, she is one who tells her power what to do for her.

Defining Power: The Many Forms We Hold

Power isn’t just about dominance or control. It exists in multiple forms:

We also see power as a verb, to supply with energy, to motivate, to move with force and intention. And as an adjective, it means operating with strength, using our capacity to drive change rather than being passive.

But here’s the challenge: As women of color, we are often told that our power should be in service to others, not ourselves. We’re expected to take care of families, nurture communities, and make sure everyone else is okay, even at the expense of our own dreams, well-being, and time.

So, the question is: How do you use your power? Are you directing it, or are you giving it away?

Where Does Your Energy Go?

Power is energy. And every day, we make choices about where we invest it.
 Think about these questions:

An empowered woman is someone who directs her energy toward what she wants to create. She decides where her power flows. A disempowered woman, on the other hand, lets external forces dictate her energy, getting caught up in things she cannot control, whether it’s other people’s opinions, political frustrations, or old narratives that no longer serve her.

The Challenge of Conflicting Priorities

As women of color, we are often balancing multiple identities, caretakers, professionals, leaders, daughters, sisters, mothers, and partners. We carry cultural expectations that tell us to sacrifice our ambitions for the good of the family. Or like my mom says, “The cross we have to carry.” 

If we focus on our careers, we might hear, “¿Y la familia?” (What about the family?) If we prioritize self-care, we may be called egoístas (selfish). If we say no, we are made to feel guilty.

But it is NOT selfish to prioritize yourself.
It is NOT disloyal to set boundaries.
It is NOT wrong to tell your power what to do for you.

Reclaiming Your Power: What’s in Your Control?

In politically difficult times, or when life feels overwhelming, it’s easy to spiral into frustration, anger, or hopelessness over things we wish we could change but cannot. And while it’s natural to care about the world around us, spending too much energy on what’s outside our control drains us of the power we need to create real change in our own lives.

Instead, we must learn to redirect that energy toward the things we can influence.

Ask yourself:

When we choose to let go of what’s outside our control, we reclaim our power. We stop wasting time on things that drain us and start channeling our energy into building, creating, and thriving.

The Power of Intentional Energy: Directing Your Circuit

Imagine your life as an electrical circuit. The energy in your home doesn’t just flow anywhere, it is directed with purpose to turn on lights, power appliances, and fuel the things you need. When the wiring is correct, the light turns on.

Your life works the same way. Your goals, your desires, and your dreams need a direct line of power. But when you scatter your energy, getting lost in distractions, worrying about things you can’t control, or allowing self-doubt to creep in, you create energy leaks. And energy leaks keep your light from turning on.

To step into your Mujer Poderosa energy, you must be intentional with your power:

Mujer Poderosa: Step Into Your Power and Stay There

The most powerful thing you can do is choose how you show up.

For too long, women, especially women of color, have been told that our power is meant to serve others first. But your power is yours. You get to decide where it flows, what it fuels, and what kind of life you create.

So today, I invite you to choose joy, presence, and action.

Be the woman who tells her power what to do.
Be the woman who stands in her worth.
Be the woman who chooses to dance.

Because life is happening now. And your power? It belongs to you.