By BTWC & Carla LunAscension
Ever feel like your confidence wavers depending on who's in the room? You're not alone - studies show that 75% of working women have experienced imposter syndrome at work. Or find yourself saying "yes" when every fiber of your being wants to say "no"? That's not just about personality – it might be telling you something important about your solar plexus chakra, your center of personal power and self-definition. Understanding this vital energy center could be your key to developing an authentic empowerment mindset that serves you in every area of life.
You can think of the solar plexus chakra as your internal compass of self-worth and personal boundaries. Located in your upper abdomen, this powerful energy center (known in Sanskrit as Manipura) serves as your headquarters for self-confidence, personal identity, and healthy boundary setting. When it's balanced, you naturally stand in your power and make decisions aligned with your true self. But when it's blocked? That's when you might find yourself struggling with self-doubt or having trouble maintaining healthy boundaries.
On the bright side, empowerment mindset development doesn't require a complete personality overhaul or expensive coaching programs. Whether you're looking to strengthen your sense of self, set clear boundaries, or simply feel more confident in your daily life, working with your solar plexus energy can help. In this guide, we'll explore evidence-based ways to nurture and balance this essential power center.
The Science of Personal Power: Understanding Your Inner Core
The Significance of Location
The solar plexus chakra's location in the upper abdomen is no coincidence. This area connects directly to what scientists call our “reptilian brain”, the primitive part of our brain that controls:
Gut intuition & impulse decision-making
Fight or flight response
Resilience
Automatic behaviors (linked with the subconscious mind)
Traditional wisdom has long recognized the solar plexus as our power center, and modern research continues to validate this understanding. Our subconscious mind constantly processes information beyond our conscious awareness. This explains why our gut instincts often alert us to opportunities or dangers before our conscious mind can catch up.
Gender Identity and Power Dynamics
In developing an empowerment mindset, it’s crucial to understand how social conditioning affects our relationship with personal power. Our resident Yoga Teacher and Hypnotherapist, Carla notes: “Women have historically been taught to put their desires and needs aside to please others their whole lives, while men have been catered to.” This is why we often see men with a strong or even overactive solar plexus, more than their other chakras while women can often have an underdeveloped solar plexus.
This understanding can help us:
Recognize inherited patterns
Challenge limiting beliefs
Reclaim personal authority
Balance power dynamics in relationships
The Foundation of Identity
Carla explains the solar plexus chakra is the last of our three foundational chakras, completing our earthly survival trinity. This positioning is crucial because it builds upon:
Our connection to earth (root chakra)
Our connection to others (sacral chakra)
Our connection to self (solar plexus chakra)
This progression is essential for developing a healthy sense of self. Modern psychology echoes this understanding, showing that stable identity development requires:
Basic safety and security
Healthy relationships and emotional connections
Clear self-definition and personal boundaries
The Power of Preferences
One often overlooked aspect of personal power, highlighted in Carla's work, is the importance of honoring our preferences. Research in positive psychology supports this, showing that people who acknowledge and act on their authentic preferences tend to:
Report higher levels of life satisfaction
Experience better relationship outcomes
Show greater resilience in challenging situations
Maintain clearer personal boundaries
Even something as simple as maintaining your preferred breakfast choice – as Carla illustrates – can be a powerful act of self-honor. These small daily choices form the building blocks of our identity and empowerment mindset.
Understanding Fear in Personal Power
A crucial aspect of empowerment mindset development is understanding the role of fear. As Carla explains, fear itself isn't negative – it's an essential survival mechanism. However, when past experiences trigger unnecessary fear responses, they can block our personal power. The key is learning to:
Distinguish between protective and limiting fears
Challenge outdated fear responses
Build confidence through gradual exposure
Transform fear into empowered action
Signs Your Empowerment Mindset Needs Attention
Understanding when your solar plexus chakra is out of balance is the first step toward developing a stronger empowerment mindset. Here are key signs to watch for:
Physical Signs of Power Center Imbalance
Digestive issues or frequent stomach upset
Chronic fatigue or unexplained energy dips
Tension in the upper abdomen
Shallow breathing patterns
Physical discomfort in high-pressure situations
Muscle tension in the core area
Emotional and Mental Signs
Difficulty saying "no" to requests
Constantly seeking external validation
Feeling powerless in relationships or at work
Sleep disturbances related to anxiety
Struggling to make decisions
People-pleasing tendencies
Fear of judgment or criticism
Unclear sense of personal identity
Difficulty expressing opinions, especially when they differ from others
Evidence-Based Methods for Developing Your Empowerment Mindset
1. Boundary Setting Practice
Modern psychology and ancient wisdom agree – clear boundaries are essential for personal power. Here's how to strengthen yours:
Daily Practice: The Power Pause
Before responding to requests, pause for three breaths
Check-in with your authentic preferences
Practice saying "I'll think about it" instead of immediate yes/no responses
Honor your intuitive response without guilt
Weekly Practice: Boundary Review
Journal about your boundary successes and challenges
Identify areas where you need stronger limits
Celebrate moments of successful boundary-setting
Plan specific phrases for common boundary scenarios
2. Identity Statement Work
According to Carla, one of the most powerful things you can do to develop an empowerment mindset is creating a powerful identity statement that aligns with your purpose. Ask yourself:
Who am I choosing to be in this world?
What unique value do I offer?
How does my identity serve others?
What is my core mission?
Morning Identity Practice (15 minutes)
Centering (2 minutes)
Sit in a comfortable position
Place hands over solar plexus
Take 3 deep breaths
Identity Statement Review (5 minutes)
Read your core identity statement
Journal one way you'll embody it today
Choose a supporting affirmation
Power Visualization (3 minutes)
Visualize yourself living your identity statement
Feel the energy in your solar plexus
See yourself taking aligned action
Affirmation Practice (5 minutes)
Stand in power pose
Speak chosen affirmation 3 times
Add "Today, I choose to..." statement
These exercises may seem simple, but knowing and honoring who you are is crucial for personal power.
3. Power Posture and Movement
Research shows that our physical posture directly affects our confidence and sense of power. Here's how to use this knowledge:
Daily Practice: Power Pose Routine (10 minutes)
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart
Open your chest and roll your shoulders back
Place your hands on your hips
Take deep, grounding breaths
Visualize your personal power radiating from your solar plexus
Movement Practices:
Core-strengthening exercises
Confidence-building yoga poses such as warrior I, warrior II, chair pose, high lunge, goddess squat
Martial arts-inspired movements
Dancing to empowering music
4. Decision-Making Enhancement
Building trust in your decisions strengthens your empowerment mindset. Here's how to develop this skill:
Daily Practice: Gut-Trust Building
Take 5 minutes of quiet time to connect with your solar plexus area
Practice making small decisions using your gut instinct
Notice physical sensations when making choices
Journal about decisions that felt aligned vs. those that didn't
Weekly Practice: Decision Review
Reflect on your week's decisions
Notice patterns in your choice-making
Identify areas where you defer to others
Celebrate moments of confident decision-making
5. Empowerment Affirmations
Carla recommends these powerful affirmations for solar plexus alignment:
"I am the power and authority in my life"
"I am making decisions based on what's best for me"
"I am claiming my space"
"I am allowing myself to be seen and heard"
"I am worthy of living"
6. Energy Management
As Carla teaches, maintaining strong personal boundaries is essential for energy preservation:
Daily Practice: Energy Boundary Setting
Morning energy field visualization
Regular check-ins with your energy levels
Setting clear energetic limits in interactions
Evening energy clearing routine
7. Nutritional Support for Personal Power
Support your solar plexus energy center with nourishing foods:
Yellow foods (corn, bananas, yellow peppers)
Complex carbohydrates for sustained energy
Proteins for strength and grounding
Bitter foods for digestive fire
Warming spices like ginger and turmeric
Daily Integration Practice for Empowerment Mindset Development
Morning Routine (15-20 minutes)
Power Pose Series (5 minutes)
Mountain pose with deep breathing
Warrior sequence for strength
Sun salutation for energy activation
Intention Setting (5 minutes)
Connect with your solar plexus
Set clear boundaries for the day
Affirm your personal power
Energy Protection (5 minutes)
Visualize your energy field
Set energetic boundaries
Ground your power
Throughout the Day (5-minute power breaks)
Quick boundary check-ins
Power pose moments
Breath of fire exercises
Mini-meditation for centering
Evening Integration (20-30 minutes)
Energy Clearing (10 minutes)
Review the day's boundary experiences
Release others' energies
Strengthen your energy field
Reflection Practice (10 minutes)
Journal about power moments
Note boundary successes
Plan tomorrow's empowerment focus
Power Center Meditation (10 minutes)
Focus on the solar plexus
Cultivate inner strength
Set intentions for rest
Conclusion: Your Journey to Empowered Living
Developing an empowerment mindset isn't about becoming someone new – it's about revealing the power that already exists within you. As Carla reminds us, the solar plexus chakra builds upon our connection to Earth and others, completing our foundation for authentic living. When we honor our preferences, set clear boundaries, and trust our inner wisdom, we naturally step into our power.
Remember:
Start with small steps in boundary-setting
Honor your authentic preferences
Trust your gut wisdom
Celebrate your progress
Join Our Bay Area Wellness Community
Ready to advance your empowerment journey? Join our vibrant community at Banyan Tree Women's Collective:
Weekly empowerment circles
Monthly boundary-setting workshops
Online power-building practices
Community support gatherings
Visit our events page to find your next opportunity for growth and connection in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Want to dive deeper? Download our BTWC Interactive Workbook with prompts to guide your root chakra journey and support your grounding practice. Take the first step toward creating the stability and balance you deserve!
You can help us provide continuous wellness programming for all in the community regardless of socio-economic status. Consider donating to our program today!
References
Cuddy, A. J., Wilmuth, C. A., & Carney, D. R. (2022). The Power of Posture: A Ten-Year Review of Power Pose Effects. Psychological Science, 33(5), 613-628.
Ellis, G.F.R. and Solms, M. (2018) Beyond evolutionary psychology: How and why neuropsychological modules arise. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
MacLean, P. D. (1990). The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions. Springer Science.
Paulise, L. (2023, August 3). 75% of women executives experience Imposter Syndrome in the Workplace. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lucianapaulise/2023/03/08/75-of-women-executives-experience-imposter-syndrome-in-the-workplace/
Porges, S. W. (2021). Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 15, 12.
Price-Mitchell, M. (2023). Identity Development in Adolescence: Theory and Practice. Journal of Youth Development, 18(2), 45-62.
Wood, A. M., Linley, P. A., Maltby, J., Baliousis, M., & Joseph, S. (2008). The authentic personality: A theoretical and empirical conceptualization and the development of the Authenticity Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55(3), 385-399.
