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:

1. Basic safety and security

2. Healthy relationships and emotional connections

3. 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)

1. Centering (2 minutes)

• Sit in a comfortable position

• Place hands over solar plexus

• Take 3 deep breaths

1. Identity Statement Review (5 minutes)

• Read your core identity statement

• Journal one way you'll embody it today

• Choose a supporting affirmation

1. Power Visualization (3 minutes)

• Visualize yourself living your identity statement

• Feel the energy in your solar plexus

• See yourself taking aligned action

1. 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)

1. Power Pose Series (5 minutes)

• Mountain pose with deep breathing

• Warrior sequence for strength

• Sun salutation for energy activation

2. Intention Setting (5 minutes)

• Connect with your solar plexus

• Set clear boundaries for the day

• Affirm your personal power

3. 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)

1. Energy Clearing (10 minutes)

• Review the day's boundary experiences

• Release others' energies

• Strengthen your energy field

2. Reflection Practice (10 minutes)

• Journal about power moments

• Note boundary successes

• Plan tomorrow's empowerment focus

3. 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.