How Four Powerful Women Find Power

We asked a few notables we look up to tell us where they find power in their own lives.

O, The Oprah Magazine | From the September 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Photo: Courtesy of the Omega Institute

Elizabeth Lesser

Cofounder of the Omega Institute and author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow (Villard)

I feel true power when... "I trust my soul's voice. I feel peaceful yet strong, gentle yet courageous."

The most powerful woman I ever met was... "There have been many, like Eve Ensler, Jane Goodall, Oprah, Wangari Maathai, Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Pema Chödrön...."

Too often, people confuse power and... "Ego."

I feel least powerful when... "I am stingy, fearful, or unloving."

When I need a power boost... "I place my hand on my heart, take a deep breath, and feel my connection to everyone."

Elizabeth on the importance of nurture