Powerless no more!
- Kristin Keough Williams
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
5 Strategies to Rise Above Feeling Powerless
It's a suffocating blanket, the feeling of powerlessness, of not feeling in control of our lives, our emotions, our relationships, or our circumstances. Sometimes it drapes over everything, a general sense that you're just a passenger in your own life. Other times, it’s the acute sting of a no-win situation, where every effort feels futile. This sense of helplessness can be amplified by the relentless hum of global anxieties and economic uncertainties, making the world outside feel as unmanageable as our personal battles. And it doesn’t stop there; this feeling can burrow into the heart of our relationships, creating friction and distance, or cast a long shadow over our professional lives, where a lack of control at work can leave us feeling like we are wearing a straitjacket that we can’t shrug off.
Yet, even when the path forward isn't immediately clear or direct changes feel out of reach, a powerful truth remains, there is always hope and a capacity within us to reclaim our sense of agency. Incredible strength can be found in discovering strategies that help us feel more empowered and fundamentally in control.
To guide you on this journey, here are five strategies to manage feelings of powerlessness and cultivate a greater sense of inner command:
1. Reconnect with Your Inner Power Through Visualization
One potent way to shift your current state is to tap into your own history of strength. Try a recorded visualization or simply guide yourself through this reflective exercise.
Close your eyes and journey back to a time in your life when you felt genuinely in control. Perhaps it was a moment when you felt confident you could win, a period when you truly believed everything would turn out okay, or a time you felt deeply connected to yourself and your place in the world. Remember what it felt like to have a sense of strength and purpose burning within you.
As you immerse yourself in this memory, pay close attention to the details. What were you doing during that time? What were your prevailing thoughts? Most importantly, what were you feeling? Allow those sensations of competence, peace, and empowerment to fill you now. This isn't just nostalgia; it's a reminder that these feelings are a part of you and can be accessed again.
Need help visualizing? Close your eyes and listen to this brief visualization.
2. Identify and Act on What You Can Control
When everything feels overwhelming, it's easy to get lost in the entirety of the challenge. Instead, bring your focus to the present moment and the immediate sphere around you. Take out a piece of paper or open a new note on your device and write down what you can actually control right now. This might be smaller than you think, and that’s okay.
Perhaps you can't control a global event, but you can control how much news you consume about it. You might not be able to change someone else's behavior, but you can choose how you react. You might not be able to make your pain disappear entirely, but you can choose something specific to focus on that helps you feel a little better at this moment. Ask yourself: How can I adjust my thinking about this situation to feel even a little bit better? What is one small, tangible action I can take today? Focusing on these controllable elements, no matter how minor they seem, shifts your energy from helpless to proactive.
3. Embrace Acceptance and Allow Your Feelings
There's immense strength in acknowledging what is truly outside of your influence. This isn't about giving up; it's about wisely conserving your energy for where it can make a difference. Part of this process is to accept what you can't control. This often involves allowing yourself to grieve for the way you wished things were, or for the loss of the desired outcome.
Adopt the mantra: Acknowledge, Accept, Adapt. First, acknowledge the reality of the situation and your feelings about it. Allow yourself to fully experience these emotions whether it’s anger, frustration, disappointment, or deep grief. Sometimes, it makes sense to just be with these feelings for a day or a period, without judgment, allowing them to move through you. Then, consider if it’s time to gently move forward, not by suppressing the feeling, but by accepting its presence and committing to adapting to the current reality.
4. Have a Little Faith in the Flow of Life
Having a little faith can be a powerful anchor in turbulent times. This doesn't necessarily mean adhering to a specific religious doctrine, although for many it is a profound source of comfort and strength. Faith can also be a belief in the universe's inherent way of working things out, a trust in your own resilience, or simply the quiet knowing that, at some point, things will shift and eventually be okay.
Think back on your life. Can you recall times when you felt like the pain or difficulty would never end? Moments when change seemed impossible, or you felt there was nothing you could do. Now, consider how those situations eventually did move forward or resolve. What shifted? Did your thinking change? Did unexpected help or opportunities arise? Paying attention to how you've navigated past storms can bolster your faith that you can weather the current ones too.
5. Create "Wins" by Focusing on Controllable Actions
Actively seek out and engage in activities that give you a tangible sense of control and accomplishment – these are your "wins." They don't have to be monumental. The key is that they are things you can initiate and see through, reinforcing your ability to make an impact. What could this look like to you? Maybe it's the focused calm of journaling your thoughts, the satisfaction of completing a puzzle, or taking a moment to consciously recognize what you did well today. Perhaps it's reaching out to people who you know love and support you or simply acknowledging days where you felt physically and mentally okay. Engaging in hobbies that absorb you or even taking the brave step of asking for help when you need it, are all powerful ways to build a sense of control and remind yourself of your capabilities.
Feeling powerless can be an isolating experience, but it's important to remember you're not alone and that these feelings are not permanent fixtures. By consciously applying these strategies, you can begin to shift your perspective, reclaim your inner strength, and navigate life's challenges with a greater sense of empowerment and hope.
Remember, you've got this! And for the days you don't, just remember that even superheroes occasionally try to open doors by pushing when it says 'pull'.
From feeling stuck to stepping strong! 🎙️ Catch the core message of reclaiming your power in this audio discussion.
