Welcome back to our Shadow Work series. This week, we're confronting one of the most difficult and pervasive feelings we carry: powerlessness. This feeling, a core part of our shadow, often stems from past experiences where we truly had no control. But what happens when that feeling of helplessness follows us into our adult lives, shaping our reactions and limiting our potential?
Our journal prompt for today is: "When do I feel most powerless? How do I respond to that feeling?"
Think about a time you felt that sense of deep helplessness. Maybe it was a childhood experience where you couldn't change a difficult family dynamic. Perhaps it was a situation at work where your voice was ignored. Or maybe it's a chronic illness that makes you feel a lack of control over your own body. Notice the specific circumstances, and then, most importantly, observe your reaction.
When we feel powerless, our shadow often activates a survival response. This can manifest in several ways:
- Learned Helplessness: This is a psychological term for a state of mind where you believe you have no control over your circumstances, so you stop trying to change them. We become passive, accepting a difficult situation rather than fighting for a better one.
- The "Freeze" Response: Much like the fight-or-flight response, our body can freeze in the face of a perceived threat. When we feel powerless, we may shut down, withdraw, or become completely passive. This is a way of protecting ourselves from further pain.
- People-Pleasing: We may respond to powerlessness by becoming overly agreeable. If we can't control the situation, we try to control others' opinions of us. By saying "yes" to everything, we hope to avoid conflict and gain a sense of safety, even if it means betraying our own needs.
- Controlling Behavior: For some, powerlessness is so terrifying that they respond by trying to control everything around them—their diet, their routine, or the people in their lives. This is a desperate attempt to create a sense of order in a world that feels out of control.
The reason these reactions are part of our shadow is that they are driven by a need for self-preservation, but they prevent us from living authentically. They keep us stuck in a cycle where we avoid the very thing that will set us free: reclaiming our personal power.
Shadow work helps us to shine a light on this feeling. The first step is to acknowledge the feeling of powerlessness without judgment. You are not weak for feeling this way. You are a human being with a history that has taught you these survival strategies.
The healing begins when you can separate the feeling from the action. When you feel powerless, you can consciously choose a new response. You can identify the things you can control, no matter how small—your breath, your actions, or your ability to set a small boundary. This small act of conscious choice is a powerful way to reclaim your agency and step out of the shadow of powerlessness and into the light of self-sovereignty. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer is a wonderful place to start to reclaim your personal power. .
If you want more tips and support, find me on TikTok, find me on TT:@ starseedsarah. Let's continue this journey to balance and purpose, and let our energy show what we choose to focus on – success, love & courage!
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