BLOG

5 Ways to Regain Power When You Feel Powerless

02 Nov 2009, by michelle in Stress

You have likely had an experience in which you were relying on someone, only to find out they let you down.  Maybe you were counting on a co-worker or family member to pitch in, or perhaps you hired someone who said they could get the job done but lacked the expertise to get it done right.  Whatever the case is, when you are counting on someone and they don’t fulfill their end of the deal, you are left trying to right their wrongs.  If you don’t carry the skill set required that the other person was to fulfill, you can really feel powerless to correct the situation.  No matter how grim the situation looks, use these 5 methods to regain your personal sense of power.

power pic

1) Pray or Meditate – If you believe in a higher power, prayer can be the most powerful action you can do.  Of course, this involves trust and patience, yet it can put your mind at ease knowing that your needs will be met.  For both believers and non-believers, meditation is another supportive tool to get you back to your center. As you connect with the peace within you, you are able to tap into your inner wisdom to guide you.

2) Focus on the Present – Eckhart Tolle got this right!  When you are completely engaged in the present moment, there is no room for past or future.  Plus, being in the present allows joy and gratitude to surface.  Rather than giving your power away by focusing on that which you don’t have control over, turn to the gifts of the present.  

 3) Engage in Activities that Reinforce Your Belief System – So many times when you feel overwhelmed, it is easier to find yourself turning to coping activities rather than empowering activities.  Coping activities are those that either make you feel worse (like eating, drinking or shopping too much), or pass time but do nothing to improve your state of mind (watching tv or internet surfing).  Empowering activities remind you of the gifts that are within you and around you.  These activities can include reading an inspirational book, doing yoga or watching an against-all-odds movie.  Whatever works for you to build up your sense of faith and power is the conscious choice you want to be making at this time.

 4) Talk Out Your Problem With a Trusted Friend –  Talking out your problem with a trusted friend will give you support in many ways.  First you will feel validated, which allows you to move past your ego and gain clarity toward real solutions that help you move forward.  If a friend isn’t available right away, pick up a journal and write about the situation, as if you were telling it to a friend.  You’ll be amazed at the clarity that can be made by that simple step!

 5) Seek Help – If the person who was supposed to support you doesn’t fulfill her or his end of the deal, seek further assistance.  What are the other resources available? Are there others who can come in and address the problem at hand?   The more people you have on your side, the more options you have to resolve the situation in a way that feels good to you.  Let others who are impacted know so that they can help, even if it is simply by being patient.

Use these tools in whatever order or fashion that authentically allows you to move past the illusion of problem and into creating resolution.  Through the use of these tools, not only did I regain my sense of power, I also received two gifts.  The first gift was learning that I can still enjoy life, even when an important aspect has gone awry.  The second gift was a personal reinforcement revealing that I was on the right path and had gained the lessons I needed to in order to more easily fulfill my life’s work.  By using these tools, you too will see the hidden gifts that await you the next time you feel powerless!

 Live Authentically – Live Exceptionally Well,

Michelle

1 COMMENT
  • Alexandra

    So glad I found my way back to your mailing list! I just forwarded this article to both of my friends in a situation like this. Thank you for all the awesome wisdom!!! You do so much for me, and the people in my life.