Life’s not fair. You already know that. People get blindsided by betrayal. Families get shattered. Trust gets broken. Sometimes the people who are supposed to have your back end up being the ones who hurt you most. Maybe you’ve lost a job because someone lied, or your partner left you in the wreckage, or you’re carrying scars from a childhood you didn’t ask for.
And when you’re in the thick of it—when you’re staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m., running through everything that’s been done to you—it’s so, so easy to start believing the lie that you’re powerless.
But here’s the truth you need to hear: You are not powerless.
The Temptation of Helplessness
You might not realize it, but feeling powerless can be weirdly comforting. If you’re powerless, nothing’s your fault, right? You can’t lose if you don’t play. It lets you step out of the game and stop risking, stop hoping, stop caring so much. But that comfort is a prison—a numbing, lonely cell.
The truth? Staying in that place will cost you your future, your relationships, and your shot at peace.
What Powerlessness Really Is
Let’s make something clear:
-
You are NOT to blame for what happened to you.
-
But you ARE responsible for what you do next.
That’s the difference between living as a victim and living as a survivor. One keeps you chained to your past. The other is your shot at freedom.
Reclaiming Your Power—One Step at a Time
Let’s be practical. You don’t magically snap your fingers and get your power back. It’s not about positive vibes or pretending things didn’t hurt. It’s about taking small, intentional steps every single day.
1. Name What Happened
Call it what it is. Don’t sugarcoat it, don’t downplay it. You were hurt, betrayed, abandoned, whatever it was—put words to it. Pretending it didn’t happen gives your pain more control.
2. Feel Your Feelings (Yes, All of Them)
Power comes from honesty. Anger, grief, sadness—they’re signals, not weaknesses. Journal. Talk to a counselor. Scream into a pillow if you have to. Don’t let your feelings fester in the dark.
3. Choose Your Response
Here’s where it gets real. You get to decide how this story shapes you. Maybe you need to set boundaries. Maybe you need to forgive (not for them, but for you). Maybe you need to pick up the phone and ask for help.
You may not have chosen what happened, but you can choose what happens next.
4. Build Something New
You don’t have to rebuild your life overnight. Start small—one healthy choice, one real conversation, one new habit. Progress over perfection, every single time.
5. Own Your Future
You get to write the next chapter. Don’t hand the pen to the people who hurt you. Every day you choose to show up, to be honest, to fight for your own well-being—you reclaim another piece of your power.
The Road Isn’t Easy—But It’s Yours
I’m not here to sell you easy answers. Some days will feel like you’re climbing a mountain with bricks in your backpack. But I promise you: You are not powerless. You’re breathing, you’re reading this, and you’re still in the fight. That means hope is on the table.
Ask for help. Tell the truth. Make a plan.
And when you fall down, get back up—because you’re worth it.
Don’t give the people or situations that hurt you the final say. You get to choose what happens next.
Your story isn’t over.