Yes, I’ve often felt powerless when I try to make positive changes in my life, and I don’t know if this happens to you too, but every time I realize that something is good for me, it always clashes with the interests of someone very close to me or with the comfort of feeling secure with what I already have. I think I could write many examples about this, but the conclusion is always the same: once you realize that you are the master of your own life and learn to distinguish what’s best for you, people appear who, in the name of love or friendship, make the situation more uncomfortable for you.
Of course, all of this happens because we’ve spent years putting others before ourselves, and without realizing it, we often make them dependent on us by saying “yes” to all their requests. But once the change begins, you realize the influence they have on your life. Today I’m a more mature person, and although I’m married, I’m with someone emotionally with whom I can make decisions that help me grow, and I only receive support and encouragement. But in the past, it wasn’t like that—many people made me feel powerless for wanting to change situations that could benefit me, and while that powerlessness lasted, all I did was postpone my own destiny.
So many people say they love you, but if you disrupt their routine, they make you feel like a bad person—like someone selfish who doesn’t think of others—even though you’ve given them so much in the past. I’ve found myself in that situation a dozen times and put my emotional well-being on hold so as not to hurt those people; what a huge mistake! The ones with the problem were them—they used manipulation to keep me or others in their lives.
I learned the hard way to put myself first, even though I’m a devout Catholic and the Church’s teachings tell me to turn the other cheek. Once the change began, many people left, and at the time it hurt a lot, but later I understood that this is the reality of human relationships: people come into your life, fulfill a purpose, and then leave, and not just passing strangers—sometimes they’re friends of many years or even your own family members. The point is that no one can interfere with your personal journey, and I realized this a little too late, because in the end, that feeling of helplessness was something I imposed on myself.
There are also situations and places that have left me feeling powerless in my efforts to improve my emotional and physical stability—though, now that I think about it, there are always people behind such obstacles. People who tell you that you can't do something, or that you aren't ready to take on a challenge—a challenge you know would improve your life—and many of them use their power to crush others. In my case, particularly in the realm of music, many people denied me opportunities through companies or academies. I came to feel utterly powerless, knowing full well what I had to offer, yet never even being given the chance to prove it; eventually, however—and precisely because I never stopped working on myself, day after day—things began to turn in my favor.
In conclusion, that sense of powerlessness is merely a feeling that arises within us when we do not know which path to take; and while there are indeed people who lack the freedom to choose, those of us who do possess it are generally slaves to ourselves—whether due to ignorance, naivety, or immaturity. Personally, I have managed to come to terms with this. And yes, people still appear in my life who try to interfere in some way whenever I seek to make choices that will benefit me; however, their actions barely affect me anymore. It surprises me a little when the person involved is someone very, very close to me, but I no longer let myself be swayed. Once your journey toward all forms of stability has truly begun, there is definitely no turning back. 🙏 Thank you for reading and supporting my post! If you have ever felt powerless because you were unable to make positive changes in your life, feel free to share your experience in the comments below—or perhaps you might like to write your own post for this 306th edition of the Weekend-Engagement challenge. Have a wonderful weekend!