Life is full of secrets.

You always have your power, honey, and that’s the first secret.

Especially if you’re an empath, it’s easy to confuse the feelings, thoughts, and actions of others with your own, so it’s understandable if that doesn’t always feel like the case. The result can be a sense of helplessness and weakness. However, this is never the case. The source of your strength is always within you.

Drop into the helplessness when it arises, rather than trying to fight it.

You need to pinpoint it. Why am I feeling like this? Dig for an example and get specific. Gotta get real with yourself in order to accept it.

Be an objective observer of the emotion without condemning yourself for experiencing it.

Here’s one of my methods for processing:

• Asking myself, “What am I feeling?”
• For what reason am I experiencing this?
• Is this true for me? Is it my temporary reality?
• Am I ready to take ownership of it?

Here’s why I’m so sold on this approach:
Because 1) I truly believe the Cosmos is constantly on my side, working to provide me with whatever it is I’m seeking

Two) I’m not broken, I’m simply seeking something new and it can feel like breaking apart before things come together.

It seemed impossible at the time, but here I am, blessing the suffering that I once thought would destroy me. Yes, I am grateful for the person, the event, and the suffering. I am stronger, happier, and more cheerful now that I have made it through to the other side. Instead of condemning my emotional breakdown, I turned to the cosmos for guidance on the lessons I was supposed to take away from the experience.

It dawned on me that my existence was not supposed to remain static; rather, it required a thorough shaking and breaking apart before I could grow. The term “leveling up” is used to describe this process, and I have no problem with it so long as we don’t promote the idea that there are different “levels” of performance in this context, as such hierarchies tend to generate feelings of superiority and inferiority. This is not a competition; rather, we are all here to grow.

The question you should be asking is, “What can I take away from this?”

When people I know and work with are going through tough times, I encourage them to give their emotions a name and take ownership over them. Find out what you can take away from the experience. Little affirmations from the cosmos will begin to appear as you detach yourself emotionally from the experience and take on an objective stance. As you begin to piece things together, you will shift from victim to learner mentality. The fog will begin to lift, and you’ll be able to see the opportunity more clearly than ever before.

Emotions come and go, adopting a stance of observation allows you to avoid affixing your identity to them. You shouldn’t give that sensation any more fuel to stick around; emotions like that come and go. It called to bring a present. Don’t just take the present; bless it and set it free.

If you are aware of the moment when a negative emotion begins to develop, you can turn it into a positive one.

Don’t fight it, criticize yourself, or think positively to overcome it. Actually, it doesn’t work, and even if it does, what do you think would happen then? More lessons and experiences for your development are on the way from the Cosmos. This means that until you learn to deal with it, you will continue to encounter the same challenges.

When an emotion comes on, it’s important to name it and give in to it. Let the emotion settle in your chest; use your imagination to mentally transport the sensation there. Leave your mental realm behind and allow the feeling settle into your heart. To what does your gut point you?

For a long time, I wondered, “Should I just drop it into my heart?”

To be honest, I didn’t want to hear from the Cosmos at all.

I always considered myself a fact-based person, someone who, given enough time and effort, could find a solution to any problem. My rational outlook on life, however, wasn’t exactly making me happy. The people, the places, the future, and the past have always been the sources of my enthusiasm for life. All I cared about was the future, therefore I completely disregarded the present.

It wasn’t until I allowed myself to experience my feelings while also keeping an objective distance that I was able to feel compassion for myself. I didn’t want to punish myself, nor did I want to let the unpleasant emotion to stay with me indefinitely. To my surprise, all I had to do was keep an objective eye out, investigate until I uncovered the meaning, and then let go.

Your heart is your power center, and you always have the power to make your life easier and more joyous than you ever imagined. You have absolute control now. You don’t have to stay there, dear; sometimes things grow hazy and sometimes they hurt. The source of your strength lies within. You were made for this.