Reclaiming your power

To be empowered means stepping into who you are fully. Part of claiming self, is to take back your power.

Through our life experiences, we give away bits of power without realizing we are doing this. Sometimes a traumatic past experience still owns us. As a result, we place limits on ourselves to protect ourselves. We give that situation a piece of our power. Perhaps a past or present relationship has claimed some of your power. Through that relationship, you may have compromised parts of yourself and felt that you lost your voice.

Human nature dictates that we all feel the need to belong. Belonging does not mean agreeing to things that don’t fit you. It is finding a tribe that accepts all of you for who you are without reservation or conditions. When we step up to claim who we are, life brings people into our path that fit the new version of us. We only need to be brave enough to take that first step.Empower with a heart for the letter o

Take your power back by:

1. Using your voice:
It is okay to say no to things that don’t fit who you are. You need never compromise who you are to suit anyone else – not in the way you dress, who you love, or what you believe. Proudly claim who you are and declare it to the world. The right people for you will arrive in your life.

2. Knowing when to push through:
Sometimes our fears and insecurities keep us from stepping up and going after an opportunity that opens for us. We tend to find ways to sabotage ourselves so that we lose the opportunity. Our past experiences have made us fear the unknown, so we find ourselves stuck. We may even feel as though we don’t deserve this awesome experience. When an opportunity arises for you, bravely claim it. Shut out all the voices of doubt. Once you take that first step, it gets easier and easier. We don’t have every bit of knowledge for each task or opportunity, but we can learn as we go along. You don’t need to have all the answers before you step up and claim an opportunity. Just do it and the rest will fall into place.

3. Taking that first step:
Taking that first step, no matter how small, makes all the difference. It may be as simple as making a list or making a phone call to get relevant information. Or it may be a giant leap such as saying yes to something you really want to do but don’t feel ready for. The size of the step does not matter. Once you take that step, you begin to feel empowered, and even a little excited. You are beginning to release the stuck energy keeping you where you are. Taking that step is a decision that begins in your thoughts. Immediately applying it before your past shadows rear their heads, allows you to begin reclaiming your power.

We can choose to say no to letting our past dictate our future. We can reclaim our power though our inspired thoughts and actions, and choose what our tomorrow will look like.

What are you doing to reclaim your power today? Share and inspire others.

Many Blessings,

Santa

RUNNING THROUGH DARKNESS
MEMOIR OF A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

BY SANTA MOLINA-MARSHALL ‧ RELEASE DATE: MAY 3, 2022

This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.

Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out. 

In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.” 

The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.

An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.

Pub Date: May 3, 2022   |    ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6  |   Page Count: 264    | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph  |   Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022