The power of powerlessness

Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash

Everybody wants to be a winner, especially in an unplanned boxing match with life. Life might send blow after blow, but humans must keep getting up or risk being beaten down by it. Admitting powerlessness in such a fight brings to mind an image of a white flag being waved in defeat, the biggest marker of surrender/failure in the human world. Surrender and powerlessness are often associated with listlessness.

Picture the growing frustration of a child who does not get their way, maybe while putting together a puzzle. The need to win starts young. Powerlessness is for the weak. But, what if that is an old narrative needing an urgent update?

I have been thinking about this. In the human world of 2025, we have the “latest” everything. Latest update on memes, reels, technology like AI, movies on our OTT watchlist, and latest food haunts in the neighbourhood; but why not an update on the latest and better mindsets? The mind that invents everything is often the one that fails to get an upgrade. This personal essay is an attempt to get the latest upgrade on powerlessness.

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Powerlessness is misconstrued as complete abandonment to the whims and fancies of life but what if it means being open to different ways of learning to live better by trial and error? That there are situations in life over which I have zero control is a universal truth. Why fight it when accepting it makes life easier and livable?
What if being powerless is a useful redirection of my energy, instead of trying to arrange life to suit myself 24x7? I accept some things and people, accepting which or who will not compromise my safety and well-being and that of others.

In doing this I take my rightful power back, the power I have within me to focus on making the garden of MY life greener so that when someone needs my help to work on their garden I have a handful of experiences with living a better life.
For example: I have often been at the receiving end of unwanted rude comments about my body. I have stood up for myself but that has been more exhausting than helpful because some people simply do not comprehend why it is unacceptable to make rude comments about someone’s body. When I admitted I was powerless over the brainwashed minds of certain people I could sense personal freedom patiently waiting on my doorstep. I redirected the energy spent contemplating witty comebacks to work on my body image. Sometimes I DO need to speak up, but not all the time, life is too short for that, at least for me.

Mama Earth always teaches me the importance of acknowledging powerlessness. Many times, it IS good that I, a wee little but important human, am not always going to be in control. Can I control the breathtaking beauty of a rainbow after a heavy shower? Is it not good to be powerless in this case? One thing I realised from my wide array of experiences last year is that powerlessness and power can coexist. Everything about living a human life is context-specific. In some situations being powerless is beautiful, like the rainbow for example. In some situations, I CAN change how things can be by doing what IS within my control for example if someone is being unacceptable in their behavior or there is injustice then I can speak up to be true to myself.

Accepting I will sometimes be utterly powerless over people, places, things, world events, and day-to-day situations is a wise way to redirect my zeal where it benefits me and my fellow humans. Sometimes exercising control instead of powerlessness is like watering an artificial potted plant. It is of no use because there will be no growth. Releasing this control produces far better outcomes than I could’ve imagined. Perhaps it’s time to look at the benefits powerlessness brings instead of always focusing on how power can “improve” human societies, because one look at the world news is enough to remind me what misuse of power can do to humankind whereas several looks are necessary to notice how NOT being in control is a beautiful humbling experience.