Shedding Trauma and Embracing Empowerment

By Kathy Baldwin, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

I was too strong for too long.

I believed in the lies of self-sacrifice and putting others’ needs ahead of my own. I became adept at masking the constant pain, pushing myself beyond my limits, and learning to live in chronic stress and disease…

Until I couldn’t anymore and had a complete and total nervous and physical breakdown.

My breakdown resulted in my losing everything, literally. I was left with nothing but myself. The medical system offered only pills and platitudes. My doctor told me his role in my healthcare was only to ensure that I was adequately medicated and that left actual healing to myself.

Trauma isn’t just about the big, dramatic events that make headlines. It’s also about the quieter, insidious moments when our needs weren’t met—when we felt unseen, unheard, or unwanted. These experiences, though seemingly small, can have devastating effects on our psyche, shaping our beliefs and behaviors in profound ways.

Trauma is anything that creates negative consequences when our needs are unmet. It’s the subtle, everyday experiences that leave us feeling less than whole. Our brains are wired to respond to these unmet needs, often leading to patterns of behavior that keep us stuck in cycles of disempowerment.

“We don’t have to dig up bones. We don’t have to go through therapies and dissect everything and be re-traumatized. We can cut it off and put it behind us.” – Kathy Baldwin

Within each of us lies the power to release these wounds. We are not bound by the ties of our past. By acknowledging and addressing these traumas, we can cut the ties that hold us back from stepping into our zone of genius.

Many of us have been taught to ignore and suppress our pain. That is the root cause of so many of our diseases, both physical and mental. We are integrated whole systems and everything affects everything else. Our emotions are chemically derived hormones and when suppressed create inflammation, change our microbiome, and create stress which have been proven to be the root cause of the majority, if not all, of our diseases.

I am living my best life and I am grateful for my breakdown. It was what I needed to self-heal with self-knowledge and self-empowerment. It is not necessary to fall, break, and lose everything to step into your full potential and empowerment.

Empowerment comes from understanding and releasing the past. It’s about stepping into our authentic selves, unlocking the potential to solve any problem and create the life we desire. This journey requires courage and commitment, but the rewards are immeasurable.

Our world is evolving exponentially faster each day. Our society has been shaped by our current systems which are in the process of breaking down. Technology is replacing our manual and repetitive jobs and tasks. While some fear the advances, those who seize the opportunity and step into their unique individual zone of genius, will be the ones who surf the waves of change rather than be drowned by it.

We are returning to living within a community, with collaboration and cooperation of resources and knowledge. We no longer need to be isolated and feel the pressures of doing everything alone, having the unreasonable pressure of expectations and shoulds.

It is time to go inward, release that which doesn’t serve us, and become fully aligned with our authentic selves, our dreams, and our unique talents and gifts.

There is no problem that we can’t solve when we use the gifts of being human; our innovation, creativity, problem-solving skills, and compassion.

The time is NOW!