What does powerless mean to you?

to me this means that no matter how I try to change something, I have no effect on it; I am powerless. I am having a hard time accepting this and seem to be at a tug of war with myself over trying to still control things. Once I can fully accept that nothing I do will change anything, the better off I can see I will be. It is sooooo hard though :)

Thank you so much on your imput.  I am powerless over alcohol and my life! I am powerless.

I fear I'm out of control. I hate not having control over things. Especially my own life. I wish I could control my friend and keep him from drinking too. That just isn't the case. I hate to admit it. I hated hearing that I was powerless over his drinking. Every day I worry he will start again and I will feel miserable watching him go through everything he goes through. As a child, I hated being powerless. Living in an abusive home and not having any power to make things better. I was desparate and wanted to escape.

Can really relate to that.  I am starting to process the grief finally having accepted my pwerlessness over my codependency.  It is the scariest thing i have ever done.  In my head I know that I am no longer that powerless child, but it is so scary just allowing myself to feel the stored pain of that abused child.  It breaks my heart that she had to ogo through that all alone and felt it was all her fault.  But the books say you can't heal it unless you grieve it, so am just trying to sit with the feelings until they pass.  It's a dark place though and I can do nothing but just trust that God will get me through.  No turning back now.  Whilst scary, I do feel a sense of relief at having let go of control.      

hi Melanie et al,

 another great thread! the internet is a good example. People put up opinions sometimes that I don't agree with! good place to explore this because it's there and there's nothing I can do about it except read them again and in this programme we don't have to agree with it just see if there might be something useful in everyones contribution regardless of whether they are new or not.

litf Vickyr x

powerless? There is absolutly NOTHING I can do to turn the situation around. I am powerless over alchol. That's what it means to me.

This is where I get stuck too! I've always felt that if I did more the situation would be better. If I helped more or gave more - everything would turn out fine. But that doesn't happen. I ended up exhausted and depressed. I'm slowly learning that I am powerless and need to move on with my life. Which is where I'm stuck. I don't know who I am anymore or even what I like. I feel like I'm just drifting around with no anchor.

Powerless. I do not get it, more often than I do get it. When I lay my head on the stone in the center of my labyrinth, I begin to feel something that smells slightly like a sweet powerlessness. When I feel Goddess' love, and know, truly know, that She cannot love me any more than she already does - which is quite a lot, and I also know that She will never love me less - at that moment, I can accept powerlessness. Otherwise, I am a skeptic. How can coming from a place of powerlessness lead to right action? Yeah, yeah, I'm too new to know anything. I'm comfortable with that. I trust that I will grow past it. Anyone want to help me with it?

RIGHT NOW I AM POWERLESS TO COCAINE, I HAD A 3 1/2 LONG RELAPSE STUCK ON COKE, MY 401K ANNUITY MONEY IS GONE AND IM BROKE, IM POWERLESS OVER MONEY TOO, IT SEEMS LIKE I GET IT AND I SPEND IT ON COKE AND BOOZE

Having no power greater than myself in my life. Believing I control it all. Myself, others, outcomes, consequences. Powerless for me = no Higher Power When I was God my life sucked and I was dying by degrees.

The only thing I can control is my attitude.  I am powerless over people, places and things.

I know this is an old thread. But, I'm new to this. Not new to codependence or awareness of addiction. That's been a part of my life FOREVER.

I am new to finally admitting that I need help to control (scratch that)

I am new to finally admitting that I need help.

I am new to finally admitting that I need help with my codependence.

I am new to finally admitting that I need help to learn the meaning of powerlessness.

How does one "work" step one? Is it a mantra? Do I meditate on the concept of powerlessness? All I really want to do is throw IT in AH's face and say "See what you've made me do?" Ha! That is me missing the point of powerlessness. I am not powerful enough to throw anything that will change AH. Wish I believed that. Yes, I am still on Step one.

I have power over ME. My choices. My schedule. My body. My heart rate. My anger. My snoopy behavior. My lecturing. My temper tantrums. Those are mine. But, I cannot stop AH from using. I am powerless to stop AH from using.

Now if I could just figure out how not to care. What step is that?

Welcome Love your share on Powerlessness . You have posted to a Step Board that is only visited when someone is actively working the Steps I recommend you go to the CODA or Alanon Main Board and post your thoughts.
Here is the link

www.12stepforums.net/

PS none of the Steps teach us not to care-- they do however show us how to care and love ourselves equally .
That works

I gain serenity when I realize that I am powerless to understand or to explain or to predict other people.

I have no omniscience.

Admitting I am powerless to understand and explain, gets me out of my head and frees me to ask - what does my HP want me to do right now. How can I love? serve? grow?

Thanks Josie Appreciate your share.