Is Being a Superwoman Draining Your Powers?
Hey I get it! The super high you get from finding your voice after abuse is addictive. You go so hard so fast, you don’t feel the fatigue creeping up until it’s too late. This is when you begin experiencing symptoms again – depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Am I right? That’s your body telling you you’re on the verge of crashing. It’s time to listen! You know why? Because superheroes need love too. The best way to help others is to first help yourself. Self love is always the best love.
Self Love Vs. Self-care
The Every Girl Media Group states in their article on self love and self-care that self-care is taking care of you, all of you. That includes your physical and mental well-being. Take time to make sure your center of peace is balanced. Whatever that looks like for you. Self love is the process of nurturing and accepting your feelings about yourself. Loving you, no matter what! Below I have gathered a few tips and strategies to assist you in regaining and nurturing your superpowers.
Superhero Self Care Tips
The National Domestic Violence Hotline has compiled a list of self-care tips for superheroes like you and me.
- Reprogramming your subconscious with positive affirmations. This could come in the form of gathering positive affirmations about the negative insecurities you have about yourself self. Speak your new positive affirmations out loud, replacing negative toxic thoughts with positive loving ones.
- Find a physical outlet for intense negative emotions. Use this time to do something you are passionate about like listening to empowering music or walking around the park. Make sure it something that’s calming and not overexerting.
- Meditation and breathing. My personal favorite! If you are a sufferer of PTSD and anxiety like myself, this comes in handy to combat and manage those pesky fight or flight responses that come on from flashbacks and triggers. It is as simple as taking a moment for some controlled deep breaths and giving your mind a chance to reboot itself.
- Using creativity as a channel for your pain. Be as creative as you want, it could be something as monumental as writing, painting, drawing, or making music. Or as simple as doing arts and crafts. Just as long as you are engaging your mind and body to ignite the release of your pain.
- Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. I totally understand, we have given our power away for far too long, and the last thing we want is to look helpless. But trust me, seeking help does not diminish your power. It does, however, help you recognize your own strength by identifying that you need help and being open enough to receive it.
Self-loath or Self-love? That is The Question
Taking the call for action and becoming a superhero for LiveYourDream.org is a monumental step in the healing process. I personally know the feeling you get from uplifting and encouraging other survivors. However, imagine what would be lost if you were not able to contribute to the people that need you. Taking a moment to love on yourself is a small price to pay for all you do.
Psychology Today gives you a prescription to self-love. Some of my favorite ones are:
- Become mindful of your feelings. Become aware of what you feel, think, and want. This action will reflect your needs rather than what others want of you.
- Set boundaries. Set proper boundaries and limits to help you alleviate things that will harm your wellbeing.
- Protect yourself. Get rid of the people that bring about negative energy.
- Forgive yourself. Keep in mind that there are no mistakes, only lessons learned.
- Live intentionally. Live your life according to your life’s purpose. Be unapologetically you!
Now that you have the formula to regenerate your superpowers, spread the word to other superheroes. Together we will change the world, but first we must change us.
April Jackson-Hunter was born in March of 77, she currently lives in Georgia with her family. She received a Master of Art in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Herzing University. Her story isn’t different from anyone else’s, she took a portion of her life that wouldn’t be forgotten and harnessed it. After experiencing violence at the hands of someone who was supposed to love her, she battled fear, guilt, and shame until she couldn’t mentally handle it anymore. After seeking help for what she thought were mental instabilities, she received some game changing advice. A counselor suggested that she start a journal in an attempt to help with recurring nightmares and insomnia issues. The journal she started transformed her into the author of her book which She entitled Mercedes’ Closet: Keeping Deadly Secrets. Mrs. Jackson-Hunter is also an advocate, whose passion is to assist victims of domestic/partner violence in the LGBTQ community. Her mission is to help victims of domestic/partner violence understand they are not alone. She feels everyone needs to feel as though there is someone in their corner during a dark time. For this reason, she founded Mercedes’ Closet which is a nonprofit geared to offering support and resources in the LGBTQ community for not only victims of domestic/partner violence but also victims of other violent crimes such as rape, hate crimes, as well as transviolence, which is due to officially launch in the mid of 2020.