Self-Abandonment to Self-empowerment: Why 2026 Is the Year We let our voice be heard
In Lee Harris’s January Energy Update, one theme which deeply resonated with me was self-abandonment.
At some point in our lives, most of us learned that being ourselves came at a cost. If we spoke up, we may be judged, disliked or unloved.
So we adapted by softening our edges, swallowing our truths and quieting our voices.
We put parts of ourselves on the back burner including our needs, our desires, & our intuition because it felt safer to do so.
And often, we didn’t even realise we were doing it.
What Is Self-Abandonment (Really)?
Self-abandonment isn’t a single decision. It’s a slow, layered process.
It happens when:
We prioritise keeping the peace over honouring our truth
We silence our needs to avoid disappointing others
We shape-shift to fit into families, relationships, communities, or roles
We abandon parts of who we are not because we are weak, but because we are deeply relational beings who want to belong and connect with others.
For many women, including myself, this pattern becomes most obvious in motherhood.
When Identity Quietly Slips Away
I remember when my eldest daughter started school. Almost overnight, I stopped being me in the eyes of the world and I became known as: “Kayla’s mum.”
Not Sheryl. Not a woman with her own dreams, insights, and inner world. Parts of me got put to the side.
And while motherhood is sacred and profound, this subtle loss of identity is something I’ve seen echoed again and again in women around me.
The focus becomes:
The children
The schedules
The roles
This isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s a cultural pattern, a familial one with many layers. However, we are being asked as a society to outgrow this pattern as a conscious, connected mother is powerful for her journey as well as her children’s.
Why Self-Abandonment Can No Longer Be Sustained
As many teachers, intuitives, astrologers and healers are echoing right now (including Lee Harris) our frequency is changing.
In 2026, the body, the nervous system, and the soul are no longer willing to carry what is misaligned.
What once felt “manageable” now feels:
Heavy
Exhausting
Constricting
This is why so many people feel:
Restless, irritated & overwhelmed
Lost
Disconnected from roles they once identified with
It’s not breakdown. It’s a rebirth.
5 Signs You May Have Abandoned Yourself
You may recognise yourself in one or more of these. If so, notice and self-reflect without judgement.
1. You struggle to name what you want
You’re great at supporting others, but when asked what you need, your mind goes blank.
2. You feel resentment or exhaustion without knowing why
Often a sign you’ve been overriding your inner “no” for too long.
3. You edit yourself before speaking
You instinctively soften, dilute, or silence your truth to keep things comfortable.
4. You feel disconnected from joy or creativity
Self-abandonment numbs not only pain, but pleasure.
5. Your body is speaking loudly
Chronic tension, fatigue, anxiety, digestive issues, the body often holds what the voice could not express.
5 Ways to Begin Reclaiming Your Authentic Self
This isn’t about drastic change. It’s about coming home, slowly and honestly.
1. Start noticing where you override your voice
No fixing, just awareness. Where do you say yes when your body says no?
2. Rebuild safety in your nervous system
When the body feels safe, truth can surface. Meditation, breathwork, sound, nature, and stillness are not luxuries, they are foundations.
3. Let your truth be felt before it is spoken
Journaling, body awareness, and gentle reflection help you hear yourself again.
4. Allow yourself to be more than one role
You are not just a mother, partner, carer, or professional. You are a whole being. layered, evolving, sovereign.
5. Speak one small truth at a time
Authenticity doesn’t require confrontation. It begins with honest self-expression, even in subtle or small ways.
This Is the Year of Speaking Your Truth
2026 carries a clear invitation:
Stop abandoning yourself to maintain belonging
Stop shrinking to fit outdated roles
Stop silencing the wisdom that lives in your body
The more we align with our authentic truth, the less tolerance we have for what is not real, not because we are becoming harsher, but because we are becoming truer.
You don’t need to become someone new.
You are being asked to remember who you were before you learned to disappear.
And that remembering is one of the most powerful healing journeys there is.
Abundant Blessings, Sheryl