Loss of personal authority (Signal)

What people are struggling with

Difficulty making decisions without excessive reassurance or research.

Allowing others' opinions to override your own judgment or gut feeling.

A sense of being a passenger in your own life, not the driver.

Apologizing for your preferences, needs, or simply taking up space.

Why this keeps repeating

Past experiences where your authority was undermined, dismissed, or punished.

A core belief that others know better, are more legitimate, or are inherently more "correct" than you.

The nervous system is wired to seek external safety cues because internal cues feel unreliable.

My personal experience

Changing my answer on a survey after hearing someone else's choice.

The phrase "I don't know, what do you want to do?" as my default.

Feeling like a fraud when called an "expert" in my own life.

Where this lives in the Cosmic Mirror

Signal Layer: Internal governance and self-trust.

What actually helped me

Reclaiming authority over my physical space first (arranging a room how I liked it).

Making a small, "unimportant" decision every day and sticking to it (e.g., choosing the restaurant).

Noticing and writing down when my initial instinct about a person or situation was later proven correct.

Things to try

State an opinion in a conversation without using softening language ("I think," "maybe").

For one week, handle a minor household issue without asking for input or permission.

Sit quietly and ask, "What do I really think about this?" Listen for the first answer.

Common mistakes or traps

Confusing personal authority with being rigid, arrogant, or controlling.

Swinging from no authority to bulldozing others' input as an overcorrection.

Waiting to feel authoritative before you act with authority. The feeling follows the action.

Related paths to explore

Fear of trusting myself

Second-guessing everything

People-pleasing