The Time of the Awakened Woman: My Story and Yours
Inspired by Dr. Shefali Tsabary's book "A Radical Awakening"
There comes a time in the life of a woman when something cracks her open. Not just in her mind…but deep in her bones. For me, it was A Radical Awakening by Dr. Shefali and her soul-piercing poem, The Time of the Awakened Woman.
Whenever someone asks me about my favourite books…the ones that truly stirred something in me, A Radical Awakening is always one of the first that comes to mind. It's the kind of book I found myself listening to on repeat, like a lifeline.
Dr. Shefali doesn’t sugarcoat things. This book is a wake-up call. A loving slap in the face to wake you up… if you are ready for it. She speaks directly to the ways we’ve been conditioned to live for everyone but ourselves, and she invites us to finally, fiercely, choose us. It’s about breaking free from the roles we’ve been handed, shedding who we think we “should” be, and remembering who we actually are.
I Was Already in My Own Awakening …
And every word felt like it had been pulled from my own journal.
I was that woman. Already awakening. Already questioning. Already feeling the stirrings of a life that no longer fit. And reading her words? It felt like someone finally saw me.
Certain lines from that poem now live in my bones:
"When she simply says 'no more.' When she no longer plays small so others can feel big. When she drops the role of savior knowing she can only save herself."
If you're curious, you can find the full version of the poem online or in her book A Radical Awakening. But even just a few lines can stir something deep, and that’s exactly what they did for me.
I found this book when I was a few months out of burnout. I’d discovered ways to tending to myself which had helped me tremendously: journaling, meditating, eating healthy, drinking green smoothies, exercising and all things self-help. I was doing all the “right” things, trying to feel better. And honestly it worked for a while. My life looked calmer on the surface but deep down there was still this aching underneath.
I was in a deep hunt for myself…the one I’d slowly lost, piece by piece somewhere between childhood and that moment.
I was so tired of the ‘shoulds’. Tired of shrinking to keep the peace. Tired of being the reliable one, the good one, the one who never made waves.
Letting Go of the Savior Role
And then I heard those words again … “When she drops the role of savior knowing she can only save herself …”
That line echoed through me, this time not as theory, but as truth I could no longer ignore.
Something cracked wide open.
That line hit me right in the gut. I was so ready to stop holding everything together for everyone else. I had spent years being the organiser, the peacekeeper, the reliable one. But it was costing me me.
Letting go of the savior role wasn’t easy, but it was everything. This is something I’ve written more about in this post on why self-care didn’t work-until I made a radical shift.
It meant owning that I had to stop trying to rescue others when it was me who needed saving.
And I was the only one who could do it.
My healing, my truth, my power… they were mine to reclaim.
It meant shedding the version of me I’d been praised for… you know, the agreeable one, the over-functioning one, the always-there-for-everyone-else woman I’d been moulded into.
The Chapter That Changed Everything
And as I peeled back those layers, I began to see just how deep the conditioning ran.
I started noticing how often I said yes when I meant no. How much energy I gave away just trying to keep everything “comfortable” for everyone else. How much of myself I had abandoned just to not make waves.
That’s when Chapter 5 hit like a lightning bolt to the soul.
Chapter 5 of the book cracked me wide open. It shone a light on all the invisible rules I’d been following without even realizing. Rules passed down from generations of women who were taught to be pleasing, polite, and selfless.
Reading that chapter was like staring into a mirror I didn’t know I needed. I saw all the ways I’d made myself small to fit into boxes that were never meant for me.
And I knew…something had to change.
That’s when the rebellion in me began stirring. It was quiet at first…just a whisper. But it was steady. Certain. A deep knowing that I couldn’t keep living this way. That something inside me was ready to rise.
Self-Care as a Soul-Led Rebellion
I started to rebel.
I gave myself permission to set boundaries, even when my voice trembled. I stopped contorting myself to be liked, to be the 'easy one,' to keep the peace. I even joined Toastmasters to learn to speak again, because I realized I’d spent most of my life swallowing my truth.
I took self-care to a whole new level. Not as a trend. Not as a reward. But as a radical act of self-leadership. (If you’re curious what that really means, I dive into it more here.)
Self-care became my way of saying: I matter. I am here. I am whole.
Is This Your Awakening Too?
And now? I want that for you, too.
If you’ve been feeling restless, If something in your life feels “off” but you can’t name it, If you’ve started whispering to yourself, “There has to be more than this,”
That’s not just a passing thought. That’s your awakening.
That discomfort you feel? It’s sacred. That yearning for freedom? It’s your soul calling you back home to yourself.
You don’t need to prove yourself by saying yes to every request, showing up perfectly, or being everything to everyone. You don’t have to feel guilty for resting, to say no, or for choosing yourself over and over again. You get to live from the inside out.
So if this stirred something in you…maybe this is your sign.
Your invitation to go deeper. To lead yourself. To choose you.
Because the time is now. And you are ready. To rise into your own soul-led rebellion.
Your Soul Already Knows: Journal Prompts to Begin Your Own Awakening
Where in my life have I been trying to be “good” instead of being real?
What roles do I keep playing even though they don’t feel true to me anymore?
What might it look like to stop trying to rescue everyone and start focusing on myself?
Are there areas in my life where I’m doing things to please others instead of listening to myself?
What would taking care of myself, really and truly look like today?
The Soul-Led Reset
If your soul is whispering yes... I invite you to join me for The Soul-Led Reset—a free 3-day journey back to yourself. Through simple, soulful practices delivered straight to your inbox, you'll reconnect with your inner voice, clear the noise, and take one powerful step toward your truth.
I can’t wait to see you there.
Sara xo
Gain immediate access to Day 1 of my Free Soul-Led Reset here
