I Cannot Tell A Lie

I Cannot Tell a Lie

Ok..that’s a lie…I CAN and I HAVE told a lie, so this is already starting out badly.  Abe Lincoln, I'm not.

I think of myself as an honest person, but that’s not always true, either.

Wow, this is going downhill, fast.

When it comes to how we see ourselves and how we describe ourselves, it’s seldom the truth.  Pay close attention to what people are really saying.  Rarely do I encounter a person who truly likes and accepts themselves.    

“Well, you haven’t met Joe. He is SO conceited!  Trust me, there is NO lack of self love, there!”

That’s not self love coming from Joe.  That’s someone in a lie, trying desperately to get your approval.  He’s trying to convince you that he is terrific.

Because he doesn’t believe it.  

We are steeped in shame, masked by false humility. 

You can build the Sistine Chapel,  but shame will tell you “that’s not enough.”  NOTHING you do will be enough, because YOU are not enough. 

And that’s the biggest lie you will ever tell yourselves.  You can spend your life in external glorious achievement, but it won’t remove the lies from shame.

Self love is a pretty big jump to make when you’re in self loathing and shame.  I’m going to recommend something easier – start with self acceptance.  You don’t need to like what you do, or who you are…just ACCEPT it, for now. 

The next move is begin developing loving kindness toward yourself.  Not others.  YOU.  Become your new “BFF”.  Learn to pay attention to self sabotaging behavior and start to replace it with a kinder, gentler response.  Gradually stop settling for table scraps from people and head straight to the buffet table.  [Front of the line, please.  We’ve been waiting for you.]

Can you do that?  Not yet?  It will come.  And if you are thinking, “No, it won’t”, that’s the voice of shame, Peaches.  AND IT’S A LIE. 

Nothing you do or don’t do changes your magnificence one tiny bit.  You are magnificent because you ARE.

Now very politely, tell shame to take their ball and go home. 

You’re not playing that game, anymore. 

Annie~Pat