Finding Myself
For many years I was not in touch with myself.
I lost myself in the expectations of others. I became a people pleaser, shaping myself based on what I thought others wanted. The fear of being ridiculed or rejected kept me from being true to myself.
Wanting to be liked and to belong I became a chameleon, adapting to fit in. I wore so many masks that I forgot what my real face looked like.
Somewhere along the way I started to wonder who were people actually liking? In fact who was I behind all these masks? Do I even recognize myself anymore?
I felt like I was living someone else's life and I needed to find and claim my own!
The turning point came when I began to take a hard look at myself. What did I believe? What were my values? What was important to me?
It was not an easy journey. I spent 50 years mostly being and doing what I thought others expected.
I had to dig deep, examine everything I thought I believed to be true for me - peeling back each layer bit by bit.
Therapy was my safe space, journaling my way of sorting through my thoughts, beliefs, values, and feelings. Looking deep within became my compass.
But the the change didn't happen overnight. It was messy, bumpy, and at times very uncomfortable. But in the mess I finally found myself - the real, unfiltered me.
I also found something else amazing - inner peace and freedom. I was no longer chained to others' expectations. Life became an exciting adventure and I now look at things with fresh curiosity.
I am curious - are you connected to your own story? Can you hear your own voice in the noise of the world? Write a comment below - I would love to hear your answer.
I help individuals mend the wounded parts of their relationship with themselves that keep them silently hiding in the shadows so that they are no longer held hostage by their own doubts and fears.