top to bottom, originally uploaded by Luminous Lu.
and the ones that have been told to you.
-
Maya Angelou
.
Last night in class we talked about lies, the lies we tell ourselves, the lies that other people tell us claiming them as Truth. Defy the lie became the catchphrase. Each breath, each movement, each burst of laughter and smile, each stumble all focused on this one thought — defy the lie.
What lies have you been told, or you told yourself, so often that they’ve been allowed to coalesce into Truth?
I’ve been told that I wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t enough, that I was not lovable, that my creativity was fraudulent, that the problems in a relationship were my fault, that I would never reach my dreams, that my self-worth was equal to my monetary worth.
I had a dance teacher tell me in high school that because I felt shy doing improv in front of the group that I would never make it as a dancer.
Lies become Truths.
We practiced handstands last night, pairing up and laying claim to pieces of the room.
The lie I kept telling myself was that I wasn’t strong enough, I was weak. I told myself that I lacked the physical strength to be able to do what others did so easily. Kristen, the teacher, came over, I told her I was scared and why, and she helped me. I went up on my hands and she held my legs straight, for the space of a few moments I was doing it and I felt so free.
Until the lie kicked in and I slid down onto my elbows.
Kristen told me that I did so well, to be proud because I did it even with the fear.
I told Kristen that I wanted to try again.
Then I cried.
I proved that lie wrong.
Because, maybe for now, if I do it alone, I’m not strong enough, but with someone helping me, with my tribe, I can do anything.
I can even combat lie with Truth.
oh, yes – so many things we're told & believe… so glad to be here with you Jenn, helping you handstand and cartwheel and fly anytime you want to x
Whoa, what a quote. Love it!
"Take a day to heal from the lies you've told yourself and the ones that have been told to you."
~Maya Angelou
Yes to realizing the deep truths hidden underneath those lies. Congrats for proving these cheap lies wrong. Brava!
Julie, Marjory — Your support and encouragement means so much to me, thank you so much. It lifts me right up, know that.
And that quote! Amazing, right? Maya Angelou is so incredible, such a Light. I've been saving those words for just the right moment and I guess the moment was this morning.
Sending you peace, xo.
Thanks for this beautiful and tender story. So many of those lies are the same lies I was told and dared to repeat to myself! It is freeing to feel the real truths behind those lies. Yes we can do anything. And be strong and full of the power of our beautiful spirits! thank you so much for this amazing website. I love Roots of She!
from kat:
Tears sprang to my eyes as I read your post.
I know only too well about lies-they perpetuated through most of my life and formed (sometimes malformed) my spirit.
Hugs and pats on the back to us all for extricating ourselves from their quagmire.
Love it!
This was a beautiful story to tell, thank you for sharing :]
Be truthful to yourself… very inspiring.
Liberating one self from the self-defeating lies around us, inside us and coming through to the other side, to freedom is a joy and lightness of being that we all deserve! Thanks for sharing that story Jenn, we need to hear these stories…as women there are many lies we need to grow out of and learn to own our wings again*
Hugs xx
Your posts brings me to tears. I too have heard those lies all my life. I long to break free of them, but I don't know how. I had finally met a person who actually told me the truth for the first time in my life and I found it so hard to believe that he thought I was worth it, that I am lovable, that I can do it, that I can be something, that I am beautiful, smart, funny. Years and years of believing the lies made it so so hard to believe the truth. I'm trying desperately to hold onto his words of truth and trying to believe them to see myself the way he does. I don't know how to fight the lies to win.
But while I'm fighting my battle, I'm standing with you, helping you do those hand stands.
Hi Jenn. So glad you found me on Organic Sister. I've been doing Baron Baptiste's 40 days. This week the focus was on Law 1 – Seek the Truth. I had to discover a command statement I've held through my life and the lie I tell myself because of it. This wasn't hard for me to do, at all. I wish it had been. I've told myself many lies throughout my life. So Happy to find you here. Stop by any time and follow my journey.
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