Originally shared on 5/22/23:
I’m pondering thoughts today about sharing our lived truths. Anne Lamott says of her father: “He wrote many books of knowledge, but not so many truths.” She wished that before he died he had written more truths – wrote down what he was pretty sure of. She speaks of writing these things down for her grandchildren:
“Here is everything I know about almost everything, that I think applies to almost everyone, that might help you someday.”
What a concept…I think many of my hangups about writing or teaching, are because of that little voice that says, “but what do you really know”…? What do you have the training, expertise, and wisdom to share with others? What are you qualified to put on paper…? And then I feel like I need another training, degree, or set of letters behind my name. So I’m finding a great deal of wisdom and peace in the freedom to share what I know…my truths. I’m still learning – hopefully I have more years to explore, grow, and learn in this body – – my truths may evolve and change, as I evolve and change.
This concept of knowing and sharing our truths, and realizing the value in them reminds me of a mantra that I occasionally use when I teach a big topic, it is helpful when I’m feeling the imposter syndrome. It is:
“I know what I know, and I do not know what I do not know.”
I repeat it to myself when that voice that tells me “I need to be more…” creeps in – and I remind myself I don’t know everything (very few do), but I know what I know, and some of that can help some people.
I only know what I know, and of course that is limited by lived experiences, and my ability to access information – but truths are truths, they aren’t necessarily learned in books – they are lived, and part of the language of universal love.
I thought it might be inspiring today for each of us to take a little time to write out a few truths that we know to be true for most people, that most people would find helpful – they don’t have to be scientifically backed, or well-known – just truths that you know to be true, based on your life experience…what are they for you??
Here’s a few of my thoughts/truths:
- The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you wish to be done to you. It’s simple: it asks us to be less selfish, to do no harm – to win less, to compromise more. If you’re always winning (getting your way), someone else is always losing.
- Listen to your body – really learn to listen to it – even when you don’t like what it’s saying to you. Sometimes it tells you, you need to rest when there are things to do – honor it. Sometimes it tells you, you need to take a break to eat, even though there’s so much to do – listen to it. Sometimes it tells you softly that you don’t need to compete, or do more, or look better than that person next to you in a yoga class – honor it.
- Choose kindness. It feels better to be nice – the days when you are not living this principle it is likely your ego talking – not your heart/soul. Sometimes the ego finds ways to strengthen itself in blaming/complaining/yelling – these emotions are better left alone, these thoughts are better left unsaid. This is not to say, you cannot be honest about things that are hurting you, or your boundaries – you can be, but do it with kindness in your eyes, instead of rage.
- Choose gratitude. Focusing on gratitude can help get us through the toughest days. Be grateful for the moments of peace, and love – this moment, now, is all we have – fill it with gratitude.
- We get to choose which voice in our head to listen to. The worried voice that wakes us in the night with irrational fears, or the deep abiding clam of our inner self that reassures us that worrying won’t change a thing, so why bother. Both voices exist in any moment, and we get to choose which one to flick out of our consciousness and which one to linger on, which one will color our days…I’d rather linger on the moonlight, the sunrise…linger on the joys, rather than the fears and worries – so I change the channel in my mind, I choose my thoughts.
- Love yourself. Even when it’s hard, even when you don’t like yourself. Healing isn’t getting rid of all the things you don’t like about yourself, it’s learning to accept those things – and love yourself anyway.
- Be honest with yourself – – – this one really blew my mind a number of years ago. If you haven’t ever sat down and thought about it – please do. Where are you not being honest with yourself!? Changing this can completely change your story.
I think I could keep going…but I’ll leave it here for today and encourage you to find some words too – your truths might be shorter, or longer – they may be similar, or very different! I’d love to read them, if you care to share.
If you left your physical body what truths would you want to share with your loved ones? What do you know to be true? Don’t worry about what anyone else would think of it – write it down and put it somewhere special
Lots of love to each of you today!!