“I have to be me…I can’t be any other.”
If I’ve said that to myself once, I’ve said it a hundred times. I’ve said it to myself when:
- Someone has been disappointed in me.
- Someone has spoken unkindly about me.
- Someone has imposed unrealistic expectations on me.
I’ve been reflecting on a season of my life when I was so wounded. I hid behind my armor hoping that no one would see the gaping holes in my heart and the shattered identity underneath. I limped along for as long as I could until my armor began to crumble. I just couldn’t hold myself together any more. The weight of the armor and the wounds underneath were too much to bear. I fell apart and my armor fell off.
And there I was.
Standing there with nothing to hide.
It was just me.
And, you know what?
I was okay. I survived.
Yes, I was still wounded. Yes, I still felt betrayed and hurt. Yes, I felt still vulnerable and exposed.
But, I was still standing.
And, I’m still standing today. Stronger than ever before. More confident than ever before. More ME than ever before.
I can’t be any other.
So, my friends, if you are feeling pressured to cave in or conform to the approval of others or you are toying with the temptation to armor up and hide behind pretense, I have good news for you.
YOU can untangle YOU from YOU.
And here’s where it starts…one small (but powerful) mantra to grab hold of when you feel like a mental mess:
I am loved for who I am not what I do.
A restless mind can turn into a restful mind with one simple truth.
If we are going to lead where we are, then we have to lay hold of who we are.
So, what lies do you need to let go of? And, what truths do you need to lay hold of? What mantra do you repeat when you’re feeling like a mental mess?
I would love to hear how you preach truth to yourself.
To learn more about my journey to the real me, check out the posts below.
Three Things to Do (Immediately) When You Are Falling Backwards
My One Word (And How I Keep It At the Forefront of My Year)
